Project Cheap bastard

[_Kyle_]

huh... So, uh, has it been wheeled to death yet? I'm assuming all the glass is gone by now... And every body panel is a dirtier of a whore than twenty pornstars combined...

... I'll be waiting for the action pics... Eventually...

spoiler

started off saturday by bumping a dead tree on photo run extreme, top broke and fell cracking the windshield, lost the tail pipe to the rocks then the muffler. Had a tree rub the drivers side adding some dents and breaking the window, which was thankfully down. It wasnt my day. Then sunday chuck(86ford) caught the rear bumper on a tree maybe a rock and a bit of it bend/broke so i have a weird pertruding bumper thing. All in all it was a very fun chalenging weekend and i cant wait for more of this snow wheeling. Hope to see everyone next month.

 

[Carlos Murphy]

Getting pictures out of me is like pulling teeth. What pictures do you want? I am usually to busy trying to work and not lose my beer to try and keep track of a camera too.

86

Ask one of us... NOT ME... to post them for you, just email them to the happy helper.

 

[86ford]

Huh... so, uh, has it been wheeled to death yet? I'm assuming all the glass is gone by now... and every body panel is a dirtier of a whore than twenty pornstars combined...

... I'll be waiting for the action pics... eventually...

No action pics, as usual. Izzy busted out the drivers window and by a fluke accident spider webbed the windshield. Most of the drivers side looks like shit now thanks to him. I earned 2nd place in the race for most damage, all I did was bend 1/4 of the bumper 90 degrees and leave a small (for me anyway) dent in the bed. We dont really know who decided the exhaust was over rated but it ended up in the bed of the truck. Oddly we had everything but the kitchen sink in the bed and to the best of my knowledge nothing flew out. The ranger reminded me why I need to wheel a truck and not a SUV. When you wheel a truck the bed is acceptable damage, the rear doors and glass in a SUV is not acceptable.

kyle posted up what Izzy had to say about the whole adventure.

The Ranger performed well but the stock v8 ZJ coils are just to soft. I am going to be picking up some 3 inch lift XJ coils I had in my b2 from a friend and trying them. The radius arms are going to get heim joints or johnny joints depending on the prices.

I am happy I have finally got a firm grasp on how to tune these TTB bastards. It is frankly a PITA but I am reasonably sure the heim jointed radius arms and the XJ lift coils will finally yield the results we want.

After wheeling 3 RBVs with the stock front axles I have finally decided that I would rather have a open front axle and locked rear. Locking the front just causes way to many mechanical failures when you beat on it. If we are able to gain enough suspension travel I think not having the front locked will allow us to beat it harder and still complete most of the challenges we would of locked F&R. Sadly my willingness to take on challenges has exceeded the limits of a RBV without major modifications so its doubtful I will be purchasing another one for a wheeling rig again. But I will continue to recommend others use them as beginner rigs because they are reliable on the trail and cheap to build.

I will try and find some pictures for you whores.

86

 

[86ford]

Project cheap bastard returns!

Nearly 2 months have gone by and the ranger still runs and drives! After screwing around with too many pairs of coil springs I made the trip down to Columbus to get my old 3 inch lift XJ springs. We slapped the springs in and by pure luck the camber was close to being in spec! Front issue resolved except we have to graph in taller shock mounts.

The rear received a "lowering shackle" that got the truck close enough to level for our tastes.

The rear got 16 inches removed from the back of the bumper to the rear of the spring hangers. A cap was welded to the frame and a receiver welded to it. The bed got 9 inches taken out and welded/screwed back together.

In the spirit of pissing people off I painted "I "heart" my jeep" on both sides of the bed and the tail gate of the truck.

Some 33 12.5 15 Pro Comp Xterrains where purchased and pinched down onto 7 inch rims. The tires had LOTS of slime in them when we got them, but thats ok, It will keep us from having to break the tires down every few trips due to rim leaks.

The poor truck has received some serious cutting since the last time I posted Pictures. Hopefully one of the photo whores joins us this weekend and gets some action shots.

Oh yea, and my GF now has a 93 2dr Explorer with leather for a trail rig. Vehicle #2 here we come!

86

 

[TheOne]

thats cool u mentioned the 3 inch lift xj coils cause i picked up some for my 87 b2 that im going to throw on my new 91 ranger...hmmm what kinda shocks did u use? and u need 28 inch long brake lines to handle the flex?

might just throw them in and see where it ends up LOL