Completed Project Turboexplorer's Full Width SAS Build Thread

[james t]

I know a few people running the Currie AR bars, and one who's running the old home made Toyota mini truck torsion bar as a sway bar (pretty much the same thing) and they all love them.

I had considered doing this but after getting better shocks and outboarding the rear shocks i didnt feel it would be worth the effort and $$$.

There really isnt a downside so i say go for it.

 

[turboexplorer]

I know a few people running the Currie AR bars, and one who's running the old home made Toyota mini truck torsion bar as a sway bar (pretty much the same thing) and they all love them.

I had considered doing this but after getting better shocks and outboarding the rear shocks i didnt feel it would be worth the effort and $$$.

There really isnt a downside so i say go for it.

What are the rigs running the currie bars?

 

[james t]

One is a heavy-ish buggy... one is a fullwidth/4 door XJ on 38's.

 

[turboexplorer]

Got ya! Thanks.

I did talk to Currie yesterday and they said that it would be a great choice for my truck. Talked to them about how they are measured and things as well. They said that the bar can handle the 14" of travel but that I would need to run the longer arms so that it twists the bar less and still allows me to use my full travel.

Then I called and talked to Scott at Dirt Fab which is the guy that I have done all my FOX shocks and things through. He said that the bar would be perfect but the same thing i would need to run at least the 20" arms. and that the arms would need to be slightly up at ride height because I run more droop than compression. Anyways we talked a lot about how I would set it up and benefits and things. So I think that I am going to for sure get one. And I can get one through Scott for less than straight from Currie.

So now I need to do a bunch of measuring to see the length of the bar and where it would go to accommodate the arms and not have anything interfere with coil overs having the tires hit it at full turn etc. So off to measuring this weekend here I go.

Also he called me to tell me that my Superlift Truespeed is on its way to my house!!! So at the end of next week i will have a fully accurate speedometer again! Cost me $214 but it will be nice to have the speedo correct.

Also speaking of the speedo if I do the correction of 18.9% on my mileage my last tank of fuel I got 14.9mpg! Not bad for an heavy around town rig with 5.13's and 37's! Freeway i hope to get 16-18

 

[turboexplorer]

The Truespeed is here!!!!! Will install it on Saturday.

 

[Stang5lgt]

The Truespeed is here!!!!! Will install it on Saturday.

Sweet! How much did that set you back? Did you look at the Jet one?

 

[turboexplorer]

$214 shipped to my door. I did look at the jet one but this one seamed to have little better reviews and its a company that Scott has a connection with so if I ever needed a problem fixed etc, I have that contact. Not that I expect to but always nice to have. Also its the same model that the Jeeps, Toyotas, Dodges etc use so if I ever needed to sell it there is a good market for it as well.

I'm very excited to get it in this Saturday and have a dead on Speedo again!

 

[Stang5lgt]

That will be nice. I couldn't bring myself to drop $200 on the Truspeed so I went with the Jet 50110 $120 to my door from Streetsideauto.com using a 5 buck off coupon. Only difference I saw was there is no switch so you can have two tire settings like the Truspeed. It works on Toyota, Dodge, and Jeep just like the Truspeed. It will be here Friday. When you posted about installing yours I was like crap I keep forgetting to get one of those. Found the Jet and it had good reviews on some Rangers so I figured WTH why not try it. My buddy has the Truspeed on this Super Duty with 39s so I know it works.

 

[turboexplorer]

I got the truespeed installed and calibrated. It wasn't to bad to do. For some reason they wanted its power hot in run and in start. Really the only good ones are the dash curcuits. They wanted you to do the dumb looking fuse tap things. I don't like the look, I like all my stuff hidden. So long story short I had to pull the whole instrument cluster to get to the wire I wanted on the back of it. But I figured no big deal because while I was there I pulled the light bulb for the ABS light since its always on with no front wheel speed sensors.

I put the truespeed in the center console under the two little trays that are next to the dash. So if ever needed even while I am driving someone can pull that and turn the screw to adjust it. So easy easy access and so far so good. Working great and dead on with the GPS. So im very happy with it and glad to have a working speedo again. Now to very easily track the exact mileage. So far its been with using the 18.9% correction.

 

[turboexplorer]

Well the truespeed is still working great! Love having the speedometer correct now. I have about 1,300 miles on the truck now and did another trip two weekends ago up Provo canyon. Was not a technical trail or a trail needing much flex, but dang it was steep and you had better have at least 1 locker. The climbs are all very loose rocks about the size of softballs and basketballs so if you where to spin and get stuck it would be very very ugly on the climbs. Had a wicked drop off on one side the whole way. But of course 37's and locked etc it walked up very easy and had an absolutely no problem and an amazing view.

Last weekend I regeared my brothers 03' GT Mustang with 4.10's and it really woke the car up. Its an auto so with the factory TQ converter having a low stall it really helps the car get into its power band much quicker. So that was a fun project as well. A pain though even jacked way up on truck jack stands it was still tight under the car. Laying down was to low and arms always propping you up. And to low to sit up under it so was a pain but went great!

Also this Friday/Saturday I am going to re-valve the FOX shocks to a 60/90 valving. I bought my own Nitrogen tank, regulator, and hose. I already have the FOX shock gauge, shims, soft blocks, spanner wrench/bearing cap removal tool, etc. So now I can do full revalves and can charge shocks all at home! The added shock should really help when coming down trails, so that when it comes off a big ledge it doesn't push through the soft springs so easy.

I am headed on September 28th-30th to MOAB!!!

So this will be its first big outing. Can't wait!!!!!!!

 

[turboexplorer]

Here are a few pictures of were we where 2 weekends ago up Provo Canyon.

This is where we stayed the whole weekend.

And then a couple views from the trail we did! Very pretty, you can see the lake in a few of them below us. If you look close you can see the tallest peak on the mountain in the first picture below is the same peak that is in the last picture. At the top of the trail you are about the same height as that peak in the 2 pictures.

 

[turboexplorer]

So Saturday i revalved the FOX shocks from a 30/90 valving to a 60/90 valving increasing their compression. And man it feels absolutely awesome on the freeway and around town. It feels like it should it no longer push through the front so easily. Yet they aren't so stiff that bumps give you a jar or jolt. You can still hit speed bumps fast and its perfectly smooth, the only difference being that now you can tell you ran something over with the front where as before you couldn't. Before the front end felt vague and you really couldn't tell what the front axle was doing from sitting in the seat. Now when you run over things you know you ran something over but yet its still very smooth. This makes it nice for on the road driving that you have just a bit more feedback from the truck. Also I am surprised how much body roll it helped with to. Yes when you take a big fast sweeping turn on the on ramps it still leans some but the truck doesn't lean into it if that makes any sense. It's awesome and i am sold on revalving if anyone is using revalvable shocks or coilovers dialing in the valving is worth the time for sure.

I am curious now to get it offroad and see how it changed things. Curious how it helps with the trucks weight when the front tires come off rocks and ledges (mainly when coming downhill) and also how it changed the dirt road feel. You always know the rough dirt roads that lead to the trail heads in most areas and before it was amazing you could do 30 through it and was great, in stock form you wouldn't have any teeth left if you did that. Now I am curious to what it feels like. Should still be nice and smooth and be able to hall butt everywhere. And one area I KNOW will be a huge improvement is sand whoops, before you really really had to slow down or you would just push the axle right up to the frame no problem now I should be able to at least drive normally on them. I am also looking into getting some hydro/air bump stops to put up there for when the hard hits come at the dunes. May do some on the front and rear. Front being the first.

Also Saturday i drew up all the patterns for my rear anti wrap bars and I am very excited about them. It should really help the rear feel more stout. With the low gears and the 37's the axle has a crap ton of leverage against the leafs and so now I am going to help the leafs out. When you notice it the most is in high load driving where your say climbing a canyon and then you let your foot off the throttle right away and it goes from twisting one way under power to twisting the other way when the tires are then holding the engine revs up. These bars should eliminate that. Plus when I head to Moab in a few weeks I want them for all the TQ I plan on putting to them!

 

[rickybobby]

Man this is an amazing build. I wish i had the knowledge and skill to fab the steering box mount. What would you charge to build me one?lol

 

[turboexplorer]

Headed off to Moab in an hour!

 

[turboexplorer]

Ill try to get some pics and videos up of last weekend but for now here is a great one when we wheeled Cliff Hanger.

 

[theluke19]

Ill try to get some pics and videos up of last weekend but for now here is a great one when we wheeled Cliff Hanger.

AWESOME picture!! Do you have the full resolution one? Can't wait to see the pictures/videos!!

 

[turboexplorer]

Yes I do, but its on my friends I Phone so i will have to get it from him. I have some great pics and videos but with work and watching my little munchkin who is starting to walk time is limited,

I will try and get a few pictures put on tonight. As for videos I need to make them all into one so that people don't have to watch a bunch of small videos you can just watch one with all the videos of each trail.

Another good note is that I got 17.8mpg on the freeway!!! Very happy with that.

 

[turboexplorer]

Here are some pictures.

Here is the crack at the top of Poison Spider.

Truck parked at camp Saturday Morning.

Picture on Cliff Hanger Trail

 

[turboexplorer]

Optional obstacle on Cliff Hanger. Was a nasty spot because all 4 tires are trying to climb ledges at the same time. I have video of the attempts and then the video of it making it up.

Couple of pictures up on the edge part of Cliff Hanger towards the end of the trail.

 

[turboexplorer]

Going down the first ledge on Cliff Hanger.

And going down the second ledge at the start of the trail. This one is a lot smaller.