85 Xtra Cab: Linked, Tons, 42's

Been building this thing since July '10. Picked it up for $400 out of a parking lot. Some kid had bought it for $2700 3 years before and let it sit in his apartment complex parking lot.

A little timeline to where it is now. Looking back...I mangled a really clean truck. booyang :drinkers:

Brought it home, cleaned it up and sold the 33" ThornTurds in favor of some 36" Iroks.


Welded the rear, put an Aussie Locker in the front and went to Harlan for the ECORS KOH Qualifier a week later. All downhill from there. How it sat before we left for Harlan.


Came back, bobbed the bed and installed some stock duals.


Flatbelly and duals


Grenaded a birf, hated the crappy lift springs in the front, rebuilt the whole front end with Nitro 30splines and rears up front


Added a few leafs to the front pack, trimmed the fenders...snow wheelin' season.


Rear Bumper build...wanted something that could take a hit but not be wicked heavy. I drive by braille.




Started the rear section of the cage and rear shock hoops




Some LED Bling so I could cruise it around town...



Traded for some 38" TSL's and TN CUT em...


HefnerAB and I making the Seat frame and trans tunnel for the corbeaus...Our buddy Sam giving the approval and drinking beer.





Flopped a bunch more times...figured a fuel cell and finishing my cage would be a good idea.




Got bored with the Toyota stuff...wanted to try something different so cut apart a perfectly good working truck back at the beginning of November and have been putting it back together as parts show up.

Re-Build
4.56 Geared Chevy 60 Front Miller Locked
4.56 Geared 14 Bolt Miller Locked with an M&M Offroad Truss and RuffStuff Bracketry
Dual Triangulated 4 Link
2.0 16" Travel Sway-A-Way AirShocks
42" Tennessee Cut TSL's
22r Propane Kit

Re-Assembly



Rear Links done....Hefnerab giving the BudLightExcersiseBike Salute
Finished and sitting at full bump...








A few more pictures of the rear 14Bolt DIY truss kit from PJ at M&M. Pretty killer truss for money and a lot more surface to weld to the axle tubes than most standard bent plate trusses.

Links are 2" .250 wall lowers with 1-1/4 Heims and 1.75" .120 wall uppers with 7/8 heims.

Milled down dually hubs thanks to Cole


Orbital mounted


Hydro ram and tie rod in place


Back together ready for plumbing and exhaust work.


Got it on my trailer now and its off to get the 4.56 gears in the 14 Bolt tomorrow. Shooting to have it finished up next week sometime then back into the shop to build a winch bumper and mess around with the new roll bender.

 

Nice work, I think you might rub a bit though

 

I like your toys.... looks like you've put alot of hard work into them!

 

DAMN i bet that thing is a beast off road. nice dude

 

damn nice, youre gonna run circles round my mess all day long!

 

Thanks guys. It's definitely a work in progress. Still have a good bit left to finish. Winch, front bumper, driveshafts, plumb the brakes and full hydro.

 

jesus mother of lanta thats a beaut!

what gears you got in this beast?

 

Nice

 

Hahah. yeah its a wee big. Ive tried to keep it as low as possible. Most 1 ton swapped trucks I've seen look like sky scrapers. Used the same spring packs as I had when I was on 38's and built the rear links accordingly. Only difference in height is from the tire diameter.

Gears are 4.56's welded front and rear and dual gear driven Toy Cases.

 

Im diggin it, its pretty sweet.

 

deff subbed for this looks good man

 

Done-ish...still need to do the tube work for the front bumper but its wheelable again.

 

I wana build something like and good man great work

 

You abuse that truck enough?

 

I blame it on my lack of skill behind the wheel. Pin it to win it is pretty much how I drive.

From this weekend's shakedown run.


Got a new high output steering pump on the way from Trail-Gear. Stock one just couldnt keep up with the needs of the full hydro system. It would get hot and lock up from time to time.

Hopefully I will have that in and tested soon.

 

Throttle is like an on off switch.





Cranked this out with the night off work...still needs some gussets and tube caps.

 

A little update...been out with the rig twice now. Upgraded to the Trail-Gear Full Hydro Steering Pump and a bigger -10AN feed line from the reservoir. Makes a world of difference. It will steer these 42's now with one finger at idle. It cruises through town pretty damn smooth too. The hydro is pretty predictable and not too quick for hotlaps to the bar. The truck needs a sway bar in the back, but I'll get to that. For now it works well. Just leans like a mofo in the corners.

Front end "done"...still need some tube caps and gussets.


New auxiliary fuse panel


New switch panel with room for when I add the electric fan and a power outlet for the Ipod


Winch is wired in too. Hid the solenoid box under the hood and ran the controller into the glove box.

I feel a lot more comfortable with all of the lights and accessories on their own circuits now. The engine bay and battery terminal is cleaned up too now that it doesnt have 40 different connectors and in line fuses running through there. Except the winch leads replaced that old glob of wiring with a new one. :lol:

 

Holy shit balls I just came!

 

I have read through your build on NC4x4. Nice work. What leaves did you add for the RUF's?