Builds Keeping it low with Rockwells (a.k.a. under the knife again)

[Eskimo]

Nothing left of the tub from the door hinge back....

And fortunately, I dovetailed the back tubing when I did the tubework, so it won't take a major redesign of the tube.. just some attention paid to the clearance. I'll probably use an 8" ram for the rear, to somewhat limit the steering angles.

A friend once said "If you do rockwells and don't do 4 wheel steering, you're just half-assing it"

 

[Tapage]

Subscribin .. and how do you gonna control the rear steering . ?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That is spectacular. What type of steering pump are you going to run to power the hydraulics?

 

[Eskimo]

Rear steer will be with a pretty standard joystick control like this, connected to a single ended 2x8 ram:

Pump will be a high output saginaw, since I'm running a Chevy engine.

For now, it will be plumbed pump --> rear steer valve --> orbital --> reservoir, which fro what I have been told provides the best speed out of both ends with using the non-bling valves..

Planning on a couple of rams from Surplus center, with most of the other components from PSC or Station.. But Station hasn't returned a phone call I left him a few weeks ago, though they were moving shops at the time IIRC.

 

[green73]

That tree to the head at Katemcy must have really knocked something loose

Seriously. Cool upgrade!

Timing is all wrong for me to buy the beadlocks and tires from you. Just too much going on right now. Refresh me on what wheelbase you are planning? Coilovers,coils, or air shocks?

Damn all it takes is a bit of reading 110" wheelbase planned. cool!

 

[coolcruiserfj40]

Rear steer will be with a pretty standard joystick control like this, connected to a single ended 2x8 ram:

Pump will be a high output saginaw, since I'm running a Chevy engine.

For now, it will be plumbed pump --> rear steer valve --> orbital --> reservoir, which fro what I have been told provides the best speed out of both ends with using the non-bling valves..

Planning on a couple of rams from Surplus center, with most of the other components from PSC or Station.. But Station hasn't returned a phone call I left him a few weeks ago, though they were moving shops at the time IIRC.

if you want stations stuff still pm your number and ill get him to call you

 

[Eskimo]

if you want stations stuff still pm your number and ill get him to call you

Thanks, and I do.. but, I won't be buying for a month or 2, so I'll wait until then to talk his ear off..

 

[Tapage]

NIce dude .. but how you keep it " locked " when you are driving in normal situations .?

 

[Eskimo]

The rear steer valve doesn't allow flow either way the the stick is released, which hydraulically "locks" the cylinder in place.

Will it drift a little? sure. But my rig is not driven over 45mph, and not for more than ~10 miles at a time on the road anyway... A little misalignment in the rear tires will just make it look like 1/2 the leaf spring trucks in NC..

If and when the techno-geek in me starts messing with an otherwise perfectly good setup, I'll probably mess around with some sort of lock on the tie-rod, along with / or an electronic centering system using position sensors.

 

[Tapage]

The rear steer valve doesn't allow flow either way the the stick is released, which hydraulically "locks" the cylinder in place.

Will it drift a little? sure. But my rig is not driven over 45mph, and not for more than ~10 miles at a time on the road anyway... A little misalignment in the rear tires will just make it look like 1/2 the leaf spring trucks in NC..

If and when the techno-geek in me starts messing with an otherwise perfectly good setup, I'll probably mess around with some sort of lock on the tie-rod, along with / or an electronic centering system using position sensors.

I thought some sort of mechanical lock maybe funtion for this " perfect " straight rear wheels ..

 

[Eskimo]

Parts are trickling in... (The sa-weeet 3/8" rope it came with is not pictured)

 

[UNBREAKABLE]

those are sweet winches.....

 

[Eskimo]

The obligatory "Holy crap these shafts are big" picture.

Yes, I know they're not the desireable shafts, but I'm still gonna have a heckuva time breaking them.. The u-joint ones will go in the rear axle. (I have to buy a pair of short sides for when I narrow the housings)

I got one corner broken down and cleaned up today, as well as stripping my new-to-me 355 Chevy bare. Won't be doing a rebuild on it, just cleaning it up, new seals, and possibly new heads.

There was a s***-TON of grease in the knuckle, I went through more than a roll of paper towels, but all the components are enormous... I likey.

About a gallon of water came out of one of the axles' drains though... We'll see what things look like when the chunk comes out.

 

[HIGHLYF]

Curious... why are you narrowing them? The one thing I love about my Rock's, or any other full width, is the stability in some crazy situations ( mine is 93" outside tire ). I drove one rig that had narrowed Rockwells... just didn't feel right. Hats off to ya for clean fabrication and a VERY nice parts collection keep the pics comin'!

B

 

[Eskimo]

Curious... why are you narrowing them? The one thing I love about my Rock's, or any other full width, is the stability in some crazy situations ( mine is 93" outside tire ). I drove one rig that had narrowed Rockwells... just didn't feel right. Hats off to ya for clean fabrication and a VERY nice parts collection keep the pics comin'!

B

Well, my garage door is only 90" wide.. ;p that would be the first reason.
The chunk being centered will help me get low by letting it go up between the frame rails at full stuff.
I still consider this "full width" though - it's the same width as a 60F with 17x9" wheels with the normal backspacing on 'em.
And, the biggest reason - I always have to do things the freakin hard way, because I'm an idiot.

 

[HIGHLYF]

Point well taken... especially because of the garage. Looking forward to more updates and pics!

B

 

[Eskimo]

Mmmm... power. 295hp/330tq stock, should be ~320/360 after the PCM tune.

Nice and clean under the valve covers too.. 55k on the motor.




Yeah Jack.. Medusa for SURE!!! Can't wait to get this thinned out..

 

[35xj]

who's doing your harness and computer?

 

[Eskimo]

Jim's Performance - www.portfuel.com - recognize the buggy in his logo?

 

[Medusa]

I LOVE it