I threw together a run with a few people, kind of short notice, to china wall for one last stretch of our legs before the white stuff hits. Well, complications rose, and it turned out it was just my buddy Larry and I running it with a few people riding along, him, his daughter, myself, my buddy Eli, and Larry's daughters boyfriend. It was a fantastic run. Can't beat small runs, and the weather was picture perfect... enough that we had to remind ourselves IT'S NOVEMBER!

Anyhow, no damage reports, just a great day on the trail. My buddy Eli got some good pics off my camera, so... here they are. As usual, didn't get much of Larry, but somehow snagged a couple! All in all it was a fantastic trip!





















Damn open front diff's... Someday an ARB will live in there.

 

looks like a good time. nice pics.

 

looks like fun man!

gotta ask,
why is your bed not aligned?

wat size tire your running?

 

Cool pics, I think its time for you to get some sliders though.

 

It's aligned, just the frame/body flex make it look like it's off. I'm running 33X12.50's. You can see where I rub in the full stuff pic

 

Oh I agree. My buddy Jesse (mad fabricator) has been swamped with work from his dayjob, and has not been able to take on any new side projects. Soon as he's freed up a bit, I'll have em made along with my bumper

 

Looks fun and the truck looks great! But how'd you get that dent next to the passenger headlight?

 

I'll get sidetracked for a sec and tell that story.


Last summer I was running a trail up here with the group I wheel with. Got to the top of the trail, and parked to get out, grab a bite to eat, bs with the group, and when we went to leave, the trail actually gave way under my truck. I'm not one to go off the trail, so this was the actual trail that gave way. As the truck was starting to go over, with about 75 yds to roll down the mountain side, an Aspen tree was right up next to me, and caught the truck thus causing the dent. An hour later, 2 winches, and a lot of pucker factor, we got me back on hard packed trail, and drove it home. I don't wanna fix it as it saved both me and my truck from being gonners.

 

Dang! I guess that's the one of the only times when you'd actually be happy to hit a tree.

 

Looks like fun, but not my type of wheelin!

 

man that looks awsome, id love to have some trails like that around here, what are the plans for your truck?????

 

Right now, pay the sucker off. I'd like to work on, after the new year, doing either a body lift, AAL, or shackle flip, get the *** end up a little then figure out my front. I'd like to keep it traditional ranger look, but also set it off a little. I also have an Aussie that I'll be putting in this winter as well. As for now, it's mild what I'm wanting to do, later down the road she'll go under the knife for a D44 out of an early Bronco and a full width Ford 9" on 35's

 

gotcha well whatever works for ya.......

 

still trying to figure out asthetics on what I want the truck to blossom into as far as cosmetics go. Function I have my long term list. My truck already sits pretty tall as is, def. not compared to a lifted Ranger, but taller than most, so clearence right now, while I cut it close, isn't a necessity for the trails we do around here. My buddy Larry, the white one in the pics, does a little harder stuff at times, those trails I'll try and hitch a ride on or sit back for the trip report.

 

So what is the white truck running(lift/wheel&tire wise)? I'm assuming that's Larry.

 

i know what you mean, i dont want to superlift my truck for not really gaining and ground clearence unless i run 35's and i think i can do that now with the amount of lift i already have and just putting some reservoir shocks and new springs in the back to just help out, its a debate im failing at as well

 

His ranger is a 94, so his lift options are better. He's got a 6" Skyjacker Class II with a 3" BL, 36X13.50 Irok's with Detroit lockers F/R and 5.13 gears. The truck is built how a truck should be for wheeling

 

It just sucks that the SLA IFS suspension on these are so limited. When I was shopping for mine 18-19 months ago, I really really wanted a 93-97 because of the lift options. But, for the money I went with my 02 since it was a better deal and financing options were better.

 

if i am seeing the the pictures right correct me if i am wrong his truck still has the D35 TTB under the front correct?

if it does... sorry. with 36 and TTB and locker only thing its built for is braking ****...

he is straining his TTB way worse then you even can think of doing right now with your truck...

i mean its a nice looking truck but a ticking time bomb..

 

sure does look likes its working to me??? alot of people say 35's on dana 35ifs is a time bomb, guess it just depends

 

I didnt say it wasnt working..

its not a matter of IF something is gonna happen its a matter of when...

I have had the lovely experience of owning a TTB truck and completely rebuilding one of those front ends... way way to many weak links...

 

Chuck, looks like a great run. Some parts looked pretty challenging.

We need to hit up a trail soon. I have been so busy with work and fire academy I just dont have the time.

 

word.......either way im jealous cause i dont have that type of stuff to drive on......

 

You are correct Stone on that. It still has the D35 under it. HOWEVER, here's the catch to it. He has replaced every componant in that D35. He originally built it to run 38's, ran 2 seasons with 38's early on, but kept breaking front axle shafts. SO, he replaced them, don't know with what I wanna say chro-moly shafts, and dropped to his 36's, and thats about as big as he goes. He has that truck built precise and done right, not slapped together. He's been running it the same way since 2002 if I remember correctly, bought the truck in 2000 and experimented the first couple years, and has run 36's since 2004.

 

he is prob running D44 outters now i would bet.. really the only thing he can do.. he might be running chromoly shafts but being he cant increase his shaft diameter it isnt helping tons.. because of how the shaft goes threw the spindle... where as D44 TTB outters would solve that problem..

then there is the problem of that tiny D35 ring gear specially running such a short gear like 5.13 it prob hates him.. he prob is easy on her thus why its lasted so long...


its a good thought but still in time i bet he should upgrade to something a little more stout those trucks are far easier to run sas then newer SLA trucks..