skishop69

I just looked at your pics and you've got an angle problem. Your output/tailshaft shaft angle and pinion angle have to be equal (within 0.5 degree) and offset. Meaning, if your tailshaft is pointed down 6.5 degrees, your pinion has to be pointed up 6.5 degrees in order to cancel out the elliptical rotation of the u-joints. Optimum operational angle is1-3 degrees at the joints. The higher the angle, the more chance for vibration though I've had lifted rigs with angles as high as 10-12 degrees with no issues. There are two exceptions to this rule: A driveline with a double cardan joint on one end or a two piece driveline. So, you have three options: 1) Find a way to shim your pinion nose up (don't forget to add more fluid if you do this) , 2) Get a double cardan installed on the pinion side of your one piece, 3) Put in the factory two piece. A couple other things, is the driveline properly balanced and are the ujoint yokes offset 90 degrees from each other on the driveline ends? It sounds like you have a secondary vibration somewhere, but your test of pulling both rear axles and running 2WD almost eliminating the vibration points right to the driveline since it would no longer be turning at speed. Since you have a locker, even in 2WD, it's turning at speed.

2888 lbs.

That's the EGR pipe. You have to unscrew the fitting from the manifold. I'd soak it with some penetrating oil for a while before trying to remove it. They can be a bugger. The pipe gets seized in the fitting so the fitting won't turn. Sometimes you have to break out the smoke hatchet to get them free.

Basically just look for anything leaking and take care of it. Clean up the engine compartment while you're there...

Sure.... for about 5 minutes or 5 miles, whichever comes first. The stuff is strong, but that would be seriously dangerous.

Your best bet is a slide hammer if you have access to one. I believe you can rent them from O'Reillys or Autozone. Another trick is to get a BFH and hit the face of the drum as hard as you can repeatedly. This will 'shock' the drum loose from the axle. Or should... It's almost always what we do in the shop.

I had two Brats I cut the back wall out of when I was young. I wouldn't do it now because they are getting harder to come by. That being said, both of mine had toppers and I finished out the back after doing that. You think heating them in a Pasco winter sucks? Wait til you do that. lol I got around it though. In fact, one of them is probably still in the Tri Cities. I lived in Kennewick when I did the last one. White with KC off road lights on the front of the high top topper. Flipping the back seats would take fabrication work as the mounts are welded to the bed and you'd have to come up with a way to mount the head rests. You'd also need a roll bar of some sort for the people in the back. I would not put my family back there without some sort of cage for protection. Also, if the cops over there are anything like they used to be, print off a copy of the RCW on riding in the bed of a truck and carry it in the glove box. You're going to get pulled over a lot. lol Almost every time I had someone in the seats on my other Brat, I got pulled over. Only got a few tickets, but I got out of them.

What car did you order for?

In order to completely stop the rust, you need cut out all the metal that's rusted, even slightly, clean it and coat it with a GOOD anti-rust coating, then repair it. The rocker panels are structural, so I would not use fiberglass. You'll need to find good ones and graft them in or make new panels.

Yes, I should have been more clear. Damage to the CAT. ECU cars can be mapped to run without one, but it is more complex mapping to get it to pass emission standards. Unplugging an O2 on an ECU car can lead to fouling of plugs or burning down pistons. It all depends on the car and conditions. I've seen it happen though. Carb'd turbos are jetted to run rich and are a bit of a different criiter.

Likely something to do with government rules or something else. Can't run a turbo with no O2 without creating issues in runability.

Get a new mechanic? If it's on, either codes are stored in which case, we need to know what they are to help, or the ECU is crapped out turning it on, or you have a wiring short keeping it on.

I do tend to cover every angle. lol I can say nothing I've ever fab'd has failed structurally.

You don't 'have to' reproduce the factory threads, but you still have to turn down the end for the bushings to fit. Bushings with that size hole would be significantly larger in diameter. Also, if you just thread the rod, I'm pretty sure that the size of the nuts would be so big, you'd have problems getting a wrench in there to get a proper turn for adjusting/tightening. You'd also have to drill out the mounting hole reducing the amount of surface area which would compromise it's strength.

The strut rods would be easy to make, I was going to do it before I found the ones from Ingalls. Get the correct diameter, cold rolled round stock and cut it approx an inch and a half longer. Take the pieces to a machinist with a factory one and have them turn the end down going that extra 1.5" for the threads. You can have them cut the threads or do it yourself. Local shop was going to charge me $50 so that's not bad really. Heat the opposite end up with the torch and put it in a press to flatten it out. If you don't have a press, a large bench vise should work or I suppose you could pound it flat but that might be hard to keep things accurate. Get a couple extra jam nuts, install it and set it.