Carlovers Desert Beater Build

Well im starting to source parts and gather up some good stuff. I figured id start a thread just to show everyone that the ideas are. Should be a pretty fun setup when done. Everything will be being built by Brandon at BTF Fab.

The rear will be a 4 link with a panhard bar and cantilever coilovers. Shooting for around 20" of rear travel. Full size van 9", and should be around 3.5" wider per side than stock

Front will be a BTF front setup more than likely with a fully fabbed spindle with d44 hubs and uniball upper and lowers. Should pull around 16-17" of travel. Will be around 5" wider a side than stock.

It will be a fairly slow build due to finances. It will be built in stages obviously and should take around 12-16 months to be fully complete.

 

[carlover]

Well metal is being purchased and the cage building will begin. money has really slowed this down, so im taking a stab at building my own cage. it is going to be a learning experience for sure, but will save thousands of dollars.

 

[mounty71]

Man i got excited when i saw this thread come up! You are going off of the dimensions used in the cage building party right? Do you mind telling approximately how much your cage will cost you by doing it yourself?

 

[carlover]

Man i got excited when i saw this thread come up! You are going off of the dimensions used in the cage building party right? Do you mind telling approximately how much your cage will cost you by doing it yourself?

Well ive been using it very very hard just how it sits now, and ive almost lost it a few times so i decided safety first above all.

Well since im doing at Brandons house im hoping if i get stuck he can help me a little lol. but i will be doing it from scratch. im gonna need far more cross bracing and support than those guys built. i could probably use the dimensions from thier main tubes but whats the fun in that. Im guessing the cage will be no more than 500-700$ depending on how much tubing i mess up along the way. 1 3/4 .120 DOM is about 4$ a foot after taxes and everything else.

Im shooting for the rear suspension to be build in january, so its coming up pretty fast...

 

[mounty71]

Woo hoo, can't wait to see the progress! And make sure to note all the dimensions/angles and whatnot to help out others in the future.

 

[carlover]

i will do my best. maybe have brandon draw it up in a CAD program.

 

[carlover]

Well ive been looking around at some trans coolers. Given the overall stress this trans will see actually racing in the 1450 class i think i need a big cooler and fan combo. Any suggestion from you guys?

 

[Tbars4]

...Check out the 3" one on Dannyboy's X...

 

[carlover]

Well huge change of plans on the rear end. Got a set of 13 leaf nationals for a bronco for a price i cant pass up. They are almost on, so the plan is now to go through the floor with some 18" FOA's. I will see how i like this setup in race conditions, if it works well i will run it. If not then it will be linked...

 

[carlover]

Springs are in and have been cycled. 16" or so of usable travel which will be very nice. Next step is shock hoops and 18" FOA's.

 

[carlover]

Full droop pic here. I need longer brake lines before i can really do any testing.

 

[R.J.]

that leaf pack is a monster

 

[carlover]

that leaf pack is a monster

Yeah it is lol. After driving on it today its very very stiff. Im sure its a combination of the crappy pro comp shocks and the leafs. Im gonna wait till i get the hoop setup and new shocks. Then if its still too stiff ill break apart the leaf pack and remove 2 leafs.

 

[Dannyboy]

are those stock length leafs? What shackle are you running for that much travel? I'm not calling B.S. I just know that I've got 16" shocks and don't know if I'm even traveling 14" better safe than sorry though. I've ran a zip tie on my shock and haven't come close to using the last 1.5" on uptravel and have driven it pretty hard.

Just a heads up not sure the price diff between 16 and 18 inchers. If you go too long on a bypass shock you'll never even hit the next levels.

 

[Maniak]

Full droop pic here. I need longer brake lines before i can really do any testing.

If you take the top cross bolts off the spring clamps you can get more droop. The vertical pieces will keep the springs from splaying (is that even a word? ) apart.

Here is an example of what I mean.. You can see how far the spring will seperate when flexed..

 

[carlover]

are those stock length leafs? What shackle are you running for that much travel? I'm not calling B.S. I just know that I've got 16" shocks and don't know if I'm even traveling 14" better safe than sorry though. I've ran a zip tie on my shock and haven't come close to using the last 1.5" on uptravel and have driven it pretty hard.

Just a heads up not sure the price diff between 16 and 18 inchers. If you go too long on a bypass shock you'll never even hit the next levels.

We cycled it some on the driveway with no shocks. The shackles are the POS autozone ones, and they will hit so i need to get some Camburg Or Blitz shackles. The leaf is actually 1/2" shorter than stock, and moved the axle forward about 1/2" but everything cycles and clears fine. The travel #'s arent exact yet because we ran out of time and i had to drive it today. But some quick measuring shows the springs will cycle 18" full droop to bump.

Not gonna run bypasses for now, just regular 2.5's. FOA will have bypasses in the near future and i will run those but for now just good ol smoothies.

 

[carlover]

When we cycle it again ill get picks of the droop and bump travel. Im actually pretty happy and it doesnt look like we will have to notch the frame as of yet.

 

[carlover]

Havent got a chance to cycle the rear just yet. Been busy with the front. But good news im putting the deposit down on the front LT kit, so good times here we come lol.

My front setup works ok for the most part, but only 9" of travel just isnt cutting it in the rough stuff. So the BTF LT kit is now in the works.. Pics of the arms will be up in the next 2 weeks or so....

 

[Stic-o]

Seems to work fine getting burgers at the Farmer Boys:

Saw you coming out of the driveway the other day

 

[carlover]

Seems to work fine getting burgers at the Farmer Boys:

Saw you coming out of the driveway the other day

LOL yeah it does that well. I need to stay away from that place though. Greasy fast food will be the death of me for sure....

 

[Tbars4]

...If you are not going to use BTF for the LT, Whose LT kit are you getting???