Well this up coming winter I'm thinking about building a crawler. I've been debating my axel choices. Do I go with Rockwells, maybe some 60's, Unimog 404's ? I'm looking for your guy's imput. I've priced out alot of options and well I still can't make up my mind. I've heard that Cramer can get ahold of some axels at decent prices so Steve if you see this maybe you can get me some prices, I'd oviously rather buy these from someone around here vs colorado or utah.
I've decided to build this thing for two reasons. First of which is I want a rig for dresser and other trail events I need something to play with. The second is I'm taking Dunwoody's welding and fabrication courses starting in Sept. I want to see what I can do with my knowledge.
If you have any other suggestions I'm willing to hear them. I keep tossing ideas back and forth with suspention, axel, engine, trany, tcase options for this thing. The only thing I know for sure is I'm starting with a prebuilt chassis mostlikely or buildign myself one (don't really want to drop a few G's on a tube bender yet). Thanks guys keep my mind working this is gonna be alot of fun todo.
[ 06-29-2004, 09:27: Message edited by: Matress ]
Posted by Hauserdaddy (Member # 50) on :
I think you should buy Chad's Sammy and then you wouldn't have to do anything except drive the hell out of it. He then could take the money and make his RX-7 FAST!
Posted by Klaus (Member # 66) on :
We probably only have experience with Toyota axels. Cramer has had great luck with Dana 60's. Rockwells seem to perform very well but the trade off is they are heavy as shit. Just keep reading and maybe go to a Dresser event and see what others have built. Take notes and then do more internet research. Buying something half built and upgrading it is probably the way to go. I prefer something with a body instead of a bunch of tubes, but that's just me
Cramer took his legos and went home a year or so ago. If you would like to get his input - post over on the www.Ih8mud.com forum. He uses the name "Poser" and I am sure would love to give you help.
Posted by Matress (Member # 71) on :
quote:Originally posted by Hauserdaddy: I think you should buy Chad's Sammy and then you wouldn't have to do anything except drive the hell out of it. He then could take the money and make his RX-7 FAST!
I don't want no stinking sammy. I'm thinkin more along the lines of I haven't figured out why I obsess about something that's only cage but I do for some reason. This all started with me just wanting something for dresser and now's turned into wanting to be able to do any kind of wheeling/crawlin I could ever want to.
I just know that I want a VERY VERY capible crawler for about 8-10 grand. granted I know if I'm gonna spend more than that if I build a uroc capible buggy like the one above. I just have a really hard time not doing something the "Best" the first time. I'm a perfectionist and I like challanging myself with shit like this.
Posted by Chadwick (Member # 45) on :
Unless you want to hemorage money like a stuck pig Dana axles or toyota axles are going to be your best bet. Cramer said he is going to try and get into the axle building buisness very soon. I would talk with him if you are wanting to build something. He has all the fabrication stuff necessary to build the parts that you cannot build yourself.
Posted by Klaus (Member # 66) on :
If you have your sights set on a "tube truck" I would do what you are planning - bend the tubes yourself and through trial and error you will find what works. Axels will be your big $$ item. Just remember to use a keg for a gas tank or they won't let you into the Dresser events
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I haven't figured out why I obsess about something that's only cage but I do for some reason. This all started with me just wanting something for dresser and now's turned into wanting to be able to do any kind of wheeling/crawlin I could ever want to.