Argosy 4X4 Duramax conversion

wanderer-rrorc

Explorer
this is SUCH AN AMAZING BUILD!!! LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!

Sick axle widening idea! never thought about using the desert stuff to push out the stance!!!

try a different mix gas with your MIG...talk to the local shop about the spatter Im sure a different mix will help that almost completely!
 

Psychodan

New member
Shocks are leaned in as far as possible, the 90* I was referring to is the front/back placement for the top mount. I did end up re-routing the hose, much better that way. Thanks for posting!
 

Coachgeo

Explorer
Am South of Columbus... and just barely south of Dayton. Anyway...... if anyone is interested I know where what I think is a Travco.... (similar to the Argosy) is sitting in rotting away condition like this Argosy once was. Hit me up if you want me to knock in their door for info.

LOL maybe I should get it and sit it atop my LMTV lol.
 

Psychodan

New member
Progress report

Time for a semi-annual update, sorry about that.... Been busy with other stuff. I ran into a clearance problem with the axle shafts. Either I wrote down the info wrong or I was given bad info, either way the shock rod ends needed to be 1" longer and the lower perch needed to be 2" raised. Which also meant my coils were now too long. I tried just longer rod ends first since that wouldn't change coil length, but it wasn't enough. So new springs and perches. All that took a while, including picking up all the tools I threw across the shop, and the emotional fortitude to continue added a few weeks. But here we are, problem fixed, chassis is now in the hands of professionals to get the rear axle widened 9", moved back 14", and the frame extended 38". New leaf spring perches were fabricated so everything stays proper. I should have it back in my shop before the snow flies. Which is good because my driveway is steep

.IMG_2291.jpgIMG_2257.jpgIMG_2286.jpgIMG_2344.jpgIMG_2356.jpgIMG_5917.jpg
 

b dkw1

Observer
Still bad ***!

Are you going to add any support to those shock mounts? Usually there is an engine cage involved.
 

Psychodan

New member
Yes, there will be a support above the engine, and probably behind as well. Still laying out the piping for air and coolant so available space has yet to be determined. Won't survive the first jump if I leave it like it is!
 

Psychodan

New member
Chassis is back from the Hazzard Fab!

The chassis is back from Hazzard Fabworx, 38" longer, axle is 9" wider and 14" further back. Now I will be finalizing the design for the floor so we can get the body attached to the chassis. The basic idea is to build aluminum trusses or beam assemblies to span the chassis, attached to the stock body mounts, using stock body mount bushings. I'll add several mounts on the rear of the chassis to support the back half of the body. The trusses will be 2 identical (each truss unique based on its location) cut aluminum sheets bolted or riveted together with about a 4" gap between them. The rim of the new floor frame will attach to the ends of the truss and will align with the perimeter of the body. Flooring panels will attach to beams running parallel to the frame and supported by the trusses. The firewall will be a large aluminum cutout that's similar to the trusses in design, though thinner and obviously larger, and will support the front of the body. One thing I could use some advice on is the steering gear. The input shaft points rearward at a shallow angle, but with the new location of my steering column this poses a problem. My steering shaft from the steering wheel is in front of and quite a bit above the steering gear. Does anybody know of a heavy duty gear that has the input shaft on the top and the output shaft pointing out the bottom? Or a right hand driver side box so I could spin it 180, mount it on the left side frame rail resulting on the input shaft facing forward with the output still facing down? Input shaft linkage would be simpler that way...
 

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Coachgeo

Explorer
IMHO consider a pivot mount system for the body. This is how the Full Body Unimogs are done. Same as what they do just the camper on most mogs..... but done for the whole body. Otherwise you risk good chance of breaking up that nice sweet Argosy body you will putting ton of time into.
 

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