1976 Scout Traveler, Ultimate Expedition Build

[rube bonet]

C'mon, you're amongst friends... You can tell us if the swing set you built has dimple dies in it.

I noticed you started the Scout with an Esab, but in the later pics you have a Lincoln. My guess is that you still have both, but with different wire on each? If not, what made you jump ship?

I actually bought/ disassembled/ moved/ refinished/reassembled a redwood swingset playground thing, AZ summers and steel playgrounds don't go that well together:sunny: Plus, Santa Craigslist (including the labor) was still cheaper by far. I thought steel was expensive, the price of wood freaked me out!

As far as the welders, I love my Esab migs...I don't think I would ever jump that ship! The lincoln is my Tig (a 185), I'm really happy with this machine too. I like it easily as much as the miller synchrowave I was using before, I just wish I had a bigger model to go with it.

Here is the Christmas present(a clock for a cliffside ranch house), my boy actually helped throughout the whole process, our first big welding project together.

And everyone else...thanks! I will do my best to keep you guys updated, it will be nice to see this thing out and about.

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[jps4jeep]

Amazing fabrication work. I can't wait to se the finished product!

Are you using a plasma table, if so what are the specs and dimentions?

 

[rube bonet]

Amazing fabrication work. I can't wait to se the finished product!

Are you using a plasma table, if so what are the specs and dimentions?

Thanks! I have a 4x4 plasmacam, which will allow index cutting as long as you want. I used to have a 5x10 tm3...I rarely miss it.

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[6daze]

How long is that trailer?

I need something to drag around my Bronco on.

Thanks!

 

[rube bonet]

How long is that trailer?

I need something to drag around my Bronco on.

Thanks!

18', I've been happy to have the extra length!:sombrero:

 

[6daze]

Thanks, is the 7500# rating good enough or is 10k# the way to go.

Sorry to clutter your thread...

 

[rube bonet]

Update time...

Traveler has made it to a local gas tank shop (Daves Gas Tanks), where Dave and Dave custom built a tank to fit my skidplate mounting, and they also finished up the vent and filler connections to my fill cap. The fuel pump assembly worked out fine, and we got approximately 35 gallons out of the tank. I've had Dave build me quite a few tanks in the past, quality was great as usual.

Quick pic of the tank (what you can see anyways) and the departure angles

After the tank was built, I got the Scout to Valley Spring, where the custom rear springs built. I calculated out the weight we had left to add to the vehicle (fuel, cargo, standard gear load), then bought sandbags and distributed into the proper location in the chassis. After a few blends of leaf thicknesses in the pack, we ended up with a 12 leaf pack with 3 different thicknesses of leaves. Springs look great, they have an anti wrap 2nd leaf, sliders and bolt long bolt in clamps. The spring feel nice and soft, I am hoping it won't need much final tweaking once we get the vehicle running. No flex shots unfortunately, not until the rear body gets trimmed, but I don't think I will have any issue cycling our 12+" of travel:smiley_drive:

Guys at home depot were a little confused...

Pinion angle still needs to be set final, but, other than that...the rear is done!

All these pics were taken in front of the shop doing the exhaust, Pro Dyno. By next week, I should have it back to finish up my loose ends....then off to paint and bodywork.

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[Metcalf]

Looking good.

Why not high clearance u-bolt spring plates in the rear? With a thick springplate like that I would want every inch I could get....and make it as smooth as possible.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Just awesome.

 

[gas4blood]

This is hands down one of the coolest builds I have ever seen!! I cannot wait to see the finished product.

 

[rube bonet]

Looking good.

Why not high clearance u-bolt spring plates in the rear? With a thick springplate like that I would want every inch I could get....and make it as smooth as possible.

LOL, apparently I should have, you are not the first to suggest that:ylsmoke:

My train of thought:

1)I have had much better luck in the past keeping u bolts tight and torqued with round u bolts rather than square, especially with long travel thick leaf packs. I have had even worse luck trying to keep high clearance folded plate style lower spring plates, and neither style would have worked effectively on the front end.

2)Springs are pretty far outboard, allowing the tire to help carry it over obstacles

3)This isn't a "hardcore" rockcrawler, ease of maintenance and simplicity were placed high on the priority list.

4)Hardcore rockcrawlers don't need them either...they don't use leaf springs.


Honestly, if i was building more of a rockcrawler or high performance bias, I would have insisted on linking up the rear.
Long travel leafs are just the ultimate K.I.S.S. set up for a rig like this. Leafs like this rarely outright fail, will do a good job of handling varying loads, can be repaired in an open roadside stall in the middle of Baja, etc, while still providing a decent amount of travel and axle control on a reasonable budget. The downside, of course, is clearance...


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[rube bonet]

This is hands down one of the coolest builds I have ever seen!! I cannot wait to see the finished product.

Just awesome.

Thanks! I can't wait either! Exhaust should be done shortly...time for some paint!

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[jasonL_031]

oh wow i wish i had your talent and tools lol my rigs need alot of work to look that nice lol

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

oh wow i wish i had your talent and tools lol my rigs need alot of work to look that nice lol

I know a lot of fab guys with talent and tools, but are often found lacking in design implementation. Rob has that rare "Artistic eye" along with the talent and tools.

 

[rube bonet]

I know a lot of fab guys with talent and tools, but are often found lacking in design implementation. Rob has that rare "Artistic eye" along with the talent and tools.

Thanks a lot, I work hard at trying to make things look just right while serving their functions...I am glad you appreciate it. I too have seen fab guys with better budgets, better tools, better looking, but still can't build something that works, or looks decent. I can honestly say I have NEVER been 100% satisfied with any project I have ever built; nor can I say I loved everything I built but I keep thinking that one day I might... There is always something that could have been improved on in the original design, or a better part that just came out, or that hindsight that becomes a forethought on the next one.

In this day of cnc and solidworks, I notice guys overlooking the value of their hands, old school techniques, and standing back to give a good "eyeball"... I think it explains why old cars and planes stir the emotions, and most of the lineup of 2013 cars leaves me feeling pretty bored.

On a less philosophical beer::beer note, have we crossed paths before?