[Dark Eternal]

Last fall was a blast wheeling, got to hit the trails almost every weekend for several months. By the time December came around my truck and jeep were a bit beat up. The jeeps factory cage was a bit dented, tires worn out and was still limping on a dana 35 rear. (which I finally broke this feb) The truck was in even worse condition - the tires were pretty worn - the rear axle leaking bad and possibly with a bent spindle - front shocks both broken from jumping - and finally the transfer case blew up for the 4th time. Enough shock load was put through it to deform the housing and the planitaries ended up eating the front half of the case up. Woops.

Anyways that always means time for upgrades. I went and started ordering parts around x-mass and into january. Most of them are just finally starting to arive.

Plans for the jeep:
-Dana 44 rear with cromo shafts and a detroit.
-Already got new 36" iroks
-Custom cage with integrated sound bar and CB storage
-Tube fenders in front
-ugrade from 4.56s to 4.88s

Plans for truck:
-47" LTBs (on order since thanksgiving - no joke :nono: )
-Northwest Fab BlackBox underdrive - its a new product and I want to test it out so we can start selling them!
-Stak 4x4 3 speed transfer case - with this and the blackbox ill have a ulimate low range of 233:1 - should be sufficiantly slow
-New 14 bolt with yukon alloy shafts and anti-wrap bar + better disc brakes
-Full underbody skids to protect my new toys
-3 link front with SAW 16" 2.5 coilovers - tripple rate. Using Evolution Machine 1.25" rebuildable heims at all ends and on the panhard - this will also move the axle forward 4" for better tire clearance and aproach angle.
-Longfield 300M Dana 60 CV shafts - these may not actually go in until I break the yukons I have now do to funding


So far I have the coilovers and springs, materials and the truck more or less prepaired for the build. The Stak should FINALLY be shipping this week and hopefully the blackbox soon as well. The joints have suposidly been shipped - but ive heard that before from EVO machine... Ill post progress pics hopefully starting this week of more of the teardown and prep for the front suspension.

 

[K_Hood]

Sounds awesome man! Cant wait to see the finished product. Hope to see it in person. I want to drive up there sometime and see that thing in action. Let me know if you ever go out and I will check the schedule. If you got a trailor Ill be more then willing to pull you out there to as long as I can ride shotgun! :evil:

Kyle

 

[silver98Z71]

Nice. You got a lot of work (fun too) ahead of you Stephen.

 

[Daniel]

sweet man you and willywanter are gonna be in a race to finish builds lol

How is you Umm chevy sorta coming :rofl2:

 

[silver98Z71]

sweet man you and willywanter are gonna be in a race to finish builds lol

I think Stephen is gonna win the "race" if there ever was one to begin with. Jason still has to get that tube frame built.

 

[Z71HULK]

I think Stephen is gonna win the "race" if there ever was one to begin with. Jason still has to get that tube frame built.

Actually Jason is still in the lead, as Stephen has been following him for years... :crazy:

 

[willyswanter]

I think Stephen is gonna win the "race" if there ever was one to begin with. Jason still has to get that tube frame built.

But you forget my truck is already built

I still want to see wheelin pics and vid, you guys never take any, it's boring for everyone else.

 

[silver98Z71]

But you forget my truck is already built

I still want to see wheelin pics and vid, you guys never take any, it's boring for everyone else.

It is? My mistake.

 

[willyswanter]

My truck, not my buggy... The truck is the thing flopped over in my avatar.

 

[silver98Z71]

My truck, not my buggy... The truck is the thing flopped over in my avatar.

Oh. "What we have here is a failure to communicate"

 

[Dark Eternal]

I hope to do the build in about a week IF I ever get my damn parts in!


Yeah I have the lack of a good camera man - here are a few pics people took - im still "suposed" to get more from this past fall - we will see if that ever happens.

Kyle - sounds like a deal - hopefully you can also use a camera!

woops - flop

jumping Mikes buggy since it never starts :crazy:

 

[bggrnchvy]

233:1 with an auto? Why on earth do you need that much low range?

Interested to see how you go about the anti-wrap on the 14 bolt. I can't figure a really good way with enough sep and length without relying on welding to cast, though I guess with the tank in the bed you have a lot more room underneath.

 

[2LoNoma]

man your truck looks sweet!!!

I wish I lived in tx, I'd pay ya to sas my obs :bawl:

 

[Megalos]

Sounds awesome stephen.

I need to get my hands on a jeep :secret:

 

[Dark Eternal]

233:1 with an auto? Why on earth do you need that much low range?

Interested to see how you go about the anti-wrap on the 14 bolt. I can't figure a really good way with enough sep and length without relying on welding to cast, though I guess with the tank in the bed you have a lot more room underneath.

One word: Clayton

Low range is everything there - ive driven a few vehicles with roughly that low range and its awesome. Plus Kyle at NWF made me a good deal on the blackbox

Im going to use the BTF truss and not center the wrap bar - its not ideal but will be more than sufficiant for me - I get almost no wrap now so its more of just a precaution. Ive done one on a k5 where I did weld it directly to the cast and it worked out awesome - was just a pain to have to pull the axle to bring it to a friends home shop that has a TIG to weld it.

 

[Dark Eternal]

Sounds awesome stephen.

I need to get my hands on a jeep :secret:

You should see the YJ we are building now - for less than 15k including the vehicle this guy is getting a bad ass vehicle (1 tons on 38s - full custom cage and suspension)

 

[Daniel]

I wanna 1 ton my truck one day:bawl:

Stephen do yall sas many 2wd vehicles do you think its any easier/cheaper.

 

[Dark Eternal]

Yeah we have done it, its not any easier - and if anything costs more due to needing to at least convery the tranny to 4wd if not replace it with a 4wd one, get a t-case OR setup a divorced case. Its still definatly doable though.

 

[Layne]

Holy gear reduction. How did you like your 42"s overall?

 

[Dark Eternal]

Holy gear reduction. How did you like your 42"s overall?

Loved the TSL design - it really is the best all around offroad tire ive used except for an SX which just isnt big enough. The double beadlocks made the tires what they are though - I run 5 psi in front and 3 in back - they grip anything like that. They sucked on the road but what do ya expect. I cant wait for the 47s - bigger and more agressive with the same great design. I only wish it was trailered and I could get comp compound 47s! Then again all they would do it break shit!