ROTW ROTW- The Tick

[Stumpalama]

The tranny and T-case went in just in time to roll down to Rubicon in September last year. It was amazing! The truck did great too, even though it was sprung under. The gears were by far the best mod yet to the truck. It wouldn't have been nearly as fun without them or BK or the Crusties or Steph

Oh yeah, we threw on some 35's for that extra bit of clearance... The skid plate and sliders still got a workout though.

I must say, there's nothing like designing and building your own stuff, wheeling it hard and having it stand up to the abuse!

 

[Stumpalama]

Just a couple more pics until tomorrow:

 

[FLYINGLOW]

Wow Mike, nice write up. I can't wait to see more. I haven't seen it since last December in Shawnigan and had no idea on the history of it all. We'll have to tip a couple back this summer at some point.

 

[FJFOOL]

Nice story, the hard work paid off, that's a great looking truck. What's next?

 

[Stumpalama]

OK, where was I? Oh yeah, also, before Rubicon I built a storage box for the rear to hold my tools and spares. And since the Orion uses a transfercase e-brake I was able to swap to rear disks. Those are sweet to, especially when rolling back on a steep hill.

So since last September I added rock lights, seat heaters (ahhhh), onboard hot water and just finished the spring-over about a month ago.

Seriously, the seat heaters are MAGIC! I hardly have to run the heater on cold mornings running down the hiway to the trail head, and that is even with Steph in the truck and she is always cold.

Talk about a last minute build! I took the first test drive of the SOA the morning of our 8 day backroads tour of the Island, dubbed "Islandthon '08" by dzlcrzr (Ken). I held up to the 8 days of abuse and, suprisingly, didn't drive much different than when it was sprung under. I am happy with my first attempt at a spring-over. Of course, there are little things to adjust, but overall it is very stable yet flexy.

 

[Stumpalama]

Our original plan was to attend Rubithon this year and I was determined to spring my rig over in time to do rubicon sprung over. Well as the saying goes: "Even the best laid plans...something something something".

We decided instead to do a backroads trip around Vancouver Island. Now, this is no ACT, but this Island is covered with a maze of logging roads, both new and ancient, thus the term "Island Pinstriping". There are very few rigs that truly wheel with show quality paint job around here. There is only one (1!) major road that travels the entire length of the island and it is on the extreme Eastern side of the island. That means the most of the Island is small unimproved roads or logging roads in various states of disrepair (think WRC racing).

For the springover, I used 60 series rear leafs in the rear and flipped the shackle hanger to accomodate the extra length. I used 60 fronts in the front with a stock length rear shackle up front. My overall wheelbase is now 94" and the rear tires are nicely centered in the rear wheel well. The truck has a much smoother ride than it had with the 2.5" lift Rancho springs. I also used Tom Woods Double Cardan longtravel driveshafts front and rear. I bought them off a 'Mud member and they had been used once, I think.

I did a cut and turn using a big pipe cutter and 4x4 Labs Hi-steer. The truck track true with about 5 degrees of caster (Thanks Jason for your super zooba alighnment machine!).

It flexes really nicely and I have a couple pics of the truck before and after in similar spots on a particularly telling trail.

I was able to take a totally different line from the first picture sprung over.

 

[Stumpalama]

Some close-ups of the SOA and the aftermath mess in the garage:

I got the idea for the lower rear shock mounts from a thread on Pirate 4x4. I essentially copied his design of using 1/4" 2x2 sqaure tube, slicing it and welding it to the axle. It mounts the shock nice and low while also protecting the vulnerable shockpin nut.

For the upper shock mount, I wanted as much travel as possible while keeping the shacks as upright as possible without cutting the tub. I also saw it being very difficult to get a good weld on the shock pins of I drilled them into the original cross piece.

So, I took a piece of 2x2 x1/8" square tube and essentially cut the top off it so it would straddle the cross tube just above its center. I then drilled and welded the rancho shockpins onto the square tube and was able to mount it as one unit and just stitch weld it to the cross piece. This gave me another vertical inch of shock travel above the stock location and I only had to inboard each one about 3.5" and I'm using Ranch RS5000 12" travel shocks. There is about 4.5" of shock piston showing and about 4 3/8" of axle travel through the bump stop.

 

[Stumpalama]

Some more pictures.

If you guys have any questions, or want some pictures of specific things, please let me know. I'd be happy to oblige.

 

[cruiserjunkie]

I enjoyed the build of your truck looks like you have almost got it where you want it. Looks like you get to have some fun right at home so enjoy that with the crazy price of fuel.

 

[dslcruzr]

great write up Stump! Your 40 is one of the most well thought out and executed rigs I've ever seen. I hope you don't mind if I add a couple more pics from "IslandThon".

 

[Stumpalama]

Thanks for the amazing compliment Ken! Your truck is alot farther along, alot quicker than mine. Yours is no hack job either! It wouldn't be the truck it is today without guys like you from the club.

I love those shots! We need a disk of those photos.

Cheers-

 

[mustardfj40]

That's a nicely built cruiser

 

[bsmith123]

Nice

That's the stuff!

3 cruisers in front of the cliff will be my new desktop for a while

Very nicely done all around on the build

AHhhh a cruiser, a nice lake, ----that looks like fun

Now back to the garage for me!

 

[Splash]

Very nice!!

Thanks for taking the time to share. Enjoyed the write up.

 

[bkcruiser]

Hey Stump!!

Wow, truck turned out great, you're gonna love the new feel. Glad to see ya got to wheel sans Rubithon. Missed you two. Those pics from last years trip to Rubicon are way cool!

Bill

 

[TOBASH]

Beautiful truck. Way to inspire..

...so tell us, w/ a name like "The Tick"< ever just yell out "spoon!!!" as you and your superhuman powers forge across obstacles?

Your SOA looks perfect. I hope I am able to emulate it someday.

Did you log how you did it, or do you have a linky to someone whose advice you followed?

Best,

T

 

[Stumpalama]

Thanks BK! After seeing you and Kirk negotiate the rocks, I knew I'd have to do it. I really wanted to get down there for Rubithon this year, but it was not to be. I think it may have been a let down considering how much fun we had last September.

Tobash, Glad you got the reference... It is my Battle Cry. One of my buddies named it the Tick because it is "Nigh-Invulnerable!" (and blue like the Tick). We watched that cartoon religiously through college. I have a Tick action figure, I just haven't figured out where to put him in the truck.

As far as the SOA, it isn't perfect. The rear pinion is pointed up a bit to high so I get a vibration from 20-25 KPH. and the Marlin knuckle gussets don't work on the driver's side with stock steering. I'll get a pick and show you what I mean.

 

[jinzuke]

The Tick a great build and the best thing is Stump is not afraid to wheel it hard. Nice work can't wait to see what the 80 will look like in ten years.

 

[TOBASH]

Tobash, Glad you got the reference... It is my Battle Cry. One of my buddies named it the Tick because it is &quot;Nigh-Invulnerable!&quot; (and blue like the Tick). We watched that cartoon religiously through college. I have a Tick action figure, I just haven't figured out where to put him in the truck.

As far as the SOA, it isn't perfect. The rear pinion is pointed up a bit to high so I get a vibration from 20-25 KPH. and the Marlin knuckle gussets don't work on the driver's side with stock steering. I'll get a pick and show you what I mean.

Have you considered using several shims to re-allign the pinion to point it downward? Same shims you would use in lifted SUA BJ's. Shims whould be fast, cheap, and easy. You could fix up to 10 degrees that way safely and effectively.Best,T

 

[Stumpalama]

Yeah, I considered shims, but I think the truck deserves me cutting the old perches off and redo angles. That's my punishment for not following directions (I didn't put all the weight of the truck on the axle when i set the pinion angle).

But, I have to say that other than that, I am super stoked about the SOA. I'm daily driving it right now, and it's awesome. As the Tappet bros. say:"A commanding view of the road."

I also have to build a rear anti-wrap bar.