Solid Axle Swap BS Thread

I even heard of you weld your CV to the clamshell is pretty strong. But if you take the time to remove the inner/outer boot and weld the joints, is 10x stronger than Rockwell. But I'm too lazy

 

Not sure if joking or being serious??

 

It’s the “an sas” isn’t it. Come on man. I’m on my second swap. Just stirring the pot. But seriously. Is an sas hard?

 

I understand the boulevard of broken builds after grinding it out on my 3 link. I’ll be somewhere in the neighborhood of 80-100 hours into my swap. And this was just going from a leaf spring setup to links. I could totally understand how someone that’s jumping straight to links and building an axle could totally fall into project hell.

 

Sounds like you are good to go!

 

Absolutely. My first go around was a great learning experience but I definitely didn’t realize how much work I was getting into. I’d still have it if it weren’t getting tboned at a red light 8 months after I finished it. It was an access cab and my current is a double cab short bed which will be way better for the family.

 

You had that through hood intake/snorkel thing on it right? I think I followed you on Instagram a while back. Were you able to re-use anything from the old one? Or just building new?

 

Yeah I did have that hood tractor cap. I stopped insta though. I pulled almost everything off of it. I had to buy a new housing, berf, steering ram, steering box, knuckles and a couple other misc.

 

80+ hours sounds about right. That mean link SA can be achieved in less than a week if you're drinking energy drink hourly and don't sleep. Yes!

 

I'm back.. Going tons on this one..

 

Anyone ever feel the need to "downsize" their rig? As I get older, I realize my truck is overkill for my needs and wheeling style lol

 

Maybe go down a size in tires and let everything else be overkill in case you ever come back to wanting to do harder trails again. Do you just find it uncomfortable to drive or just to much in general?

 

Agree, getting older sucks lol

What is your wheeling style these days? Not doing the rock crawling thing anymore? I also recall seeing some pics of your truck a while back catching some big air at sand dunes

Regardless of wheeling style, my truck feels a bit overkill for a multi-purpose vehicle. It drives nicely around town and on the highway, but it's just not practical anymore.
Then the whole thing of loading/unloading tools and crap before/after going out gets old too , 'cause I don't like driving around town with all the wheeling stuff on it. Let's leave the "show off" thing to the overlanders

The idea of turning it into a trail-only rig is becoming and more appealing these days for sure. Must be nice being able to leave a rig parked on a trailer fully loaded and forget about it until next trip.

 

I’ve always taken mine out on a trailer. Only unload to cruise around town or use the trailer.
Once you quit caring about body damage/breaking stuff you kinda have to trailer it. Also, wheeling becomes more of an adrenaline rush. I find myself getting mad at rocks and giving it hell til I get up or over.

Time to build a buggy I guess...

 

I was opposite, once I had a trailer only vehicle I got bored of the hobby QUICK. I sold it and got the tacoma and have been having a blast since. I also broke way more stuff when I went trailer only which anyone who knows me knows that I HATE wrenching on my truck, even in my garage, let alone on the trail or at camp. The fun factor went down! I will probably link my next truck, I need something that rides nicer for my wife who has a bad back. She likes wheeling, she just hates the drive there and the bouncing around gets to her.

 

I understand that. I rolled my last rig a bunch of times and it held together great. Only ever broke axle shafts and one rear axle housing.
But it was fun fixing it. I enjoy the building and wrenching just as much as the wheeling though, so that helps.
I’m just ready to get into a tube chassis with the typical V8, tons, links, trailing arms etc.
I hate having to watch my roof/glass to be sure it clears a tree or rock.

 

I hear ya! Plus it's fun rolling up to a trail ride, following people around on all the hard shit and driving my junk home

I shouldn't say I hate wrenching, I like tinkering with the truck and doing maintenance on it, not fixing breakage in the field.

We are somewhat local, shoot me a PM if you want to go riding, I'm new to NC and looking for people to wheel with.

 

Where do you go? Next trip I take will probably be to good evening ranch in WV.

 

I haven't wheel d down here yet, but before I moved it was the usual harlan, AOP, etc... The typical SE parks.

Never heard of good evening ranch!

 

I’ve never been. I have some buddy’s that go often. Possibly checking it out next weekend.