"Big Darla" Build Thread

[Kage]

...I need to talk to Kyle M Clicky! about how he got his bushings to flex so well. I think I need to remove my upper spring retainer and just run a center post....

He has his rear springs inboarded (under the frame rails) which seems to give him some retarded flex. I've got ming ouside of the frame rails, and they flex more than I need them to (run out of shock travel).

Probably dont' want to ditch the spring retainer clamps, but it would be beneficial to open them up to make a "U" shape out of them. It helps to keep things in line.

....(I really need a front bumper to protect things.)... Ill do something like this for a bumper:

Quit running into shit boy!

I dig the front bumper look. Less is more. As goofy as my stinger looks to me, its my favoirte part of my front bumper, I often use it to 'scoot' around things in the woods with the fornt end locked in.

The winch is something I put off buying for years (and never really needed one). But I find myself using it nearly every trip out now

Hooks instead of D rings, its much easier to throw a strap over a hook quickly than dicking with the damn D rings if you need a quick tug. $0.02

 

[Josh40601]

Looks pretty darn good! That bumper will be great. It's called a header panel BTW. Lol

I agree with Ben on the winch. Never needed one, but I have used the one on each rig every time I went out.

Although I disagree about the D rings. I run the D ring shackles on the yellow truck, and it takes just a minute or so to remove them. The explorer has hooks up front and sometimes things slip off them.

 

[kroussinoffroad]

x2 on the d-rings. i perfer them to hooks due to stuff coming off. i didnt have to have a winch when i got mine but i'll never go without one again. ide much rather have a winch then the majority of the stuff on my rig. ive often thought of building somthing on 31's locked front and rear with full skid's and a good winch front and rear. most of the time there is somthing within a hundered yards to winch off of.

i really like my "stinger" or at least the purpose i use it for. it helps direct tag's around the truck and it's a GREAT place to hook my winch line while all spooled up. other than that i could definately deal without one.

 

[XionicWaste]

What size tubing are you guys using? Ive got a 1"3/4 die and bender which can handle .120 wall. Is that burly enough?

Also check out Ali's Ranger in the Petersons this month I plan on doing a top exo like that.

 

[Josh40601]

Yep. That's what roll cage tubing is.

I haven't gotten mine yet. That dude has more money than he knows what to do with. Really wish I would've bought that thing before he decided to redo it.

 

[escort_gts]

What springs you running up front? Don't remember off hand and don't feel like looking back through the thread. I have the tube that runs inside the coil spring so it can unload. Works good for me but i need limiting straps before I kill the shocks more than I already have.

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[Kage]

What size tubing are you guys using? Ive got a 1"3/4 die and bender which can handle .120 wall. Is that burly enough?

Also check out Ali's Ranger in the Petersons this month I plan on doing a top exo like that.

That's plenty. All of my tubeis 1-1/4" .120w DOM and it holds up amazingly well to the amount of abuse I give it. Go DOM too. I've seen folks use the HREW stuff, but it allways seems to eventually start to split at the seams later on.

I like the minimal exo look, but it doesn't really work out here. At least not if I want to keep functioning doors

 

[Josh40601]

The guy who built my arms used HREM for the tube. The bottom of the arms are completely crushed. My sliders were used and drug every time out and there is not a dent in them. I will never use anything less than DOM for body protection.

 

[XionicWaste]

What springs you running up front? Don't remember off hand and don't feel like looking back through the thread. I have the tube that runs inside the coil spring so it can unload. Works good for me but i need limiting straps before I kill the shocks more than I already have.

I see how you did it and I am going to look at the top of my coils to see if they narrow like yours do. Im running 6.5" XJ coils at 180ppi 22" unloaded length.

Kage, the bushings Im talking about are the C bushings on the D44. Kyle M used to have a bronco low pinion D44 which used the same bushings and he had great flex. When I was building the truck I would flex it with no coils and while jacking up one side the other would come up too because there was no flex in those C bushings. Not sure if he had his bolts looser or if his axle wedgies were smaller thus allowing more movement...

 

[escort_gts]

The could should be the same as mine, I'm running the same...XJ coils. Here are some other pics....

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[Kage]

...Kage, the bushings Im talking about are the C bushings on the D44. Kyle M used to have a bronco low pinion D44 which used the same bushings and he had great flex. When I was building the truck I would flex it with no coils and while jacking up one side the other would come up too because there was no flex in those C bushings. Not sure if he had his bolts looser or if his axle wedgies were smaller thus allowing more movement...

Gotcha. Not sure if you've seen Kyle drive, but I'm betting his was a bit 'looser' just from beating the piss out of it

 

[XionicWaste]

Gotcha. Not sure if you've seen Kyle drive, but I'm betting his was a bit 'looser' just from beating the piss out of it

haha, well then mine should loosen up soon because I dont baby this truck!

Sense I have a habit of starting new projects while one is half way done, I decided to start working on a front bumper. At least my tail light project is at a stopping point.

I had a few feet of 1.75 DOM laying around so I bent up the start of my bumper:

But I ran out so I went to the metal shop in town and found out he has 5, 18' sticks of 1.75 DOM so I bought one and also some 2.5" pipe to make coil posts out of. Who needs a long bed?:

Welded some side supports to the first section:

I also made a stinger but I am still futsing with the angle and length.

My buddy also picked up some used 37s and they look good on my truck!

 

[Bennybooster]

been there done that lol

 

[n_bannerman]

I want to see those 37s stuffed in there. The bumper is looking good!

 

[XionicWaste]

I want to see those 37s stuffed in there. The bumper is looking good!

haha yeah so do I!.. New rubber will be in the fall most likely... ya never know however. My ideal tire setup would be these tires:

They are treadwrights (re treaded Military Hummer Pull Offs. 37-12.50-16.5's but unfortunately they are load range E tires (Max Load: 3,850 lbs... My truck doesn't even weigh 3800 lbs...) I know Kage did a small write up on the Humvee pull offs and he said he was disappointed on how much they sat down when deflated, which I feel this is a good thing because that means they have sidewall flex, right?

Another downfall is they are 150lbs per which is HEAVY but I would be more stable...

Another is that I would have 16.5 wheels so if I dont like the tires what are my alternatives? (Not many companies sell in a 16.5)

The plus with these are I could abuse them because a new set would be 600, they measure 36.7 (so almost a true 37 vs my current 35's measure to 33)

Another plus is I could get re-centered H1 wheels and have a double bead-lock feature so if the sidewalls don't flex I could run 3psi off road and FORCE them to flex...

Choices, choices ugh... All input is helpful on this subject for sure, especially if you've seen these tires perform or have personally ran them (Kage youre in the spotlight)

I basically finished the bumper today but my photos wont upload on this crappy school internet so I'll update you guys tomorrow!