Beast from da Middle East

[AggieTJ2007]

its at a good point right now

[DRAGOONRANCH]

**** To Do List:

• Mount Radiator (either build better mount for existing radiator, or install newish aluminum radiator and get new fan. leaning towards just building a good mount for the existing one) (1-2 hours)
• Replace bolts for front of bed. (.5 hour)
• Mount rock ring outter on H1's up front. (.5 hour)
• Flush diffs, install new diff covers, fill with fluid and repair breather tubes. (ruffstuff covers :check: )(1 hour)
• Finish up cutting brakes. (1 hour)
• Install rock lights, turn/brake/running lights. (jcwhitney for turn signal :check: )(3 hours)
• Get exhaust redone. (1 hour)
• Groove boggers. (will probably do up there)
• Install 2nd propane tank mount and cut sight hole in side of bed. (.5 hour)
• Clearance rear fenders. (.5 hour)
• Mount winch (1/2 day w/ radiator mounting)

just cleaning up the list of **** to do.

Parts:
Turn signal switch
Diff Cover Bolts
Muffler pipe
Winch hardware (clamps, clevis/hook, lug for end of wire rope)

[DRAGOONRANCH]

Just about have the winch and radiator finished. The winch is bolted down, it just needs the rope spooled on it and power wires run to it. The radiator mounts are in, just need to set it in tomorrow and mount the fans, hook the hoses back up and fill with anti-freeze.

I need to go to town and pick up RTV and gear oil for the diffs so I can get the covers put on, and run by the muffler shop to get some pipe to replace the crushed piece that ran under the atlas crossmember. I am not too worried about the lights right now, just need to get it wheelable for now. It's getting pretty close though.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

I got the winch mounted, but it didn't pan out like I was planning it at first. I think it will work fine though. I am not sure if that is the right roller fairlead to use, but it will have to work for now. It is wired up and the switch in the cab works it great. Just need to wind the wire rope on it now.





found this when I pulled the diff covers off to mount the new ones from ruffstuff. I think Mr. Pinion got to know Mrs. Detroit intimately...


oh, and got the 19.5"s mounted w/ 225/70/19.5 BF Goodrich M729's

[Jackasic]

where did you end up scoring the 19.5 from, they look good.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

dubz direct on ebay. They were nice people to deal with, and had lots of positive feedback, but it took them a while to get all of the rims to me. The steel inners were dropshipped from the manufacturer almost 3 weeks after the aluminums arrived (an not until I had to call them 3 times trying to get a tracking number, and getting ahold of them was a biatch with the time difference from work to cali). The center caps for the front are in the truck and will be put on as soon as I have time to stop by a tire store (grandad didn't see that they had come in a seperate ups box and they were sitting with a few of the parts boxes for the beast when I got home).

[DRAGOONRANCH]

got the winch rope on and the loop clamped down. I will need to string it out and roll it back up under pressure to get it to seat properly. Gonna load it up in the a.m. and head to the exhaust shop then back here to finish loading the rest of the gear and tools until Creighton and Garrett get here to install his GN hitch.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

I put a tape to the axles yesterday while I had the tires off.

Front
WMS-WMS: 77"
OoT-OoT (Outside of tire to Outside of Tire):90 1/4"

Rear
WMS-WMS: 73 1/4"
OoT-OoT: 86 1/4"

I have been looking at dimensions of buggies lately, and most are running between 91-99"s wide. I am thinking of having the H1's recentered to widen the front a couple of inches to keep the tires out of the leaf springs and frame, and have the rears widened to match. What's the width some of you fullsize guys are running?

Ok, I believe the stock H1's have a 7.5" BS, and the recentered I have are at 3.5". In essence moving the wheels 4"s farther out.

Dually Hubs WMS-WMS 77"
Single Hubs WMS-WMS 69.5"

If I go ahead and go with single wheel hubs on the front, and put the recentered wheels on, it should be just about the same. It will move the wms back in 3.75"s.

[AggieTJ2007]

just get rid of the leaf springs and the tires won't rub them anymore

[DRAGOONRANCH]

true. Maybe before Colorado next year

[Sharpe]

Not to mention the 44's just aren't cuttin it like they used to!

Fail.

[DRAGOONRANCH]

just get rid of the leaf springs and the tires won't rub them anymore

true. Maybe before Colorado next year

I don't know what I was thinking when I posted this. I had already gone through the thought process and it brought me to the conclusion that if I am going to link this biatch, that I need to just get a 4 seat tube chassis and do it right.

[uglyota]

YES!!!!!!!!
X-chassis with your drivetrain would be $$$$$$
You're gonna need more motor though

[DRAGOONRANCH]

yeah, that doesn't look too bad.



The ones they have on the site w/ skins on the side just don't look right though.

I wonder how hard it would be to shoehorn a Duramax in there. hmmm.....

[uglyota]

I can't tell you how many hours I've spent reading rustysomethingorother's buildup (the rig in the pic). There are other, cooler chassis too but I think the X is supposed to be pretty well engineered and relatively easy to build.