The highway department is forcing my hand...

[Al_C]

I learned earlier this year that speed bumps are problematic for 8650. I discovered that trying to enter a parking garage and annoyed the **** out of everybody behind me when I backed out. Well, now, the City of Wheaton decided that they should grind down our street (the whole subdivision, actually) and repave it. I'm sure it will look very nice when it is complete. The real question is when they are going to pave! I think they're going to grind the whole subdivision before they even think about paving. Could be a couple of weeks (or more).

On to the issue at hand. There is (at least) a 2 inch ledge between the ground-down road surface and the curb at the end of my driveway. There is a similar ledge (might as well be a cliff) at the end of my street. I can't envision anything good happening when I back out of my driveway or when I turn into my street from the state road. Yes, it's time to trim the bellhousing. I was going to do that as an off-season project, but if I want to drive my car, I think I have to do it now.

I've been reviewing the threads (two that I found, both from 2019) on doing just such a thing, and I'll probably use the angle grinder (with the guard in place). Here's a photo of what it looks like now:

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134423&d=1598644516

It's not the greatest photo, but I took it with the car on the ground using a selfie stick. Easier than jacking it up for one picture.

More details: It is a QT RM-6081 bell housing. I have exactly four inches of clearance at both sides of the frame in the rear and just a hair under 4" in the center of the cross member in the front.

Finally we get to the question for your consideration: just how much can I take off of the bell housing without causing more problems? Can I go at or above the two holes on the sides?

[TMartinLVNV]

I had Forte do mine. It is cut right under the two holes you are mentioning. It is at the perfect level in my car.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/pp213/tmartinlvnv/.highres/DSC03603.jpg (https://app.photobucket.com/u/tmartinlvnv/p/258205d8-3639-4ac6-b2ee-350c3aab43aa)

On my car, this ended up being a smidge above the level of the frame.

[Rdone585]

I understand you need to address the bell housing being lower than the frame on the car. On the other topic of road construction... This just happened in our neighborhood this summer. Luckily I was here when the road crew was resurfacing the road. They raised our road at our driveway approximately 11 inches! It wasn't planned this way, it just happened dbecause that was how much material was left from the whole neighborhood. The only vehicle I had that could navigate the transition they provided was our F250. The temporary transition (to last about 2 weeks) was only about 18" long to bridge the 11" step. I chased down the road crew, showed them the FFR and insisted they provide a longer transition now and even better when they do the final paving. They did after seeing the car and my other neighbors looking on saying they had issues with theirs too.

So, moral to the story - when the road in front of your house is being repaved, try your best to be on-hand.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Use a thin kerf cut off blade Al. It might take 2 or 3 or more. Keep the tool steady and straight and orient it so that the sparks go away from you. Be careful, wear safety glasses or even a face shield. I use my my angle grinder (without guard) for a couple hours on every car and treat it with a lot of respect---there's a reason I call it "the death wheel".

Jeff

[JohnK]

The angle grinder is the only tool in my garage that scares the F&^% out of me every time I use it. Full face shield and gloves, being careful to get the guard positioned right, planning where the sparks will fly... I was cutting something recently and thought I had it all planned out. One of the sparks ricocheted off of something and flew right into my ear, even with a full face shield on! That'll get your attention in a hurry.

[SerpantFL]

Hi AL_C, that is a common practice in NY where the road crews come through and grind off a few inches of previous pavement but go away for weeks on end leaving everyone to avoid rough roads and tall manhole lids which prey on undercarriages. I suspect it was the highway paving companies (gangsters) scour as much as they can to keep contracts, then take their time repaving. Hell on wheels (literally) for weeks. Part of the reason we fled south. Drive safe.

[Raddksn]

Use a thin kerf cut off blade Al. It might take 2 or 3 or more. Keep the tool steady and straight and orient it so that the sparks go away from you. Be careful, wear safety glasses or even a face shield. I use my my angle grinder (without guard) for a couple hours on every car and treat it with a lot of respect---there's a reason I call it "the death wheel".

Jeff

Jeff I agree with everything you just stated! I would just like to add, keep your face and other body parts out of the rotational plane of the wheel!

[Just puttering]

On the west coast, when working on the road or after grinding before paving they use "cutback" to ease the transitions like you have. Home stores have cold patch (just about the same thing) put it where you want drive on it and when they are ready to pave, they can easily remove it with a shovel of not a tractor before paving.

[Railroad]

I taped a piece of angle steel to the nearest edge of the oil pan, while making a cut on the bell housing. I could just see that grinder grabbing and going into the oil pan.

[Just puttering]

Have not tried it but if there is room, use a straight edge, angle iron, etc. and a metal blade on a skill saw??

I have cut alot of metal this way and it is quicker and safer than a grinder. Let me tell you about the scar in the middle of my chest sometime! Tshirts are not the safety equipment that you might think they are !!

[CraigS]

I sure wish they would reverse the rotation on all angle and die grinders. Well at least all the ones I have used. Being that some high % of people are right handed, so use them in their right hand, why would they rotate so they send sparks toward your face? I started using face shield years ago because I wear glasses and most goggle types don't sit well. Like JohnK I have found that the face shields sure leave a lot of gap at their edges.

[Al_C]

I appreciate the input on the cutting part. You've offered valuable experience! Based on your comments, I may wait until I can get it on a lift rather than lying on my back with the car on jack stands...

Any thoughts on just how much metal I can remove? How high I can cut? Thanks in advance!

[JohnK]

I would lay a straight edge along the bottom of the oil pan and mark that position on the block off plate and use that as your guide. This will ensure that the bottom of the bell housing is no lower than the bottom of the oil pan. On my coyote with Quick Time (non-SFI) bell housing, this is how much I ended up removing. First shot shows the trimmed block off plate. I then used that as a guide on how much to trim off the bell housing.

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134470&d=1598795466

https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=134469&d=1598795424