live4outdoors
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2007
- Location
- Washington,N.C.
truck
Looks good Ryan !!! Tighten up Dec is just about here
Looks good Ryan !!! Tighten up Dec is just about here
Overkill Taco Buildup
- Thread starter olliemanhd
- Start date
gogogadgetbiker
New Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2006
- Location
- Greenville NC
Anybody want to jump in and help Ryan out we are building it in Greenville NC in my shop. Trust me when I say he could use a few extra hands.
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
I plan on stopping by a couple times to help out when I'm stalled waiting on parts for the buggy
gogogadgetbiker
New Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2006
- Location
- Greenville NC
Speaking of that Rob.... How about some pics.
olliemanhd
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Location
- Greenville
Ok, so this weekend wasn't as productive as I had hoped but the weather was pretty crappy.
So we finished up the other "wheel well" and tacked in a spreader in the rear. Gotta start working on the mount for the rear winch, anyone have any "trick" ideas?
Now that the rear is almost finished up, it was time to move on to the front. To make room for shock hoops and tires we did away with the inner fenders. The fender portion is all that remains. It is actually still quite solid even though there isn't much material left.
Looking at some of the other taco builds on here I've noticed that when doing tube work in the front, there is alot of empty space between the frame and the grill that is hard to cover up and not look funny so we came up with a solution that will hopefully fix that problem.
We drilled out the spot welds that hold the lower section of the radiator support in and removed it. With the grill in place, we clamped the lower section in as tight to the grill as possible.
Once we decide on it's final location we will re-weld the lower section in. To gain some more clearance in the front, and keep the front tube work compact and clean, we cut the frame just in front of the stock motor mounts.
The frame rails will get plated just like the rear, and the tube work will roll up and in to narrow the front end. This will also make it very easy to incorporate the front winch mount.
The only other update is just some tedious detail work that I hope will make this rig really stand out. I got my upper link brackets from Scott at MudPro I had him make them 9" tall rather than his standard 7.5" to gain some more axle separation . These things are pure beef. Although the brackets themselves are very nice, I thought i would add my own style and change them up.
You can still see the iron cross perfectly.
So we finished up the other "wheel well" and tacked in a spreader in the rear. Gotta start working on the mount for the rear winch, anyone have any "trick" ideas?
Now that the rear is almost finished up, it was time to move on to the front. To make room for shock hoops and tires we did away with the inner fenders. The fender portion is all that remains. It is actually still quite solid even though there isn't much material left.
Looking at some of the other taco builds on here I've noticed that when doing tube work in the front, there is alot of empty space between the frame and the grill that is hard to cover up and not look funny so we came up with a solution that will hopefully fix that problem.
We drilled out the spot welds that hold the lower section of the radiator support in and removed it. With the grill in place, we clamped the lower section in as tight to the grill as possible.
Once we decide on it's final location we will re-weld the lower section in. To gain some more clearance in the front, and keep the front tube work compact and clean, we cut the frame just in front of the stock motor mounts.
The frame rails will get plated just like the rear, and the tube work will roll up and in to narrow the front end. This will also make it very easy to incorporate the front winch mount.
The only other update is just some tedious detail work that I hope will make this rig really stand out. I got my upper link brackets from Scott at MudPro I had him make them 9" tall rather than his standard 7.5" to gain some more axle separation . These things are pure beef. Although the brackets themselves are very nice, I thought i would add my own style and change them up.
You can still see the iron cross perfectly.
The Punisher
Member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2009
- Location
- Loris, South Carolina
Sweet lookin build, awesome work!
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
camera isn't working at the moment. maybe I'll get the flash fixed and get some posted up.
MarsFab
Will work for money
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2007
- Location
- Harrisburg, NC
Looks sweet man! Are you going over the cab to the front or throught the back of the cab to keep the rear from hinging on the rocker and end of the framerail?
olliemanhd
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Location
- Greenville
The plan is for and internal cage for the cab. Exo's just look big and bulky to me. Still undecided on how we will tie the two together. I'm shooting to keep the cab removable so once this one is beat to hell i can swap in a new cab.
MarsFab
Will work for money
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2007
- Location
- Harrisburg, NC
Well it looks top notch. I really like the lines in the rear. I think doing the internal cage will definitely be the cleanest. Can't wait to see this one finished. Good work.
olliemanhd
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Location
- Greenville
Thanks, I really appreciate it, you do some killer work yourself.
gogogadgetbiker
New Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2006
- Location
- Greenville NC
How about some pics since I can't seem to get home.
toyota231
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 22, 2005
- Location
- Kernersville NC
Let's see some more pics on this awesome build. I would like to do the same setup myself.
gogogadgetbiker
New Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2006
- Location
- Greenville NC
He's out there right now, maybe he'll snap some today.
olliemanhd
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Location
- Greenville
Sorry for the delay on the pics. We took a trip to Mountain City TN for some wheeling at the end of last year, had some snow at home and have been super busy with school, but progress has been steady. Bill and Greg came out earlier this week and we made some serious progress. Bill welded for about 8 hours straight. I'm still waiting on some parts from RuffStuff to finish up the interior cage and mount the rear shocks. I hope to have it rolling soon. Well anyways, on with the pics.
Greg added some tube to the "wheel well" and I think it looks alot better.
Courtney came down and helped bend up some frame rails in the front, we tried to keep it pretty tight to the motor.
The motor in the picture is just for mockup. Its a 5.3, I've got my heart set on a 6.0, just gotta find the right deal. You can't really see it in the picture, but there is a TH350 behind the motor, it all fits surprisingly well.
With the frame rails in place, I bent up a winch plate and broke out the dimple dies again.
Also went ahead and made a mount for the suckdown winch in the rear. There are still a few more details to add but you get the idea.
We've been waiting on some rolled tube for the interior cage, but we figured we would get started anyway. I know the tubes should come to the center more, but the goal was to try and match the tube in the rear to keep as much rear visibility as possible.
Managed to talk my GF into coming out and helping out. She managed to get all the stubborn undercoating out of the cab to start prepping for bedliner.
In the last pic you can also see the A pillar and some of the floor structure and gussets for the interior. I had to notch the dash mount bar to make it fit around the A pillar, it is a tight squeeze.
Bill went to town welding up the rear axle and we got it rolled back in place. The lower shock mounts are leaned forward about 5 degrees.
Bill also got the upper frame side link mounts welded up. I think the geometry and mounts worked out well.
Bill also got the mowhawk pans from MudPro all welded up, we stuck with the overkill theme and welded them inside and out. All I've got to say is these things are BEEF.
We were real sure what to do in the front, but we went ahead and bent up a stinger. Gonna add a little tube but try and keep the front pretty simple.
I have yet to decide what to do with the upper frame side mounts in the front. The plan is to plate the tubes coming out of the frame and then build a mount from plate, we just don't want it to look bulky.
Any ideas are appreciated.
Well thats all I've got for now. Today I got the front axle all welded up and rolled back under the truck. Gonna work on some shock hoops for the front this week, I hope to see it roll soon!
Greg added some tube to the "wheel well" and I think it looks alot better.
Courtney came down and helped bend up some frame rails in the front, we tried to keep it pretty tight to the motor.
The motor in the picture is just for mockup. Its a 5.3, I've got my heart set on a 6.0, just gotta find the right deal. You can't really see it in the picture, but there is a TH350 behind the motor, it all fits surprisingly well.
With the frame rails in place, I bent up a winch plate and broke out the dimple dies again.
Also went ahead and made a mount for the suckdown winch in the rear. There are still a few more details to add but you get the idea.
We've been waiting on some rolled tube for the interior cage, but we figured we would get started anyway. I know the tubes should come to the center more, but the goal was to try and match the tube in the rear to keep as much rear visibility as possible.
Managed to talk my GF into coming out and helping out. She managed to get all the stubborn undercoating out of the cab to start prepping for bedliner.
In the last pic you can also see the A pillar and some of the floor structure and gussets for the interior. I had to notch the dash mount bar to make it fit around the A pillar, it is a tight squeeze.
Bill went to town welding up the rear axle and we got it rolled back in place. The lower shock mounts are leaned forward about 5 degrees.
Bill also got the upper frame side link mounts welded up. I think the geometry and mounts worked out well.
Bill also got the mowhawk pans from MudPro all welded up, we stuck with the overkill theme and welded them inside and out. All I've got to say is these things are BEEF.
We were real sure what to do in the front, but we went ahead and bent up a stinger. Gonna add a little tube but try and keep the front pretty simple.
I have yet to decide what to do with the upper frame side mounts in the front. The plan is to plate the tubes coming out of the frame and then build a mount from plate, we just don't want it to look bulky.
Any ideas are appreciated.
Well thats all I've got for now. Today I got the front axle all welded up and rolled back under the truck. Gonna work on some shock hoops for the front this week, I hope to see it roll soon!
bigassedredjeep
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2005
- Location
- Middlesex, NC
looks damn good Ryan!! can't wait to check this thing out.
olliemanhd
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Location
- Greenville
Thanks Biggy, I heard you were in town the other night, give me a shout sometime. You should swing by, maybe I can talk you and clint into coming down for a wrenching party!
rockcity
everyday is a chance to get better
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2005
- Location
- Greenville, NC
yep, he was in town but I wasn't
Thanks for the solenoids I guess I'll get them back to ya now I don't need them.olliemanhd
Member
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2007
- Location
- Greenville
Well another weekend gone and some more decent progress. Bill came out and welded like a maniac. He welded up all four steering arms with the gussets I picked up from mudpro. Man these things are BEEF! I don't think i'll be able to bend these things.
He also welded up the fuel cell mount, I think it turned out great.
Since I'm doing an interior cage I am trying to build it so as much as possible can be welded out of the truck. This is the rear portion of the interior cage. I know the tube in the center could have been closer together but they match the tube in the rear to maximize visibility in the rear.
I finished up today by building the rear shock mounts. I think they turned out pretty good. Once my shock bungs come in I'll be able to set the rear on its own weight. I'm hoping to work out the front next week so we can roll it out.
I have some rolled tube coming in from ruffstuff this week so I should make some big steps on finishing the interior cage too.
He also welded up the fuel cell mount, I think it turned out great.
Since I'm doing an interior cage I am trying to build it so as much as possible can be welded out of the truck. This is the rear portion of the interior cage. I know the tube in the center could have been closer together but they match the tube in the rear to maximize visibility in the rear.
I finished up today by building the rear shock mounts. I think they turned out pretty good. Once my shock bungs come in I'll be able to set the rear on its own weight. I'm hoping to work out the front next week so we can roll it out.
I have some rolled tube coming in from ruffstuff this week so I should make some big steps on finishing the interior cage too.
redneck yankee
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 15, 2008
- Location
- hampton, Va
you and your damn dimple die, looks good though man I like it