STLCA 80 Series Club Thread

[Bama4door]

I think it rides fine with stock gears and 35s too. I'm probably going to keep 35s for a while and get used to it before thinking about moving to 37s. It sounds like I would need a few different things to add to do it right.

 

[Bama4door]

I made an adjustable rear panhard bar today for my LX. When I bought it, there was an OME lift (springs/shocks), but the stock panhard bars are still on there. I found an old thread here on Mud where a guy bought parts of McMaster-Carr and made his stock bar adjustable. If anyone would like a write-up or the parts I used feel free to ask.

Cut the bar in half and welded on some threaded adapters and ran a 6" piece of 3/4 bolt with nuts. Pretty easy and total cost was $40 vs. ~$225 for an aftermarket adjustable panhard. Now I just need to figure out how to do the front bar (solid link, not hollow like rear).

 

[Tennessee80]

Nice work, dude!

 

[sk8salomon]

Calling Radio Ridge!!!...and other 80 stereo gurus. I've got a factory 8 speaker setup in my '93 which consists of 2 fronts, 2 middles, 2 rear upper roof area & 2 rear 3rd seat area. Any idea how these are wired? Are these setup as 2 channel w 2 x8ohm speakers wired together? Typically auto speakers are 4 ohm and I double a factory deck is capable of 2 ohm stable? I'm going to upgrade the head unit & speakers. Thanks.

 

[jynx]

There should be a factory amp behind the head unit in the dash that powers the various speaker channels. Most aftermarket head units are set up to power 4 speakere and most harness adapters bypass the factory amp, so not sure how that actually all goes together in a 8 speaker system.

As bad as this is to say, the main 80 section is littered with speaker and radio threads so you might dig around in there and you might be able to come up with an answer.

I only had 4 (technically the white 80 didnt even have front door speakers when I got it, and looking back that set of un-cut door panels might have been worth saving) so a standard head unit suited me just fine.

 

[10KILR]

Anybody in Middle TN got the skills to build a swing out tire carrier for my 80. Maybe something like this, Wits' End 80 Series OEM Bumper Mounted Rear Tire Carrier (formerly AJIK)

 

[NLXTACY]

Anybody in Middle TN got the skills to build a swing out tire carrier for my 80. Maybe something like this, Wits' End 80 Series OEM Bumper Mounted Rear Tire Carrier (formerly AJIK)

Impatient much?

 

[10KILR]

Impatient much?

Something like that, my spare tire continues to sit in my garage and laugh at me.

 

[jynx]

If you are near the north side of town, there is a guy in Gallatin that might could build you something. I will have to find his info. Wide Open Designs is in Murfreesboro, they do a ton of buggy stuff and might do a custom build. Essentially Off-Road is also in Murfreesboro. They built us some sliders for the sami and did a good job. Might be worth a call. There might be a few others that I'm not aware of. Maybe some folks will chime in. I do know there are a couple good fab shops in Knoxville that have done 80 and 100 bumpers for some of the App Cruisers if you're interested in a ride east.

Stay away from TN Off-road out near Lebanon.

 

[ab1985]

Anybody in Middle TN got the skills to build a swing out tire carrier for my 80. Maybe something like this, Wits' End 80 Series OEM Bumper Mounted Rear Tire Carrier (formerly AJIK)

If by chance you decide to go with 4x4labs I have a 2 can carrier attachment I would sell.

 

[Bama4door]

If by chance you decide to go with 4x4labs I have a 2 can carrier attachment I would sell.

I'm going to be ordering a rear 4x4 labs bumper for my 80 soon. I'm interested in the carrier, shoot me a PM.

 

[10KILR]

If you are near the north side of town, there is a guy in Gallatin that might could build you something. I will have to find his info. Wide Open Designs is in Murfreesboro, they do a ton of buggy stuff and might do a custom build. Essentially Off-Road is also in Murfreesboro. They built us some sliders for the sami and did a good job. Might be worth a call. There might be a few others that I'm not aware of. Maybe some folks will chime in. I do know there are a couple good fab shops in Knoxville that have done 80 and 100 bumpers for some of the App Cruisers if you're interested in a ride east.

Stay away from TN Off-road out near Lebanon.

I'm about 30 mins from Gallatin if you find that guys info. I'll give the guys in the Boro a call as well. Don't really need anything fancy, just functional without weighing a ton. Thanks for the info.

 

[radioridge]

Im thinking of putting 35's on my 80. What's it gonna take to do it?

 

[Bama4door]

Im thinking of putting 35's on my 80. What's it gonna take to do it?

I know @htburnett just put 35s on his 80 (i believe it's still stock suspension). If you aren't afraid to do some cutting, I'd slap them on now. Maybe add some spring spacers or find a used set of springs in the classifieds for cheap.

 

[jynx]

Im thinking of putting 35's on my 80. What's it gonna take to do it?

Depending on how clapped out the stock coils are the 80 will fit 35s in stock trim. Rubs when flexed and a little when turning but they do fit. IMO a 2" - 3" lift seems to suit them best. The 92 has OME stock height coils and 1" pucks on top and is currently sitting on 265/75s with plenty of clearance. I bet it would clear 35s. I can pull one off the 91 and see, but it will be Monday before I can. Of course if you are buying coils and shocks, may as well do the Medium OME springs and new shocks and be done. Press in some caster bushings and roll out.

 

[jynx]

I dug around a little and don't have any good profile pics of the 91 but here's what I found.

92 stock with factory 235s

92 stock on 265/75s. No armor

92 stock height ome +30 mm packers all around on 265s. ARB with 12k winch up front

91 ome heavy front/ med rear 35s. ARB w/12k winch front, no rear, WKO sliders

91 slee 4" front, ome med rear, 35s. Cruisin' front- unloaded, IPOR rear, WKO sliders

Hope that helps give you some ideas.

 

[jynx]

And to follow up my last post.

91, full Slee 4", 1" spacers up front, IPOR rear, Cruisin' unloaded up front, WKO sliders on 35s

I got some misc pics from the install today and will get them up in a little while.

 

[jynx]

I decided it was time to start getting the white 80 back in driving condition so out it came for the completion of the suspension upgrades.

I had previously gotten most of the front buttoned up so decides to knock out the rear. So up we go

The rear got HD lower arms, Slee 4" coils, adjustable panhard and a set of OME shocks, (whatever comes with the 4" slee setup)

The new coils free length wasn't much more than the ome mediums they replaced, but the wire is much heavier.

The lower arms are straight beef. Extra material around the bushings and heavy wall tubing. Much more substantial.

I didnt get a picture of it, but the DS link had been bent on the last outing, second one on that side. These should be mucho better. Wrapped up the rear and had some major stinkbug

So to be honest, I knew when I started I was going to be high because I remembered that I left out the 1" spacers that were supposed to go up front, so the front was coming apart next.

I need to get some extended brake lines, if I hadn't been watching to keep from pulling the soft lines off, it would have gone super smooth. Unbolt shocks pull wheels and just drop the front axle. Wasn't bad, just have to be careful.

 

[jynx]

I should have unbolted the front panhard, but left it on this run.

1" spacers went in, and also buttoned up the passenger side shock which had previously tried to take my thumb off.

Thought this was a neat shot.

So got it all buttoned back down and the result was the above. I'm probably going to have to tear it down again to swap the front coils side to side because the front DS sits over an inch lower then the PS and is 1.5" lower than the rear PS.

Anyway, I cleaned up my mess and after dinner headed out to the porch for step 6 V 2.0

So I already had a mild to-do list and didn't really add much too it.

• Extended soft brake lines front and rear
• Tear down the front axle for new seals, check bearings (they are loosey goosey on both sides), clean and paint knuckles, housing, arms, etc. and install lockouts
• Swap t-case (spooled with a Mark's low range gear)
• Remove the Garvin rack (for sale, look for price and pics soon)
• Finish bolting up front bumper and find an 8274 to live up front
• Figure out spring/spacer setup to get the front more level with the rear
• Swap in CV front shaft and rebuild the rear

And couple of creature comforts like sort out AC and replace the drivers seat foam, and get the mouse pee smell out... Damn those things can stink up a rig.

Hoping to pull rack tomorrow and that will likely be it for 80 work tomorrow. Time to get her back on the road. Should be a fun ride, stay tuned.

 

[FJCRAWLER]

Matt
Why are you working in the dirty. You have that nice barn / garage you and Erin built.