Future rig planning thread

[TJDukit]

So as many of you know I am in Korea for the next two years and I'm hoping to go to Europe for another four to five years after. Since I can't build a rig I figure I need to start planning one.

I know I want to just build a dedicated wheeling rig from the start.

I have a few ideas in my head of either starting with a YJ and going the juggy route or going with a pre-fabricated chassis or building my own from scratch.

Drive train plans are 5.3l, auto trans (TH400, TH350 modern 4L60E or 4L80E), T-case will likely be an Atlas or maybe a stak or D300 I dont want to run a doubler. Axles will be the normal D60, 14bt combo.

Planning on 40's or maybe 42's

Coilovers and links will be a must. I don't want to run leaf suspension at all.

I don't want to buy a built rig because I've always wanted to build my own and I've got years to save to do it the way I want.

This is mostly just me putting my ideas sonewhere other than a scrap of paper so I know where I started.

Feel free to add your input. I've got nothing but time and I'm stuck web wheeling for quite some time.

This might seem ambitious from a guy who has only done the DD weekend wheeler thing but had I kept my JK it would have ended up on tons and 40's sooner enough.

 

[LT.]

I really like the rolled tube look. Machines built by Wide Open Design always get me thinking about building a full on buggy. They kind of have a look to them like they are hauling some a$$.

LT.

 

[TJDukit]

I really like the rolled tube look. Machines built by Wide Open Design always get me thinking about building a full on buggy. They kind of have a look to them like they are hauling some a$$.

LT.

I do like a good mix with some rolled tube for some slick body lines.

 

[TJDukit]

Pretty competetive pricing on the WOD chassis as well.

 

[Bart]

I like your plans but stay away from the Stak and I'd do an Atlas and not deal with the D300.

 

[TJDukit]

I like your plans but stay away from the Stak and I'd do an Atlas and not deal with the D300.

An Atlas is probably what I'll go with in the end.

 

[idahoyj]

An Atlas is probably what I'll go with in the end.

Hero case would be good option to consider too. I don't think you can buy a new Stak case, and since we are just dreaming for now, go big/new/bling!

 

[TJDukit]

I haven't looked into the hero case at all. Heard the name that's about it. I'll have a look when I'm not supposed to be asleep.

 

[Evolved]

Your wish list above is very similar to what I am currently gathering parts for. However, the budget didn't agree with an Atlas right now. Maybe in the future I will swap one in.

I will talk a little about what I am doing and not doing simply for conversations sake. Really... everyone likes/dislikes will always be different and more importantly, budgets will always play a major role.

Mine will be more of a family wheeler, a 4 seat chassis loosely based on a Jason Pauly Twisted Customs 4 seat chassis with a 5.3/TH350/D300. Dana 60 up front with a selectable Eaton E Locker and a spooled 14 bolt in the rear. Every dedicated wheeler I have ever owned had a selectable front and spooled or welded rear. I am only going this route because of what I am used to and comfortable with (selectable in front vs rear can be argued all day long). For tires I have some brand new sticky 40 MTR's and OMF beadlocks.

I went with a poly bushing on the frame side of my links and a heim at the axle. I read a ton about what joints to run and read multiple times that this set up would more quiet and a smoother ride vs. heims at all ends. I decided to run air shocks over coil overs this time. I liked the coil overs that were on the GOAT but I don't plan on racing or going fast so the 2.5 air shocks (14's and 16's) should be a good smooth ride for what I am doing. I also opted out of the nitro bumps and went with just a poly bump for now. I hated the clinking of the bumps hitting the pads... It drove me absolutely nuts!

That is currently what I am gathering parts, I have pretty much all of the major parts already (motor, built trans, tcase, axles, wheels, tires, shocks, seats, fuel cell, steering parts and all of my suspension parts). My buddy ordered all of the tube for the chassis and should be starting on that this week.

It is fun planning it out and decided what to splurge on and what to be conservative with the budget on. A thread like this will be good to get others opinions on parts and stuff. I did a ton of research and asking around before buying parts...

Watching the bank account empty out just flat out sucks though!

 

[mbryson]

I'd vote Atlas for the tcase as well. I have a fair amount in my D300 and feel I'd be better off with an Atlas. If I were to ever build a buggy, I'd want to be able to fit OEMish body panels on it so it could be licensed/street driven at times. Keep the cowl and firewall and go creative pretty much anywhere else. Tough to argue with your drivetrain.

 

[Greg]

Run a 6.0 from a truck rather than a 5.3.... The 5.3 doesn't make much torque and is more of a high RPM engine.

 

[jinxspot]

by time your ready to commission this you could build a vintage 4dr JK on CRD 60's with a mopar 360 and Atlas...

• Don't use an D300, they have a lot of limitations and you don't want to have to re-engineer around it!!!
• The hero 3spd is totally rad and worth it, but too expensive for my taste ~5K
• I think a Juggy/Truggy would be more likely to be retrofitted vs the full build of a custom chassis if the build cost will total less that lets say... 25K
• Stickies, stickies, stickies... oh yeah, def run stickies! My choice in order (40 MTRK, 42 BFG 20, 43 SX, 40 Trep, 42 Irok Comp).
• 2.5" Coilovers 16" travel front and rear would be my recommendation and never look back for robust usability. (approx. 6-9" up-travel)
• Heated suspension seats is a must, the little things def count! So do cable shifters on the t-case and a well placed trans shifter.
• Don't do air bumps quite yet unless your budget allows for them, they are over rated for my style wheeling and I've hated all the noise of them hitting. Poly bumps work great!
• I really like the new electronic shift trans and would go with a motor that supports a 4L80E. Especially if your gonna do any type of offroad driving with a street legal ATV.
• Super expensive Beadlocks are overrated in my book too... normal wheels or nice steelies with a simple rings in a stylish color do fine and the budget aluminum ones for like $225 a piece do just fine as well.

 

[N-Smooth]

Planning a rig that's like 6 years out? We'll probably be wheeling hovercrafts by then

 

[TJDukit]

Run a 6.0 from a truck rather than a 5.3.... The 5.3 doesn't make much torque and is more of a high RPM engine.

Not a bad thought. I know the 5.3 loves to rev which would make it fun but the better low end grunt of the 6.0 would probably be better suited to my style of driving.

 

[Greg]

Not a bad thought. I know the 5.3 loves to rev which would make it fun but the better low end grunt of the 6.0 would probably be better suited to my style of driving.

I was disappointed with the lack of bottom end from the 5.3 in my TJ... even with an Atlas running 4.3 gears, it had a delay in getting the power to the ground when I got on it. 6.0's don't suffer from that problem and with a few mods you can get good amounts of power.

 

[TJDukit]

Thanks for the input Ryan. I know my wheeling style is more in line with yours so it's very helpful.

 

[TJDukit]

On the JK note though. I don't ever want to deal with those electronics again. To do a conversion on them just takes too much money and electrical know how.

I've got some experience with LS swaps into vintage vehicles and it's a way easier and cheaper swap than trying to convert the modern Mopar junk.

 

[TJDukit]

I've been spending a lot of time reading serious build threads on pirate even though I rarely go there anymore. Getting some pretty good insight so far. I have a lot of build threads to go through though.

 

[TJDukit]

Planning a rig that's like 6 years out? We'll probably be wheeling hovercrafts by then

We'll all be wheeling hovercrafts and you'll still be in a unibody rig.

 

[TJDukit]

Just some thoughts.

Ryan said it Stickies, stickies, stickies...of course I'll be going stickies, it's not like I plan on driving on the street...at least not much anyway.

I probably won't do air bumps but the thought of running some Teraflex JK speed bumps depending on the weight of the rig seems like a decent idea in my head. I loved them in my JK and I hardly ever heard them. I'm sure the weight of the rig will determine if it's even an option though since the are designed for an almost 5k lb rig.

TWF recentered hummer wheels are a good option for cheapish bead locks but limit tire size and for only a little bit more money I could get either cheap aluminum beadlocks or for even less just weld my own and not be limited on tire size.

Heated suspension seats seem like a fabulous idea since I'll be building something that I won't be putting a top on.

My wheelbase "goal" is kinda up in the air. I need to do some more reading on tire size vs wheelbase vs belly height, but something in the 110" to 120" for a 40-42" tire seems right in my head. I know years ago the "perfect" wheelbase was supposed to be 110" but that changes all the time based on what the build trends are at the time. I know I don't want to go below 110" though. After having my JK which was 116" i think, I'll never go short again.

The Hero case is pretty awesome but man that price. I could pick up a used Atlas and save a ton which is probably what I'll do.

I'm guessing when it comes down to it I'll probably end up doing to YJ juggy route. I could pick up a running streetable YJ for under 4K and sell off everything but the tub and frame to help offset the cost of a lot of this stuff. I'm actually focusing a lot of my reading on Pirate towards YJ link builds, it just seems like the more financially feasible option.

I'll never admit to my wife how much this build will eventually cost me. She has no idea right now and it's best that way. I think if I even mentioned $25K to her she would flip and that's knowing that $25K is conservative with a build like this...even if I can do the rig for 25 I'll be pushing 30 by the time I'm done purchasing the tools I need to finish my garage the way I need/want it. I know I could do a lot on borrowed friends tools and some stuff I probably will but I'll need my own 220v welder, plasma cutter, tube bender and I'm sure plenty of other stuff. And now that I put those numbers out there I'm sure my end cost will go up quite a bit.