Offroading Deuce

[Jakob]

This is my first time starting a thread in a long time. I take my truck off-road at least half of the time I take it out. It isn't on just cruising trails either; mud holes, hill climbs and etc. Well, normally the worst I get is a bent mirror or dent in the bottom of the fuel tank.

I went up "Bounty Hill" on a private farm. It took three tries; first time I just didn't make it. The second time a tree got into my way and the last time I made it around that tree on the left but slid to the right and ran a tree along the passenger side starting at about the middle of the door.

The result was a demolished battery box and step, mirror ripped off and the fuel tank smashed in. Everything still worked, but that side is smashed. I also blew two tires (both insides on the rears) and the dog bone bushings are trashed, three of which the dog bones separated from.

Pictures are coming, waiting on the picture takers to send them to me. The sides of the truck are getting cleaned off; fuel tank going into the bed and batteries going under the passenger seat. Once those are moved, I'm making rock sliders for the sides to protect the parts that hang below the frame.

I have tried to find threads that I know have been posted, but my search-foo isn't turning up the threads that I remember. Like a thread about relocating the batteries to the cab and moving the fuel tank to the bed. I can find the pictures, but I seem to recall threads about the process of doing it as well.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Ouch. Wildchild had a similar but worse experience with a rocky slope along the highway. Try searching on google. Sometimes it finds the threads better than the site's search box.

 

[mcmullag]

at the other end of the bell curve

I may someday offroad mine. Last week I armor all-ed my tires for a labor day parade.

 

[gungearz]

Man that sucks... Can't wait to see it done up with those sliders. I smashed my passenger side step once before and that was enough for me. Glad I didn't loose my tank. Maybe if you post a thread on your on your slider build... Ill be the first to follow you on it.

 

[Flyingvan911]

I scraped something in one of our trips to Oklahoma. I don't know what but this pic shows the minor damage. Everything is fixed except the dent in the tank. The straps were loosened and slid back into place. The fender and step were straightened with 2x4's and a spike maul.

 

[eagle4g63]

I have my batteries under my passenger seat. They are in an arctic kit battery box. If you look under your passenger seat you will see knock outs in the floor, the battery cables go through those (with rubber grommets) and into the bottom of the box(you can also make one, just make sure it is sealed and vented to outside) anyway you might have to make a longer ground wire, my kit came with one. Other than that it is an easy process.

 

[Jakob]

I have my batteries under my passenger seat. They are in an arctic kit battery box. If you look under your passenger seat you will see knock outs in the floor, the battery cables go through those (with rubber grommets) and into the bottom of the box(you can also make one, just make sure it is sealed and vented to outside) anyway you might have to make a longer ground wire, my kit came with one. Other than that it is an easy process.

That's good to know, I'll probably try and get that done tomorrow then. I'll have to make a battery box though.

 

[Jakob]

Battery box and fuel tank damage from Bounty Hill. It pushed the fuel tank back in the straps about 3" along with the battery box as well. I don't have a picture of the now missing mirror (not much to see there) or the dog bones, but those are coming tomorrow.

Got the tool box, spare tire and mount and the pioneer kit rack removed this evening. Some of those bolts were a pain! Rock sliders will be going into place once everything is removed and the batteries and fuel tank are operational.

The entrance to the creek bottom we wheel in most of the time. It makes a big circle from there back to the camp area.

One of the earlier trips, I needed to "clear" this tree from the creek bank.

 

[KsM715]

Battery box and fuel tank damage from Bounty Hill. It pushed the fuel tank back in the straps about 3" along with the battery box as well. I don't have a picture of the now missing mirror (not much to see there) or the dog bones, but those are coming tomorrow.

Got the tool box, spare tire and mount and the pioneer kit rack removed this evening. Some of those bolts were a pain! Rock sliders will be going into place once everything is removed and the batteries and fuel tank are operational.

The entrance to the creek bottom we wheel in most of the time. It makes a big circle from there back to the camp area.

One of the earlier trips, I needed to "clear" this tree from the creek bank.

Fixed

Next time please save the photos to your computer then post them to the site. That way when that photo bucket account gets closed or abandoned this thread is not worthless.

 

[Broke Down]

It will buff with some compound . I hate to see that, it's just enough to scare you but still enough to hurt your feelings. Glad you didn't get hurt.

 

[Jakob]

I have them saved to my computer as well, I use photobucket as a "backup". Since I lost a hard drive a few years ago and it took everything with it, I don't want that to happen again.

Surprisingly, I didn't even notice that damage happen. I saw the mirror come down, but had no idea how bad it was until I got to the top of the hill.

I'll keep updating this thread as work gets done. I'll get some pictures of the dog bones today after work.

 

[walkerhunter]

Check out my "ga boy built a bobber"! I relocated my boxes under bed and built hefty slider steps!

 

[Jakob]

Here are the pictures of the dog bones, the worst ones are both on the bottom of the rear axle. Both center pairs look like the picture. The front axle lower mounts look worn, but not nearly as bad.

The other two pictures are the process of dropping everything off of the sides. I have about 40 gallons of fuel in the tank that I have to transfer to something before I can drop it off the frame.

 

[wb1895]

Here are the pictures of the dog bones, the worst ones are both on the bottom of the rear axle. Both center pairs look like the picture. The front axle lower mounts look worn, but not nearly as bad.

The other two pictures are the process of dropping everything off of the sides. I have about 40 gallons of fuel in the tank that I have to transfer to something before I can drop it off the frame.

You can transfer your fuel to my fuel tank!!

 

[sickmoparfreak]

Man after my own heart. I run the broad river here in SC several times a summer. Its a low river with NASTY rock shelves. Have ripped everything that is in the low middle. This is when I fell in love with my m35.......when I figured out how hard to kill it really was. Now I've bobbed, lifted and went to 16x20's. I have no idea how it will do.......but I fear that I'll miss my walking beams out back.

 

[Jakob]

Man after my own heart. I run the broad river here in SC several times a summer. Its a low river with NASTY rock shelves. Have ripped everything that is in the low middle. This is when I fell in love with my m35.......when I figured out how hard to kill it really was. Now I've bobbed, lifted and went to 16x20's. I have no idea how it will do.......but I fear that I'll miss my walking beams out back.

The beams are an offroading MARVEL! I've flexed mine WAY out several times. Even with an empty bed, I have never had a rear tire come off of the ground. Now I do have a small problem with keeping traction in the rear when it's empty.

 

[sandcobra164]

There's a guy who comes to the GA Rally who has re located the fuel tank and batteries to the bed. He removed the battery box, tool box and steps. He's still got both rear axles and runs 11.00 R 20 Firestone T831's, still dualed, and that thing will got through some tough spots. It's an awesome truck. Not sure of his name but I'm sure someone will recognize the truck.

 

[F18hornetM]

Wow, you guys are tough, mine once got scratched by a bug..I made short work of repairing that damage.

Just making fun of you guys, I just cant put mine through that. I would if I needed to, but the need has never came around. I find it interesting all the ways people use theirs and cool you guys use them for what you do.

 

[212sparky]

Wow, you guys are tough, mine once got scratched by a bug..I made short work of repairing that damage.

Just making fun of you guys, I just cant put mine through that. I would if I needed to, but the need has never came around. I find it interesting all the ways people use theirs and cool you guys use them for what you do.

Just watch the you tube videos. It is truly amazing what our trucks will do.

 

[Jakob]

I don't plan on doing anything to the truck that I couldn't change back if I wanted to. All of my mods plan on being bolt on, of course, some part would need to be acquired or moved.
I don't intend on change the truck TOO much, lol. Duals are staying and NDT's too for a while. Unless it's sloppy wet/muddy, they don't do too bad. I think I'm going to groove them though, more on that later.