Pirate 4x4 banner

*-j-rOds 85 Trail Roach*

85K views 240 replies 71 participants last post by  mystikk27 
#1 ·
Figured Id start a build thread now that I have enough done to warrant one...

Started with an 85 reg cab toy that I bought from a coworker, it had a fresh 22r, weber38, LC engineering header and exhaust, 3 inch procrap lift and 32s. I sold the bed, tires and wheels off of it and started doing work. First job was to get rid of the awful paint, so I scuffed it up and shot it with some krylon khaki rattle cans. Next was to swap in a IFS rear, do a 1 inch roger brown body lift, 2 inch spacers on the front and some sky boomerang shackles, all of which i did at my house in the driveway. I already had a set if 36x12.5 tsl sxs and some 5.29 thirds with a detroit in one so tires and gears were taken care of. Next was to gather parts to do 63 chevy rears, 3" trail mart front springs and shock hoops, skys front hanger, chevy swap kit and ubolt flips, Kongs hi steer arms, Shakerbuilt draglink and tie rod, all pro rock sliders, warn 9.5 ti, and dual cases. Got all of the parts together and got time to get out to a buds shop this past weekend and get the suspension and steering done. Still have to order shocks prolly gonna go with a set of 14" bilsteins, Weld on the sliders, order a budbuilt xmember and install the duals, and get a tube flatbed and exo done so I can keep a windshield in it when i happen to flop it on the trail. Anyhoo heres the pics so far, enjoy.

easy

-j-rOd:smokin::grinpimp:
 

Attachments

See less See more
5
#33 ·
Went out crawling this past weekend with a bud in his runner at Crozet...:D im stoked about trying to finish my truck up before the weather gets warm for good... Still waiting on the stuff from marlin, it should have shipped today... Gawd I hope so... :( got all of the rest of my other stuff though... the 4xinnovations tcase mount is beef... I also picked up some shock tabs easy inch blocks and Bird gussets from Kert at Diy4x... see below for a bird gusset:flipoff2:

stay tuned for updates.:smokin:

-j-rOd
 

Attachments

#35 ·
Update from the weekend... got the duals in with the budbuilt xmember, and easy inch blocks from Diy4x in the rear to level the truck out... also shortened a rear driveshaft i had so i will be able to move the truck around and have a trail spare... 108:1 is effin cool i cant wait to hit the trail with this pile...:smokin::D

heres a few pix of yesterdays work
 

Attachments

#40 ·
yeah the carpet is some 70's looking garbage ill get to pulling it out after the truck is up and running... :D

the beds gonna be similar to the allpro style bed and will have enough of an exo around the cab to keep the glass in it when it flops.... not really worried about the front fenders sofar as protecting them with the exo... there might be one bar that ties the front bumper into the downbars off of the cab but thats about it...

should be off to get the tube bent after next weekend if i can get the rest of the misc stuff wrapped up...
 
#41 · (Edited)
Got some more stuff done on this virgin this past weekend... I used f350 shock towers on the rear to get the rear shocks on.. they will be tied into the rear tube work for bracing at the top... also took the rear prop valve out and installed a new brake m/c, as well as getting some shifter boots in and a bud of mine cut and polished a piece of diamond plate aluminum to cover the old tcase shifter hole... I got the yokes and stuff ground down for the square front shaft but didnt get it welded up this weekend... I used 2" .25 wall and 1.5" .25 wall square to make the front shaft.... heres a few pics of the stuff i did as well as a couple poser flex pics so I could measure for rear shocks, front bumpstops, and driveshaft...

more updates to follow later...

easy

-j-rOd:smokin:
 

Attachments

#44 ·
Havent driven it on the street or trail yet but im sure that the shocks mounted this way ( l l ) are gonna def be more stable than having the shocks mounted like this ( /\ ) so far as sidehilling and off camber stuff... :smokin:
 
#45 ·
Quick update... I got the front square shaft in built out of 1.5x1.5 .25 wall and 2x2 .25 wall... the crazy thing is that from full droop to full stuff the axle is only using about 1.75 inches of slip.... I also picked up some OBA parts from a guy on a local bulletin board... anyhoo heres a couple pics stay tuned for more:smokin::grinpimp:

-j-rOd
 

Attachments

#48 · (Edited)
at full droop its 36.75" flange to flange and at full stuff its 35" flange to flange... my shaft is cut at 34" right now but Im gonna cut it back to 33 or so just to make sure I have more than enough room... Also the font springs havent broken in at all either so Im sure once they loosen up some itll be move more... it should never get close once I get the bumpstops on it but I def dont want the shaft getting too long and knocking my cases off of the back of the trans... lol :D

The ford towers worked out better than I thought they would.. once the flatbed is done there will be a tie in at the top of the tower to the top rail on the inside of the bed to brace them up a little more...

easy

-j-rOd
 
#49 ·
flexed my pile up yesterday to measure for bump stps and to make sure the front shaft wouldnt bottom out and when the front spring goes slightly negative. i still have an inch left of compression in the front driveline... only has about 1.75 inches of slip used from full stuff to full droop. Im thinking that I need to set the bumpstops just before the spring goes flat so itll be completely flat once the bumps compress some... how flat or neg arched are you guys letting your springs go? I dont want to trash my springs and also dont want to hinder uptravel... TG says to mount the bumps 3 inches off of the spring plate on their 4 and 5" springs but dont really specify anything with the 3s... anyhoo heres a couple pics

easy

-j-rod:smokin:
 

Attachments

#50 ·
goes flat so itll be completely flat once the bumps compress some... how flat or neg arched are you guys letting your springs go? I dont want to trash my springs and also dont want to hinder uptravel... TG says to mount the bumps 3 inches off of the spring plate on their 4 and 5" springs but dont really specify anything with the 3s... anyhoo heres a couple pics

easy

-j-rod:smokin:
Mine (3" TG) are flat when they are hitting the bumpstops. When they were new they were over 3 inches away from the bumpstops - obviously it's less than that now and not enough for what I do.

Auto part
 
#54 ·
Quick update, taking the roach to a bud of mine tomorrow to get some tube bent for bumper exo flatbed... stay tuned... :smokin:
 
#56 ·
Yeah I stopped by and checked on the tube work progress last night, Ill have it back within a week or so for final prep for its first time out... My plans are to make the Open Wheeling weeken at Crozet June 21-22.... I should have some pics by the first of the week from my tube guy as work progresses,...
 
#57 · (Edited)
To do list:

- Bump Stops
- Steering Alignment
- Carb/ Bowl Vent Ext/ Float Height/ Air Filter
- Tail Lights
- Spare Tire Mount
- Re-tube Front CV Shaft for the rear
- Bed/Exo
- GET IT!
 
#58 ·
Just something to think about. you may only be using a little bit of slip now but as those springs break in and with more weight on the truck in th form of an exo youre going to see quite a bit more travel. Also, If you come down hard in the front and both springs compress you get twice the movement. My point is, you dont want that shaft bottoming out. I ripped a samurai t-case in half when i jumped it and the shaft bottomed out.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top