Commando Drivetrain

(NARRATOR)>> THE COMMANDO CAME INTO THE SHOP WITH THE ENGINE FROM A MAZDA PICK UP, BUT WHEN WE'RE DONE IT'LL HAVE A MODERN DRIVETRAIN INCLUDING A STRAIGHT SIX. PLUS THE JEEPSTER GETS A PAINT JOB TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE A TRUE CLASSIC. ALL THAT AND MORE THIS WEEK ON XTREME OFF ROAD.

(IAN)>> IT IS DRIVETRAIN DAY FOR OUR 1968 JEEPSTER ROCK AUTO DOT COM GIVEAWAY PROJECT. NOW ALL THE SUSPENSION MOCK UP IS DONE AND FULLY WELDED IN. THE NEXT STEP IS TO GET A DRIVETRAIN IN THIS RIG. NOW FOR THE DRIVETRAIN I'M ACTUALLY GONNA BE SWAPPING IN THIS STRAIGHT SIX FOUR LITER JEEP ENGINE. THIS ACTUAL PACKAGE CAME OUT OF LAST YEAR'S GIVEAWAY JEEP LJ. NOW THERE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BIT OF CUSTOM FAB TO GET THIS PACKAGE INTO THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO REMEMBER, THE JEEPSTER NEVER CAME WITH A FOUR LITER STRAIGHT SIX. IT WAS ONLY EVER OFFERED WITH A SMALL FOUR CYLINDER OR A SMALL VSIX, AND SOMEBODY'S ALREADY DONE A BUNCH OF FAB TO PUT THAT VSIX MAZDA ENGINE IN THERE THAT WE'VE SINCE THROWN AWAY. NOW THIS PROBABLY WOULD BE GOOD TO DROP UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND HIT THE TRAIL, BUT IT HAS OVER 150,000 MILES ON IT, AND WHEN I PULLED THE DIPSTICK OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION THE TRANSMISSION FLUID SMELLS LIKE IT'S STARTING TO BURN UP. SO I'M JUST GONNA USE THIS PARTICULAR PACKAGE FOR MOCK UP, BUT WHEN IT COMES TIME TO DROP IN THE REAL ENGINE I'VE GOT SOMETHING ELSE PLANNED. I'M GOING TO UPGRADE THIS DRIVETRAIN BY REPLACING THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION WITH NEW REENGINEERED PIECES FROM POWERTRAIN PRODUCTS. POWERTRAIN PRODUCTS DOES MORE THAN SIMPLY REBUILD THEIR FACTORY REPLACEMENT LONG BLOCKS. THEY TAKE CARE OF KEY PROBLEM AREAS IN EACH MODEL. SOME FOUR LITER ENGINES WERE KNOWN TO HAVE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKING ISSUES. POWERTRAIN INSTALLS THE UPDATED HEAD ON ALL THEIR LONG BLOCKS TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, AND THE TRANSMISSIONS HAVE MID YEAR UPDATES INSTALLED WITH THEM AS WELL. BEHIND THE TRANSMISSION I'M GONNA USE A ROCK TRACK TRANSFER CASE THAT I PICKED UP FROM A LOCAL WRECKING YARD. THIS IS A GREAT OPTION IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A STRONG OEM CASE WITH A FOUR TO ONE RATIO. [ drill spinning ]

(IAN)>> I HAVE TO STRIP THIS MOTOR DOWN TO A BARE BLOCK IN ORDER TO TRANSFER EVERYTHING OVER LIKE VALVE COVERS, INTAKE, EXHAUST MANIFOLD, ON TO OUR NEW ENGINE. NOW THIS IS JUST A GREAT TIME TO GO AHEAD AND REPLACE ANY WEAR ITEMS THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE BAD. THINGS LIKE STARTERS, ALTERNATOR, OIL PRESSURE SENSOR, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. NOW THESE PARTS AREN'T GONNA GO ON THIS MOTOR BUT I WILL NEED ALL THE FASTENERS THAT HOLD THEM IN PLACE. SO I'M JUST CHECKING THEM AGAINST THIS MOTOR, PULLING THE BOLTS OUT, AND TRANSFERRING THEM OVER ONTO THE NEW PARTS. THAT'S ONE REASON WHY I LIKE ROCK AUTO DOT COM SO MUCH. I OWN A BUNCH OF RIGS JUST LIKE THIS. CLASSIC JEEP IRON WITH POWER PLANTS OUT OF SOMETHING ELSE, WITH AXLES OUT OF ONE TON TRUCKS. GOING TO A PARTS STORE, IT JUST GETS CONFUSING. IT'S A LOT EASIER JUST TO JUMP ONLINE AND ORDER YOUR OWN PARTS. I MEAN YOU KNOW WHAT MOTOR YOU'VE GOT. YOU KNOW WHAT AXLES YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW WHAT TRANSMISSION. YOU CAN LOOK IT ALL UP YOURSELF AND GET IT DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR DOOR AND INSTALL IT YOURSELF. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA FIND WHEN STRIPPING AN ENGINE. I'VE SEEN THESE FOUR LITER INTAKES BROKEN LIKE THIS BEFORE. IF WE DIDN'T CATCH IT NOW IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A DRIVABILITY PROBLEM ONCE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING IN THE JEEPSTER.

ONCE IT'S A BARE BLOCK I'LL STAB IT BACK INTO THE TRUCK.

I SWUNG THE OLD MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION INTO THE FRAME RAIL BECAUSE I HAVE TO BUILD SOME MOTOR MOUNTS. IT'S JUST GONNA BE A LOT EASIER TO DO ALL THE TACKING AND WELDING AROUND THIS OLD MOTOR AND NOT WORRY ABOUT GETTING WELD SPATTER ON OUR SHINY NEW ENGINE BLOCK. NOW WHENEVER YOU'RE DOING A DRIVETRAIN SWAP INTO ONE OF THESE CLASSIC JEEPS ENGINE PLACEMENT BECOMES A REAL ISSUE. THESE FRAME RAILS ON THESE OLD JEEPS, THEY'RE VERY NARROW. SO WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS PUSH THE ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN TO ONE SIDE. BASICALLY GIVES ME MORE ROOM FOR THE FRONT OUTPUT ON MY TRANSFER CASE TO CLEAR THE FRAME, GET THE DRIVESHAFT DOWN TO THE FRONT AXLE, AND ALSO MAKE SURE THE TRANSFER CASE DOESN'T CONTACT THE FRAME. I'M GONNA MOVE THIS ONE OVER ABOUT AN INCH, INCH AND A HALF. I'LL BUILD THE MOTOR MOUNTS BY USING JUST SOME STOCK MOTOR MOUNTS. THAT'S THE ACTUAL MOUNT THAT CAME OUT OF THE JEEP LJ WHEN I PULLED THIS FOUR LITER OUT. I LIKE TO USE AS MANY STOCK PARTS AS I CAN WHEN I DO THESE SWAPS. IT JUST MAKES IT LOOK THAT MUCH CLEANER. I ALSO WANT TO USE A STOCK RADIATOR, AND THAT MEANS THIS CROSS MEMBER IS GONNA BE A HUGE ISSUE. IT'S NOT HITTING THE BALANCER, BUT TO FIT A RADIATOR IN FRONT OF THIS MOTOR IT NEEDS TO SIT DOWN LOWER IN THE CHASSIS. NOW I'M JUST GONNA ELIMINATE IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT A HUGE DEAL. THIS BUMPER IS ACTUALLY DOING THE SAME JOB THAT THIS CROSS MEMBER WAS IN HERE ORIGINALLY JUST KEEPING THE FRAME RAIL TOGETHER. ALL I'LL HAVE TO DO THEN IS BUILD A MOUNT FOR THE GRILL SHELL FOR THE FENDERS TO BOLT TO. NEXT STEP FOR ME IS TO BASICALLY FIRE UP THE PLASMA TABLE.

BUILDING THE FRAME SIDE MOTOR MOUNTS IS PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD. ONCE YOU HAVE THE LOCATION OF THE MOUNT CHOSEN, YOU JUST HAVE TO CUT THE STEEL, WELD THE STEEL... [ welder crackling ] [ grinding metal ]

(IAN)>>... DROP THE MOUNT INTO PLACE AND TACK IT TO THE FRAME.

(NARRATOR)>> COMING UP, CUSTOM TRANSMISSION MOUNTS, A NEW WIRING HARNESS, AND SOMETHING TO QUIET DOWN THE SOUND IN THIS CLASSIC IRON.

(IAN)>> WITH THE MOTOR MOUNTS COMPLETE, THE NEXT STEP IS TO COME UP WITH SOME TYPE OF TRANSMISSION MOUNT. LIKE WE'VE ALWAYS SAID, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT AND THE MOTOR MOUNT ARE THE SAME MATERIAL. SO I PICKED UP A FACTORY TRANSMISSION MOUNT FOR A 2004 JEEP WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE THING IS, IS JEEP ALWAYS USED LIKE A GOOFY BRACKET THAT BOLTED TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION, AND THEN THAT WOULD PUT THIS MOUNT IN THE CORRECT LOCATION ON THE SKID PLATE THAT TRAVELED ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE FRAME ON A TJ OR AN LJ. NOW I DON'T HAVE ANY OF THAT ON THIS JEEP. SO I'VE GOT TO CUSTOM FAB A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF. NOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS TO DO IT. I CAN LAY ON MY BACK ON THE FLOOR AND GET UP AND DOWN 100 TIMES FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET THIS MOUNT TO WORK UNDERNEATH THERE, OR I CAN PULL THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE BACK OUT AND BUILD IT ON THE BENCH. I VOTE BENCH!

[ drilling spinning ]

(IAN)>> I DON'T NEED THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION ON THE BENCH TO BUILD THIS CUSTOM MOUNT. I JUST NEED THIS EXTENSION HOUSING THAT I NEED TO TRANSFER OVER ONTO OUR NEW TRANSMISSION ANYWAY. WITH IT ON THE BENCH, YOU CAN SEE THE FOUR HOLES THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT EARLIER. THEY DON'T LINE UP WITH THE FOUR HOLES ON THIS MOUNT AT ALL. NOW A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO FIX THIS WOULD BE TO MAKE A PLATE THAT BOLTED UP TO THOSE FOUR HOLES AND THEN JUST WELD IT RIGHT ONTO THIS STOCK TRANSMISSION MOUNT, BOLT IT INTO PLACE. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS IF ANYTHING EVER GOES WRONG WITH THIS TRANSMISSION MOUNT, NEED TO REPLACE IT, YOU'VE GOT TO CUSTOM BUILD THAT PLATE ALL OVER AGAIN. PLUS I THINK THAT THERE'S A BENEFIT TO ACTUALLY PUSHING THIS MOUNT AWAY FROM THE EXTENSION HOUSING. IT'LL GIVE US MORE ROOM FOR OUR FRONT TRANSFER CASE OUTPUT, MORE CLEARANCE FOR THAT FRONT DRIVELINE. I THINK THAT'S WHY JEEP HAS THIS SPACED OUT FROM THE FACTORY. NOW MY PLAN'S PRETTY SIMPLE. I'M GONNA BUILD A PLATE TO BOLT ONTO THE EXTENSION HOUSING, AND THEN I'LL BUILD A PLATE, BOLT IT ONTO THIS FACTORY MOUNT, AND THEN A COUPLE OF PLATES TO ATTACH THE TWO OF THEM TOGETHER, AND THEN I CAN BUILD A CROSS MEMBER. JUST PLATES EVERYWHERE, PLATES, PLATES, PLATES! THAT'LL WORK!

I HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE AND THE EXTENSION HOUSING BASICALLY MOCKED UP AS IF THEY WERE UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. NOW THE FIRST PLATE IS BOLTED ONTO THE EXTENSION HOUSING, AND THE SECOND PLATE, WHICH WILL ANCHOR THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT, IS RIGHT HERE. THERE WILL BE A THIRD PLATE, WHICH ATTACHES TO THESE FOUR STUDS ON THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT, AND THAT PLATE GETS WELDED TO THE TUBULAR CROSS MEMBER THAT RUNS BETWEEN THE FRAME RAILS ON THE RIG, BASICALLY HOLDING ALL OF THIS IN PLACE. NOW WE DO KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT WILL GO UNDERNEATH THE EXTENSION HOUSING BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GONNA LAND. WHETHER IT'S GOING TO LAND FORWARD OR BACKWARD OF THAT MOUNT. WE DON'T WANT TO MOUNT IT TOO FAR FORWARD BECAUSE THEN THERE'S A CHANCE THAT THE TRANSFER CASE FRONT OUTPUT WILL CONTACT OUR CROSS MEMBER WHEN THE SUSPENSION IS FULLY DROOPED OUT. WE DON'T WANT IT TOO FAR BACKWARD BECAUSE THAT'S GONNA PUT A LOT OF STRAIN ON THE EXTENSION HOUSING, AND THERE'S A CHANCE THAT, THAT CROSS MEMBER WILL CONTACT OUR ROCK TRACK TRANSFER CASE, CAUSE THESE ARE A PRETTY BEEFY TRANSFER CASE TO FIT UNDERNEATH A RIG, BUT I THINK I'VE GOT A LOCATION PRETTY MUCH NAILED. IT'S GONNA GO ABOUT AN INCH UNDERNEATH THE CROSS MEMBER, SET BACK MAYBE ABOUT AN INCH AND A QUARTER. THAT SHOULD GIVE US PLENTY OF CLEARANCE, AND EVERYTHING WILL FIT IN THERE NICE.

[ welder crackling ]

(IAN)>> WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION MOUNT PLATE YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE BOLTS BEFORE YOU FINISH WELD IT.

(NARRATOR)>> COMING UP, INTERIOR PIECES TO GIVE US COMFORT AND STYLE.

(IAN)>> OUR ACTUAL ENGINE IS NOW IN BETWEEN THE FRAME RAILS FOR GOOD. IT'S BACKED UP BY OUR NEW AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND OUR ROCK TRACK TRANSFER CASE. NOW I PUT ON ALL THE GOODIES I GOT FROM ROCK AUTO DOT COM. NEW ALTERNATOR, A TENSIONER, WATER PUMP, AND I ALSO ORDERED A BRAND NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD TO REPLACE THAT BROKEN ONE. NOW WHENEVER YOU'RE DEALING WITH MODERN JEEP DRIVETRAINS LIKE THIS, I ALWAYS SAY, WHEN IT COMES TO WIRING THEM UP THERE'S ONE PLACE TO GO, AND THAT IS HOT WIRE AUTO. THEY WERE ABLE TO MODIFY OUR WIRING HARNESS SPECIFIC FOR OUR APPLICATION. THEY CONVERTED OUR JEEP LJ FACTORY HARNESS INTO A HOT ROD HARNESS, REMOVING ANY UNNECESSARY ITEMS AND CONVERTING IT TO AN EASY THREE WIRE HOOK UP. IT CAME BACK LABELED FOR EVERY SENSOR AND READY TO USE THE FACTORY ECU AND TRANSMISSION COMPUTER TO GET IT RUNNING IN OUR RIG. NEXT STEP FOR US IS TO GET THAT WIRING HARNESS INSIDE THIS JEEP, AND THIS IS A PERFECT TIME TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE ISSUES WITH THE INTERIOR ON THIS RIG. YOU CAN SEE I'VE ALREADY GONE AHEAD AND REMOVED ALL THE MAZDA THAT WAS PUT IN HERE. THE DASH IS GONE, THE STEERING COLUMN'S GONE, AND WHATEVER THOSE SEATS WERE OUT OF THEY'RE GONE AS WELL. NOW THIS IS THE POINT WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH OLD IRON. THERE'S A LOT OF SINS GOING ON ON THE INSIDE OF THIS TRUCK. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TUNNEL HAS BEEN GRAFTED OUT OF THAT MAZDA AND IT'S NOT VERY WELL DONE. THERE'S A FIREWALL OUT OF A MID '80'S PICK UP TRUCK WELDED INTO A CLASSIC JEEPSTER. DO YOU GO THROUGH THE TROUBLE OF COMPLETELY RESTORING THE INSIDE OF THIS BODY, OR DO YOU JUST COVER IT UP. I'M VOTING COVER IT UP BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS IS A HARDCORE OFF ROAD RIG. I'M NOT BUILDING A HOT ROD HERE. SO IF I KINDA COVER THIS UP IT'S OUT OF SITE, OUT OF MIND, AND TO DO THAT I'M GONNA USE SOMETHING THAT I DON'T NORMALLY USE. [ saw cutting metal ]

(IAN)>> IT'S CALLED BOOM MAT FROM DEI. IT'S A SERIES OF SELF ADHESIVE PANELS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO KEEP HEAT AND SOUND FROM TRANSFERRING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. IT'S OFTEN USED IN HOT RODS OR CARS WITH HIGH END AUDIO EQUIPMENT. WE WILL GET ALL THOSE BENEFITS IN THIS RIG AS WELL, BUT IT WILL ALSO SEAL UP ALL THE PIN HOLES IN THE FLOOR AND MAKE IT LOOK A LOT BETTER.

NOW I SAID WE'RE NOT BUILDING A HOT ROD, BUT THE INTERIOR OF THIS JEEPSTER DESERVES A LITTLE BIT OF STYLE. SO I PICKED UP SOME SCAT PRO CAR BUCKET SEATS, A STAINLESS STEEL TILT COLUMN, CUSTOM STEERING WHEEL, AND A SET OF VINTAGE GAUGES ALL FROM SUMMIT RACING.

(NARRATOR)>> UP NEXT, A CLASSIC LOOK FOR A CLASSIC RIDE!

(IAN)>> WE ARE BACK ON XTREME, AND WHILE I FINISH UP THE INTERIOR OF THIS JEEPSTER MY CAMERA GUY ROBERT BEGINS THE PREP WORK FOR A CUSTOM PAINT JOB ON THE EXTERIOR, SANDING DOWN THE ENTIRE BODY WITH A 180 GRIT PAPER ON A DUAL ACTION SANDER. I'M PERFORMING A FAUXTINA PAINT JOB. BASICALLY MAKING IT LOOK LIKE AN OLD, WORN OUT JEEP. IT ALL STARTS BY BRUSHING ON SINGLE STAGE FLAT BLACK PAINT. THEN USING A ROLLER TO APPLY SOME RED OXIDE COLORED PAINT. THESE TWO PROCESSES WILL GIVE THIS PAINT MORE DEPTH. WHAT YOU WOULD SEE IN AN OLD, ABANDONED JEEP. THEN IT CAN BE COMPLETELY MASKED UP. NEXT STEP IS TO APPLY YOUR FINAL COLOR. NOW THIS CAN BE ANY COLOR THAT YOU WANT. MYSELF, FOR THIS RIG, I CHOSE ROCK AUTO DOT COM BLUE BECAUSE MY THOUGHT PROCESS IS THIS. MAYBE THIS JEEPSTER USED TO DELIVER PARTS BACK IN THE DAY, AND WE FOUND IT IN A FIELD, AND DRAGGED IT OUT, AND TURNED IT INTO THIS AWESOME ROCK AUTO DOT COM GIVEAWAY. YOU REALLY CANNOT MAKE ANY MISTAKES WITH THIS PAINT JOB BECAUSE AT THE END IT'S ALL UP TO PERSONAL PREFERENCE. I WON'T BE APPLYING A LOT OF PAINT TO THE TOP OF THE HOOD OR THE TOP OF THE FENDERS BECAUSE IF THIS WAS SITTING IN A FIELD FOR YEARS THIS WOULD ALREADY BE FADED BACK TO THIS RED OXIDE AND THIS BLACK. I'LL PUTTING MOST OF MY PAINT JUST ON THE SIDES OF THE TRUCK AND MAYBE DOWN ON THE ROCKERS, AND IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE JUST CALL IT CHARACTER. NOW REMEMBER, IF YOU'RE DOING THIS AT HOME, DO IT IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA. YOU COULD EVEN PAINT SOMETHING LIKE THIS IN YOUR DRIVEWAY. IT IS THAT SIMPLE OF A PAINT JOB. HERE I'VE GOT A GOOD EXHAUST FAN AT THE TOP OF THE SHOP AND MY RESPIRATOR. I'M READY TO GO. I'M USING AN HVLP GUN TO SPRAY THE CUSTOM PPG PAINT MIX FROM SINGLE SOURCE. HEAVY ON THE SIDES, LIGHT ON THE TOP.

ONCE THE PAPER IS REMOVED, SANDING BEGINS. 180 FOR QUICK REMOVAL, 220 TO REMOVE THE SCRATCHES, AND IT'S FINISHED OFF WITH SOME SCOTCHBRITE TO DULL THE SHINE.

KEEPING WITH THE THEME OF AN OLD SCHOOL PARTS DELIVERY VEHICLE, WE WANT TO PUT THE ROCK AUTO DOT COM LOGO ON THE SIDE. NOW IN THE OLD DAYS THOSE WOULD BE ALL HAND PAINTED, BUT WHAT I HAD IS A MASK SYSTEM CUT OUT THAT I'LL BASICALLY PUT ON THE DOOR AND THEN I CAN PATINA ON THIS LOGO. NOW TO CREATE THE PATINA FOR THE LOGO I'M JUST SIMPLY GONNA USE SOME DUPLICOLOR AEROSOL CANS. I'VE GOT THREE COLORS. I HAVE WHITE, SOME BLACK, AND SOME RED OXIDE PRIMER, AND WITH A LITTLE BIT OF WORK WE CAN MAKE THIS LOGO LOOK OLD AND COOL.

STARTING WITH THE WHITE, WE GHOST IN THE LOGO ADDING SOME RED OXIDE AND SOME BLACK.

ONCE THE PAPER'S REMOVED, WE'LL KNOCK THE SHINE OFF WITH A SCOTCHBRITE AND WE HAVE A CUSTOM LOGO JEEPSTER.

WHENEVER YOU'RE WORKING WITH TUBING, A DIFFICULT AREA IS ALWAYS A COMPLICATED TUBE JOINT. YOU WANT A NICE, TIGHT FITTING NOTCH WHERE THE TUBES INTERSECT. THINK OF IT LIKE PAINT AND BODY. SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THE PREP AND YOU'LL END UP WITH A HIGH QUALITY PAINT FINISH. SAME HOLDS TRUE WITH TUBE JOINTS. SPEND A LOT OF TIME GETTING YOUR FIT UP PERFECT AND YOU'LL HAVE A HIGH QUALITY AND STRONG WELD HOLDING YOUR CHASSIS TOGETHER. NOW THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GONNA REPLACE JUST TIME WITH THE TUBE GETTING IT TO FIT PERFECTLY, BUT THERE ARE SOME TOOLS THAT CAN MAKE THE JOB A LOT EASIER. THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO CUT A NOTCH. TWO POPULAR ONES ARE A GOOD QUALITY HOLE SAW STYLE NOTCHER, OR A PLASMA CUTTER. BOTH OF THESE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS THE INITIAL CUT JUST TO FIT THE TUBING. YOU'RE GONNA WANT A HAND GRINDER WITH A SELECTION OF FLAP DISCS. I PREFER A 40 GRIT FOUR INCH DISC. THESE MAKE QUICK WORK CLEANING UP A NOTCH. A GOOD PAINT PEN CAN BE USED TO MARK THE LOCATION OF A NOTCH ON A TUBE BY HOLDING IT AGAINST THE TUBE AND USING IT AS A GUIDE. PAINT PENS WORK BEST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT EFFECTED BY THE HEAT OF THE GRINDER OR THE PLASMA CUTTER. A SELECTION OF CARBIDE BURRS, A DIE GRINDER, AND A SMALL AIR POWERED CUTOFF WHEEL WILL HELP CUT TACKS TO REMOVE THE TUBE.

YOU CAN BUY PROFILE GAUGES THAT SLIDE OVER THE TUBING TO HELP WITH COMPLICATED NOTCHES. TUBE NOTCHING IS A COMPLICATED PROCESS. PLAN TO TAKE MULTIPLE TRIPS BETWEEN YOUR CHASSIS AND YOUR BENCH WITH YOUR HAND GRINDER FINE TUNING THAT NOTCH UNTIL IT FITS PERFECT. ANOTHER TIP I CAN GIVE YOU IS ALWAYS START WITH THE MOST COMPLICATED NOTCH. ON THIS CHASSIS FOR THIS TUBE IT INTERSECTS TWO PIECES OF TUBING. SO I RAN THE TUBE LONG AND JUST SPENT TIME FINE TUNING THIS NOTCH. THIS ONE'S MORE COMPLICATED THAN THIS SIMPLE NOTCH UP AT THE GRILL SHELL, AND IF I HAD STARTED HERE THERE IS A CHANCE THAT BY THE TIME I HAD THIS END FITTING CORRECTLY MY TUBE MAY HAVE BEEN TOO SHORT. IF THAT HAPPENS DON'T GET MADE, DON'T JUST TACK IT IN AND PLAN TO JUMP THE GAP, OR MAYBE CHANGE THE ALIGNMENT OF THE TUBE, SET IT ASIDE. YOU WILL USE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN YOUR CHASSIS, I PROMISE. EVEN IF IT'S JUST A SHORT PIECE OF TUBE FOR A GUSSET. ALSO GRIND OFF THE MILL SCALE CAUSE IT'LL JUST CLEAN UP THE FINISH WELDS CAUSE YOU'RE NOT WELDING ON DIRTY TUBING.