My 91 Exploder - Budget Build
#51
06-13-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
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Well ordered a snorkel hat/top/ram/whatever you want to call it off ebay last night. Should be here in a week or 2 so a guess a snorkel is next on the list. Was going to go to Lowes today and get the pvc for it but decided to just wait until the hat gets here.
So instead I picked up a Herculiner kit and put it down on the floor today.
Put a medium coat all over first then a nice thick coat then another thick coat in the areas where people feet will be. Still have about 1/4 of the gallon left and its coated real thick all over. Should hold up pretty good I think.
Its still drying right now so whenever it sets up enough to put the seats and everything back in I will get some complete pics. These pics were after the first coat.
Prepped and cleaned the best I could get it. Its hard to get it clean with the sound deadner crap down.
So instead I picked up a Herculiner kit and put it down on the floor today.
Put a medium coat all over first then a nice thick coat then another thick coat in the areas where people feet will be. Still have about 1/4 of the gallon left and its coated real thick all over. Should hold up pretty good I think.
Its still drying right now so whenever it sets up enough to put the seats and everything back in I will get some complete pics. These pics were after the first coat.
Prepped and cleaned the best I could get it. Its hard to get it clean with the sound deadner crap down.
#54
06-13-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 42
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#55
06-13-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 42
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Just got done putting all the interior pieces back in. The pictures dont do it justice. It was getting dark and the pics are with my phone and the flash makes it look a lot more glossier then it really is. Ill try to get some better pics in the day light tomorrow. I think it turned out pretty good. Time will tell.
#58
06-20-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 42
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Got the snorkel on friday night and went and played in the creek saturday to test it out. Didnt find any real deep water though. My buddy with a Pathfinder on 33's went with me.
Here is a couple vids from the creek.
YouTube - Lake Houser Adventures
YouTube - Lake Houser Adventures
YouTube - Lake Houser Adventures
The further down the creek we went to softer it got. My buddy got stuck up so I turned around to pull him out and burried myself to the axles in the process. Got my self winched out and then winched him out and went and played some more. Ended up breaking a tie rod end on the pathfinder.
Pathfinder stuck.
Me stuck trying to get him out. Notice how high the sand is at the tire.
Also picked up a set of Trail Gear rock sliders today. Got them brand new for $125. They look awesome and real nice quality. Ill try to get them on next weekend.
Here is a couple vids from the creek.
YouTube - Lake Houser Adventures
YouTube - Lake Houser Adventures
YouTube - Lake Houser Adventures
The further down the creek we went to softer it got. My buddy got stuck up so I turned around to pull him out and burried myself to the axles in the process. Got my self winched out and then winched him out and went and played some more. Ended up breaking a tie rod end on the pathfinder.
Pathfinder stuck.
Me stuck trying to get him out. Notice how high the sand is at the tire.
Also picked up a set of Trail Gear rock sliders today. Got them brand new for $125. They look awesome and real nice quality. Ill try to get them on next weekend.
#61
06-20-2010
#63
06-27-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 42
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Got the sliders on today. Got some extra DOM to do 4 legs per side instead of the 3 that it comes with.
Ill clean them up and sand them down a little bit and paint them tomorrow. Ran out of time today. Going to test them out this coming weekend at URE.
Side profile shot. I spaced them out enough to help keep trees off the sides if it gets tight.
Mounts how it mounted to the frame. There are 4 of these per side.
Ill clean them up and sand them down a little bit and paint them tomorrow. Ran out of time today. Going to test them out this coming weekend at URE.
Side profile shot. I spaced them out enough to help keep trees off the sides if it gets tight.
Mounts how it mounted to the frame. There are 4 of these per side.
#66
06-28-2010
Thats exactly what I mis about my old Bronco.. just pull the plugs, grab a hose and a scrubber and go to town on the inside - they just dont make rigs like they use to nowadays!
#67
07-01-2010
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Alexander City, Alabama
Posts: 250
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#68
07-10-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 42
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Well figured it was time for a update.
Went to Uwharrie last weekend with the group Explorer Forum and it was doing great. Did everything I tried. Never failed. Then it broke. Broke pretty good at that. Broke the bearing cap in the front diff, broke the axle off in the front diff, and a u-joint. So that ended the day. Pulled the front diff and this is what I found.
Here are some vids LBarr got when it broke. It broke in the first video when it come down on the left front and the front wheels stop spinning. It bound up and didnt want to move. Then it broke free at the start of the second video. Turn the volume up and you can here it at the very start of the video. Sounds pretty rough. Still made it up it in 3wheel drive though.
YouTube - MAH00016.MP4
YouTube - MAH00017.MP4
Anywho did about $125 in damage to the ARB so I called them up and they dont have them in stock and will be like a month until they can get them. I cant wait that long and he said the bearing cap failure was a common thing with that locker and big tires. They have updated it since with a new design thats supposed to be better. I was looking on a local 4x4 forum and found a Powertrax lock right that will work in the front for $100 that looks pretty much new. Now wear on the teeth or anything Score. Picked it up and it will work for now.
Here are some pics from last weekend courtesy of Burns, Lbarr, and Josh Adams
Got the old d35 housing I had laying around and cleaned it up and got the seals changed today. Got to get a new crush sleeve and take it to my buddys shop and setup the gears again.
Powertrax locker
Going to run it like this for a while and get parts for the ARB and fix it and sell it. And start collecting parts for a d44 solid axle.
Went to Uwharrie last weekend with the group Explorer Forum and it was doing great. Did everything I tried. Never failed. Then it broke. Broke pretty good at that. Broke the bearing cap in the front diff, broke the axle off in the front diff, and a u-joint. So that ended the day. Pulled the front diff and this is what I found.
Here are some vids LBarr got when it broke. It broke in the first video when it come down on the left front and the front wheels stop spinning. It bound up and didnt want to move. Then it broke free at the start of the second video. Turn the volume up and you can here it at the very start of the video. Sounds pretty rough. Still made it up it in 3wheel drive though.
YouTube - MAH00016.MP4
YouTube - MAH00017.MP4
Anywho did about $125 in damage to the ARB so I called them up and they dont have them in stock and will be like a month until they can get them. I cant wait that long and he said the bearing cap failure was a common thing with that locker and big tires. They have updated it since with a new design thats supposed to be better. I was looking on a local 4x4 forum and found a Powertrax lock right that will work in the front for $100 that looks pretty much new. Now wear on the teeth or anything Score. Picked it up and it will work for now.
Here are some pics from last weekend courtesy of Burns, Lbarr, and Josh Adams
Got the old d35 housing I had laying around and cleaned it up and got the seals changed today. Got to get a new crush sleeve and take it to my buddys shop and setup the gears again.
Powertrax locker
Going to run it like this for a while and get parts for the ARB and fix it and sell it. And start collecting parts for a d44 solid axle.
#70
07-10-2010
#72
07-10-2010
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Mount Holly, NC
Posts: 42
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Only way to do it. 
Hate we didnt get to meet up. Had to break before you got there. You plan on going back anymore. If I get mine back together I may head back out there next weekend to run the rest of the hard trails and try some more harder obstacles and see how it holds up this time. Let me know if you could make it or not. Id like to ride with somebody else then go by myself.
Thanks for the comments everybody. This rig is all about having fun.
Hate we didnt get to meet up. Had to break before you got there. You plan on going back anymore. If I get mine back together I may head back out there next weekend to run the rest of the hard trails and try some more harder obstacles and see how it holds up this time. Let me know if you could make it or not. Id like to ride with somebody else then go by myself.Thanks for the comments everybody. This rig is all about having fun.
