94 b4000 axle swap/offroad build

[4.0B2]

yeah i figured you were using them... but... it was worth a try lol. i'm gonna go talk to a guy tomorrow to see about having some custom ones made.

or just get ready to make my own if i can..

 

[kroussinoffroad]

you know... they really wouldnt be that hard to make if material's were available. if there were a shop close enough or for a reasonable price, ide just make my own. but what do ya do? however i am just going to pin my passanger upper link so when i get to the trail head i can just unpin it and run a "missing link" setup? aparentely it alleviate's alot of stress on the axle bracket's from the suspension articulating. i'll have to see how it work's if I dont like it i'll just throw bolt's back in it and run it like it is now.

 

[4.0B2]

i've heard that but never tried it..b/c i don't have long arms! lol...
but yea, Clyde at Silverstarcustoms/spyder offroad can build them..
http://www.silverstarcustoms.com/store/ silverstar is more the low rider side of it. and spyder offroad is the...well the offroad side lol.
http://www.spyderoffroad.com/
not a lot on the websites but they do awesome work.

i might be able to build them tho. i just don't have a great welder..

 

[kroussinoffroad]

i allway's outsource for that kinda welding. I am confident in laying a bead and the little hobart is a pretty nice unit. however. when live's depend on it, i'll leave that up to a true welder. kinda like the saying if you need a plumber dont call the electrician.
as far as the front axle bracket's. i will tack them in place in a few differnt spot's take it out and drop it off at a buddie's house. i'll weld on rear spring perch's since the weld's arnt what is relied on.

after the truck is back together i'll be dropin the truck off to him as well for bout a week so he can weld some other stuff up for me as well.

BTW anyone intersted in a headache rack, tire carrier. i'm gonna be taking them off as i am gonna try and shed some weight at this time as well.

 

[4.0B2]

Just get to swapping!
So when I do this d30, and later-- if I decided to do the d44, how much work is it??? Just welding the new coil buckets on the 44?? Pretty easy?

 

[dangerranger83]

Thats still on my todo list, a tire carrier that you have but as far as it hooking to the truck (mounts wise) have no idea where to start other then looking at other vehicles that have it. Im I going for pretty, no, fuctional instead.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

I offered you my tire carrier..hahaha...

I went to the part's store and played empty the wallet, and got all brake part's minus wheelcylinder pin's which I still need to find, my pinion bearing's, axle seal's and what not. all I need now is front HUB'S and LOCKOUT'S, probably go pick up a set of hub's tonight from a buddy and order some warn premium's next week as well as get my conversion joint's. hopefully get this thing together SOON.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

and I just pulled the trigger and ordered these for my upper mount's

 

[dangerranger83]

Well ya i would love to have your tire carrier but the shipping for it would be through the roof ( I assume).

I hate to see the D30 being taken out of your truck, everybody just hates on it and people cave in and do a D44 swap. But I will say that putting the D30 under your truck was a "downgrade". But you did prove that you can easily beat on a D30 and still keep going strong. I will say that the wheel bearings are the only thing I dont really like about it ( need to replace mine the wheels like to have a lean to them sometimes).

I will say though, what are your plans for the D30 axles after you put the D44 under her (hint hint)?

 

[kroussinoffroad]

as far as plan's for the 30, take it out and throw it behind the garage for now. I honestly feel the dana 30 was an upgrade as the truck wheeled at a completely different level with it. however the new level of wheeling was more than the axle could handle in the long run. beside's I feel like I learned a ton doin the swap and feel the 44 should be pretty easy to swap in . i know i could toss some bearing's into the 30 and prolly make it thru part of a summer. but In my mind it seemed like money better spent on rebuilding the 44 and I found these for free so i couldnt pass them up. if someone were to use there truck like your's (no offense) but to drive to work/school. and to wheel on the occasion then hell yeah this setup rock's. like ive said in the past I really dont take the truck on the road a whole lot. maybe to get lumber once in awhile the only road's it see's otherwise is between trail's in the area. i think there will be a whole lot more hackin on the truck in the next year. right now i'm gettin rid of stuff that really isnt needed ie headache rack tire carrier. and I plan to rebuild the bumper's and make them much smaller. i tipped the scale at around 5000 pound's fully loaded for wheelin. so i wanna shed some of that.

 

[dangerranger83]

I didnt plan on driving her as much on the road as Im doing now. Doing easily 100 miles a week plus with MT tires. Hopefully in the next few months Ill buy another ranger or exploder so Im not beating up this truck on-roading. Plus with the way gas prices are, 10mpg is starting to hurt a bit.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

that's the beauty of a company vehicle. i havent put gas in my truck since december.i've only had to drive it here and there. and use it to go pick up clipping's from the flooring mill.

at 5 buck's for a truckload of kiln dried hardwood it dosnt make sense to cut my own. and lemme tell you this stuff burn's HOT!!!

 

[dangerranger83]

Still love the looks of the headache rack and tire carrier, need to look on how to build them, I would take them off your hands if I wasnt a million miles away. But I still want to have a tool box in mine too since I dont have an extended cab.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

i just picked up a tool box for my truck. so once the ext-cab is on i'll have around 30" of bedspace behind the toolbox and i'm gonna build a miny/tiny toneau cover for that.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

just got the email today as if ballistic didnt take long enough as it is my shipment is backordered??? WTF??? gonna call them and find out what the deal is. so far NOTHING I have ordered has shipped