Project 4x4 Commuter Mazda

[4.0B2]

i know of people that swear by the rigid little square lights. they are bright. i just can't drop that much on lights when i need so much other stuff lol

off road lights are really kinda a waste in a lot of situations. on night rides you cant use all of them unless you're leading, b/c it blinds the guy in front of you

 

[legoms013]

i know of people that swear by the rigid little square lights. they are bright. i just can't drop that much on lights when i need so much other stuff lol

off road lights are really kinda a waste in a lot of situations. on night rides you cant use all of them unless you're leading, b/c it blinds the guy in front of you

Yeah but the instances where I am *leading* in a *night* ride are next to none. Thats where a cheap wal-mart brand of flood would be good for rock lights.

I need lights cuz I spend alot of tie driving at night on roads that around 50mph but very rural and dear hittings very common.

Apperantly though two little D2LED have more combined lumens, the 10" is way brighter.

If I went with the D2's, I'm thinking they would look little and sparse in that big open space on my bumper specifically for lights, though the little ones are more versatile.

I agree they are expensive, but I have always light the techie/wheeling blend of gadgetry bling that is out there these days.

Stay tuned on the D35 tear down! It should be getting regeared next week!

 

[kris97ranger]

i like the 10" light bar better.

 

[legoms013]

i like the 10" light bar better.

Me too. When the time comes to buy some lights, I'll go with at least the 10" E-series bar. Then get some of the D2's as work lights for my backrack eventually. Those are the next few things I will be buying after my regear.

 

[Bennybooster]

I would start with just pulling the overload from the 63's, having a slightly stiffer rear might not be a bad thing, its would force the front to flex more

 

[legoms013]

I would start with just pulling the overload from the 63's, having a slightly stiffer rear might not be a bad thing, its would force the front to flex more

Naw, the SJ's I got now are too stiff for my liking, with 3 leafs that are much thinner than the ones on the 63's. 5 thicker leaves would give one helluva ride!

If I don't sell them, I'll whittle them down to 3 leafs for starters. Then go from there.


Goin' wheelin' this weekend

 

[legoms013]

Back from wheeling, will get a few pics up later.

Had an epiphany while on my trip:

Why dump +600 plus $$$ into the D35 which I am not particularly fond of anyway? I mean its good for commuting, but the TTB pretty much sucks offroad (handling wise). Also, I am sick of my lock-rite up front. Its loud, jerky, and always engaged in 4-low. It plays hell with the steering too. I'm constantly fighting it, and can't make a tight turn to save my life. Its hell on my idler arm as well.

So instead of putting a select-able locker (like an ARB and 4.88's up in the D35 to remedy those problems) why don't I just wait and do a........................













....D44 HP EB SAS swap with an ARB and 4.88's? Then run 35's and be done with it? This will be a bullet proof, medium wheelin' rig that is SAS, very stable, and predictable and will still pull DD duty for a while longer. Will also be a good platform for hydro-assist, and an Atlas later in the trucks life.

Yay or nay?

Gonna have to be yay, I already blew my gear money on some general maintenance items, body mounts, windshield, 10" LED bar and a constant duty ViAir 450c IG 12v compressor.

Expect some James Duff EB long arms or HP D44 around Xmas

List:
JD trac bar bracket
JD long arms
D44 with all the fixin's
Steering linkages ( i have all the TRE's/DRE's )
Trac Bar
Maybe different pitman arm
15x8 black steelies
35x12.5 or 37x12.5 BFG KM2's
Re use my current shocks
Driveline shortend/lengthened
What else?

And no, I didn't get a raise, so this will still be a slow build thread!

 

[Bennybooster]

yay

 

[4.0B2]

so you wanna sell me some d35 stuff??? i need to get my d35 swap done.

gears, steering maybe, extended ra's????

 

[legoms013]

so you wanna sell me some d35 stuff??? i need to get my d35 swap done.

gears, steering maybe, extended ra's????

Depends on how long you want to wait. I cannot imagine me having it all ready to sell to someone in less than about 6-8 months (the time it takes to acure parts, knowledge and the time to swap in the D44).

Between now and then, I need to find a used HP D44, give her a good ol rebuild, new gears, ARB, long arms, RA mounts, trac bar ect ect. This won't happen overnight basically.

I'd rather do this SAS in 6 months-year then regear my D35 and have to leave with its crappy offroad characteristics and jerky a$$ locker for 3 more years and then do a SAS on top of all that...ain't happening.

Build it once kind of thing and be done with it (even though I've spent a butt load on the D35 TTB already, I don't want to put much more into it at this point). I will however entertain the idea of purchasing a D35 that is used and ALREADY geared with 4.88's if the opportunity arises, but this will only serve to prolong my prep time for a SAS.

Thank god I went with 4.88's.......4.56's and 35's wouldn't have been that fun...

 

[4.0B2]

Depends on how long you want to wait. I cannot imagine me having it all ready to sell to someone in less than about 6-8 months (the time it takes to acure parts, knowledge and the time to swap in the D44).

but i can't wait that long.. i hope to to this maybe next month!

start stripping the truck now!

 

[Grunizzle]

So are you planning on full width? You worked so hard on the TTB to give up on it now it seems. IMO if your going through with changing everything for a SAS just go straight to a D60, not enough advantage in the 44 to scrap a D35, especially with all the steering work you have done.

 

[legoms013]

but i can't wait that long.. i hope to to this maybe next month!

start stripping the truck now!

You know I would if I had another DD...

So are you planning on full width? You worked so hard on the TTB to give up on it now it seems. IMO if your going through with changing everything for a SAS just go straight to a D60, not enough advantage in the 44 to scrap a D35, especially with all the steering work you have done.

Yeah done lots of work, true. But all my work has not produced exactly what I wanted nor expected. I though I could perfect the TTB, which now I know I cannot (at least at this amount of lift).

I was thinking just EB width. I'm not a fan of axles alot wider than the vehicle itself (even if it means stability).

Well being this won't happen over night, and I haven't nor will I start looking for a D44 very soon...a D60 is still very possible. I'd narrow it though like Sasquatch is doing to get the width down. The clock has time, mean while the D35 suits me good until then....I still can change my mind all over the place.

Thing about the D44's I like though is they are dime a dozen, cheap, easy to find, easy to build and moderately light....which is a concern considering 35-37's will all I'll be running and won't be a hardcore rock-crawler....will see. I am open to suggestions, criticisms, advice ect ect. I'm not going for huge strength gains by doing a SAS, my main goal is simplicity, ruggedness, and better offroad handling characteristics.

I will say this though, all my work won't be entirely in vain, as whoever gets my TTB setup next will think they died and went to heaven I do like the D60 notion though....I'm definitely thinking about it....A narrowed, long armed, ARB's, EB coil spring D60 under ranger would be badass to say the least...

I still may re-gear my D35, just depends on my mood in a couple of months. Then the suspension would last me a good long time while I get another DD and the parts together.

 

[4.0B2]

I have some EB coils.. Wanna buy? Lol
Deaver. 4.5". $100 shipped. They are the ones escort gts had on his d30 swap before going xj coils

 

[legoms013]

I have some EB coils.. Wanna buy? Lol
Deaver. 4.5". $100 shipped. They are the ones escort gts had on his d30 swap before going xj coils

PPi? Free length?

I honestly don't know enough about the EB setups yet to make that judgment just yet.

Seems like the JD 3.5 coils gave plenty of height on ThatGuy's explorer which he swapped a FW D44 into...I wouldn't need as much height as he has now.

$100 aint bad though......