Instalation of a new drive shaft

Well I am getting the Poenix together. As you read she got me 2 miles from home before she snapped the drive shaft after 400 miles of painful crawling from a new engine instalation in MO. This has cost $1015.00 and looks like the drive shaft should be on a tank. I am told that everything will fall apart before this does. (I came to the shop to talk about instalation and inspection of the tranny or big end but the shaft was already installed). Its costing alot and I hope it will be worth it as I have not used it yet.

I have to replace the instrument panel because it shook apart as I rode over the teeth at the side of I80 shoulder for 400 miles. I have been cheeking out 74Argosy24MH's thread on his installation . I went to Dakota Digital's site and like what I saw but it is the frame the panel has to fit into that concerns me. I saw a lot of shaking and would like to stiffen up the front from each side is this possible?

I would look into this over the winter.

[74Argosy24MH]

One consideration before reinforcing side to side. The dash pads are weak because of occupant safety. Better to slam into a piece that will crush and absorb some energy than a fairly solid piece of steel. Knowing this I did build a new dash side to side, but also added shoulder harnesses. Just something to consider.

There is a cage of extruded channel that makes up the front. One piece is at the bottom of the side windows/windshield. Next down is a piece under the upper trim strip. This is the one I mounted to, along with plywood on the top.

An easier and safer way might to be mount off the cowl. Form pieces roughly like a big "U". Mount one on each side of the cluster. These would be behind the steering wheel and collapse if you did hit one.

John

Thanks John:
I will look into the front frame and how it should collapse in the event of a problem. I think it should act like the benz.
You have an Argosy, do you see any flexing of the shell?
I think you read about the rear bumper, I will need to get some fiber glass to reconstruct the broken corners, any ideas about fixing the lower skirt?

[74Argosy24MH]

You have an Argosy, do you see any flexing of the shell?

Some, but nothing excessive. These are different than the trailers, the chassis is much stronger than the body. If the chassis flexes the body has to be able to flex with it. Do you have a lot of rivets missing heads? That would indicate excessive flex.

How much is left of the lower panel, enough to repair with the fiberglass? Because of some changes I made I cut quite a bit of mine off and it looks pretty original. Any way you can cut it back some so there is less repair?

John

Hello John:
I can cut down the parts that seem to go over to the bumper and just have it drop down to the edge of the bottom of the shell.

I will pick up the MH on Saturday (got to come up with the money) and I will take a look at the rivets. I think I will need some Vacum chauking though.

[74Argosy24MH]

I can cut down the parts that seem to go over to the bumper and just have it drop down to the edge of the bottom of the shell.

You talking about the flat part that goes between the bumper and body? Mine was 3 pieces of aluminum. I left all of them off and the corresponding piece between the bumper and body in front. They were pretty beat and appearance wise it looks better than the broken twisted parts that were there. Between the rails in the rear was storage for the hose and electric cord, eventually that will go back.

John