how long till the bumper is finished?

 

Yeah we definiately need to get one together! I have a Garmin Nuvi 500 with Topo Maps and some good stuff downloaded into it. I remember when you went wheeling with Charlie you guys got a little turned around. A fun easy trail (for us being modified 4x4) is the Backroad to Crown King. Then take the front road home (about 35 miles of dirt road, fun with your LT kit). Another I'd like to do is Smiley Rock. I'll hit you up once this truck is finished. Copper Creek Canyon is pretty neat too which is near Mammoth and closer to you.

 

Bumper is 87.5% finished. It just needs to be completely welded as some parts are just tacked on. Tabs for my LED brackets. Winch plate and fairlead mounted. Then paint.

 

We had GPS on that trip but my screen is so small (Garmin 60CS) that you loose the trails when you zoom out to see the big picture. Was not too bad but we did end up backing out of a few areas.

I have not done Crown King but it is on my to do list. I have done both Smiley Rock and Copper Creek to Sibley's Mansion. I don't know that I would want to run Smiley Rock again since the last couple of miles are through a river bottom and it is real slow and go or you risk under carriage damage (at least for me, the un-SAS'd prerunner). Copper Creek is a cool historical run but is not overly challenging from a 4x4 stand point since they have closed the last part of the trail into the mansion. I will keep this in mind when I get my front diff regeared and reinstalled. I have also had my eyes on some trails off of the B Line highway by the name of Sunflower. I don't know if you have run any of those trails.

 

I have run Crown King and it was rough for me with a long wheel base running 30.5" BFGs. I had my rear locker which helped and my sliders. Without those I would have body damage. Traction wasn't a problem, but my wheelbase was (not lifted). A few extra inches of lift would have helped a lot. I have also heard of Sun Flower and I think that would be a fun run too! I live up in North Phoenix so Crown King is a short drive for me. Charouleau Gap and Chiva Falls which is down near you have interested me too.

 

300 bucks for the light!! Wow, that thing better throw some SERIOUS light down range!

 

Here are a few updated pictures of the bumper. Everything is on the bumper except the lights. It looks great in person! I guess it is one of those things that isn't very photogenic. The front is sitting a little low. I will see how it plays out once I get it driving around. I might have to upgrade to Ranch 4404 2.5" lift springs for a little more clearance. I'd hate to have to part with these brand new Waggy springs, but time will tell.....

 

These LEDs make my 4 old 130 Watt KC's look pretty pathetic compared to one 4" LED bar. I wasn't much of a believer in expensive lights, but seeing his buggy LEDs will make almost anybody change their mind. His 4" LED backup light is so ridiculously bright. Same brand and everything that I will be getting.

 

The bumper looks great!

I don't know man, I think it is going to be a bit too low to maintain a decent ride from looking at it. It seems like you aren't going to get full use of the springs with so little up-travel, but it's hard to tell how it sits in the pictures. If you like the way the springs work, why not have them change the spring hangars for another couple of inches?

 

If you look back at the pictures changing the spring hangers would be a major pain. The Rancho 4404 springs are a popular alternative to the factory springs. I went with the stock Waggy springs because a few other SAS guys went with them and also did shackle in front and have more lift and tire clearance. I know on a SAS there are many factors that go into height. For now I will see how these settle. No rush to change out springs just yet. I want to at least drive it for a day or two before I spend a day changing out leaf springs, lol. My goal was to keep it low and functional. At least it isn't retarded huge like some I've seen on Pirate. All about function....

 

lookn good, try and get some more pics of it from farther away so we can get a better idea of how its sitting. for sure will need to get a little more lift to gain good flex out of the 35's. but will work fine for now like you say.

 

side pics stat!

 

I agree 100%. You'll just have to see how it works. I guess that's kind of a downside of leafs, if you run it too low you don't get full travel out of the springs. I think it is at a good height generally, as long as it isn't bottoming out driving around in the desert all the time. Time will tell, I want to see actions shots soon! lol

 

My new delay is that the shop that it was going into is backed up 3 weeks. Apparently everybody likes to break their rigs around Christmas and New Years. There is another good shop that I trust and I should be able to get it into them hopefully by Friday if they have room. It will need brakes all around, rear 5.13s, new front wheel studs, and new extended breather tubes. At least the end is almost in sight!

 

Maybe I missed it, but is the truck still your daily driver or do you have something else?

 

It is my DD. It still will be for a few years then it gets retired to fun machine. I have an F-150 available to me 90% of the time so that and my bicycle take me where I need to go.

 

Here it is mostly completed as far as looks go.



All that is left is to notch the frame for the steering (draglink and pitman arm). Then Friday (if all goes well) it will be on its way to getting brakes all around, extended breather tubes, rear gears, new front wheel studs converted to 1/2" to match rear and power steering lines.

 

Looks awesome man. Perfect height

 

wow, nice build thread man!!! sure has come a long way!! i bet your just itching to get in and drive it!! i can't wait for the action pics!

 

I did a quick measurement and frame under cab to ground is (going off memory) about 25". I'm very happy. I might have to do an add a leaf for the front in the future.

 

I really like the bumper man the whole truck looks good to.
You could lower the rear to match the front also and keep it nice and low.

 

looks awesome

 

now i can see the height its seems like you don't want all that much uptravel at all because of how close you are to your fenders!! if it were to flex up it would definantly rub and do damage... in the future tho, could you move the shock mount up? that would let it travel up more and then do some trimming or cut out the fenders?? trucks looking gewd!

 

I will probably do an add a leaf to raise the front up. What do you mean by move the shock mount up? It is as high up in the fender as it can be without cutting out other crap. This isn't a hardcore wheeling rig. I wanted something that wouldn't easily break and would take me where I wanted to go. I like the clean look of my truck and I'm trying to not cut the fenders unless I have to. Time will tell on whatever changes will be made.

 

haha i hear you man!! this is what everybody say!! first just a little lift, then more and more!! then **** gets outta hand!! and once you get a little taste of what your truck is capable of, you will just want more and more! your setup is so solid as it and you have a good platform to work with! and i know you say now that you just wanna get around, but you will want to keep modding it and making it more and more capable!!