1993 Splash in SC

[BlackBII]

My steering setup is a bit different than yours, but I have had the same bronze bushings in there for a few years and they are still going strong without any play in them. I bet yours will last a while as well; looks much better than the poly bushings. The one issue is the length of the bushings, or rather the distance between them. There is limited space on that side which is why Superlift made that idler the way they did. I moved my steering box forward so that I had more room for a larger idler.

Shame about the body damage. Comes with the territory though!

 

[racsan]

He needs tupperware bedsides, more forgiving than fiberglass.

 

[ericbphoto]

He needs tupperware bedsides, more forgiving than fiberglass.

Maybe Nerf body panels.

 

[ericbphoto]

I moved my steering box forward so that I had more room for a larger idler.

Interesting idea.

Thanks for sharing. I wasn't aware that anyone else had switched to bronze. Glad to hear you've been running it that long. That's encouraging.

 

[ericbphoto]

I believe I mentioned that an exhaust leak started while I was at Windrock. I had assumed that it was on the flex piece I have installed near the forward end. During the rock slider project, I accidentally nicked the outer braided part of that piece with a drill.

Well today, I was under the truck to measure my pinion angle and t-case output flange angle for someone and decided to find the leak. It's NOT on the flex pipe.just aft of there, there should be an exhaust hangar welded on that hangs from a bracket on the transmission mount. It's missing. Don't know how that would happen. It was on the top of the pipe, out of harms way. Anyhow, it should be an easy fix some day when I get the ambition to take it down and weld a patch over the hole.

 

[racsan]

a little flashing tin and a couple of hose clamp will quiet it down for a bit, my whole exhaust system on the ranger is peiced together that way.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

I believe I mentioned that an exhaust leak started while I was at Windrock. I had assumed that it was on the flex piece I have installed near the forward end. During the rock slider project, I accidentally nicked the outer braided part of that piece with a drill.

Well today, I was under the truck to measure my pinion angle and t-case output flange angle for someone and decided to find the leak. It's NOT on the flex pipe.just aft of there, there should be an exhaust hangar welded on that hangs from a bracket on the transmission mount. It's missing. Don't know how that would happen. It was on the top of the pipe, out of harms way. Anyhow, it should be an easy fix some day when I get the ambition to take it down and weld a patch over the hole.

View attachment 69390

Cut a slip connecter in half to make two c sections, place around pipe with exhaust cement, exhaust band clamp on.

Have done it. Doesn't broken again.

 

[Roert42]

Beer can and hose clamps work just as well. Little red RTV if you really want to pretend you care.

 

[ericbphoto]

Beer can and hose clamps work just as well. Little red RTV if you really want to pretend you care.

My trail rides and rock crawling are at low speeds. So, yes, I do care. The fumes are obnoxious. I prefer to live.

 

[ericbphoto]

So, I think I'm going to get serious about building a new bed for this thing. I'm tired of breaking the fiberglass bed sides. I had been thinking about a flat bed. But I like having sides on it to help hold stuff for camping. Plus, I'm trying to figure out how to do the lights on the rear AND I think I want to continue to use my table/tailgate.

So, should I do permanent sides? Removable sides like you have with a stake pocket flat bed truck?

Might do a roll bar at the front. Should I weld it in as part of the bed? Or incorporate some reinforced pads in the bad and bolt the roll bar to them?

Any recommendations for ready made lights or light brackets? (Tail/turn/reverse)

 

[Roert42]

Have you considered making replacement bedsides out of steel that can bolt onto you exist bed? Maybe using some of those replacement trailer fenders they sell at the tractor supply.

 

[ericbphoto]

Have you considered making replacement bedsides out of steel that can bolt onto you exist bed? Maybe using some of those replacement trailer fenders they sell at the tractor supply.

When the fiberglass bed sides are removed, everything looks pretty ugly. That would be a difficult way to work it in my mind. I also considered getting a fleetside bed. But that still leaves me with something that us easy to damage on the trail. The other thought in my head is that the OEM style beds have a lot of wasted void space between the inner and outer bed sides. If I build my own bed, I will get a lot more cargo space for camping gear.

 

[fastpakr]

Just mumbling thoughts aloud...

What if the replacement bed was really just a removable camping box? Something you design yourself with exactly the storage bits you need. Maybe build it so it's a table or something otherwise functional... When you get to the trail, have an engineered in way to offload it. Then -everything- you need for camping is easily accessible, and there's nothing at all to damage on the trail.

 

[ericbphoto]

Just mumbling thoughts aloud...

What if the replacement bed was really just a removable camping box? Something you design yourself with exactly the storage bits you need. Maybe build it so it's a table or something otherwise functional... When you get to the trail, have an engineered in way to offload it. Then -everything- you need for camping is easily accessible, and there's nothing at all to damage on the trail.

That's a possibility, too. I've also considered an overlanding trailer.

 

[Roert42]

I find with a fleetside bed a lot of the space you gain, can be difficult to use because of the wheel wells.
If you build a skin on the outside your styleside you can design it to hold various item you would otherwise store in the bed, gas cans, spare tires, ect. Could even mount a small cabinet or two similar to a utility body.

I like the idea of a utility body of sorts. I also like the idea of the inside of the bed being square with no protrusions, makes the space easier to use I think.