Author Topic: life and death of a clean $200 toy................... (Read 134463 times)

Ramrod · « **on:** Jul 12, 2005, 11:25:45 AM »

Well I am sure alot of you saw the short build up thread I did a while ago on my 83 sr5 shortbed that I owned for about eight months. During that time I built it up from stock to almost fully built to my standard. It had 5:29 gears,dual cases,aussie locker rear, chevy springs,skys high steer,ford shock towers,rearsprings up front with twoinch drop hanger, bobbed bed, all shaved emblems and filled in holes for markerlights and much much more. Well anyways I crashed it during the memorial day weekend and bent the frame pretty bad so I decided to just part it out and get a new truck. Here is the last picture of it in the light before I crashed and a flex picture about 1 minute before I crashed.

Ramrod · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 12, 2005, 11:28:06 AM »

Here are a couple pictures of what happened to the frame. It does not look as bad as it was and I didn't want to mess with getting it straightend, plus I think the cab was pretty tweaked also.

Ramrod · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 12, 2005, 11:31:51 AM »

So I tore that poor truck apart and kept what I wanted and tried to sell what I didn't then I bought this truck for $250 from a friend. all that was wrong with was that it needed a new head. So I just dropped my entire motor from my old truck and the 33 inch exterrains I had laying in the backyard in it and I was back and rolling.

Ramrod · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 12, 2005, 11:41:21 AM »

From the old truck I took the msd,flowmaster, highflowcat,chevy springs and dual shackles,shocks, axles,cases,steering,motor. Then on top of that I got a marlin dualcase crossmember,wheelspacers,shockhoops,a detroit in the back and putting the aussie up front, longfields 27 spline chromoly super set, a sky over the axles truss, frame tubes jigs, Here is the hanger I had on my other truck and my new one is exactly the same except that I drilled the holes .5 inch farther forward and I am going to weld it on another .5 inchs forward for a total 3" forward of stock.

Ramrod · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 12, 2005, 11:45:27 AM »

I plan on doing the sas maybe starting wednesday it just depends on when I have to work next cause this is my dd. but as soon as it is done and it should only take about three days. I am going to take it to the con like the next day so it would be cool if some of you other guys came along.

Yota4life · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 12, 2005, 10:05:34 PM »

Hey looks like my truck before it was built!

Sounds like its going to come out nice, cant wait to see it finished.

Ramrod · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 13, 2005, 02:03:57 PM »

yeah I bet it is going to end up looking quite like yours. Someone is coming to look at my willys and hopefully they will buy it

so I will have lots of money to spend on cool stuff like some 37"mtrs and an exo and new paint

RHG · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 13, 2005, 02:15:51 PM »

Hey thats a real cool hanger.

Think you could take a better pic of it? I think I might build one like that.

Ramrod · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 13, 2005, 07:29:39 PM »

yeah I got some more pics of it, just give me a little bit to resize them. I can also take some in progress pics of the new one to show you how it is built. to make it I bought a 3' piece of 2x3x3/8" tube and 2'of 3x3/8 flat bar. you cut two four inch pieces and two two inche pieces. cut the center piece two length which I think off the top of my head is 31 3/4" drill holes for your bolts weld the four inch pieces on the ends and the 2 inchers 2 3/4 over. Then cut the rest of the flat bar diagonaly and weld it on as a brace and you have yourself an indistructable hanger. The one in the picture took a fourty mile per hour hit directly two it into the side of a creek bed with no damage. Wish I could say the same about the rest of the frame. If some people are down to help me out I might be willing to do my sas this weekend. I really want to get it done I just need some inspiration

Ramrod · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 13, 2005, 08:47:49 PM »

heres some more pics of my progress with the hanger and everything else. I have barely been working on it because it is so hot.

Ramrod · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 13, 2005, 08:51:13 PM »

heres the old hanger on the truck two different angles, painted and unpainted

RHG · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 14, 2005, 03:16:07 AM »

Thank you much that hanger does look beefy and I like how the actual hangers are under the bar so you get a little more lift. On the new one you said that you were going to drill the holes forward to give you more room? How much more forward are you looking at? I am going to put this under a third gen so I need to have the axle forward a bit cause ill be running 37's good luck with the re/build up and I hope you get some help

Ramrod · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 14, 2005, 09:36:23 AM »

I drill the holes 1/2" forward of stock and then I am going to weld it on another 1/2" forward on the frame. That added to the 2" forward that the rear springs will give me I will be looking at 3" foward of stock. I will be running 37" Mtrs or Iroks and I want to only have 5" of lift which is what my other truck had and worked well with.

RHG · « **Reply #13 on:** Jul 14, 2005, 02:37:33 PM »

Hey where are you located? If your not too far away I'd offer to come help. The expereince would be a good thing too so when it comes time to do my SAS I have somewhat of an idea about what im doing. Let me know if your interested.

Ramrod · « **Reply #14 on:** Jul 14, 2005, 08:54:07 PM »

Yeah i live in sonoma california. I might start tomorrow I have to talk to my friend about using his shop space. I would need to get the whole truck done by next wednesday night because this is my dd. but I did my last truck start to finish in four days.

Ramrod · « **Reply #15 on:** Jul 15, 2005, 08:23:16 AM »

well she is going under the knife in about 1 hour hopefully. my goal for today is to do the whole rear suspension and put in my dual cases and new crossmember so I can measure for a new driveshaft. Then if I have time I will finish reasembling my frontend. more pic later tonight

bluerunner · « **Reply #16 on:** Jul 15, 2005, 07:02:41 PM »

man thats gonna look reall good can't wait to see progress!

Ramrod · « **Reply #17 on:** Jul 15, 2005, 07:34:39 PM »

Ok well I am done for the day. I got all the rear suspension in place and tacked up there and it is now back on its own weight. The front Ifs is hanging on by a hair and I should have it all off with about two more minutes with the torch. Yesterday I put my thirds all back together with 5:29s detroit rear, aussie front and painted my frontend after I welded on the truss and cleaned it all up.Heres the pics i am going back out to the truck in a little bit and will take pictures of the Ifs hanging there.

Ramrod · « **Reply #18 on:** Jul 15, 2005, 09:16:49 PM »

well I just took some more pictures of the progress from today but they didn't turn out to well and I didn't feel like editing them so I guess I will take pictures tomorrow. My goal is to get all the Ifs gone,frame smoothed, hanger welded on and frame tubes done. Should be doable.

Makman · « **Reply #19 on:** Jul 16, 2005, 07:28:16 PM »

Looks good. I've always been partial to the second gen body style.

One question on the Sky axle truss: How much weight is added once full of dirt and twigs? Probably depends on the type but we have a couple of tenacious clays that would pretty much turn to concrete if allowed to dry.

Ramrod · « **Reply #20 on:** Jul 16, 2005, 09:05:16 PM »

I did not get to much done today due to starting late because I had no ride to get to where the truck is and Then I had friends distracting me after that. I did manage to get the stock transfer case out and everything to do with Ifs out of there and most of the passengerside framerail cleaned up. Hopefully I will make more progress tomorrow. I will just wait till then to put up pictures. And on the axle truss if it filled with mud which I doubt it really would it would only add about five pounds but that is what a pressure washer is for any ways.

Ramrod · « **Reply #21 on:** Jul 19, 2005, 10:23:58 AM »

well I have not updated this post in a few days because I have been so tired from working on my truck and all the other crap that has been going on lately. But the truck will be done today besides not having a rear driveshaft because all my friends keep flaking out on me and I have built this intire truck by myself with no help whatsoever. Here is where it is now: all rear suspension and rearend all done up, front springs hanger shackles in there places and bolted up, dual cases and crossmember in(still need to cut shifter holes), frontend, ready to be bolted in. All I have to do is make my steering box mount,weld it on, bolt every thing up, put rotors,wheel bearings, hubs, ect on front axle, bleed brakes, put on shock hoops, get drive shaft and I am good to go.

Ramrod · « **Reply #22 on:** Jul 22, 2005, 06:16:50 PM »

Well it is done for now and about ready to wheel. I am going to build some rock sliders and possibly make the front square shaft longer and then I am taking it up to fordyce next weekend so if anyone wants to join in that would be great. Here are some pics if it don't mention the little tires they are only on there till tommorow because I have been letting some one borrow my 36"tsls on 2.5 in backspacing wheels which will next week will be replaced with some 37" mtrs

Ramrod · « **Reply #23 on:** Jul 23, 2005, 03:29:04 PM »

any comments? I am going to bob the bed some time early next week, I think 13 or 14". Then possibly a dovetail but I want to fit my huge cooler in the back still for camping so we will see.

decyfer · « **Reply #24 on:** Jul 23, 2005, 03:33:40 PM »

i think that it looks great. i would bob it, maybe hold off on the dovetail. i bobbed my runner 15" and i love it.

Ramrod · « **Reply #25 on:** Jul 23, 2005, 04:16:01 PM »

Yeah I definatly need to bob it and I need my big tires back on there. I just don't get the respect on the street with a full length bed,33"s and no doors they just don't work together.

decyfer · « **Reply #26 on:** Jul 23, 2005, 06:10:23 PM »

why do you think i roll, bobbed, 37s and no doors. plus my v8. what can i say i demand the respect

Ramrod · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 03:22:35 PM »

well It has been a long time since I updated this and the truck has changed quite a bit. I have since been to Cowmountain once, fourdyce once, rubicon 3 times, the highlakes once, one snow run, and about 10,000 highway miles. The only thing I have broke is one set of improperly set up 5:29s that broke on the highway and a hub and just this last weekend one of my front shock hoops ripped completly off the frame.

The mods since the last update are:
bobbed bed 12"
rock sliders
extended front d-line cause 4" of down travel is not enough
added two more leaves to front spring packs cause 5 was way to soft
got a campershell and bobbed it to fit bed
1 10"jl audio sub that hits super hard
different exhaust that is really loud and before that another different exhaust that was too quiet
37" mtrs
"trimmed fenders"
a few minor dents and one huge one in the drivers door and a big one in the rocker from fordyce without the sliders.

So far I am very happy with the truck. I drive it every day. On the trail it does very well and have not really had any trouble anywhere except the one hill at the end of the highlakes but that was because I didn't air down.

My new project is a efi swap and new motor that I am building. Its specs are gonna be: 86 block and head(current motor is 83 carbed)
ported and polished head with bigger valves
thorley tri y header
86 efi system with k&n cone filter
bored .40
crank ground -.10
engnbldr 268 torkr cam
I most of the parts for that from engnbldr and am just waiting for my my machine shop to open up after the holiday break

here are some updated pics and one from each trail ride

Ramrod · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 03:37:56 PM »

first run a couple days after completion to cow mountain

Fourdyce the next weekend

rubicon in the end of august

Ramrod · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 30, 2005, 03:41:29 PM »

another from that trip

MCR 4 this is the only pic I got

The highlakes in the start of october

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