79 6x6

[NorCalAnthony]

That's crazy how they're trying to hose you on the brake lines but great work getting it up and running. Can't wait to see your first behind the wheel video. If you thought you got some funny looks having it towed, wait until you start cruising past people on the freeway

[TrailerTrash]

im really hoping for some pics on it rolling down the highway.

maybe a video too?

[mcmlxix]

Let me know when you bring it down to Vegas so I can see it in person...

[Dcheat]

Not bad for no front driveshaft.

[daddyjeep]

Nice, the rear suspension flexes really nice.

[Dcheat]

Its remarkably supple. A little bouncy. But then again, it has no shocks in the rear and the tires have 30psi in them. I look forward to putting on the beadlocks and some differential lockers. Should be a hoot on the trails

[Dcheat]

So, I went over to 4 Wheel Parts here in Reno to use the rti ramp to check clearances on a few things and get some measurements. While there, the 4WP crew took some photos and said, "Hey! Why dont you do our rock garden! We'd love to get some video of it!"
Even though I didnt have the front driveshaft in, It looked like a cake walk. And up to the last rock, it was. Problem is, the rocks are all loose. The last big boulder rolled over from the weight of my rig, and firmly wedged itself between the suspension links, and then nearly punctured my transmission pan. Futzing around with stacking rocks only served to make the rock roll more and then want to crush the oil pan. As luck would have it, a couple locals from Reno4X4 were there and gave me a hand. They drove me to my place, where I grabbed the front driveshaft. After popping that in, it just showed that I was hopelessly stuck. And luck would have it, two tow trucks were on site. These guys were awesome and picked up the front of my rig, then they strapped and winched the boulder back down in place. Then it was once again, a cakewalk to mob my way out of there.
I have never been more embarrassed. Stuck and having to stack rocks in a G'damn parking lot. But, it made for an interesting morning.

[MTCK]

Cool! Awesome you were able to shake it out. And didn't grenade your transmission pan...

[1985-GMC]

Very cool!

[Dcheat]

Out of blatant curiosity, I scaled my truck today. Lets just how heavy this pig is.
Front axle: 4700 lbs
Rear axles: 5860 lbs
Total weight with 1/4 tank of fuel: 10560 lbs.

Well, she aint dainty.

[mongocanfly]

Very nice...have you seen the 6x6 suburban they are building on extreme offroad tv show...

[Dcheat]

Originally Posted by mongocanfly

Very nice...have you seen the 6x6 suburban they are building on extreme offroad tv show...

Its funny, someone just mentioned this to me at random today when I was out and about! I'll have to check it out
I hate to say it, but I dont watch the telly. It sounds silly, but I dont have the time to sit idle.
I used to LOVE Extreme 4x4 back in the day, but it was one of the few shows I took the time to actually sit down and watch. After speedvision went away, I found it was pointless to pay for cable to view only two or three shows. So I canceled it. Never looked back.

[mongocanfly]

I hear ya...got a tv in the shop to keep me company..usually tuned in to the duke or clint,, or any old westerns..just happened to catch the last couple of xtreme shows though..its amazing what you can do when you have a bottomless budget and sponsors unloading truckloads of free parts at your door..

[Dcheat]

A video of my rig getting her ass royally stuck at the 4 wheel parts rock garden.

https://www.facebook.com/4WheelParts...type=2&theater

I didnt have the front driveshaft in at the time. The NP205 was making a oddball clicking noise. Pulling the front shaft stopped the clicking. So I had it out for hot august nights. I actually just swung by to use the RTI ramp and get some measurements. But they wanted to get some video of me playing on the garden. I figured it looked easy enough. And it was, up to the last rock. Where she slid off and got seriously wedged. What you dont see is the rock rotated upwards and wedged itself between the links. So far in fact that it hit my transmission pan. After tossing the front driveshaft in, it just proved how stuck I was. It took two wreckers and a TJ to get me out. One wrecker picked up the front of the truck, the other winched the boulder back down into place. Then I walked her right out.
Man, I felt like a goof. Stacking rocks in a damn parking lot. Lol!
Two things I learned. One, fullsize rigs have crap visibility. All I saw was hood And Im still getting used to the tire placement.
And Two. Never play in the rocks without the front driveshaft installed!

[TrailerTrash]

holy flexmobile thats awesome dude

[gmachinz]

Wow!!

[Dcheat]

[Dcheat]

Well today was interesting.. Played on the rock garden at four wheel parts in hopes of winning some free goodies. First time out, the truck walked it with zero issues. There was a kid with his parents who wanted a ride. So He sat shotgun. It was a nice smooth run. Just as I had hoped it would perform. flawless. I hope they post up the video somewhere!
Second time out, with four wheel parts filming, I was a little off the line I wanted to be on when entering the course. When a front tire started pushing instead of grabbing, I noticed I wasn't in 6-wheel drive. So I popped it into 6x6 and continued. But I figured it was no big deal until I smacked a rock with my axle that I wanted to have a tire on. While working my way over it, the rock rolled over, shooting me off course and into a damn light pole. Hopelessly wedged, I worked the throttle which only managed to pull the rock that rolled over, under my truck which then kicked up and promptly took out my rear driveshaft. Man, I have crap luck with showing off! It took 3 rigs to extract me. Two times out where I got stuck on that damn garden. Its getting embarrassing.
On the plus side, I FINALLY found out where the oddball ticking noise is coming from with my np205! *chuckles* All thanks to me having to drive home in front wheel drive. Ha! Turns out its not an internal issue. Which was driving me insane. As I couldn't see a damn thing wrong with the guts. I tore this thing apart two ways from Tuesday and couldn't figure it out. When I was about to pull it apart again when I got her home, I noticed some odd wear marks on the nuts and bolts holding the d-shaft to the t-case flange. Im running the large military flanges for 1410 u-joints. When everything is bolted up and drive is engaged, the NWF twin stick shiftier linkage has a crossbar that just barely makes contact with the bolt heads. With the t-case in front and rear neutral, it doesn't hit at all. Ive never had the front shaft in long enough for it to make any wear marks on the linkage until today. Okay. So I need to change from a military flange to a 1410 yolk on the front t-case driveshaft. That should solve any further clearance issues. Something that I never would have found otherwise. Aside from busting my stuff, it was a good day.

[Dcheat]

https://www.facebook.com/4WheelParts...type=2&theater

The video they took. There should have been way more, but the camera broke at that exact damn moment. So it stops at the exact second that I look like an idiot. LOL!

[1985-GMC]

I just came here to tell you you're Facebook famous... But I see you already knew that lol
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?sto...d=305901075111

Tough luck on the drive shaft and getting stuck.

[Dcheat]

*chuckles* Thanks boyo Its just too damn heavy for that rock garden. Instead of walking over them, it just rolls the rocks. Thanks for the heads up! I dont check facebook all that often for stuff.

[Dcheat]

While paying with the truck, Ive noticed a problem thats kind of unique to this build.
Ive been working out some kinks after getting stuck as **** twice on the rock garden. Adding some more skid plating is high on that list. Despite her size, she's fairly low to the ground. Lacking rocker panels adds to this assumption that she sits sky high. Which is proving to provide an issue with high centering as the wheelbase to the forward axle is rather long.

Now, onto the issue I have that is really noticeable in that last video at 4 wheel parts. Those rear axles tend to push the front end something fierce when I turn. I thought setting it up with a more efficient ackerman angle with the steering pivoting in the center of the two rear axles would help out with this. And to a point, it does. However, I setup the front suspension geometry with a near 100% anti-dive ratio. So when the suspension loads up, like when im in 6x6 drive on the rocks, the only force being transmitted downward is the weight of the front end of the truck. Being over a thousand lbs less that the rear of the truck is causing an issue. And while playing with the rig in front wheel drive, it becomes rather clear.
Having 100% anti-dive is awesome while slamming on the brakes. The rig stays perfectly planted. No nose dive what so ever. Its steers nice and oddly enough corners well while driving on the street. God, I never thought id say this truck can corner... but it does. Well in fact.
In FWD, the problem becomes evident. I need that front axle to push downward when power is applied. Not a f-ton. But enough to get some damn traction.
When I give it throttle in fwd, the front end just lights up the tires. It struggles to get traction to scooch the weight of the truck around. No hopping or anything. Its like there is just no traction to be had.

The rear suspension... Its difficult to figure what its geometry is. The dynamics of its range of motion are strange due to everything pivoting off a center bearing. But how it feels when I punch it, and how the truck squats leads me to believe its in the 60 to 70% anti-squat range.
So! When im under power, and the weight shifts to the back of the truck im losing weight and traction from the front as the front axle just uses what weight is planted on it. Not providing its own additional pressure when torque is applied.

So. She's going under the knife again for a few upgrades. While doing that, im going to reconfigure the suspension to give me some more anti-dive and thus bit more pressure on that front axle.
I need to stop the ass end from pushing the front. This is kinda the only option at this point is to shift the geometry around.

Oh yeah.. Upgrades!
Getting the transmission rebuilt to handle the weight of this truck. The stock trans slips a bit. Then again, it was sitting for a few years on the shop shelf. So im not surprised by this.
And a slight engine upgrade.
The puny little 496 is going to be swapped out with Raylar's new custom 572 big block. Aluminum heads. steel crank, rods and so on. Should be interesting.
Soooo yeah. Thats a thing now :flipoff2:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS51ri1CQvw

[TrailerTrash]

just when i thought this thread couldnt get any more interestin

[Dcheat]

Well.... Today was f'ing awesome. To get to moonrocks I took the trails from Lemon Valley. Its a nice drive. Around 12 or so miles of trail. On the way in, I picked up a 7.5" long flathead screwdriver that had been sharpened to a chisel.. in my rear tire. Hilted all the way in. Took out the tire tube. So I arrived on a massive flat tire and had to get towed home. I was livid. But I still took her through an obstacle with the rear flat. Walked through it nicely. Ive been waiting SO long for this day. To get out there and properly beat on this rig. Just to have this happen. WTF are the chances!?!?

[Dcheat]