If it were easy everybody would be doing it.

 

Luckily the frames are relatively soft to drill. I had to drill out the front sector of my rig for the plow frame push bracket. I just used a step bit until I needed the final size and then used the correct bit for finalizing the hole.

Drill doctor sharpener came in real handy...

 

Yup I've fallen in love with the Titanium coated step drills!! Don't know why I have never used them before now.

 

They are the only thing to use on sheet metal that drills a round hole.


Maybe You resisted using them is they look like somebody's cheap gimmick

 

I sharpen mine by hand. LOL That reminds me I need to shorten a 3/8" and a1/2" to drill inside the top frame flange with the angle drill.

 

You can buy stubby drill bits, greenlee makes them for sure. I've got a set for using with a right angle drill.

I'm also a big fan of step drill bits they are just awesome!

 

I know I spent 20 years in machine work.
I can cut and sharpen broken drills to much shorter than "standard" stub drills. I have a 3/8" that I did that has less than one twist in the flutes. I cant buy that. LOL
The best part is it don't cost anything as I use broken and chipped bits.
And it only takes a few minutes.


Thanks for the info though.

 

OOPS I lied it is a little bigger than 3/8" it's 11/64" tap drill for a 3/8" hilicoil Here it is next to a standard 1/4" stub drill. if the shank needed to be shortened it could be really short. there is a definite advantage to this

 

Wish I had the knowledge to sharped my drill bits by hand. I use a crappy plastic and stone sharpener from Princess Auto (Canadian Harbour Frieght.. ). Works OK.

 

It really isn't that hard. the main thing is to have a fine grinding wheel on a bench grinder. and dress the wheel to make sure there are no groves.
the rest is practice. Look close at a nice sharp bit, hold it straight up tip on top. The cutting edge is slightly higher than the outside of where it is ground for clearance.

 

Looking really great thrashingcows!

 

Yesterday I got the oil pan gasket, and rear main seal done. Nothing really special about it...other then the 36 frackin bolts for the oil pan!!!

I wanted to get that done before I dropped the motor back in the truck. So today I did just that....motors back in. I also got all the clutch and bell housing assemblies installed as well.




Hope to have the tranny in tomorrow, and get the tranny mount located so I can drill all the holes in the frame for it.

 

And I'm seriously cheesed off as well. I've been searching for days for the transfer case shifter, boot and ring. Can't find it anywhere. I still have a few weeks before I'll be close to needing it...so hope it shows up before then.

 

You roll that hoist & engine up and down that hill???

Amazing that you're doing the rebuild right there in the driveway and it's so clean! No oil spills/leaks, fragments laying around.

You covering the engine bay now I assume?

Looking good!

 

Thrashing.
Advanced Adapters makes a different bracket for the '92-'93 Z gated shifter.
I used that Z bracket adapter on my crew cab NV-4500 swap last month.