Stevo's Unofficial Build Thread, FJ60 + FJ62 + FJ80 Axle = FJ68?

[StevoJonesFJ60]

My appendix. No heavy lifting for a month, that might slow progress a bit.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Well I'm pretty much healed up for now, still no heavy lifting for a couple weeks.

Some questions for the group, I am looking at building up my front axle, it will be armored & trussed, trunnion bearings eliminated, hy-steer, knuckle gussets, with additional bend prevention, and cut and turned.

I have all of the things I have mentioned ready to go.

For the future though I plan on the 6BT replacing the 2F and have been debating whether or not to run longs up front or to swap in the dodge D60 i'll have laying around.

I only plan on running 35-37" tires, do you think a Dana 60 would be necessary or just plain overkill?

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Depends on how you intend to wheel the truck. With the 6BT, if you plan to do anything relatively hardcore with 35-37's, you will blow the front axle all the time. Less so with the longs, but still, it's a 6BT.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Depends on how you intend to wheel the truck. With the 6BT, if you plan to do anything relatively hardcore with 35-37's, you will blow the front axle all the time. Less so with the longs, but still, it's a 6BT.

Yeah, I know it's a torque monster.
I also wanted to check, does longfield warranty axles in trucks without the stock motor?

 

[boots4]

If you have a D60 you can use just laying around I would go that route. Don't get me wrong the cruiser axle is great but a D60 is a better base to build from and can be built stronger. You could leave it stock and build if you start breaking parts or make some upgrades right off the bat. Regardless, all the ground work i.e, steering setup, axle set up, driveshafts, etc. would be done.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

What would be your opinion on a rear axle?

I have a D70 and a 14 bolt available.

 

[boots4]

I chose the 14bolt because I had it laying around and it was the same gear ratio that I'm running. It's obviously stronger than the cruiser axle and it's a full floater. Since both the D70 and 14bolt are going to offer similar improvements is one running the ratio you want or matches that front D60? Which one is the width you want? Honestly either one, assuming similar features, will do great.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Yeah, the 14 bolt is has 4.10 gears in it, and that is the final ratio I want stick with.

The D70 matches the D60 up front but 3.54 is too high. I'll probably try to sell it with the rest of the dodge, and use the money to put new gears in the D60.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Well, I managed to get a bunch done with the help of some friends tonight.

While I worked on trussing and armoring the front axle, I had a buddy bedlining the underside of the body.

I didn't get as far as I wanted on the front axle due to the MIG running out of gas but not too shabby for a nights work.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

The body is finally getting some paint, and I'll have to admit it looks pretty good.

Managed to get one side taped up.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

And hit with some primer.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Wow, the primer makes it look like a different truck.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

I know, It looks so much better.

I'm up in the air on the final color though. I originally was going to do white, but now I think a black cruiser would be pretty sweet.

 

[ukaviator]

Man you work fast for a guy in recovery!
As I posted in your other thread, IMO black makes a 60 look bad ass, and now I read you want to drop a 6bt in it too - dude all I can say is drooool!!!

On another plus side, if you paint it black, the soot wont show up as bad when your rolling coal!!!

Keep the pics coming

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Man you work fast for a guy in recovery!
As I posted in your other thread, IMO black makes a 60 look bad ass, and now I read you want to drop a 6bt in it too - dude all I can say is drooool!!!

On another plus side, if you paint it black, the soot wont show up as bad when your rolling coal!!!

Keep the pics coming

Thanks, I do what I can.

I hope to finish the trucks body work up and get it primed. Hopefully have it painted over the weekend or next week.

I'll be posting up my mods to the 6BT too so stay tuned for that as well.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Finished up the body work that was stalling the painting tonight. I look forward to getting it all primed and painted over the weekend.

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

More progress:

 

[StevoJonesFJ60]

Final:

 

[GLTHFJ60]

That doesn't look bad at all man. Good work

 

[klinetime574]

Progress looks good man. Nice body work!

I'd go with Factory White