Project 4x4 Commuter Mazda

[legoms013]

I have one of their covers and its awesome.


Us RBV guys like the 8.8's also

Damn jeepers. Stealing our 8.8's!

FYI, 40 pages yo!

 

[4.0B2]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=92193&page=40

mines on 40 to!!! so what now? lol.. to bad you've got a more capable truck than i do. oh well. axle swaps are soon!

 

[legoms013]

Not gonna lie, my truck is a wheelin machine and it laughs at alot of obstacles. Obviously mud isn't the strong point of the TTB D35, but everything else it does fine (and will do better once I get some 4.88's).

OMG what a coincidence 40 pages!?

Yeah not sure what to do now lol

I might pick up some chevy 63's from a friend tomorrow if he still has 'em. I'll post pics if I get them.

 

[4.0B2]

i'm thinking 63's... later on. but i'll have to push my rear axle back a couple inches to make it work.. but the flex will be nice.

and as far as my b2, i aint started the major upgrades yet for offroad. i have stock axles, open, and 3.73's on 30's... so...

 

[legoms013]

Yeah Im debating whether to do the expo 8.8 swap at the same time as the chevy 63's or to do one before the other. haven't determined what would be easiest, with the least amount of down time.

The next three months I only have half of Friday, Sat and Sunday to do projects, as I have school Mon/Fri and then work all day Tue, Wed, Thurs.

I can only do so much in a weekend you know.

Once I get the 8.8 regeared....I figure I'll swap that in one weekend...work out the bugs, then swap in chevy 63s the next.

 

[4.0B2]

i'd do it different times since you don't wanna leave it tore down long..

 

[legoms013]

i'd do it different times since you don't wanna leave it tore down long..

Yeah what I suspect I'll end up doing is the 8.8 swap first on one weekend and working out any bugs.

Then the following pull the bed off and mod the hangers 6" and swap in the chevy leafs.

And follow up on the 3rd weekend dialing in the emergency brake lines and what not.

 

[legoms013]

Dropping of the new 8.8 to get new bearings, and 4.88's @ WFO

 

[Boggin]

your build is a huge inspiration man! looks like you have alot of time invested in her

 

[legoms013]

You're too kind.

Meanwhile the 8.8 is being torn apart and going under the knife.

Will try and get some perches this week so when she comes back I can weld 'er some spring perches on.

I live in a great area for modding trucks....I drive by Ruff Stuff everyday and a full size pickup junkyard (home to thousands of non-rusty 1/2, 3/4 and 1 ton axles, leaf springs and everything else asscociated). The only bottleneck is money....

And WFO fab/axle shop is only 25 min away.

Anybody know how to make the explorer emergency brake system work under my ranger? I'm feeling lazy and don't want to search it from my phone.....I will later though.

 

[-Nathan-]

youre having someone else do the regear? mind me asking what they charge? I think you should have done the regear yourself and used the dough on more parts...

 

[legoms013]

$300 for labor which includes replacement of the outer bearings as well. I figured it would save me some time and get the axle underneath my truck faster...I'm in an arms race with my father to see who can get their axle finished and beneath their rig fastest lol.

Not so concerned with the front D35 at the moment.

Prepping this week to monsterline the rocker panels, and possibly the roof or hood (I have to use it all up or it goes to waste).

 

[4.0B2]

i wish i lived by ruffstuff....

 

[legoms013]

i wish i lived by ruffstuff....

Its soooo nice....

The new 8.8 will be done Friday, or Monday, and on the way to pick it up, me and my dad are dropping off his front D44 to get a Detroit Tru-Trac and 4.10's that same instance. So far, I'm winning lol.

This is my prep for this weekend when I monsterline the rocker panels.

Wanna see what eliminating 175 pounds looks like? Removed the rear bumper, hitch, L and R sliders (and subsequently the gas skid too). I ended up with 2" of rake, a crappy ride, and lots of clearance. Also I wire wheeled the outside frame rails and primed and painted them with Rustoleum. I figure while the sliders are off, I won't put them back on without bracing them up with some cross links/gussest and repainted them. They need it! They have had 2 hard years of use. Also the rear bumper won't go back on in the chrome flavor. I will grind it down and paint black. FYI the brown bag has $90 in grade 8, 1/2" hardware that fixes the sliders to the frame in a semi permanent fashion.

Here:

She's naked:

Things I need to buy in the upcoming weeks:

Spring perches,
Spring plates,
U-bolts
New rotors
New pads
Brake line fittings, hardlines etc.
Chevy leaf springs
Powertrax No-Slip? Only thing that fits in the Trac-Lok Carrier

And finally,
D35 gears, install kit, and installation fees

 

[88_Eddie]

a lunch box locker fits in a LS carrier?

you should fab up a new rear bumper while it's off. tuck it inside the gap there and use it as an air tank.