Haff Hawged

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

hairy_apple said:
I have thought about trying to find a 45 bed to do something like this with my rust bucket. I am just not happen with cutting the back off, and when I saw your thread here I LOVED it. Just way too cool. We take my wifes pickup camping more then my 40 because of the bed, but if my ugly 55 had a bed...

I've never been a huge fan of flatbeds, but thought something like ^^^ that would be badass with a 55 cab.

Whatever I do will have to wait until I have a shop to work in... BUT I am pretty excited about the idea of doing a 55 truck.
Click to expand...

hit me up before you chuck up the blade in the sawzawl....I have learned a few things....there are several spots where forks can be taken, and if I walked that rail again(extra/double cab and frame stretch)I might take a couple of different forks.....pre cut bracing...rockers and new rear crossmember should have been done before di-section, and the bracing for the rear bulk could have used more time in R+D(not that it isn't stout-it's too much). and commit to buy the metal you actual need/want and not to compromise at the scrap yard.:doh:
 
OH- and body mounts...mine squeak:mad:
 
so I think I've got too much weight for the 35YO rear long side, I picked up a full floating Elocking FZJ80 axle complete, stripped its mounts and have put some time into engineering the rest of the install...
now, the 80 axle is 7" wider than stock 56" wms to wms. It is six inches wider than the fronts. It will clear stock BS wheels(3.5") @ 15" with minor clearance of the caliper bits... 3" of rear to front offset is too much IMO for a daily driver/ capable rig, and I thought hard on 3" spacers, but can't do it. I thought about a narrowed rear axle and a custom shaft with locking plate. the last option would leave my front axle untouched-as is- in need of some attention...the other option is to get a wider front axle, ala FJ60 and then run 1.5" spacers. But then I'd hafto out board the front springs or notch the diff. I want to say that I'm inclined to hate any option ith spacers for no other reason than scrub radius. I've thought about differing offset of wheels front to rear, but then I'm carrying 2 spares as it's a daily service rig. the right way to do it, is to either narrow the rear(about $700 all told, and no gain in track), or to extend the front. Extending the front would involve at least 1 custom shaft, and 1 1/2" spacers, as extending the short side too far would push the diff into the pan danger zone. It would also require relocation of the axle housing spring hardware. the other option is to bump out both left and right side 3" and to use at the very least an fj60s left long inner, both birfs, wheel bearing hubs, and lockouts and a custom short side shaft. only other op would be to use 30 spline super birfs and custom longs, one custom cut, the other being the same length as a 60 series long side. Either of the last 2 options keep the perches in the right spot, and since I'm going to keep it spring under, it'll bolt up w/o any other mods than the extensions and some gussets...
I will be building this axle here, from either a 73 FJ55 housing and 77 disk brake/ steering parts, or an FJ60 housing and parts depending on availability. I already have cut a knuckle ball out and have extension tubes en route. I still need to get my Auburn LSD to Georg, as I want this thing to be right. I am sort of inclined at this point to go ahead and use the 55 housing and just get the longfield 30 spline kit with a custom short side, as I'm already in a simple full float swap wayyy beyond any kind of budget:doh:
the goal is to bear a load, without a road:meh:
pics to follow...
 
Well, you done your homework. This is going to be interesting to see how you make it work.

We're all over budget! :eek:
 
got the tubes in the pobox today, now thinkin about paying someone to burn em on... I don't want to jerk off the alignment, although, there isn't much play in the inserts.....maybe I'll mock it, tack it, and rock it 2WD:doh: at least it'll be locked out back:hillbilly:
 
LAMBCRUSHER said:
got the tubes in the pobox today, now thinkin about paying someone to burn em on... I don't want to jerk off the alignment, although, there isn't much play in the inserts.....maybe I'll mock it, tack it, and rock it 2WD:doh: at least it'll be locked out back:hillbilly:
Click to expand...

Translation please
 
Hey man,

Quick question for you:

Did you always plan on going flatbed or did you at any point consider a truck bed?

If so, did you any that fit the frame with and matched the body lines (at least enough to where it wouldn't look too bad)?

Thanks!
 
Fitzgerald said:
Hey man,

Quick question for you:

Did you always plan on going flatbed or did you at any point consider a truck bed?

If so, did you any that fit the frame with and matched the body lines (at least enough to where it wouldn't look too bad)?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

funny you should ask...I was just talking to a guy about a 72 mini truck bed for the pig up. I am guessing it would need about 3 more inches in girth and being that it is from a short bed, prolly 10" in length. OR...something else. BUT, the minitruck bed up to 83, with the side rail, and pre 79 with the double tailgate latches would be a close match. I also thought about fabbing sidewalls to match the pig, but with the roll to the outside on the top, just like the early mini beds. I feel like anything much above the first body roll is too much and takes away from the high cab- looks too jeepish. I had planned for a flatbed, or some type of utility body from cut one. the idea of a box came later after pining over those uber sexy 79 series that the taliban gets to buy and drive. with some fancy pipework and some delicate sheetmetal kung-fu, you could put something together that is darn close to the 55s stylings...
 
a stout bed looks just about perfect...good luck finding one...
 
How about one of these. M101A3 @ $350 and you could sell the running gear.
IMG_1596.webp
 
I thought about that route, too. it is a bit more wide than I'd like on the pig.
 
Cut it down the middle and section it :D shouldnt be to hard!
 
LAMBCRUSHER, I'm just curious as to how you like having a 55 single cab versus the original SUV setup? I mean, I know you obvoiusly LIKE it, just wondering about your personal psychology of what you think about your project and what you've learned.
 
RUSH55 said:
LAMBCRUSHER, I'm just curious as to how you like having a 55 single cab versus the original SUV setup? I mean, I know you obvoiusly LIKE it, just wondering about your personal psychology of what you think about your project and what you've learned.
Click to expand...

16 inches more into the frame and an extra cab set up would be the ticket. I'm short, so the skinny cab doesn't bug me, it helps the heater work real good. I think if I were to do this again, I would have kept more cabin, and added frame to keep the same amount of bed, bump the rear axle back about 8 inches to spread the load and improve rear departure angle. I would only have a very small extra cab space...for kids and guns
 
yep, half seat/jump seat
 
LAMBCRUSHER said:
a stout bed looks just about perfect...good luck finding one...
Click to expand...

A stout bed???


Edit: I googled it. I see what you mean. Would look cool, but probably unobtaininum.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom