InvisibleOne's OverANYLand Rockcrawler Conversion
- Thread starter InvisibleOne
- Start date
lamontagne
Adventurer
Nice project you have there!
There are two observations I can make here;
1...you're sitting quite high with the suspention, without linking it or flatter springs, have you thought about shorter shackles or even frenching the front spring mounts higher into the frame to lower your CG?
2...you have a LOT of space in back below the rear deck and between the springs. You could have made a well in there for the fridge and other storage to lower your CG further.
There are two observations I can make here;
1...you're sitting quite high with the suspention, without linking it or flatter springs, have you thought about shorter shackles or even frenching the front spring mounts higher into the frame to lower your CG?
2...you have a LOT of space in back below the rear deck and between the springs. You could have made a well in there for the fridge and other storage to lower your CG further.
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Thanks! When I was 'Down Under' all I could think about was how much I wished I had my truck. The LC's we travelled in were very cool though.. Went out to Ayers Rock and the Olgas through Alice Springs (where there isn't a chicken to be found so I have no idea where Outback got that menu item) then up to Darwin. Amazing country. One day I will return to tour the Gold Coast.
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Lamontagne,
Thanks for the comments! Actually, yes, I've contemplated a number of ways to 'lower' the suspention, including shorter shackles, as well as coil overs, eliptical springs, ect. The limiting factor is tire size. Running the 36" I have to keep the clearance where it's at too clear in the front. If I were to french in the leaf points as you suggest, I couldn't clear the tire. I have labored over going to a smaller tire to be able to lower the vehicle but for the bulk of the use this vehicle sees, mostly Rubicon and similar trails, tire size is generally considered 'bigger is better'. I would like to go to 42" and most likely will cut out the inner fenderwells to accomodate that. When that happens, I will again address lowering the suspention as I ultimately agree with you there. That is the best way to lower the CG.
Additionally, read through the thread, you will see that I have actually already done as you suggested with both the empty well space and the fridge. We are obviously thinking along the same lines. Thanks for your post.
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Thanks Mike! I still have the hardtop and a set of doors with glass so I can close up the cab easy enough. As for the back, I'm exploring a few options. One a custom softop, the other is building a fiberglass over wood shell type enclosure.
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Last night I got back to the tool tray and finished welding up the changes to the bed structure. Heres a shot of the tooltray almost finished.
I'm pretty happy with the space created here. I have room for over 200 pounds of battery and recovery gear under the bed between the frame rails.
It's all pretty accessable from outside the truck. All I have to do is remove the jack and I can get to it.
All thats left to do with it is rivet the back heat shield in place and rivet down angle aluminum and tie down straps to hold the boxes secure. Now I can get to putting the floor down and the mounitng the saddle boxes. Yesterday I picked up some roll on bedliner and some paddle clasps for the boxes. I hope to have those done by the end of the weekend.
Below is a shot that shows the whole shielding system pretty well. Three layers of 1/8" aluminum. Although after running for awhile the bottom would shield would sizzle water, you could lay your hand on the top shield. I'm totally happy with the results and glad I went through the extra trouble.
The underbed rack puts just over 250 pounds of battery, tools, and gear under the bed between the framerails and still relatively easy to access.
I'm pretty happy with the space created here. I have room for over 200 pounds of battery and recovery gear under the bed between the frame rails.
It's all pretty accessable from outside the truck. All I have to do is remove the jack and I can get to it.
All thats left to do with it is rivet the back heat shield in place and rivet down angle aluminum and tie down straps to hold the boxes secure. Now I can get to putting the floor down and the mounitng the saddle boxes. Yesterday I picked up some roll on bedliner and some paddle clasps for the boxes. I hope to have those done by the end of the weekend.
Below is a shot that shows the whole shielding system pretty well. Three layers of 1/8" aluminum. Although after running for awhile the bottom would shield would sizzle water, you could lay your hand on the top shield. I'm totally happy with the results and glad I went through the extra trouble.
The underbed rack puts just over 250 pounds of battery, tools, and gear under the bed between the framerails and still relatively easy to access.
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InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Last night was an all nighter. One of my buddies, a fromer irocks racer drop[ped in to check the progress. We started talking about the saddleboxes and how they might get smashed on a rock coming up from under center while wheeling into the Rubicon. I felt they were tucked up high enough but was concerned about them not holding enough weight on thier onn. They're only half inch plywood, and although they are completely glued and everything fits together well, I didn't use any strength adding jointery and I'm sure these boxes will get stuffed full of stuff, especially on trips with the family. We decided to address both issues with an angle iron perimeter frame. Once the idea was decided on, it started to move pretty quickly. Then I ran out of wire in my (actually HIS) welder.
So we switched up to wiring the National Luna dual battery monitor and made some good headway there. I've got a half day at work to deal with so I don't have to work tomorrow. The next day I'm off to the Rubicon. Still have soooo much to do. WIll post up some pics later tonight.
So we switched up to wiring the National Luna dual battery monitor and made some good headway there. I've got a half day at work to deal with so I don't have to work tomorrow. The next day I'm off to the Rubicon. Still have soooo much to do. WIll post up some pics later tonight.
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Ok got a bit to post here. After last nights mad session with my buddy Jason we decided to build a support frame around the saddle boxes. I just so happened to have a few 5' lengths of 1" X 1" angle. Worked perfect and was just enough material. I was stoked to have Jason over. His welder is currently residing in my shop, and he got it dialed in. My welding immediately improved. Half of being good at welding is being able to dial in the welder with the right wire, feed speed, heat, gas, ect. Theres alot to it. Heres a shot of the frame we built.
This will support the boxes so I can load them up without worrying about overloading the jointery of the boxes and blowing out the glue joints, now the whole box is supported by steel and now should be albe to carry any amount of weight I can stuff in them.
Heres a shot of the boxes themselves. You can see how they shape around the rollcage pretty good in this shot. I filled all the seams and voids with ReStorIt wood filler from Smith Co. Thats the companion product to the Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES) Togehter they make the boxes nearly waterproof.
I have plans of using that spot notched around the rollbar for electronics, they'll go in this little cavity.
I'll be getting to that tomorrow, as well as the roll on bedliner (Herculiner) and cut the top, and finish installing the slap clasps..
And finish scribing around the bars...
This will support the boxes so I can load them up without worrying about overloading the jointery of the boxes and blowing out the glue joints, now the whole box is supported by steel and now should be albe to carry any amount of weight I can stuff in them.
Heres a shot of the boxes themselves. You can see how they shape around the rollcage pretty good in this shot. I filled all the seams and voids with ReStorIt wood filler from Smith Co. Thats the companion product to the Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES) Togehter they make the boxes nearly waterproof.
I have plans of using that spot notched around the rollbar for electronics, they'll go in this little cavity.
I'll be getting to that tomorrow, as well as the roll on bedliner (Herculiner) and cut the top, and finish installing the slap clasps..
And finish scribing around the bars...
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Bwhaa! Thanks, but don't look too close! My welding leaves alot to be desired.
tatuedrednek
Wanderer
Love it! Keep up the good work! Who ever thought a rock crawler could hold so much gear!
InvisibleOne
OverANYlander
Thanks Tat, got to find spots for alot more...
On to tonights project. Got the electronics compartment wired up in the saddleboxes. Mounted the Dual batt monitor and solar charge controller and the inverter in one of the angled pockets. Set the stuff up so I could open the box and be able to peek at the LEDs and monitor the system.
I really wanted the inverter in this spot as well. It fits perfect in there and I really wanted to keep all the electronic components contained to this one compartment. I decided to go ahead and mount the inverter and am content to try and figure out some sort of weather proof hatch on the top of the box to access the plugs..
I'm really happy with the National Luna setup I got from Equipt. At first I was really into the IBS system and looked at 12volt Guys setup as well, but when I called all I got was voice mail, until I called Equipt, they answered, then answered all my questions, then shipped same day. Now that I've installed the kit, I'm glad I went with the National Luna. It has every single piece you could ever need to install the system. The wire is the best I've ever used. SUper heavy duty, but flexible like a Chinese gymnist. And the battery clams are just trick..
Then I pulled everything out and painted all the new metal. Finally all flat black and new!
Tomorrow, I'll get it all back together..
On to tonights project. Got the electronics compartment wired up in the saddleboxes. Mounted the Dual batt monitor and solar charge controller and the inverter in one of the angled pockets. Set the stuff up so I could open the box and be able to peek at the LEDs and monitor the system.
I really wanted the inverter in this spot as well. It fits perfect in there and I really wanted to keep all the electronic components contained to this one compartment. I decided to go ahead and mount the inverter and am content to try and figure out some sort of weather proof hatch on the top of the box to access the plugs..
I'm really happy with the National Luna setup I got from Equipt. At first I was really into the IBS system and looked at 12volt Guys setup as well, but when I called all I got was voice mail, until I called Equipt, they answered, then answered all my questions, then shipped same day. Now that I've installed the kit, I'm glad I went with the National Luna. It has every single piece you could ever need to install the system. The wire is the best I've ever used. SUper heavy duty, but flexible like a Chinese gymnist. And the battery clams are just trick..
Then I pulled everything out and painted all the new metal. Finally all flat black and new!
Tomorrow, I'll get it all back together..
