Hi List!
To trully answer this question would be [some people
would think it to be a 'wise-guy' answer] an answer
like: "Enough to make the sound." To me, the question
is not 'How much?', but 'How to' get rid of the sound?
Seriously, I'm in the proccess of doing this job right
now. I did not order the TRF -'IRS Sub-frame Stiffing
Kit' [so I don't know what comes in their package],
but I did get one from Ted Schumaker of TSI. This kit
came with a plate for the outside portion of the
sub-frame upper "T" that holds the coil spring, a
plate for the inside vertical portion of the Sub-frame
[Thus 'boxing' the unit], & a plate that has to be
bent to fit the curve of the shocktower [back portion
of the IRS Sub-frame] & boxing that section, too. Ted
also mentioned that Drawen Out Mandrel 'DOM' be used
on each of the for 'stud bolts' that hold the diff. I
STILL can NOT figure out how or what he was trying to
tell me because I have a braced peiced of metal plate
bent to fit around the bolts & to each side of each
Sub-frame. Therefore a DOM of tubing could not be slid
over each bolt.
So instead, I have taken 14 gauge plate metal [I think
it is?] to be fitted on it's edge & placed at each
bolt to be placed in the North, South, East, West
position of the bolts. Thus hoping to have the front &
back sides of each IRS Sub-frame give added stiffness
to each 'stud-bolt'. I also feel that a SQUARE piece
of metal should be placed inside of the rear sub-frame
on each side at a 45^ angle running from the top if
the Shock/Rear IRS Sub-frame down to the inside edge
of the bottom of the "I" portion of the main-frame,
before Ted's piece is put into place. Mind you, I have
spent over 30 hr.[Average per each of the 4 bolts] of
grinding each piece of the 4 plates to renforce each
stud/bolt that holds the diff. Maybe my welder will
NOT be able to weld each of these 4 plates to each of
the 4 stud/bolts because of the limited space. But I
feel that if he can, then this should give ample
support to each of the 4 stud/bolts & both IRS
Sub-frames. Along with all the other renforcment
plates.
Now this maybe an 'over kill', because when removing
the bolts to hold each ends of the propeller shaft &
1/2 shaft, over 1/4 of the total 16 bolts were lose.
I'm also planning on making plates for each of the
Trailing Arm Support Brackets to welded to the front
portion of the main frame where the nuts go to hold
these support brackets.
I'm hoping that this will eleminate the 'clunk'. If
not, then I'll replace each of the 1/2 shaft's
U-joints, because the Propeller Shaft U-joints are
new.
So, you see, I'm VERY interested in this thread, &
will be also looking for other peoples replies on
other possibalities for getting rid of this 'CLUNK'.
-Cosmo Kramer
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