Derricks X getting Portals.......

A few of the members figured it out what I've been working on the last few weeks. CoryL asked me to start a thread so we could discuss this further.

My plans so far:
1 front and 1 rear(no rear steer) Unimog 404 axles from killeraxles.com .

Chopping the rear of my X off.(frame and all) Doing a tubular bed, housing my fuel cell and spare tire.

I'm keeping the Explorer look by keeping my fiberglass but treating them like bedsides. And doing the same with the front. Kinda like they did to the Bronco on Monster Garage.

 

[NOTAJP]

Well, a slight angle inward up front is what I meant by straight. Sorry. For the rear, that makes since. I forgot about the tire and batteries.

 

[Derrick C.]

Just makin sure we are both on the same page here.

I'm going to play like Jimabena.......I'm going to paint on a pic of my truck so you can get an idea.

 

[NOTAJP]

Was that price on the shocks including a remote resivor?

 

[CoryL]

As for the pre-runner style...

There is a reason you see it on pre-runners/race trucks and not rock crawlers. The designs are intended for different purposes with different benefits geared toward those purposes.

I personally would NOT run the trailing arm setup on a rock crawler. I'd mount the lower end of the coil or coilover above the axle. Rake the top in towards the center of the vehicle in both planes a little bit.

I would also get pricing on non-reservoired shocks. They will be cheaper, lighter, and you won't worry about having to mount the rez.

As for the spring rates, the front and rear will need to be different. That rate is for the front. For the rear I would suggest a 150/300 to start with.

 

[RFR2212]

Well I've been followin this for awhile, never said anything.. I've certainly read a decent bit on it, but pretty sure i still couldn't set up a proper 3-4link suspension. If I were to do d60's or portals or rockwells, I'd definately do a 3-4link setup. I don't think it got mentioned, but here's hours and hours of jabber, lots useful, some jabber, but somethin to read up on if ya haven't yet.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7503&highlight=gods+of+suspension

Granted it's gonna be years till I make somethin that's trail only, it leaves me time to research, saving will come later on after i get financially set after college and what not. But I'd definately do it right the first time, with using concepts that have proven to work very well.
Just my 3/4ths of a cent

 

[Derrick C.]

Yeah I asked about the one with remote resivor. I'll be doing alot of bajain across the desert so I want that extra juice.

 

[NOTAJP]

That's a really good price w/resivoir.

RFR2212, thanks for the info. This is my first time "officially" building a 4-link but not my first at any suspension, that's for sure. I will be the first to admit, I am not a professional. I do this out of love for the sport and have many years of wrenching on 4x4s.

There will be four of us putting our 1/2 brains to work on this project. This project has been in the planning stages long before Derrick ever thought of posting this out in the open.

Derrick, we should do some weighing before ordering the springs. I don't like just taking a number just to 'start with'. Although it would be nice to have a few sets of different spring rates in the shop for when you plan on different terrains, I would hate to spend the extra $$$ on several sets of springs before you got it right.

 

[Derrick C.]

Ok here is my best Jimabena impression.

This is a rough sketch of whats in my head right now.

 

[NOTAJP]

What if you left the outer shell for the "Explorer" look, moved the axle back one or two inches just for clearance from the back doors, cut out the floor for the suspension and fuel cell, then built a cage for you and the spare to mount to. The fiberglass will still be able to be used to cover most of the tire. Then weld in a floor much higher behind the rear seats just to keep dirt out.

 

[XplorerKid]

you still nee those leaf springs ??

jsut messing with ya



good luck

PEACE

 

[RFR2212]

Derrick--

After lookin at yer pic, why not leave the whole body back there.. Trim for clearance, possibly tub the back end in some way, chop the rear cargo area if that, and cut the frame off some where around the back doors, and go full tube from there, which could also be integrated into the roll cage.
Just a thought

 

[Derrick C.]

Man why can't you people just SHUT UP!!!

I've had this idea in my head for probably a month now. I do one pic of it on paper finally and you guys got me thinkin about doing it another way. DAMN IT!!!

Thats actually a pretty good idea by both of you. That would probably be easier to. Just throw down some aluminum sheets to keep dust out and vroom vroom.

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Derrick C.
Man why can't you people just SHUT UP!!!

Um....OK.

 

[Derrick C.]

How about this???

 

[NOTAJP]

Originally posted by Derrick C.
Man why can't you people just SHUT UP!!!

Lips are sealed......

 

[RFR2212]

Originally posted by Derrick C.
How about this???

That's alot of what i was gettin at with the chop job! Just tub the rear end fer some wheel wells, trim everything up, then go to town with tubing the rear end

 

[CoryL]

The rear shouldn't be where you are thinking.

The FRONT is where the PITA is going to be. Getting the 404 under there with the present engine crossmember while keeping the CoG low is going to be next to impossible. You are pretty much going to have to chop the frame rails at the fire wall and fab an entirely new front end. With portals you need to move the axle higher than your would with regular axles to keep the weight down.

I still maintain you would be better off building a tube frame from the get-go. I know I would have. Then you can put everything exactly where it needs to be.

As for the coils. Weighing it before hand is a total waste of time. You are going to be cutting things out, adding heavier axles, more tubing, etc. You HAVE to start out somewhere and based on what I have done with my front end, I suggested something close to where I need to be because I started out with a lower coil that was too heavy. The numbers aren't arbitrary, but you won't get an exact number the first time that will suit your needs. It just doesn't work like that. But what do I know?

 

[Msupertek]

The body almost looks like what I'm doing LOL!

 

[Brian1]

You could do something like this: *click* That is a cherokee that has been tubed out. That is the best pic I could find. It looks pretty good in person.

 

[Rx4phun]

Derrick this all sounds really awesome and I love the idea of a chop top but I don tknow if I would want that being in Idaho. and you said you like to wheel in the snow so it will probably take you 45 minutes just to put enough clothes on to stay warm with a chop top. Just a thought, things look.....interesting, keep it up
Gary