Another overland/crawler build

[Evan03]

You said not locking the front, did I read that right?

Rigs locked on 31s will spank your rig on 37" street tires . Why do all this work to not even make it more capable off road.

If for some reason I had to choose to lock only one axle id choose to lock the front and leave rear open. But its silly to lock just one unless rig is built mainly for looks and is planned to get used very little on trails.

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[ruthlessone3k]

You said not locking the front, did I read that right?

Rigs locked on 31s will spank your rig on 37" street tires . Why do all this work to not even make it more capable off road.

If for some reason I had to choose to lock only one axle id choose to lock the front and leave rear open. But its silly to lock just one unless rig is built mainly for looks and is planned to get used very little on trails.

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Yep, I'm taking this on cross country trips, and the D44 isn't built to handle the 37's yet. It had a Lincoln locker in it when I bought it, but it also came with a busted u-joint and a bad axle shaft, I want to avoid this on my trips. I'm known to get impatient and a little too heavy on the skinny pedal, so I'm trying to build around my driving style. It may not be as capable, but it will hopefully be less prone to breakage with an open diff. I may upgrade it in the future, but for now, I'd rather not deal with busted axle shafts or stripped R&P 12hrs from home. The rear D60 was already locked when I bought it. It's some kind of lunchbox locker, but it should work for now.

The tires I'm going to run are 37x12.50r17 Patagonia MTs, they aren't as grippy as the Nittos I wanted, but they aren't as heavy (or expensive) either. Reduced spinning mass and unsprung weight should increase the life on other parts. I did, unintentionally buy steel wheels, I assumed they were aluminum, but I was wrong, and I don't have it in my current budget to order new ones. I'm in the process of building a house too, so I'm lucky to be able to even build this much of a rig.

 

[Evan03]

To me it kinda sounds like your worried about all the things that dont matter.
Since rear is locked thats cool. But 44 has the ability to lock one side or both regardless of type of locker is inside it.

I thought the patogonia tire Was kinda spendy. It does have a good following as a good all around trail tire that suppsebly does well aired down on the rocks.
But with its price and fairly tight streetish looking tread I looked elsewhere for a grippy all around dirt style tire.

Your unlikely to strip 44 gears if they are set up correctly but yes are likely to break ujoints and shafts with 37s. But with good throttle control the 44 I would think would hold up well locked hopping trees and crawling

Id feel comfortable with a 44 513 gears and spool or welded with chromoly shafts as long as I had locking hubs.
This combo with rcvs would be nearly bullett proof spool or time welding would make it a bargain price compared to a dana 60 with a detroit or grizzly. I very much like welded Budget built axles there may be options for 35spline welded or maybe spools I havent looked into it much

Your combo seems well thought out. I do not think worring about weight is a worth much thought. Keep the weight Sprung or unsprung low as possible. You cant really build for strength to handle 37s with weight in mind.
Youl likly be pushing 4000-4200lbs with minimal recovery gear and spare parts on bored no matter how you do it.
And over lander set up with more supplies big axles big tires and packed to support a trip its just heavy is something that is learned to live with and built around.
You very well could be hitting the trails and running down the freeway at nearly 5k in the back of my mind as I type this I feel a fully locked front with hubs and open rear would be a flexible rig for the set up .
On few hundred mile trip snow and pavement should be expected 2wd and open rear under a heavy rig would do well. In 4 wd one hub locked would do well in the nasty when conditions are extreme and a camp site or hotel should be sought out the other front hub can be locked and tire chains thrown on the front.

I hate snow chains but always chain front first

Kinda my take on a overlander set up. Though what you have will work well.

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[ruthlessone3k]

I've looked at RCVs but they are pricey for sure. I've gotta see what my budget looks like when I get it all put together. I've already got a small fortune wrapped up in this thing, and most of my parts haven't even been built or shipped yet. The RCVs or at very least Chromoly shafts are definitely something I'm wanting in the future.

Any suggestions for lockout hubs or u-joints?

 

[Evan03]

Ive just been running and breaking spicer ujoints in my 30. Have not broke sincw gping to chromo shafts 6 or 8 mobths ago. Knock on wood.

My ford has warn hubs all I no ia they work.

I think your rigs good to go. Shafta as is will survive most stuff

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[ruthlessone3k]

I've found a good deal on bushwhacker flat flares, but are they going to be of any use? My tires are 37x12.5r17 and my lift is 6.5" and I'm going to be on full width axles. Has anyone ran anything similar? Is it going to be enough to clear?

 

[smokeyyank]

Not really, you'll probably chop more than that to clear.

 

[Da XJ nut]

irateflaEricsXJ has a similar build. checkout his thread on not wheeling this season on like page 3 of the forum and check out what he did.

 

[Evan03]

I doubt the flares will be of much help to clear.

Lower it a few inches and use sawzall and grinder to clear tires. A tall lift isnt really needed

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[ruthlessone3k]

A tall lift is needed for some of the overlanding I want to do. We tend to run into a lot of mud and water on the east coast.

 

[Evan03]

I used to think the same thing but realize if the muds that deep the axles are anchored the little tractor motor makes nowhere near enough power to pull 3ft of mud.
Not sure a few inches one way or the other matters with water. Either way Distributor and eletronics will need substansial water sealing. A eletric Fan might help to be able to shut off to keep fan blades frome pulling water.
Mine seems to run fine with exhaust under water so thats not an issue atleast on mine. It will make you think its dieing when it goes under.

I did get stuck in a Flash flood in mine water coming in the doors dodgeing trees and root balls moving down the stream. was a creek that normaly was 10ft wide. During the flood it was 80-100 feet and ripping one of the scariest off road moments ive had. Somehow it turned out.

The trail through there is now gone and the creek has changed alot tree and root ball damns.
Picture all 3 of us in my jeep dead silent bobbing down the creek. Wed had just abanded a utv deciding the jeep was our best option.

The next day we went back for the utv winched in and winched out the creek was small again but the trail gone. I broke a front axle, driver knuckle and ruined a tire.
This kicked off steering and axle Upgrades

In this photo its still drivable but only one front and one rear is putting power down shortly after this photo I somehow broke a knuckle winching

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[ruthlessone3k]

Update:
So far I have
-(5) 37x12.50r17 Patagonia M/T mounted on Procomp series 69 wheels

-A terraflex sye kit

-a full set of frame stiffeners from barnes 4wd

-79 F250 axles, D44 with high steer and welded diff, D60 rear with lunchbox, both with 5.13 gears.

Ordered but waiting for delivery:
-6.5" Rustys lift,

-Rusty's HD leaf spring/shackle mounts and

-next venture truss, track bar brackets, bushings, ect.

Lastly I think I got scammed.
It seems like such a weird thing to scam someone on, but I ordered custom 2x6 rock sliders from a guy on FB marketplace out of Michigan (Nathan McCann). He took a deposit and told me it would be two weeks. Something like three weeks later he says he got them done and they are ready to ship. I pay the remainder and haven't heard a word from him since. No communication, no tracking number, nothing at all. Asked for the money back and got no response. Of course FB was of no help, so I might get the banks involved if there's no communication soon.

 

[RCP Phx]

Nothing new there, Nate's has always played that game!

 

[ruthlessone3k]

So is he a known scammer, or is he just really poor at communicating? If there's a record of scamming people I'll get law enforcement involved.

 

[ruthlessone3k]

Well, the rock sliders finally showed up tonight. About 5 weeks later than he said, and no communication, but they finally showed up.