just a thought, have you considered ditching the body's roll cage and incorporating your own into the build? sure looks like you've got the skills and it'd be a shame to hide 'em under the Lexan.

Yes, I plan to cut up the body some. I intend to cut the back out where the molded rollbar is. I do plan to keep the roof and doors. I have 75% of the cage done. I still have some tubes to add, some braces, and shock mounts. I hope to get some updated pics taken tomorrow. But for now it's time for a beer then off to bed.

Here is a pic of the lower perches. Sorry but the pic is a little blurry. With some limiter straps the springs shouldn't go anywhere.
http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0016.jpg

A couple new pics after I added some tubage. I don't like the back down tubes so I stopped to regroup. I am going to cut them off. I am thinking of building a hoop to support the rear of the body. Sort of like the front. Then the down tubes will conect to it. I have been looking in the 4x4 mags to find what I am looking for. I am open to suggestions.


http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0015.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0014.jpg

How did you bend that steel BrandO?

Very Carefully..... right?

I used just a hand held brake line tubing bender. You can pick one up at most auto parts stores for around $10. I have also seen them pretty cheap on Ebay.

Whare did u get the steel and did u have to heat it up?

The round tubing is just standard 3/16 brake line. And the 1/4 square stock was picked up at the local hardware store. I didn't have to heat anything up to bend it. The square would have been easier if heated but I was able to do it cold.

looking good and can't wait to see it when u are done. keep up the good work

So you bent the square steel with the brake line hand benders? Was it hard? and also it is steel, right?

I bent the square stock in my bench vise with a hammer. A hammer and a little muscle is all you need. I have worked on stock cars for years. Forming and reforming metal with a hammer is an esential skill.

amen brotha! preach on! thats how i work on my stuff too.

Lol, Sam Adams is my crew chief.:lol:

I cut off the rear down tubes and rebuilt the back of the chassis. I like the way it came out the second time around. I also added some other tubes and braces. I have a couple more but am otherwise done with the chassis. I have to extend the front of the chassis and build bumpers. I also need to figure out where to put my batteries.

I built shock mounts and mounted my shocks. I made a mistake and figured my shock mounts before I lowered the truck to ride height. Dumb rookie mistake. So at ride height my shocks don't have enough travel. Instead of cutting off the mounts I plan to get some shorter shocks. I am thinking a front buggy shock from a B4 or XXX will work. Of course I took a few more pics to mark my progress.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0020.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0019.jpg

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c2...7/EPSN0018.jpg

The only problem I see is the double servo saver plastic, with two of those like that, when you are on the rocks, you may twist the nuts right out of the plastic with the articulation and pull from the front tires on the rocks. You may want to lower the servo and put a metal servo horn on it.

I do plan to get an aluminum servo arm. The cheezed together servo saver was for mock up purposes. I can't move the servo lower because it will hit. If I where to do it over I think I would stand the servo up and move it forward. That way I could get it lower and it wouldn't hit the axle. I have not decided if I want to start cutting things up. Since it is my first scratch built rig I am learning as I go.

Why are you even mounting it on the chassis? Make a new upper link mount and mount the servo right on top of the axle where everyone else does.

For the simple reason that you used, "everyone else does". I like to be a little different. Plus I was going for more of a scale look. I don't like the looks of a big old servo hanging off the axle.

BINGO, THAT IS WHAT I WAS GETTING AT.