3rd gen truggy build

it will mostly be used for rock crawling and trail riding, dont really have many deserts to race across here in missouri lol

Originally Posted by Abused_Hemi

it will mostly be used for rock crawling and trail riding, dont really have many deserts to race across here in missouri lol

Carli's Deaver leafs and Thurens will give you alot of travel for a fraction of the cost of coilovers and save you the headache of fabbing everything up...unless you were just looking foirward to getting to build everything.

This is a basic short arm kit using Thuren front coils and control arms with Carli Deaver leafs. Add a set of Thurens shackles out back and some radius arms/long arms up front, and you would have a mean machine. I also am not maxed out in these pics...I stopped climbing because my front diff was dragging the ground.

rock crawling...not my cup of tea.
that explains the exterior cage.

well then, you should be good with stock spindles, just don't off road over 25mph with the stockers. with the weight of a 2500 ram...i think you might want to consider some beefy ones like this.
i've seen a 1500 break the front and have a wheel go flying off with stock spindles. a good fab shop should be able to make you some for around $800-1k for the pair.
and like mentioned above...DEAVER springs are one of the best out there.
the pics are from a member here that's working on his 1500 prerunner.

Originally Posted by D72Gladiator

rock crawling...not my cup of tea.
that explains the exterior cage.

well then, you should be good with stock spindles, just don't off road over 25mph with the stockers. with the weight of a 2500 ram...i think you might want to consider some beefy ones like this.
i've seen a 1500 break the front and have a wheel go flying off with stock spindles. a good fab shop should be able to make you some for around $800-1k for the pair.
and like mentioned above...DEAVER springs are one of the best out there.
the pics are from a member here that's working on his 1500 prerunner.

Dude, the 2500 4x4 has a SOLID front axle.

This is going to be a cool looking truck for sure! What HEMI450HP said about the Deavers is correct, they are awesome springs. The main downfall of leaf springs is approach/departure angle, so unless you want to scoot your rear tires back so they stick out past the frame I would definitely go with some good leafs like the Deavers and some decent shocks.

Now with that being said I think you are crazy as hell for trying to make a 'rockcrawler' out of a fullsize truck, especially one as nice as what you started with. You could build a pretty nice buggy for what you will have in this thing including the price of the truck, and be 1000x happier than you will be with the performance this thing will have.

But like I said, it will prolly be a cool looking dodge.

Originally Posted by trickedinferno

Dude, the 2500 4x4 has a SOLID front axle.

This is going to be a cool looking truck for sure! What HEMI450HP said about the Deavers is correct, they are awesome springs. The main downfall of leaf springs is approach/departure angle, so unless you want to scoot your rear tires back so they stick out past the frame I would definitely go with some good leafs like the Deavers and some decent shocks.

Now with that being said I think you are crazy as hell for trying to make a 'rockcrawler' out of a fullsize truck, especially one as nice as what you started with. You could build a pretty nice buggy for what you will have in this thing including the price of the truck, and be 1000x happier than you will be with the performance this thing will have.

But like I said, it will prolly be a cool looking dodge.

did you read what he wrote?
he plans on doing a a-arm setup. a-arms=spindles.
heck, i've been trying to tell the guy otherwise. he's gonna be breaking parts left and right every weekend. too damn heavy.

don't let me derail your plans, but unless you have some serious money thrown into it (like 20k minimum) i only see this as a street queen.
i hate to be harsh but...just being honest here.

Originally Posted by D72Gladiator

did you read what he wrote?
he plans on doing a a-arm setup. a-arms=spindles.
heck, i've been trying to tell the guy otherwise. he's gonna be breaking parts left and right every weekend. too damn heavy.

don't let me derail your plans, but unless you have some serious money thrown into it (like 20k minimum) i only see this as a street queen.
i hate to be harsh but...just being honest here.

I'm sure he will clarify. Not trying to start an arguement in his thread, but he didn't mean IFS a-arms, he actually never said a-arms, just 'arms'. He was calling his link bars arms. Keep reading that post and you will see him talking about pure performance, crossover steering and hydro assit, which wouldn't make sense using on an IFS setup.

Abused_Hemi - For what you will be doing with that vehicle there's no need to truss your axle, you won't ever bend it unless you plan on ramping it. If you do feel the need, a forward facing truss does the same as a top or bottom facing truss. Then if you decide to go full hydro (which you would with that heavy thing) you will have a nice ram mount also. Just remeber to truss all the way to each knuckle, if you don't you can still bend the axle tube.

true...
my bad, i know a lot of people who call a-arms, just arms.
and about trussing his axles, you're right...won't need to as a rock crawler.
here it sounded like he was building a desert truck. way different.

it primarily will be used on trails and the whole crawling scene, i still wanna build it decent enough though if i ever do make it out to the desert i can do some mild jumping with it, i already jumped it a few times but nothing major, and sorry for the confusin on the spindle issue, i actually thought you meant spindle like this one
[IMG][/IMG]
which now i have unit bearings but when i do the free spin hub conversion it'll have this type. Also i was planning on staying with leaf springs but when i shortend the frame and made my bumper i wasnt thinking and made a pretty stupid mistake that i'm embarrassed to ven say but now my bumper is to close to my shackle and hits pretty quick as the suspension starts to cycle. I could pretty easy correct the problem but i kinda wanna see if i can make a four link work.

Trickedinferno- I do agree with you that yes i could have a pretty mean jeep or buggy with what i'll have invested in this but at the same time i love driving this thing and getting the reactions from most people when ive taking it on trails in the past. I got the truck paid off and it was my work truck but now that its paid off im gonna upgrade to a diesel that will better suit my trailer pulling needs and fuel economy and there's no way i was gonna get rid of this thing so it was kinda a "why not go all out and do something different?"

That's a good idea wanting to get away from the unit bearings on a vehicle that heavy. I don't think i've seen a conversion kit for that axle that is less than $1500 tho, you could have a whole new axle with gears and locker for that and still be able to sell your stock one for upwards of $1000. You'll need to beef up your stock link bar mounts to keep them from tearing anyways, it would be in your favor to get a different axle. The only think your stock one does for you is keep your ABS sensors, but they are in the unit bearings which you don't want.

you have a very good point, the more i think bout it i may look around for a dana 60 to swap in. the biggest reason i was going to do the hub conversion was so i can weld the front end, not many choices for traction for the 9.25", e-locker but most everyone i know thats ever had one in a variety or axles, they usually work have the time. i may be mistaken but if i go that route i think i would have to use a ford axle, i think most the dodge d60's are passenger drop but fords are driver

Yes you would need a Ford axle, which would also be high pinion. 1991-1999 are balljoint style knuckles, pre 1991 are king pin knuckles. King Pin's are stronger than balljoints, but i've never personally seen a problem with the balljoint style. However with your truck weighing so much I would definitely shoot for the older style.

Sweet!

This should be awesome!

well progress has kinda slowed down a bit as i've been outta town for work, have gotten a lil more tubing bent and will try to get some more pics up soon. still searching for a new front axle, so for now i'll keep focus on the tube work and rear suspension. i had a guy from colorado show up with a 07 powerwagon and from seeing his truck perform and what some of you other guys said i think i'm back to staying with leafs in the rear. He was able to persuade me that linking the rear prolly isnt the best idea for still wanting decent street manners. anyway here is how he proved his point, 37's on 37's

here is a update with pics, got most the bed complete, still might add few pieces but overall i'm happy with outcome so far. let me know what you guys think

here is with all the skins, and tail lights.





tool box back in place

close up of the bed sides





next to the tool box on both sides i cut in a lid and plan on building side boxes to get a lil more storage for recovery gear or possibly insulate and make a cooler

this is cool, great fab work

that is cool. nice work

thanks guys, got some more pics to share with yall. been working on setting up the roll cage into the cab and roof rack with light cage. so here they are











with the lights in, i had to change my tabs from the mounted vertical to horizontal.