Mud Truck Thread!

  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #26
Nice!

Speaking of crazzzy talk, Rockwells are looking quasi affordable. I can get a matched set for the same as a Dana 60 front end in a similar condition.


The downside is I wouldn't be able to run a smaller tire (42" tire would have me doing 49mph @ 2krpm) and I wouldn't be able to sit as low due to the higher top loading axle. The benefit is my drive line angles would be mint, ubber strong, cheaper tires, and with a mohawked center section a similar ground clearance to the 10bolt/Dana 44.

I could run a big block or small block, and be fairly bomber with the option to go crazy strength wise in the aftermarket.

To give you a idea on the price, I could have a set of 2.5T Rocks($1100) with lockers ($485 an axle, like a Detroit), 8 lug hubs ($475 a corner, normal chevy pattern, will fit in a 16" wheel), front wheel mounted disc brakes ($650 a corner), and a rear pinion brake($465) for $5270. I could do the 8 lug conversion and have a pinion brake on both axles while waiting for the $2600 for the 4 wheel disc brakes to arrive.

To compare a single front Dana 60 ($1100) plus a locker ($900 selectable), CTM joints ($500), chromoly shafts ($600) would be $3100 for the front axle alone, and another $900 for the rear locker.

A set of Goodyear or Michelin tires 46-52" for the Rocks will run $650-900 compared to $2k for the 42" tires.

I'm going to do some measuring tomorrow to see how low I could have the truck with Rockwells. The 46" tire is only 4" taller than the tire I was wanting to run.

The idea is spend the money once, cry once, love the hell outta it for a loooong time. Presently I'm planning :)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #30
Heck if you get down here I'll putcha in the drivers seat after I give you a walk through of the do's and don'ts :).

Do
1: Strap in with at least the lap belts.

Don't
1: Eat my imported car, others are fair game :)
 
An old story about a 454 Chevy ,since it was mentioned .

My buddy who is or was somewhat of a speed demon was somewhat annoyed with his Chevy 1/2 ton with a 305 pulling a big boat .Evidently he thought it should scoot like his Corvette pulling a 28 foot boat .

Now the danged truck was only about 6 months old at the time .Off to the wrecking yard he trots and found a 454 Truck engine .Sends the thing to the automotive speed shop .About 2 thousand dollars later here comes a hopped up ,fire breathing overbore 454 with a giant Holley carb ..Must have put out 400 or more horsepower .

After fiddling with it for several weeks getting air conditioner and alternator brackets ,it's ready to go . Down a country road he goes,lays the gas to it and promptly twists an axle in two . Too many ponys for the drive train .
 
I saw a similar thing Al. Back in the 70's friend of mine had just bought a used chevy 4WD and was putting it through it's paces in the mud. He was on this slick mud and was revving the hell out of it spinning all the wheels and just creeping along. He comes to the road and the spinning front axle was OK for a while until it spun all the mud off of the tires and grabbed, then BAM!, twisted the front axle. Idiot owned the thing all of a few hours and now a major repair. He was surprised to learn that the front axle can't handle all of the power of the motor. The confused look on his face as one of our other buddies is explaining to him the dynamics of momentum and physics was priceless. Good luck with your project Carl. It sounds really fun, both the construction and the use of it.
 
Seriously when you get to hopping up engines in something like this you have to get concerned the drive line will handle it .

There was a popular conversion for the little CJ2A Jeeps using a Chevy 283 .You in effect increased the HP by a factor of three going from 65 to around 190 .Oh my they would fly but they also broke axles and smoked clutch too if you weren't carefull .
 
I wondeed how bad it was. Now I have a better understanding.
With the Dana 60 and a mild 454, up to around 600hp, he would be fine. The 14 bolt wont care what you throw at it.

With the Rockwells I think around 2500hp is max. This is what they use on the monster show trucks. They are NICE, and STRONG!!
I like:
STRONG!
Center brake disc, less rotating mass, better stopping.
Full floaters, and if you break an axle, well, you were an idiot!
What I don't like:
HEAVY, HEAVY,HEAVY!!
Gear changes cost about as much as a new set of axles
Unuiqe, read expensive, u-joints.
New drive shts fo these are NOT CHEAP!!
Did I mention they are heavy?
 
lumberjack said:
Nice!

Speaking of crazzzy talk, Rockwells are looking quasi affordable. I can get a matched set for the same as a Dana 60 front end in a similar condition.


The downside is I wouldn't be able to run a smaller tire (42" tire would have me doing 49mph @ 2krpm) and I wouldn't be able to sit as low due to the higher top loading axle. The benefit is my drive line angles would be mint, ubber strong, cheaper tires, and with a mohawked center section a similar ground clearance to the 10bolt/Dana 44.

I could run a big block or small block, and be fairly bomber with the option to go crazy strength wise in the aftermarket.

To give you a idea on the price, I could have a set of 2.5T Rocks($1100) with lockers ($485 an axle, like a Detroit), 8 lug hubs ($475 a corner, normal chevy pattern, will fit in a 16" wheel), front wheel mounted disc brakes ($650 a corner), and a rear pinion brake($465) for $5270. I could do the 8 lug conversion and have a pinion brake on both axles while waiting for the $2600 for the 4 wheel disc brakes to arrive.

To compare a single front Dana 60 ($1100) plus a locker ($900 selectable), CTM joints ($500), chromoly shafts ($600) would be $3100 for the front axle alone, and another $900 for the rear locker.

A set of Goodyear or Michelin tires 46-52" for the Rocks will run $650-900 compared to $2k for the 42" tires.

I'm going to do some measuring tomorrow to see how low I could have the truck with Rockwells. The 46" tire is only 4" taller than the tire I was wanting to run.

The idea is spend the money once, cry once, love the hell outta it for a loooong time. Presently I'm planning :)
Click to expand...

Carl, first off, low + Rock's = Fender Surgery. As for aftermarket parts, Ouverson Engineering is a popular choice. http://www.ouversonengineering.com/ .
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #38
I've got some other projects to finish, one of which is replacing the broken yoke on Andy's much inflated 14bolt axle that resides in the back of my 3/4 ton.

I plan to have it in the shop by next weekend. From there the first order of business is disassemble and remove the old suspension, axles, transmission/T case, and engine. The guy with the transmission/transfer case setup pictured above has fallen out of contact, the last message I received was Tuesday night. I responded saying I definitely wanted it and asked what he wanted for the setup and extra 203 case, and he's never responded.

I'm going to try to call him one more time (got creative, I think I have his home number), yesterday afternoon I tried it and whoever answered said he was asleep. Anywho, if he falls through, I'm planning on getting the axles next weekend, which will actually be better for me as I will be able to figure out the suspension and it's cross members.

On the axles, I'll have to go through them and make sure all is well, undoubtably replace the boots and install boot guards, then mowhawk the center section, blast and paint; I'll install the lockers later.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #39
Update, just talked to Scott, the bell housing, overdrive, transmission, sync'ed 205, and the extra 203 is mine for $2k.

It's a bit more than I thought it would be, he had the buy it now as $1600 for everything but the 203, which is worth about $200. But, it would still cost me about $3.5k to have what he has (new OD, fresh rebuilt trans and transfer, plus the syncro'ed transfer case is rare and will allow me to shift on the fly).

I'll pick it up after the shin dig in St Louis, on the 31st, gotta be in DC on the 1st by noon.
 
That OD will come in handy on the street with the big tires and tall gears. Is the OD a strong enough unit? It won't be the "Lynch Pin" of the setup will it Carlito?

Gary
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #41
Ha, it's rated for 440ftlbs continuous input and a 25k gvw. It should be spec'ed just about perfectly for a 454.

I'm going to call the company that made it and see if the 1:1 is stronger than running it through the planetary set. The OD will also be handy for splitting gears to get better wheel speed for the mud.
 
Ok, I'm gonna ask a stoopid question...after all this, what's it gonna be good for? I mean, what's this truck do?
 
It really is fun. You can go to mud runs and meet others that have the same affliction, and win money.

Then a couple of years latter you figure out how much you have spent, and the fun seems to wear off:lol:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #46
I have a good idea of what I'll spend over the next few years on it.

It'll be a (mainly) street legal fun truck that can still tow as much or more than a 1 ton, and haul small loads in the bed.

With the help of a guy on another forum, I found a way to get the same/similar brakes for about $3500 less than I was planning.
 
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