Saw some pics of my rangie as it was 2 years ago and thought about how far my Rangie has come in 2 years. Its still the same Rangie. The bits that are still origional are the frame, suspension links, motor, gearbox/transfer, clutch pedal and brake pedal and of course the steering wheel.

Thought it would be fun to post a few pics on its development from it beginnings to how its is now.

Here goes.

Sam

Here it is after a few mods. Set of 31s and relocated rear shocks for a bit more travel. 10 splines and open diffs I was having a ball. Never wheeled before I got this rangie. This was about 2 years ago.

It was about now that I got a feel for body damage and I went on from here. My machine was working well. Started playing around with the traction control.

I wheeled it like this for about 8 months and basically got too much body damage so I started trimming and this was the result.

another

ugly huh. :D

I ender up putting in a back window and some boxes in the rear which made it look a bit better.

I was wheeling pretty hard with the 10 splines open diffs and 31s. The traction controll was working well and I was driving some amazing shiat. I was breaking a rear axle about once a month and after about 6 rear axles and one front axle I thought it was time for an upgrade. So on went the d44s and some 36in silverstones. My rig was looking better. It was just prior to this that I made a hinged radius arm which I am still running today (I promise I will get rid of it in my next iteration).

So here it is looking better.

Heres some wheeling pics.

Still open diffs and traction control.

Another

I bit later I finally got myself a rear locker, an ARB, and it wasnt soon after this that I broke a rear axle (go figger????). And to this day I havent found anything that I can drive with the rear locker on and the traction control on the front axle that I carnt drive with open diffs and our traction control which is a good thing. Our traction control isnt as good as diff locks but its close and it drives different (you got to have wheel spin to make the thing work) and its a lot easier on the drive train (cause each wheel isnt locked to the motor)

I then smashed the body up some more and wanted bigger tyres. The rangie body was stuffed so I bought a series 2a so I could do a body change.

Heres the 2a - the thing drove well, it was a shame to pull the thing apart but it was for a good cause :vader2:

other angle

And pulled the bashed Rangie body - it served me well :(

To leave the rest :-

And threw on the series 2a

Cut the guards a bit, bolt the thing on and we're wheeling :D

First outing having a ball

And then came the 42s.

Put them on - took the photo and took them off again cause I couldnt drive it, the tyres hit everything.

Cut the guards made some spacers and put them back on. Actually this is about how high dougs rig is gonna be :flipoff2:

And we are wheeling.

To finally the latest pic - giving it plenty. (actually it isnt me driving, its a mate of mine. Its great to see how everything works from the outside)

Sam

The next step is the 302 windsor, NP435 with the adapted LT95 transfer with the d60front and d70 rear with 4.56 gears and open diffs (I will only have the traction control - this will give me motivation to make the traction control better cause since Ive had the locker Ive done nothing).

To do this Im going to start with a new frame cause the origional one is stuffed. The bottom plate is totally bashed from rock impacts and the RHS rail is bent upwards by about an inch at the front from bottoming the RHS front suspension out (I guess). So I will get a new frame and build up the drive train from there complete from the motor to the axles (including wheels and brakes) then I can pull the body of my current rover and slap it on the knew frame. Should be off the road for less than a week to swap the body over :D. Gonna run more lift with longer control arms with a three link up front with all the links on top of the axles and probably a 110in wheel base minimum. Think I will build up another set of rear control arms and tailshaft so that I can run about a 120in wheelbase as well cause some of the comps here are just blasting up really steep hills and a 120+ WB would be great. Dont think I will go to coilovers cause they are so expensive here although I would if I could but I carnt so I wont :flipoff2:

Should have the new drive train in a couple of months. First step is to adapt the transfer. Looks like Im going to cut the NP435 output shaft and weld on the lt95 output shaft. Plenty of size to get a good join and I can sleve up the outside of the shaft to get the strength.

Funny thing is the output shaft of the lt95 is way bigger than the np435 so I think the cut shaft will be fine.

Sam

Nice stuff.

Your Rangie bitsa has come a long way.

Did you gat a engineers on it?

Simon

Originally posted by ChevRangie
Did you gat a engineers on it?

Simon

Man Simon...This Aussie talk is making my head hurt! :flipoff2: :)

Sam...Great exposé on the evolution of our addiction! It truly IS a full blown addiction...If we take every sentence we think or speak and replace the words we use such as, Rover, gears, tires etc. with alcohol, we'd be thrown in a treatment center faster than you can say co-dependent!

I would do the same evolution picture series like you did but I think it would be too depressing at this juncture. I'll have to wait until the paint is on my rig before I do that! I was looking at a pic of my D90 right after I bought her...I gave her a wax and polish, then did a poseur shot of the rig with the mountains all around. Man. Now look at her! :)

O'well. It's all about "progress" right! :flipoff2:

Strange

Great series of pics by the way

how about some more details of your traction control system and how it works. IT may be of no use to all these folks with high traction rocks to drive on but for us mud bound people in the UK it sounds lke a good idea.

Originally posted by ChevRangie
Nice stuff.

Your Rangie bitsa has come a long way.

Did you gat a engineers on it?

Simon

No engineers - although I should be able to if I wanted. I could get everything certified except for the tyres and the fender cutting but apart from that everything else is fine.

Sam

Originally posted by gon2far
Strange

Great series of pics by the way

how about some more details of your traction control system and how it works. IT may be of no use to all these folks with high traction rocks to drive on but for us mud bound people in the UK it sounds lke a good idea.

Yea I will do a thread on it soon cause with the big tyres the traction control if really coming into its own - like not breaking stuff. Basically Im driving the front end as hard as I can into stuff (spinning wheel hitting solid rock etc) and it hasent broken. Im still looking after the rear by not bouncing it but the front is looking after itself and with 42s on a stock d44 front its no mean feat.

At the end of the day I can say the traction control isnt as good as lockers in terms of ultimate ability to drive up stuff. But if you include into the equation big tyres on an axle that isnt really up to the job the traction control can really make the front last longer. Cause the front is open the front end will never bind against itself (on high traction surfaces) and cause the front is unlocked each wheel isnt connected to the motor so you can drive with more throttle and not explode stuff.

I feel the ultimate would be to have an ARB and the traction control as well, the front would last a lot longer cause you would use the locker a lot less.

My next step is to prove this!!!

But I have a plan.

Sam

Originally posted by RockRover

I would do the same evolution picture series like you did but I think it would be too depressing at this juncture. I'll have to wait until the paint is on my rig before I do that! I was looking at a pic of my D90 right after I bought her...I gave her a wax and polish, then did a poseur shot of the rig with the mountains all around. Man. Now look at her! :)

O'well. It's all about "progress" right! :flipoff2:

Carnt wait for your evolution series - how can it be depressing with a set of 42s half on your rig.

Maybe the half bit but apart from that its all good :D

Sam

Originally posted by Strange Rover



I feel the ultimate would be to have an ARB and the traction control as well, the front would last a lot longer cause you would use the locker a lot less.

My next step is to prove this!!!

But I have a plan.

Sam


Hmmm am i part of this plan ? :D

Sounds a bit like i may be refered to as the rodent (guinipig) :D

Originally posted by Still a NEWBIE


Sounds a bit like i may be refered to as the rodent (guinipig) :D

so thats what that smell was hey!! rodent ruff strikes back! :p

cool writeup - Im gonna do something like this jeep, but it hasnt come quite as far as your rig. I love the IIa body, especially all sawzalled up like that. There were no salvageable parts like axles?

Originally posted by Still a NEWBIE



Hmmm am i part of this plan ? :D

Sounds a bit like i may be refered to as the rodent (guinipig) :D

Maybe - need to put the traction control on a dual ARB'd rig that busts heaps of front axle parts, and I mean heaps of cvs, the more the better. Need I guy that breaks at least one every outing without even trying.

Put on the traction control, see who much of a difference it makes to the stuff he can drive and see how many parts he busts - EASY

So Ruff do you know someone????? Aw shiat thats right your it. Fixed that cv yet, were gonna go drive the waterfall track on monday, BJ you should come too - see how many tyres you can stuff this time.

Sam

Originally posted by phineas
cool writeup - Im gonna do something like this jeep, but it hasnt come quite as far as your rig. I love the IIa body, especially all sawzalled up like that. There were no salvageable parts like axles?

I dont know that you would call the axles off a 2a salvageable, but there were nothing wrong with them - do you want them???

:rasta:

Sam

Sam,

What's the wheelbase in the last 2 pics?

You gonna run the 23 spline 70 as-is?

Does yours have an open carrier or a powr-lok?

Here's some pics of my 23 spline 70 with 4.56 and a powr-lok.

It's actuallya shame.....coz i hear it'a pretty good limited slip, and I'm just going to weld the sucker solid!

http://www.rightcoastcrawler.com/billaVista/D70/D70.htm

I am guessing that the 30 spline d60 axles ar much stronger than the 23 spline d70 axles. Especially if they taper making a huge weak link. Why the 70 over the 60 considering you have both.

Way

Originally posted by Way
I am guessing that the 30 spline d60 axles ar much stronger than the 23 spline d70 axles. Especially if they taper making a huge weak link. Why the 70 over the 60 considering you have both.

Way

from BillAVista's site:
http://www.rightcoastcrawler.com/billaVista/D70/Dcp_4154.jpg
left- 23spline D70. right-30spline D60

23spline WAY STRONGER.

Granted the D70 axle shaft itself would definately out last the smaller d60 one. I think that 23 splines (where the D70 would most likely fail) is very corse. The more splines the better. I would choose the D60 with more splines over the D70 (amongst other reasons).

Way

Originally posted by BillaVista
Sam,

What's the wheelbase in the last 2 pics?

You gonna run the 23 spline 70 as-is?

Does yours have an open carrier or a powr-lok?

Here's some pics of my 23 spline 70 with 4.56 and a powr-lok.

It's actuallya shame.....coz i hear it'a pretty good limited slip, and I'm just going to weld the sucker solid!

http://www.rightcoastcrawler.com/billaVista/D70/D70.htm

My wheelbase hasent changed from the very top picture - its still 100in which with the 42s I feel is too short but I will fix this with the new chassis.

Yea im going to run the 70 as is but I thought mine was open and not a powr-lok cause the axles free wheel in opposite directions easily. But mine looks identical to yours so I guess its a powr-lok also???? How can I tell for sure, what does an open centre d70 look like. I might just pull the hemisphere apart and have a proper look.

I wouldnt run the 30spline d60 either, the 23spline 1.5in axles would be heaps stronger. Based on the dia of the axles the d70 is 1.5 times as strong less the reduction in strength caused by the course splines which wouldnt be that much. My thinking is the course splines only effect the fatigue strength of the axle as opposed to the absolute one time strength.

Sam

I would choose the D60 with more splines over the D70

Then you'd be making a very poor choice IMHO. I know you can't really appreciate the difference until you've held both in your hands. Since I have, I'm suggesting you would really want to go with the 70. Have a look at my link. The 30 spline D60 is basically a D44 axle shaft - same size. The 70 is much more massive. The 70's tubes are much bigger and stronger too. Look how the 70 dwarfs the 60 in every way. For max strength....it's the better choice.

Sam,

If it looks identical to mine (with the 2 piece carrier that bolts together there) it's definately a powr-lok.

A Google search on Powr-lok should turn up some info. Supposed to be the best LS ever. And I've read you can add a shim or something to make it really nice and tight. A search should turn something up. Could be just the job.


Oh yea....more splines is better....ONLY if the diameter is the same...otherwise you can't make a direct comparison.

True about the splines, but as Sam pointed out and I hinted at in my post, the axle is only as strong as it's weakest links (in oyur case most likely the splines). Regardless, I am sure you will be fine. Here is a nice comparison picture. I have held many 60 axles and seen many 70s, but can't recall that I have held the shafts out of them. I can't imagine in your rigs with the horsepower you guys are running that one time strength is much of an issue. Especially when you are not wheeling on solid rock.

Originally posted by Strange Rover


Maybe - need to put the traction control on a dual ARB'd rig that busts heaps of front axle parts, and I mean heaps of cvs, the more the better. Need I guy that breaks at least one every outing without even trying.

Put on the traction control, see who much of a difference it makes to the stuff he can drive and see how many parts he busts - EASY

So Ruff do you know someone????? Aw shiat thats right your it. Fixed that cv yet, were gonna go drive the waterfall track on monday, BJ you should come too - see how many tyres you can stuff this time.

Sam

BRING IT AWWWWN, well im getting one of the mags faced and hopefully some cheeeeeep kumhos or something, keep the BFGs for good stuff :D

and im bringing a hammer or something and if i see that rock that popped both of my tyres and chiselled my mag up :mad3: :nuke: