Big Blue's Transformation

[Gary Lewis]

You are right, and while I'd missed that it isn't what I expected you to find.  Take a gander at this:

[ArdWrknTrk]

Well, you were swapping it out anyway....

Someone needs to lose a few fingers to their sawszall

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, but I'm swapping it out because of that.  But the replacement is ready to go, so hopefully tomorrow this one will come off.

And I'd bet it was due to the same guy that hacked the crossmember.  

[salans7]

Wow. Although I understand why they may have done that, there were other ways to get around that issue.

[ArdWrknTrk]

If all you have is a hammer, everything is a nail.

We should be grateful Florida Man didn't have a plasma cutter.  

[salans7]

Imagine if they had a welder. Did somebody say solid motor mounts? Welded engine perches? Body welded to the frame in place of the bushings? Florida man's possibilities are endless.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Full-time 4wd welded diff locker would've been my first guess looking at the rest of it.

[Gary Lewis]

Jim - I guess I'd better count my blessings.  But, from what Vernon told me about the guys, a sawzall was high tech, so it isn't likely they'd have a plasma cutter.

Shaun - The red depicts where the factory put the engine oil cooler and where they ran the lines.  Had Florida Guy done that lots of problems would have been solved.  One is that there would have been no need to cut the radiator support.  Another is that the cooler would have nestled behind or even with the grille/latch support and there would have been no reason to butcher the back of the grille.

Yes, the back of the grille is "relieved" to miss the oil cooler.  But you really can't tell that from the front, so I'll continue to use that grille instead of the NOS one as who knows what I'll run into, literally, when overlanding.  And, I'll save then NOS one for later.

[85lebaront2]

Damn, that's not where mine is, nor looks like.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, mine's a huge aftermarket one.  And my drawing is where mine is going, but it isn't accurate for the little factory one.  

Boy, look at the size of the lines to the engine cooler on the right of the picture vs those for the E4OD on the left of the picture.  WOW!

[85lebaront2]

Part is higher pressure, so the hoses are thicker the other is just pure flow volume.

[Gary Lewis]

Yep, I'm thinking there's a lot of volume on the engine oil.  

I'm going to have to look that cooler over 'cause it would be nice if there are pipe threads on the inlet so's I can put 90's on there.  That will make routing the hoses easier given the length/height of that thing.

[85lebaront2]

My hoses go under the radiator support, then up over the suspension crossmember.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, but don't they go over to that raised spot near the frame?  Or just straight down and under?

[85lebaront2]

Straight down and under, there was actually a hole for the hose bracket already there. I will look through my pictures tomorrow and find the ones I took.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, thanks.  That should work fine for me.  And it'll be well protected.  Here's Sky's shot of their crossmember between the front frame horns:

[Steve83]

salans7 wrote

Imagine if they had a welder. Did somebody say solid motor mounts?

Hey, I welded up my own engine mounts!  But mine aren't solid...

ArdWrknTrk wrote

...welded diff locker would've been my first guess...

I did that, too, for a little while.  But not full-time 4WD.  It just broke more parts, so I'm back to open diffs F&R like always.

[Gary Lewis]

Steve - Did you miss the question about taking the A/C system out as a unit?  I'm remembering you said it can be done, but want confirmation.  And, how difficult is it?  Any tips?

[85lebaront2]

Gary, sorry about the quality, I had taken the picture to show the lower air baffle and didn't realize the oil cooler hoses were that much out of focus. Circled area is the mounting clip for the hoses. I suspect the reason is to keep the hoses from moving and chafing on the radiator support. I can try to get a better picture later today.

[Gary Lewis]

Bill - That's ok, I get the picture - so to speak.  

So one of those holes in the bottom of the radiator support is what the clamp bolts to, and they appear to have pulled the hoses together and put them under that one clamp.

Good to know as that'll make it easier for me.  Thanks!