Temporarily in Ohio

[Double-a]

Hello all.
Name is Mike
I am orginally a Nevada native but right now I live in Ohio.
I am currently living in Ohio but I am going through a divorce and will be moving home soon.
I have been lurken on your forums for a while now and finally decided to drop a hello.

Lets see. I drive a 74 Chevy. Was orginally a half ton but that was a long time ago.
The crappy 10 and 12 bolts have been removed and now it has a welded 14FF, a D44 with a mini spool (the D44 will either be replaced with a D60 or I will be going with Rockwells, I have not decided which direction to go yet). Part time convereted NP203. 350 was replaced with a 454. I have the Holly Truck Avenger on it right now, but I will probably stroke the motor and go with EFI, right now I like the simplicity of the carb. The whole thing sits on 35" Gumbo Haug Mudders but those will be replaced soon too. I tore the side wall one and another refuses to hold air longer than a week so they have to go. They are mounted on 16.5 steel wheels with DIY bead locks. That is about the jist of it. Truck has a lot of trail scares on it, it isnt much to look at but it gets the job done.
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1376/sigpic5or.jpg
I dont have any action shots of my truck. It is pretty tuff to shot photos and drive at the same time and I have never really been one for poser flex shots.
If you read Petersons 4 Wheel and off road, you may recognize my trail rig, it was in the cheap build ups or what ever it is called. I believe this was the pic in the mag.
http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/2317/copyofmychevy04aug055zc.jpg.
So anyway. When I get home next year and I get my trail rig back into running shape, I am going to want to hit the trails. I hope you guys dont mind a full size tagging along.

[throttleboy]

WE'RE NOT PICKY AROUND HERE, WE'LL WHEEL WITH ANYONE THATS GOT BALLS ENOUGH TO GO :biggrin: !!

[MR.ROCKAPE]

MAYBE BY THE TIME YOU GET HERE AND YOUR RIG UP INTO SHAPE,THROTTLE BOY WILL COME AND RIDE SHOT GUN WITH YA!!!:biggrin:

[BIG BLUE]

theres no problem with fullsizes as long as you get used to everyone here calling them foolsizes......size does matter and we all know that "bigger equipment does ruin small canyons":wink: if ya get my drift........

[Double-a]

lol
well as long as the canyons have just been rained on and are nice and wet, there shouldnt be to much of a problem.

[Double-a]

I have been doing a lot of looking around on the forums.

I see most of you guys dont fuck around.
You all have some pretty serious shit!

Out here in Ohio I have a pretty decent rig but shit....I am going to have to do some serious building to play with you guys.

[MR.ROCKAPE]

I have been doing a lot of looking around on the forums.

I see most of you guys dont fuck around.
You all have some pretty serious shit!

Out here in Ohio I have a pretty decent rig but shit....I am going to have to do some serious building to play with you guys.

DONT WORRY,ONCE YOU GET HERE IT BECOMES AN ADDICTION TO BUILD AS BLING AS YOUR WALLET(SOME TIMES EVEN MORE)WILL ALLOW!!!LUCKILY THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE,AS THERE ARE LOTS OF TRAILS TO PLAY ON!!!!

[Double-a]

DONT WORRY,ONCE YOU GET HERE IT BECOMES AN ADDICTION TO BUILD AS BLING AS YOUR WALLET(SOME TIMES EVEN MORE)WILL ALLOW!!!LUCKILY THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE,AS THERE ARE LOTS OF TRAILS TO PLAY ON!!!!


Well Rockwells were always something I wanted....Now I am doing some shopping on the GovernmentLiquidation web site. I figure it is cheaper to buy a duec-and half, take the axles, and scrap the rest then going to ebay or something and buying them there.

So is there a forum member who can help me set up a four link in the rear. I think I will stick with leaves in the front.

Quick question too. Those of you who are using Rockwells. Are you using hydro steering that you bought from someone or are you setting up your own from Tractor Supply or some place similar. I ask cuase I know Rockstomper has some nice shit but it is expensive too. Seems like you can get a 2x10 ram from TS for about $100, but that dosent include the orbital valve and you still have to have the pump redone too. Just curious.

[MR.ROCKAPE]

STEERING WILL COST YOU BETWEEN $600-$800 IF YOU DO IT YOUR SELF,ORBITAL $300+RAM+COOLER+HOSES MOD YOUR CHEVY PUMP,STEERING BOX HOOK UPS!!!!MOST EVERYONE HERE HAS THAT HAS FULL HYDRO HAS SET IT UP THEMSELVES SO POST UP WHEN YOU ARE READY AND IM SURE I/WE CAN HELP!!!!!

AS FAR AS LINK SET-UPS GO.........EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION ON THEM AND USUALLY NEVER QUIT AGREE 100%!!!BUT IM SURE SOMEONE CAN AT LEAST PUT YOU ON THE RIGHT TRACK!!!!!:cool:

[Double-a]

Well I have a general idea of where I would like to go in regards to a link.
I was thinking track bars and a panhard bar would do pretty well. Simple, effective 3 link. I like to keep it that way, KISS.
I also saw on pirate some people using a hitch ball up by the t-case and then welding links up to a hitch. At first I thought it was crazy but I have seen a lot of people doing it and it seems to be hassel free. I dont know. I dont have any experience with it either way.

[MR.ROCKAPE]

IN KINDA PARTIAL TO THIS DESIGN(SINCE I HAVE BUILT 5 OF THEM)NOT REALLY STREET FRIENDLY BUT DOES WELL OFF-ROAD!!!!I USUALLY LIKE THE LOWER LINK ATTACHMENT POINTS MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER TO FIGHT REAR STEER,THROUGH THE RANGE OF MOTION!!!!BUT SOMETIMES MAKING IT FIT COMES INTO PLAY.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c233/rockape81/fa48f761.jpg

[Double-a]

dosent really matter how it handles on the road since street legality isnt a concern of mine while I own a trailer.

What I was talking about with the hitch thing.
really similar except backwards what I saw on Pirate.
The "Y" you have attached with a heim on top of the pumkin. Think of that as a hitch and 2" ball mounted right behind the t-case. Then the links mounted on the axle where your bottom track bars are. Then a panhard across the top in the traditional place. Yours looks like it twists a lot better though. I really dont know what I am talking about but it looks like it would work better with there being the single pivot point on the top of the axle. But that is a laymans perspecitive. I think it looks pretty good.

I thought you ran rockwells, less my eyes deceive me that is a 60.

[MR.ROCKAPE]

dosent really matter how it handles on the road since street legality isnt a concern of mine while I own a trailer.

What I was talking about with the hitch thing.
really similar except backwards what I saw on Pirate.
The "Y" you have attached with a heim on top of the pumkin. Think of that as a hitch and 2" ball mounted right behind the t-case. Then the links mounted on the axle where your bottom track bars are. Then a panhard across the top in the traditional place. Yours looks like it twists a lot better though. I really dont know what I am talking about but it looks like it would work better with there being the single pivot point on the top of the axle. But that is a laymans perspecitive. I think it looks pretty good.

I thought you ran rockwells, less my eyes deceive me that is a 60.

Actually its a dana 70 in a jeep yj I built.The suspension you are referring to is a one link w/panhard.I havent ever seen one in person,so i have no opinion.Crazy flex looks cool but isnt totally needed.The most sucessful rigs in comps(moon buggies) have alot less flex than you would think.

[Double-a]

well I dont need 60" of travel in my axles, I am just a weekend warrior. But I think I have maybe 15" (probably a few less than that) in my rear axle right now, less in the front. I would definatly like some more.
Besides, I took a bunch of leaves out of my rear packs to gain articulation but I my big block gives me lots of axle wrap. A linked rear end would be nice to give me some better footing.

Whats your thoughts on 1/4-3/4 elipiticals?