Project Turn-Key (1 Viewer)

[Devil's Slide Doug]

I have a mini with a rear lockrite. Sometimes I wonder if a spool would be better since the locker bangs and clicks and pops and tires still chirp and skid on the street. when you accelerate or brake on an "almost straight" road I can feel the drive wheel shift side to side by the way it pushes the truck around. My cruiser has factory electric lockers and selectable are so much better. Road manners are way better with open diffs and can turn tighter on the trails when they are open. On a side hill I can also use open diffs and minimize the side slipping. In fact on the Rubicon trail last summer I was one of three 80's in a group and the only one to kiss a particular rock (on a slippery side hill). I believe I slid into the rock because i forgot to disengage my rear locker. It costs more money but when I regear the minitruck it will get selectable lockers. Of course I just finished cleaning and rebuilding my rear electric locker actuater. An Aussie/lockrite or spool is certainly a lot simpler to install and maintain.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Well stated, Doug! I couldn't agree with you more. However, in my situation I will leave it set up the way it is for 2 reasons: 1) This is not my daily driver, and 2) It's already set up!

Selectible lockers are the bees knees but I like the dependablitiy of a automatic locker or spool for a trail rig. (Just my personal opinion.)

 

[84stockcrawl]

yeah sorry guys, those shots of your cralwer ended that last photos forum, confused yes. to add to your turn key forum(sweet truck by the way) I got that yellow truck stuck in like 3 feet of mud because the ARB was not working!! but the camo one had an aussie locker a little loud (clicking noise) but never lost traction, and it was only geared in the rear so never even used 4x. Funny though how even push button lockers cant get you out of high centered in deep sand!

 

[80t0ylc]

........... For your setup, Aussies or LockRites front and rear will be perfect.

That's what my gut was telling me as I've been thinking about lockers.

........ Road manners are way better with open diffs and can turn tighter on the trails when they are open. On a side hill I can also use open diffs and minimize the side slipping. In fact on the Rubicon trail last summer I was one of three 80's in a group and the only one to kiss a particular rock (on a slippery side hill). I believe I slid into the rock because i forgot to disengage my rear locker. ........ An Aussie/lockrite or spool is certainly a lot simpler to install and maintain.

There's a lot of truth to your points, Doug. In the next couple of months, I'll be tearing in to my front axle for a rebuild. Be looking at bearings and replacing all the seals. A perfect time to put an Aussie in with the 3rd pulled out. I'll start there & may just leave it at that. I can always throw one in the rear, too, if my use demands it. I know most folks prefer to lock the rear 1st. And Mr. T set up E-lockers on our 80s to lock the rear 1st before you can lock up the front. ( Actually it's rear or both - you can't just lock the front) But, I like my open diffs and I'm too cheap for E-lockers. I won't be using the front diff most of the time (since it's part time) and when I need it - it's for traction. So the Aussie will only be used when it's needed. No clicking or dealing with the manners of the auto locker - until it's really needed.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

That sounds like a great plan to me, Tom. And if you decide you want to throw one in the rear too, you can have it installed in an hour.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

I got the aux. lights wired up last night. No pics as they were already mounted...

 

[80t0ylc]

I got the aux. lights wired up last night. No pics as they were already mounted...

Cool! Did you try 'em out yet? After I hooked up mine, I couldn't believe the difference in illumination. Did you fuse them? I stuck a 30 amp old style (round cylinder style) and after about 10 - 15 minutes it popped. Melted the fuse holder. I recommend using the newer blade style fuses and holders. They should work fine. I actually put in a CB with nuts and terminal rings. It's the wrong type (type 1 which auto resets) but I know what to watch out for. Here's a link to my thread in the Winching and Recovery forum.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

The truck has an aux fuse block in it that uses blade fuses. All the wires were already ran, I just needed to wire up the lights. The PO took his nice lights and through on some old school Warn lights. I have tried them but just in the garage. Once it's on the trail I will be able to aim them a little better.

 

[80t0ylc]

A truck that built, it makes sense to install the aux fuse block. Bummer 'bout the PO keeping the nice lights. Yeah, I still need to fine tune my lights. Mine are aimed just a skosh too high, I think, but man - it's literally a night and day difference with 'em on. I love 'em for night wheelin'. Todd, from Central Oregon Cruisers had installed wheel well lights on his built 40 for crawlin' at night. Mitch has that rig now. You might have seen it at CTW this year.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Meh, these ones will work just as well! As far as the wheel well lights, I call them rock lights. I've had them on all of my rigs. Sure makes it nice night wheeling!

 

[arndog123]

Nice mini. I want my '86 to be set up like that someday. Just don't have the time or money.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

I know how that goes!

Sent from my DROID2 using IH8MUD

 

[ginericLC]

Well you are screwed now, I can't give you any body parts for this one when you bang it up or roll it over. Did you save the tan body or is the new owner taking on the body transplant project?

 

[CreeperSleeper]

I still have the tan body... I wanted to finish the bob myself!

 

[ginericLC]

So are you saving it for the future?

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Either that or I will end up selling it to a club member and doing the swap on there 80. I figure a nicely done bobbed 80 body will be worth something to somebody! Why, do you want to start a bobbed 80 project?

 

[CreeperSleeper]

So I spent a good 30 min trying to figure out where to mount my 2m radio. I have a Yaesu FT2800 and there is really no good place for it in the tiny cab other than on top of the dash. However, my dash is PERFECT and I don't have the heart to drill into it. I have decided to put the FT2800 in the Dodge and try to find a radio with a remote mount face to put in the Toy. Meanwhile, I will use my handheld with the antenna from Jillian.

I also realized I'm going to need to build brackets to mount the emergency lighting correctly and all but one of my cheap fog lights I was going to use for rock lights are burnt out. I'm trying really hard not to half-ass the extra wiring on this rig, so I will sell some parts I have lying around and get it done right! (ih8wiring)

Another thing I have decided to change is the winch line. Due to the in-cab winch controls, I can't keep an eye on the winch line when winching. I would like to swap it over to synthetic due to safety and durability if it spools incorrectly. That will also give me 100' of extention using the exsisting line wire line off of the winch. Now off to reasearch synthetic winch line...

 

[yOHda]

very cool truck. sorry to see you get rid of your 80, but you simply cannot deny how well a toy pickup (on 37s) works on the trail. as much as i love my 80, it was not a good candidate for ohio trails.

i ran a spool for years in the back of my first gen on the street and it was so light it rarely chirped tires or anything. it does add a lot of drag in everday manuvers like corners and such. offroad i liked the simplicity, less moving parts.

one suggestion i would make is search on pirate and do the 22r to re swap. i ended up swapping an enitre 22re motor, but its so nice to have efi on the trail. get every little bit out of that motor you can.

do others in your area use synthetic winch line? even with abrasion resitant sleeves and such you dont see it much in our area we are just too heavily wooded and it does not last.

until i get my newly acquired FJ40 trail worthy, my first gen has come out of retirement and my 80 is back to stock and my current tow truck it actually doesnt mind the weight of my pickup and a light trailer.
my trusty first gen:

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Thank you! I pretty much came to the same conclusion with my 80. It was never going to be good at what I was trying to do with it. I do miss it, though. It was the best vehicle I have ever owned! I've thought about selling my CTD and buying a 100-series as an Expo/ tow rig but I don't think that would be wise either.

As far as the motor goes, I haven't had any issues with my carb on angles yet. If I do, I'll start looking at other options.

 

[CreeperSleeper]

Update time! Since I got the truck, I've been driving it as much as I can.

At my work:

I have also been trying to get all the crap I kept in the 80 in to that little toolbox. I think I got it narrowed down enough to fit but we will have to see. I still need to pick up a couple ammo cans for fluids and possibly a center console. On a more productive note, I did get my Iroks on! It looks so much better but I will have to get some 1/4" spacers for the rear. I am just rubbing the lower links on the rear. I also think I'm rubbing up front when flexed and turned but I need another set of eyes to track it down. Enough blabbering, onto the pics:

P.S. Sorry about the crappy lighting in all of those but it gives you an idea of how amazing it looks!