Project 4x4 Commuter Mazda

[escort_gts]

Now that would be the best deal, different tire for any kind of terrain.

 

[legoms013]

Now that would be the best deal, different tire for any kind of terrain.

Only drawback would be shipping, but hey that would be negligible considering I'd never have to buy another set of tires

Ordered a standard drop pitman arm, from 4WP, $65 shipped...not too bad for a new one.

Money is tight so its gonna be a few weeks before I can buy a Super-Runner steering kit, unless someone responds to my WTB ad for a used one.

I wish patience was easier to come by...I hate waiting

Hopefully the weather will get nice and I can do some weekend side-jobs with my father, as those are the most profitable.

 

[railman]

just curious......but since you have the fab skills....why not make your own "Super Runner" style steering????

pick up a GM style dead lever from the parts store to mount on ya drop bracket to carry the drag link....since ya gotta modify it anyways....just like the ends for the Cheby TRE's.....

l8r, John

 

[legoms013]

just curious......but since you have the fab skills....why not make your own "Super Runner" style steering????

pick up a GM style dead lever from the parts store to mount on ya drop bracket to carry the drag link....since ya gotta modify it anyways....just like the ends for the Cheby TRE's.....

l8r, John

Never thought of it....well I did but I didn't know where to start. I sure could, and if its cheaper I'm very open to the idea. I just seem to lean towards Superlift's kit cuz it takes the guess work to a minimum (at the cost of durability of the components).

But it does provide a good platform to make another setup off of. If I could get a used one, even better.

What do you suggest for an idler arm? Do you have a part number or model of application? A quick google search of GM dead lever yields nothing.

All the stuff that came up didn't seem to drop down enough, they were all basically a "straight" pitman arm when I searched GM/Chevy idler arm.

 

[legoms013]

Check out this bad mo fo for Toyotas, it even runs at and all time low price of $370! Its made by Total Chaos

 

[legoms013]

Thanks to bigblockford79, I have a Superlift Idler-arm, Bracket and centerlink on its way from W. Michigan.

I supposedly have a drop pitman arm coming from 4wheelparts too, but it appears to possibly be on back order

Still need to get one right hand threaded chevy TRE.

Next week or two I'll be modding the center link to drop it down possibly.

 

[legoms013]

Changed out my curved Skyjacker overload leafs for my flat stockers.....test drive confirmed my assumption, rear axle rides a little better now that any up travel is not affect by the overloads.

Speed bumps at 40 mph are soo fun....

 

[legoms013]

Got some superrunner parts today, that will serve for the basis of my 1-ton version.

Gonna try and track down a tap to tap the center-link so that the TRE is replaceable.

Left to buy: chevy 1-ton TRE (RH or LH), RBV TRE, metric tap, tubing (to be machined and tapped 7/8-18.

Gotta ream for the chevy taper, mod the center link down 2-2.5, beef the idler, and have WFO make some tie rods.

Lots to do in the upcoming weeks.

 

[railman]

nice start...can't wait to see what you come up with

l8r, John

 

[legoms013]

Did some field testing of the new KM2's last evening, all I can say is wow. Night and day difference vs. my all terrains. These tires dig like a mo fo. Very happy with their performance.

 

[legoms013]

Over the weekend I went wheeling, and the stock overload keepers bent, allowing the overloads to get crooked. So I removed the overloads all together for now, just to see if it would ride better without them.

It does, but now my truck has massive "bro-lean" which is cali slang for prerunner stance and I don't like it.

This week or weekend I hope to have enough time to put the overloads back in the leaf pack (upside down this time, to squeeze any remaing flex that I can out of the rear axle) and thread some nuts down onto the u-bolts like the Tech-Library suggests doing. That way they can't get all cock-eyed after flexing out real hard.

Wheeling trip really surprised me. Muddy slick rocks was the terrain, as well as 18" of thick nasty gooey mud. Only had to bust out the winch once after bulldozing about 24" of mud under the D35. Other than that the wheeling was very fun, and new tires more than proved their wieght in gold (well so did the winch ).

 

[88_Eddie]

bro-lean......haha

 

[kris97ranger]

have any pics of this wheelin trip?

 

[legoms013]

No unfortunately not, it was night and I was primarily out there to help winch a buddy out of a hole.

Anybody familiar with the term "bro-dozer"? Lol these are funny terms me and my prerunner buddies use to bash on certain kinds of trucks...

 

[legoms013]

Made some progress today:

All ready for WFO to make tie rods on Monday, and when I'm there I need to buy a right-hand threaded regular chevy TRE.

Monday afternoon I hope to get the tie rods on and all the loose ends tied up, as well as make an appointment for an alignment Tuesday in the evening.

My tap didn't get here this week, so when it arrives I hope to take the centerlink off and tap it for the new RBV TRE I bought.

Not going to modify the centerlink down just yet, I want to see how it drives without the drop. Plus I don't have time, I only have Monday off from work and it has been raining all weekend, and I won't be able to work on it tomorrow. Maybe next weekend I will continue the centerlink mods...