Builds The White Trash - Chopped 80 tube bed AKA Proper Cupholders for Starbucks

[richardlillard1]

So how are guys getting any kind of flex out of their front OME J-springs? Even with the rear being so light it does ALL of the articulation. I figured being about factory weight up front and much lighter in the rear would force the front to move a little more.

Are the J springs just too heavy for a non-expo 80? I have essentially the same setup as @Apounder and the front end doesn't move until the rear is completely maxed out... She wheels fine, but sometimes it's fun to LOOK cool too...

I should probably stop worrying about it.

How is your front suspension setup? That has a lot to do with it.

I have J springs and don't see much issue, but I have a little of this and a little of that done to it.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

How is your front suspension setup? That has a lot to do with it.

I have J springs and don't see much issue, but I have a little of this and a little of that done to it.

J springs, L shocks, and those MAF drop brackets. I really don't care for the drop brackets, but they make it drive sooo friggin' good. I've already bent one of them a bit and I don't wheel that often...

I don't have a rear swaybar. I think this may have a lot to do with it. Rather than forcing the front to flex the rear does all the work.

 

[richardlillard1]

Dang, that's about 2,000 lbs lighter than mine! And that's without a rear bumper and expo crap.

What else do you have in that thing?

My buddy's rig weighs 6,000 with very heavy sliders, front and rear Luke bumpers, winch and tools.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Dang, that's about 2,000 lbs lighter than mine! And that's without a rear bumper and expo crap.

And most of the weight came out of the rear. Once the front is up and over an obstacle you are pretty much golden. It's like old man Herberts dog Jesse. s***. That would have been the perfect nickname.

 

[richardlillard1]

J springs, L shocks, and those MAF drop brackets. I really don't care for the drop brackets, but they make it drive sooo friggin' good. I've already bent one of them a bit and I don't wheel that often...

I don't have a rear swaybar. I think this may have a lot to do with it. Rather than forcing the front to flex the rear does all the work.

Put the rear on, leave the front off. I would try starting with that and see what it gets you.

The drop brackets are a pain in the ass; everyone I know that's run them here says they touch any rock they get close to and they got tired of dragging them everywhere.

Since you can weld, why not ditch them and go to the washer mod?

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Put the rear on, leave the front off. I would try starting with that and see what it gets you.

The drop brackets are a pain in the ass; everyone I know that's run them here says they touch any rock they get close to and they got tired of dragging them everywhere.

Since you can weld, why not ditch them and go to the washer mod?

Both those are in the works. I've got a lot of stuff going on at the moment, but I like free mods. I'll probably stick "Jesse" in the shop for the winter and get some work done. For now it's too fun to bomb around town in.

 

[richardlillard1]

Both those are in the works. I've got a lot of stuff going on at the moment, but I like free mods. I'll probably stick "Jesse" in the shop for the winter and get some work done. For now it's too fun to bomb around town in.

Could also narrow the arms and turn the bushings on a lathe. Those will help a bit too.

All of it is marginal gains, but should be noticeable.

 

[2fpower]

Another cousin..... Saw this on the trail near Aspen.

 

[jcardona1]

What else do you have in that thing?

My buddy's rig weighs 6,000 with very heavy sliders, front and rear Luke bumpers, winch and tools.

I weighed it with all the typical camping gear and tools I take with me. Tires and wheels maybe? The beadlocks are pretty heavy.

 

[Mieser]

Finally got this old girl weighed. With 315s on 17x9 aluminum wheels and no spare tire, a winch/plate up front and no passenger i was sitting at about 4600 lbs.

That still seems heavy as s*** to me and I don't see how I could drop anymore weight.

That isn't too bad, there is still a lot of metal in that thing. I think the engine is like 1100lbs or something ridiculous?
Where you in it at 4500#'s?

My hybrid is just about 3000# right now. I am trying to keep the weight down, all the big parts are there, and I am building the FJ45-esk body out now. My goal is 3XXX# finished, but that likely won't be with a person, fuel, tools, etc. Fingers crossed!

 

[scottryana]

Engine is around 800lbs. The entire drivetrain might be 1100lbs.

 

[richardlillard1]

I weighed it with all the typical camping gear and tools I take with me. Tires and wheels maybe? The beadlocks are pretty heavy.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

That isn't too bad, there is still a lot of metal in that thing. I think the engine is like 1100lbs or something ridiculous?
Where you in it at 4500#'s?

My hybrid is just about 3000# right now. I am trying to keep the weight down, all the big parts are there, and I am building the FJ45-esk body out now. My goal is 3XXX# finished, but that likely won't be with a person, fuel, tools, etc. Fingers crossed!

Yeah I was. And my two dogs. So I guess actual weight was about 4400. Not too bad I suppose. I haven't figured out how to wheel the thing without a driver, though. Let's figure 4500.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Went wheeling Saturday and (I think) broke the front left Birfield. It had been popping with the fornt diff locked ever since I got the thing so who knows what was going on.

I slid off a large boulder and got high centered on the belly and front axle. The passenger tire wasn't touching anything. I think it broke when I was reversing with the front locked turned all the way right and being pulled backward off the rock. Who knows?

Did the rest of the trail in 2 and 3 wheel drive when necessary and made 10 point turns everywhere. Got to the end and pulled both drive flanges and the front driveshaft and drove 2 hours home.

My question is should I bother with upgrading the shafts? I only run 285s currently, but I am very liberal with the gas. I might go to 35s one day just for fun but 285s seem to be plenty capable. The vehicle only weighs about 4600 lbs loaded.

I'm thinking that birf was already on its way out and I just gave her the final push. Or maybe 80 front ends aren't strong enough for me... (kidding, kind of).

 

[richardlillard1]

I think it broke when I was reversing with the front locked turned all the way right and being pulled backward off the rock. Who knows?

That's how my buddy broke his. s*** sucked.

Did the rest of the trail in 2 and 3 wheel drive when necessary and made 10 point turns everywhere. Got to the end and pulled both drive flanges and the front driveshaft and drove 2 hours home.

Metal af. I would have just pulled it apart. Check to make sure you didn't screw anything up from having the broken crap spinning around in there for hours. Probably fine, though.

My question is should I bother with upgrading the shafts? I only run 285s currently, but I am very liberal with the gas. I might go to 35s one day just for fun but 285s seem to be plenty capable. The vehicle only weighs about 4600 lbs loaded.

I wheel with about a dozen trucks that have 35-37s and stock birfs, including mine, the only ones that have broken are from doing things they shouldn't have been doing, or because they were very worn out (deep grooves). You'll be fine with stock.

The ones I'm curious about trying (when it comes to that time) are the stock replacements from nitro. I bet they work fine, but given what I do, I'm a little apprehensive about being stuck in the middle of nowhere when it could have been avoided.

Also, go to 37s...or maybe even 40s. Don't think; do.

No brains, no headache.

EDIT: Stop being liberal with the gas. This isn't a Chevy.

 

[Nay]

I am very liberal with the gas. I might go to 35s one day just for fun but 285s seem to be plenty capable.

If the second sentence was true, then the first sentence should be be false.

 

[scottryana]

Shafts would be nice, but I would bet you would get along just fine with new stockers. Sounds like yours were having issues to begin with. See if you can find a cheap set from a part out or someone that has gone chromoly.

Went wheeling Saturday and (I think) broke the front left Birfield. It had been popping with the fornt diff locked ever since I got the thing so who knows what was going on.

I slid off a large boulder and got high centered on the belly and front axle. The passenger tire wasn't touching anything. I think it broke when I was reversing with the front locked turned all the way right and being pulled backward off the rock. Who knows?

Did the rest of the trail in 2 and 3 wheel drive when necessary and made 10 point turns everywhere. Got to the end and pulled both drive flanges and the front driveshaft and drove 2 hours home.

My question is should I bother with upgrading the shafts? I only run 285s currently, but I am very liberal with the gas. I might go to 35s one day just for fun but 285s seem to be plenty capable. The vehicle only weighs about 4600 lbs loaded.

I'm thinking that birf was already on its way out and I just gave her the final push. Or maybe 80 front ends aren't strong enough for me... (kidding, kind of).

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Metal af. I would have just pulled it apart. Check to make sure you didn't screw anything up from having the broken crap spinning around in there for hours. Probably fine, though.

The front end was due for a rebuild before this. Any spinning of the broken pieces was at <5mph and I was being careful about turning too far in one direction so I have my fingers crossed that nothing serious is messed up.

I'm curious to see how it failed. There was no noise indicating something had broken and I was barely using the throttle. The rest of the time on the obstacle I was going straight. could have just been its time. Just got down off the rock, tried to turn to full lock and felt the front end bind up a little bit. Every now and then you could here a clunk out of the left front knuckle.

I wheel with about a dozen trucks that have 35-37s and stock birfs, including mine, the only ones that have broken are from doing things they shouldn't have been doing, or because they were very worn out (deep grooves). You'll be fine with stock.

The ones I'm curious about trying (when it comes to that time) are the stock replacements from nitro. I bet they work fine, but given what I do, I'm a little apprehensive about being stuck in the middle of nowhere when it could have been avoided.

Also, go to 37s...or maybe even 40s. Don't think; do.

No brains, no headache.

EDIT: Stop being liberal with the gas. This isn't a Chevy.

A stock shaft would be ideal since this thing is a budget beater. But I figure If I put money into building the front axle I can always swap it into another 80 when the White Trash has it's card pulled.

The thing about 37s or 40s is I really don't need or want them. $400 for a tire? No thanks. In my mind they will probably make my east coast wheeling experience less enjoyable. Where is the fun in rolling over every obstacle I encounter. I just did 90% of the hardest public trail within 5 hours in 2wd.... 35s I could probably justify because I like the 80 series gearing with 35s on the highway. But for offroad around here? Meh. If I lived out west it would be a different story.

And being liberal with the gas is fun. Just to be clear, I go very slow and will use my lockers to avoid excessive speed, but I don't mind bouncing it off the rev limiter while sawing the wheel back and forth to heat up the tires either.

 

[BlueCruiser84]

If the second sentence was true, then the first sentence should be be false.

Like I said above. There might be 10 obstacles within 5 hours where 285s won't cut it and a little throttle is required. For the other 95% of the wheeling I do I'll happily save my tire money for maintenance and gas. I don't like fiddling around with my cruisers. I fix them, do maintenance, leave the mechanicals as stock as possible and drive them.

I know 35s are a great (maybe perfect?) size tire for an 80 because I have a set on another cruiser but these 285s have about 90% tread on them. They're going to last a while...

 

[BlueCruiser84]

Shafts would be nice, but I would bet you would get along just fine with new stockers. Sounds like yours were having issues to begin with. See if you can find a cheap set from a part out or someone that has gone chromoly.

Cheap is the operative word! She's packed away in the shop for winter so I've got some time to track one down.

I'll post up some pics of the failure once I get it apart.