04 3rd gen Dodge Ram rock crawler expedition build
- Thread starter gun45boat
- Start date
Carlyle
Explorer
Nice light bar, are they floods or spot? Did you use their harness and clamps?
marshal
Burrito Enthusiast
Give Rob at Nemesis Industries a call. He has the best prices and the best costomer service. They're not listed on his website but he is a "quiet" dealer
Www.nem-ind.com
The hutchinsons are sweet. I'm a mechanic in the USAF and many of our newer trucks have them. Hutchinson knows what they're doing. I almost had a set for my JK but I wasnt able to afford them this uear
Nice. I got the spot LED with the Flood outer series (the outer LED's are flood, and the inner are spot) It is a good mix of the light. I cut the harness off and wired myself using a more reliable means of connection. I did not use the factory mounts, I fabb'ed my own. The factory mounts were stout, but I just didnt trust them for a rollover situation.
Black dog, good pics. It is amazing that I only have a 2.5 inch lift on my rig, Most people are like " Dude, You have got to have at least 10" to 12" of lift!!!) They are floored when I tell them it is only a 2.5 Carli lift. I guess removing the fenders and the bed makes it look that much bigger, and to be able to stuff 40's with 2.5" lift is still a cool factor.
Marshall, Thanks for the contact, I will give him a call under your advise.. THanks again for the info. Out of all the beadlocks I look at I keep coming back to the Hutchinson series Bad *** design, and a field fix/swap if needed. :ylsmoke:
Black dog, good pics. It is amazing that I only have a 2.5 inch lift on my rig, Most people are like " Dude, You have got to have at least 10" to 12" of lift!!!) They are floored when I tell them it is only a 2.5 Carli lift. I guess removing the fenders and the bed makes it look that much bigger, and to be able to stuff 40's with 2.5" lift is still a cool factor.
Marshall, Thanks for the contact, I will give him a call under your advise.. THanks again for the info. Out of all the beadlocks I look at I keep coming back to the Hutchinson series Bad *** design, and a field fix/swap if needed. :ylsmoke:
bftank
Explorer
just a heads up, trailworthy fab sounds like they are going to be coming out with a 17" military style double beadlock pretty soon.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gene...ble-beadlock-looked-worked-like-h1-wheel.html
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/gene...ble-beadlock-looked-worked-like-h1-wheel.html
Damn... those sound SWEET>>>>> Well, I guess I am going to be running out west on the wheels I got. Hutchinson is to far out on production, and I might wait to see what trailworthy fab is doing (thanks for heads up BFTANK) I have always liked the H1 beadlocks, if they come in 17's I BE ALL OVER IT>>)
By the time I get back the MTR's should be wore out... steeping up to a bigger tire and beadlocks when I get back.
THanks again for all the info.
ALSO< I will be in Moab running all the BFE trails and the other trails from April 14th - 27th and then off to The Rubicon Trail from April 29th - May 5th If any locals are in the area from this forum, and would like to join in. that would be awesome..
By the time I get back the MTR's should be wore out... steeping up to a bigger tire and beadlocks when I get back.
THanks again for all the info.
ALSO< I will be in Moab running all the BFE trails and the other trails from April 14th - 27th and then off to The Rubicon Trail from April 29th - May 5th If any locals are in the area from this forum, and would like to join in. that would be awesome..
marshal
Burrito Enthusiast
what have you done to aide the weak ram ball joints with that big a tire in that stressful a situation?
have you considered running recentered 20" HEMMTT headlocks and a 43 or 45" military tire? i know the sidwalls dont flex nearly as well - but it seems like a good fit for your setup with the sustainability you have in mind
have you considered running recentered 20" HEMMTT headlocks and a 43 or 45" military tire? i know the sidwalls dont flex nearly as well - but it seems like a good fit for your setup with the sustainability you have in mind
I will not make the Overland Expo in May, I will be rolling through Flagstaff about April 14th towards Colorado's Alpine loop (Engineers Pass and Cinnimon Pass) on the way to Moab.
r3run33, I used full Chromoly (NOT DOM)tube 1 3/4 OD .120 wall for the entire build (although DOM would be fine, I just knew this was a heavy truck, and I wanted piece of mind with the EXO) . I have over 300ft of tube total in the build. All flat steel used for skids etc. was 1/4" wall (.250) including the front winch mount. The fuel tank case was made from 3/16" flat steel to save on weight but had the proper rigidity for the job. The Rock rails I used 2"x4" .250 wall sliders with 2" x 2" .250 wall square tube to the frame (5 each) with 3.5" gussets on top of all cross bars tig'ed to the frame on both sides (STUPID STRONG) but that is what takes the brunt of the force on a rollover, so I didnt cheap or skimp on the rock sliders. This is not my first EXO nor my last. The reason I chose 1 3/4" OD is that I got the right price on the Chromo, and I already had the dies to run that size through my bender. the bender I use is the Pro-Tools http://www.pro-tools.com/product.aspx?zpid=567 with the Pnumatic upgrade for the jack and the 6" bend dies. I have had it for over 7 years, and have become very versed in pulling off custom compound bends (single and double) as seen on this truck. This is not the best bender for this type of work, but if you are good at math it will do the job, and it is a reliable little monster. Chromo is WAY more difficult to bend than HREW or DOM, the initial start of the bend is most difficult on this type of bender and will push it to its limits, I would NOT recommend trying to bend Chromo at a .250 wall, it will completely max out the 12K pnumatic jack on the base of the bender, It will do it, but damn scary when the bender starts to "flex"
How I made it work?? I dont follow the question but I will tell you, that by the time I was done, I almost burned myself out from bending and welding this truck. I had to have a second hand during the entire process (a huge thanks to Andy and John) Lots of head planning and measured everything out 6 times before we did ANYTHING. WE had the idea, and what equipment we were going to put on the truck, WE ordered ALL the equipment, and set it all out at the shop for the measurements, and over a **** ton of beer we decided how and where it was all going to come together.
When I get back from this trip, the rear frame is going to be cut out, the storage boxes will be removed, and the rear will become a full Truggy tube Chassis running a double triangulated links with ORI Struts and will be running 42" MTR's on whatever rims I decide to use (that is a difficult decision LOL)
Marshall< I have learned on my prior builds that anything over 40" to 42" radials SUCK when driving on the highway. I have wheeled with others running XML's and other military type tires, and they straight up SUCK rock crawling (very little stick, and very difficult to get them "hot") The sidewalls are too thick even at 1psi LOL and they weigh a TON. Not dissing Military spec, as they are tough as ballz, but I think they would be too much for this type of build. BUT man, I love the look of the XML's LOL
r3run33, I used full Chromoly (NOT DOM)tube 1 3/4 OD .120 wall for the entire build (although DOM would be fine, I just knew this was a heavy truck, and I wanted piece of mind with the EXO) . I have over 300ft of tube total in the build. All flat steel used for skids etc. was 1/4" wall (.250) including the front winch mount. The fuel tank case was made from 3/16" flat steel to save on weight but had the proper rigidity for the job. The Rock rails I used 2"x4" .250 wall sliders with 2" x 2" .250 wall square tube to the frame (5 each) with 3.5" gussets on top of all cross bars tig'ed to the frame on both sides (STUPID STRONG) but that is what takes the brunt of the force on a rollover, so I didnt cheap or skimp on the rock sliders. This is not my first EXO nor my last. The reason I chose 1 3/4" OD is that I got the right price on the Chromo, and I already had the dies to run that size through my bender. the bender I use is the Pro-Tools http://www.pro-tools.com/product.aspx?zpid=567 with the Pnumatic upgrade for the jack and the 6" bend dies. I have had it for over 7 years, and have become very versed in pulling off custom compound bends (single and double) as seen on this truck. This is not the best bender for this type of work, but if you are good at math it will do the job, and it is a reliable little monster. Chromo is WAY more difficult to bend than HREW or DOM, the initial start of the bend is most difficult on this type of bender and will push it to its limits, I would NOT recommend trying to bend Chromo at a .250 wall, it will completely max out the 12K pnumatic jack on the base of the bender, It will do it, but damn scary when the bender starts to "flex"
How I made it work?? I dont follow the question but I will tell you, that by the time I was done, I almost burned myself out from bending and welding this truck. I had to have a second hand during the entire process (a huge thanks to Andy and John) Lots of head planning and measured everything out 6 times before we did ANYTHING. WE had the idea, and what equipment we were going to put on the truck, WE ordered ALL the equipment, and set it all out at the shop for the measurements, and over a **** ton of beer we decided how and where it was all going to come together.
When I get back from this trip, the rear frame is going to be cut out, the storage boxes will be removed, and the rear will become a full Truggy tube Chassis running a double triangulated links with ORI Struts and will be running 42" MTR's on whatever rims I decide to use (that is a difficult decision LOL)
Marshall< I have learned on my prior builds that anything over 40" to 42" radials SUCK when driving on the highway. I have wheeled with others running XML's and other military type tires, and they straight up SUCK rock crawling (very little stick, and very difficult to get them "hot") The sidewalls are too thick even at 1psi LOL and they weigh a TON. Not dissing Military spec, as they are tough as ballz, but I think they would be too much for this type of build. BUT man, I love the look of the XML's LOL