new guy project

[crhrider]

so i got a few updates, been kinda slow going, in the process of selling my daily driver truck and buying a new one, but i managed to pull the old t-case, im getting a full explorer chassis with everything on it this weekend so i will have a few spare parts.
heres the old t case

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gotta love how the air intake runs down to right behind the front bumper, so decided to throw on a snorkel

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sealed up the old intake hole in the airbox and cut the new one

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so now its time to get my ass in gear an finish up all the projects ive started an havent finished completely.

 

[crhrider]

more progress made... got the radius arms finished and welded up. the rear bumper is all finished, got the snorkel all done, turned out really good, and it works good. got the bed all welded up, bondo, and painted, it turned out really good too, cant even tell where the joint is, and the paint matched up really good. i also picked up my parts truck, its a 1994 explorer, 4.0L, 4x4, auto, the body had just been lifted off, i got the rest for 150$. so then i pulled the t case out of it, an put it in my truck, and the front drive shaft bolted right in, was happy about that cuz then i didnt have to cut it down any. then i had to go test it in my back yard, here are the results

look at that match up.. beauty

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shes a mean machine now

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then it was time to get her dirty..

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good and stuck, i cross rutted an then i was hooped. had to get the john deere out an tried pullin it out from the front, got the tractor stuck, pushed it out with the quad, then pulled the truck out from the back. i made that mud hole in a matter of minuts, it used to be field like the rest. haha. yup, i got a mud hole in my back yard, gotta love it

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got some pics flexing out after, i am very happy with how much flex i get in the rear, wouldnt mind a bit more in the front, but overall i think it flexes pretty dang good.

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the the next phase for this thing is to swap in a welder 8.8 rear end. i am going to slowly start collecting parts for a doubler, get some light wired in, a cb, and some other odds and ends. for the most part tho, it is ready to go, so its time to get some wheelin done

 

[crhrider]

i got around to finishing the front bumper, painted it up an mounted it. truck looks complete now. i built the bumper around my nice hook, so the bumper is just for pushig stuff away from the truck, i wont be pulling off it. still getting used to the pipe bender, but it turned out pretty good

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some pics of the rear bumper too, its fully welded on, i figured if i was gunna do any work i would just pull the box off, 4 bolts and its off an then its way easier to work on anyways.

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[goldxlt]

truck looks really nice, seems like you built it up pretty fast. it must be nice to have a mud hole and a paintball field in your back yard.

 

[crawlin91]

thats some nice fab work. the bed looks good and the bumpers are sick too.

 

[BeaterMan]

nice fab work! your truck looks exactly like mine and i'm loving it!!!! keep up the good work. how much lift are you running?

 

[Sunk]

Damn, that bob came out good! The rest of the truck is looking good too!

 

[Scrambler82]

crhrider,

Nice build up! Gotta luv the hook...
Talk to me about the Chevy Springs ?

R they bolt in, need shackles, same length, how much lift do you get with what spring, what's up with them ?

I am going with a 5" RCD, when I can get one, and wanted to eliminate the rear blocks but did not know where to go on the springs.
I could just take it to a spring shop but there is something to be said about doing it yourself.

 

[240cubes]

im diggin that bumper

that front hook is surreal haha

 

[crhrider]

hey thanks guys. im really happy with how the truck turned out for now. it was a budget build, so i dont have much into it. it is a 6" lift, with 2" spacers in the front so its about a 8" lift all together. the skyjacker coils are real soft, i think they are already sagging a bunch.

scrambler82- i didnt end up going with the chevy leaf swap, if you do go with that you have to move one of your (front or rear) mounts 6", easiest to move the front ones. the chevy leafs are the same width as the ranger ones so they will bolt right in there. if you dont want to be moving your mounts, then go with the explorer leafs, they will bolt right in and give you about 2" lift. this is what i did on the rear, explorer leafs, extended shackles, and i pulled the bump stop block out an relaced it with one 4" block. gave me about 6" lift in the rear.

update on the truck.. i was out wheelin in my backyard, and got myself pretty stuck again. but in the process i heard a bang. had to get the bulldozer to pull me out, pulled the front end apart, and found i blew my passenger side u joint and blew my brand new hub i new they werent top of the line hubs but i thought forsure they would last longer than 2 rides. so off i went to lordco, and broke down and bought some warn ones. got the u joint, put it in, tacked the caps, and off i went wheelin later that day

 

[Scrambler82]

OK the hub blowing up, I used Warn Premium and had little trouble on the older Rangers now with this one who knows but it won't see the wheeling the others did. The D44 had a problem with the Axle U-Joint, don't apply power if the wheels are turned, always snapping the joints; it was like a fusible link but it would wipe out the axle sometimes and that sucked.
My Scrambler is running a D44 in the front, with D60 outer parts from the tubes out, heavy axles, heavy knuckles, heavy ball joints and a smaller 33 spline diff.

Just a question... do you plan on traction bars for the rear ?
Why I ask is the BLOCKS, wow, those things should create some mean axle wrap and axle wrap means broken part.

How's the T/Case, are there anything to upgrade this to, something stronger ?
The welding on the Driveshaft looks good too, as you said wondering about vibrations.

Look'n good, luck.

 

[crhrider]

yeah well see how these warn hubs hold up.

i am going to build some track bars for the rear once i swap in the welded 8.8, its not to bad now, but it will be worse with the welded rear so ill make them then.
as for the t-case, i put one in from a explorer, so it has the flange plates for the front drive shaft, and double cardain front driveshaft off a explorer. the driveshaft i shortened and welded myself turned out perfect. drove half hour to go wheelin with the hubs locked in an there was no vibrations. but i dont use that driveshaft anymore since i swapped in the explorer one.

 

[Scrambler82]

OK on the welded 8.8, luck and keep it on all four...