Lifting a Bobbed Deuce

[Bobbed4x4]

Wow!

 

[rwbrown72]

Dude.... What the heck kinda lifted van is that in the background!!!

 

[rwbrown72]

P.S. THE TRUCK LOOKS GREAT!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Dude.... What the heck kinda lifted van is that in the background!!!

It's a short wheel base, Ford E-150 conversion van.

 

[rwbrown72]

I know that van isn't military, but I would like to see a picture. It looks fun. Wait... It could be undercover special forces for the downtown area of Bagdad. No one would notice an old ford van, would they?

 

[GreenDoc]

The truck & the lift look great. Your lift design looks plenty Husky, yet still "elegant."
Excellent work. I don't have a Deuce yet & have been Lurking & looking for the best way to build it when I do get one. If I built it today, I'd be mimicking your set-up.

......PS. I too noticed your Urban Assault Vehicle in the back ground of the last pic there! ...Pretty Cool!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I know that van isn't military, but I would like to see a picture.

It does have 2 1/2ton military axles under it, and an air-shift transfercase, so it should be ok to post.

 

[akonitony]

Only two problems I see here:
1) Your non-military vehicles are Fords, when they really should be Chevys ~
2) I moved from MI too soon - now how can I get you to weld up some of those brackets for my deuces? I don't think they can be made any better.

 

[rwbrown72]

You are the "Willie Wonka" of MV's. I guess that makes me one of the "Umpa Lumpa"! As Papa Bear would say..... Poop!

 

[rwbrown72]

You are the "Willie Wonka" of MV's. I guess that makes me one of the "Umpa Lumpa"! As Papa Bear would say..... Poop!

 

[Unforgiven]

Holy Cow! That truck has WAYYYY more ground clearance than any I've seen in other photos. What is the speed rating of those giant tires?

 

[vinny-socom1]

I don't think your spare is going to work now..

Vinny

 

[Unforgiven]

On the contrary,

I can't think of any better excuse for a tag axle than to preserve such perfection.

That guy is awesome. When I saw it without the tires I thougt is was butt ugly. Now that I see the finished product I bow in reverence. Wait 'til you see the 6x6 version (or 8x8 if you count tag axles).

That guy did good work. The only thing I would add would be a back-side reinforcement to the spring hangers to prevent warping. His setup looks very stable. There are some really smart people in the world. Kind of makes up for all the other retards.

 

[akonitony]

Would you, could you, please, pretty please, show us a closeup of your steering mechanism. My eyes just can't seem to focus enough to see it well in the last photo. Those tires are the perfect size for that rig. I hope you don't mind if some of us play copy-cat, after all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Would you, could you, please, pretty please, show us a closeup of your steering mechanism.


I hope you don't mind if some of us play copy-cat, after all, imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Ask, and you shall receive.....
For the steering arm. I made a 5" rise arm, over stock. It's made out of 1" thick A-36 steel. Then the drag link, I use 1/4" thick wall tube, with a 1/4" flat gusset on each side at the welded angle joint. The drag link has a 2 1/2" drop, over stock. I was suprised at how the stock drag link tube was so thin, I don't even think it was made out of 1/8" thick material, right from the factory.

I put about a hundered miles on the truck, so far with the lift on it. And it drive nice and straight, and handles quite well for a truck this size, with the tires that are on it. Sitting still, the tires do not like to turn, but moving just one or two MPH, and it turns easy enough. I still will end up running power steering on it eventually, be it, full hydro, or a power steering box. I do have everything to go full hydro, except a pump and brackets that bolt onto the Multi fuel. The steering setup that's currently on it, will work for now, untill I get to that part of the project.

As for Copy-catting, no problem. As I'm not the first guy to chop-up and modify anything.

 

[FireFighterHill]

RR, get a 5ton power steering pump it will bolt onto the engine and should be had pretty cheap. I bet you could even trade for one.

 

[Unforgiven]

I finished the rear hub-flip last night and got the 53"s mounted today.

Took it out for a test drive this afternoon, and it drove pretty nice.

What backspacing do you have on those rims? Any issues with rubbing on turns?

 

[Ridgerunner]

What backspacing do you have on those rims? Any issues with rubbing on turns?

I have no rubbing issues. The rims are 10" wide, and a two piece, bolt-together in the center design. One half of the wheel is 4" and the other is 6". I can run them ether way, with what ever of the two backspaces I choose, 4 or 6". As I currently have it right now (in the photos) I'm using the 4" backspace. Also, there is no rubbing issues with using the 6" backspace, I just went with the 4" to give it a little wider stance.

I bought the tires and rims together as a set, from a guy that had them on a rock crawler buggy. (He found out the hard way, that the side walls on the 53" XZL's don't flex none when put on an 1,800# buggy) If I would have bought the rims myself new, I would have went with a 20x12" wide wheel, with a 6" back space on both sides.

 

[DJones]

Excellent job can't wait to see the final product.

 

[Unforgiven]

If I would have bought the rims myself new, I would have went with a 20x12" wide wheel, with a 6" back space on both sides.

Thanks for the info. That makes a lot of sense. Zero offset keeps steering & bearings happy.