Project Fordzuki

[northerncountry]

what size shocks are you using on that thing? obviously it doesn't weigh enough to bottem them out if it did would you have to use coilovers to get the same effect? not to familier with 4 link suspension.?

 

[Loanranger]

what size shocks are you using on that thing? obviously it doesn't weigh enough to bottem them out if it did would you have to use coilovers to get the same effect? not to familier with 4 link suspension.?

The shocks are for a 3" lifted F250 Superduty, the measurements I forget. The front ones bottom out when severely flexed, or running fast through potholes, I'm gonna swap them out to the stock length F250 shocks and that will end that. Coilovers would replace both the shocks and springs, and I'm happy with both the ride and travel of the Datsun leafs up front, and the Ranger half leafs in the back. There's alot on this site and others that will give you a clue about 4 link.

 

[Dishtowel]

Dude you have a wicked rig. That thing looks like it flex's more than a double jointed snake. good work! I am assuming it scores over 1000 RTI? This is the first time I have ever seen 4 link sprung the way you did it!! That is very interesting!! Very nice home-made revolver shackles BTW. Have you scaled it? I'm curious what it weights.

 

[Loanranger]

Dude you have a wicked rig. That thing looks like it flex's more than a double jointed snake. good work! I am assuming it scores over 1000 RTI? This is the first time I have ever seen 4 link sprung the way you did it!! That is very interesting!! Very nice home-made revolver shackles BTW. Have you scaled it? I'm curious what it weights.

Well, first of all thank you. I don't know what it RTI's at, my homebuilt ramp isn't tall enough. I've had it flexed way more on the trail than I can get it at the top of my ramp. I am also curious to throw it on a scale too, but haven't yet, the base rig weighs in at around 1300 lbs, so I'm assuming with the bigger engine and tranny and all the other goodies, it's probably between 1700-1800 lbs.

 

[Dishtowel]

Wow, that is way lighter than my rig!! I scale at 3620 lbs (1640 KG) empty! And 4340 lbs (1970 KG) when I have my winch on and all my gear loaded up!! That is alot more than you!! lol, But I have discovered that weight helps with my flex, so thats is fine.
I will be scaling it again once I have the V8 and D35 in/on. Probably 200-240 lbs heavier I'm guessing.

Random question that I have been wondering on for a little while, you might know the answer.
In regards to a LEAF sprung FRONT axle, Is there any benefit to having the shackles on the front of the spring? or the back? I notice alot of jeeps have them on the front and my pal's Toyota has them on the rear. The only thing I can think of is that if they were on the back eye of the spring you lose abit of ground clearance there. Why did you put yours on the front?

 

[rickcdewitt]

putting the shackle at the rear of a front spring allows the tire to travel up and away from bumps making for a softer ride.its a common swap with the later model solid axle leaf spring ford trucks(it gets you lift also).

 

[Hahnsb2]

Wow, that is way lighter than my rig!! I scale at 3620 lbs (1640 KG) empty! And 4340 lbs (1970 KG) when I have my winch on and all my gear loaded up!! That is alot more than you!! lol, But I have discovered that weight helps with my flex, so thats is fine.
I will be scaling it again once I have the V8 and D35 in/on. Probably 200-240 lbs heavier I'm guessing.

Random question that I have been wondering on for a little while, you might know the answer.
In regards to a LEAF sprung FRONT axle, Is there any benefit to having the shackles on the front of the spring? or the back? I notice alot of jeeps have them on the front and my pal's Toyota has them on the rear. The only thing I can think of is that if they were on the back eye of the spring you lose abit of ground clearance there. Why did you put yours on the front?

Shackles in front can be worse for handling because they can wobble a little bit and it it better to have the wobble behind the axle so it "trails". Think of trying to make a shopping cart caster move backwards while you hold the wheel pointing forward, it is going to try and whip it self around. If that makes any sense. Shackles up front aren't really a bad thing, just don't use super long ones.

 

[Loanranger]

Well, there have been plenty of discussions just about everywhere about standard or reverse shackles, and there are positives and negatives to both.
In a reverse shackle setup, with the shackle in the rear, it will give a better ride, as the axle will be able to move with the bumps, if you hit a bump or are traveling on washboard roads, it will be allowed to move rewards, away from the impact. The negatives to running them in the rear would be nose diving when you hit the brakes, possible damage resulting from hitting a large bump and having the tire move back into the wheelwell, or even driveline or transfercase damage if you do not pay close attention to driveline length. On steep hill climbs, if you lose traction with the rear axle, the front will try to "walk" out from under the vehicle, resulting in driveline seperation or even bent springs. On steep downhills, the shackles could unload and allow the vehicle to tip forwards.
With the shackle in the front, you don't have any of the previous mentioned dangers, as everything is pivoting from the same end. This means you won't have the danger of driveline seperation, tire and fender damage, nose diving, and some say it gives you a little better traction, as the tire rotation is pushing down and loading the shackle, rather than up and loading the shackle. SO basically, the trade off is either good ride, or damaged components, from my point of view anyways.
Long story short, I chose to run the shackles in the front, for all the above reasons, beings this is a trail rig, not a Cadilac.

 

[Big Red Ranger]

Got a grill in it finally. Took some horse trading with a guy from New Mexico to find one, but I finally got it.

That is sweet

 

[Loanranger]

Took it up to my buddies house today, got some new vids.






Hope you all have happy holidays!

 

[Carlos Murphy]

Crawler

Outstanding, love it, now ya got ta rig it fer the trails.

 

[Loanranger]

Outstanding, love it, now ya got ta rig it fer the trails.

??? Rig it fer the trails? Not sure what you mean. I built this thing specifically for trails. I've taken it up to Evans creek a few times now and it did extremely well. Snow's fallin at most of the parks around here, and it's getting pretty deep (30" at Evans) so I decided to take it up to my buddies place and play around a little.

 

[Carlos Murphy]

Rigging

I just ment things like winch, jack, extinguisher, CB, tools, cup holder, Winchester and so on ...
Great looking truck, nice work.

 

[89REDRANGER]

This thing has turned out to be a BEAST! Nice work, and awesome job keeping it looking somewhat stock on the outside. I like the fart-cannon idea. They don't take up much for space, even though they are kinda irritating on a little ricer car.

 

[Loanranger]

This thing has turned out to be a BEAST! Nice work, and awesome job keeping it looking somewhat stock on the outside. I like the fart-cannon idea. They don't take up much for space, even though they are kinda irritating on a little ricer car.

Thanks, I'm thinking about cutting the coffee can off, for one it's helaciously loud, but doesn't sound anything like a honda, and two, it's not FS aproved, as it's a straight through design. For the winter months it's not bad, but when it starts getting dryer out, I'm sure I'd have the FS on my arse about it.