cheap taco

Got some progress pics on the bumper. The main hoop has been mapped out, just need to get it bent out of some real tube (1-3/4 x .188 DOM). the lower bar still needs some tweaking, and the stinger/winch protector is just something pulled from the scrap bin. a new one will be bent to follow the lines of the center part of the grill a little closer.

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Duane got my bumpers and sliders mostly finished before the NCTTORA ride in Harlan. Just a little work left to finish those, then it is time for some maintenance. I know I need lower ball-joints, steering rack bushings, and an alignment; I'm sure we will find more once we start digging. I also need to find a way to get a little more power out of the power steering pump.

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looking good! question where did u find the .5" spring spacers? im probley going the same route with my 06 4runner with the bilstein adjustables

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I found them on eBay. It is actually a replacement isolator that goes between the spring and the top plate, it's just a 1/2" thicker than stock.
 
I haven't really had the chance to beat on it a whole lot. The truck now has 300k on it, so about everything needs to be replaced. I recently did lower ball joints. While I had that apart I noticed the inner cv boots were cracking really bad, so I put in new axles. Next I replaced the bushings on the rack and pinion. After getting it mounted solid the slop in the inner tie rods became apparent. Now it is sitting waiting on inner tie rods. I'm sure after I get them done, the outers won't be far behind.
 
Yeah I'm going through about the same thing with mine right now before its lifted. I would definitely like to find out if you can do anything about the PS pump, I've noticed mine seems weak with any load on it and that's just with 31's
 
nothing. Between a new wife, a honeymoon cruise to pay for, and have just been more interested in shooting more than 4-wheeling, I havent done a thing to it. Still havent even replaced the tie-rod ends. I hoping (fingers crossed) I can get some maintenace done between now and mid-october so I can go to the fall crawl.
 
I don't have any good wheeling pics or build updates to add. Just the normal bent rim and busted sidewall pics from trying to follow trucks with bigger tires and one up drivers with better skills. Lol.

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I did get some 33x10.50-15 km2's to replace both the 34" ltb's and the 31" all-terrains I have been running on the street. Having a set of street tires and a set of trail tires sounds like a super great idea, but I never seemed to have the correct set on the truck.

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After a little caliper/wheel grinding to make room, I got my 33-10.50's mounted and got to test them out a little yesterday. They are as smooth and quiet on the road as an all-terrain (i'm sure that will change), and move almost as much dirt as the ltb's. I think they are about right for me and for what I expect the truck to be able to do.

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strange1 said:
No work this weekend, just wanted to say that I sent budbuilt.com an email asking a couple of questions at 6:47 on a Sunday evening, and had a reply in less than 5 minutes. Wow. As if buying local wasn't incentive enough, how about good service???
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And you know he has like 17 kids too, right? No clue how he gets it done. I have bought a lot of things from him, and its always pleausreable.
 
The story I heard is: guy buys a beater for very-very cheap, wheels it like it is stolen, breaks it, tries to drag it to civilization, thats as far as it got.
 
I got my sliders finished. We built the foundation out of 2x3x.250 wall tubing a year ago, and just recently added some extra bars to help protect the body a little more. They are made out of the same 1-3/4x.188 DOM that my front bumper is made from. I think if I ever junk the truck I could cut these off and use them as the frame rails for a buggy build. I doubt if I ever come close to bending them. The frame would rip apart first. In these pics you can see the width I lost by putting in an ifs width rear, but I'm not worried about it. It helps tuck the tire inside the wheel-well when flexed.

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We also made a T shaped bracket to mount a powertank to in the bed. With a little planning a year ago (when we started the sliders) and a little luck now, this bar in the bed is directly above the rearmost frame mount for the sliders. Not saying I want an exo or anything, but all I need to start that is bracing from the bottom up to the bar and a hoop across the top.

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And a custom decal for those of you who know your way around Wilkes county.

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Not really much, but I thought I would share.

I picked up some bucket seats out of a 90's 4-runner thinking they would bolt right in. I had been told by a few that they would, and had seen a few online that said they would not. Well, they do not. The side that bolts to the transmission tunnel will bolt up, but the side closest to the door doesn't. And the seats are different enough that just swapping the sliders doesn't seem like a feasible option. I do think that I could cut the mounting feet off the sliders and swap them from set to the other and make it work, but I'm not interested in doing that much work right now. So, I used the persuader to get one bolt hole lined up, and will be making a trip to tractor supply for bolts, nuts, and washers; and drilling new holes for the other tomorrow.

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Thank you.

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You may have said but I might have missed it, where were you in the picture if the upside down abandonded rig?
 
HGSR said:
You may have said but I might have missed it, where were you in the picture if the upside down abandonded rig?
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Without incriminating myself, all I can say it is a small trail behind a local hangout spot in Elkin, NC. Pretty much a few mud holes and some power line hills.
 
It's pay if you get caught. Lol. One night, out of necessity, we found an entrance that apparently the local popo didn't know about at the time. After a quick trip home to swap vehicles, we went back and hung out with the cops while they searched for us. I found it very entertaining.
 
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