[BillsDuster]

Coming over to your side of the forum from the lifted 2wd section to join your SAS club. Still accepting applications for the club right lol? I guess this will be a build thread of sorts as I get my build going.

I bought this project over past week that I am going to build a straight axled trail truck out of. 1994 Sonoma 2wd, no motor, trans or interior, toyota rear axle, and a Fabtech long travel kit up front. The guy was building a v8 sand toy out of it and lost intrest. All i wanted was to take the fabtech kit off the truck for my 98 2wd, but I ended up coming home with the whole damn thing for the price of the LT kit. The rear frame has been back halfed already with 2x3 .25 wall. Lucky for me I have my wrecked 95 dime I'm parting out to donate the missing parts from. Plans are to have it in the trails by fall.

These parts are collected already...

Ford 351 (I'm not a brand loyalist and I'm getting a strong running v8/trans/transfer case for next to nothing from a friend)
C6 Auto trans
NP208 Tranfer case
12 Gallon fuel cell
Leaf springs for the front
Some odds and ends..

Will be doing a roll cage in it for sure, engine cage, bed cage. I'm just going to be hanging bed sides on it, no bed.

For axles I'll be running full width 1/2 ton units. I just have to go pick them up. Probably running 35's or maybe 33's, all depends on what deals I find when it comes time.

Here she is in all of her gutted glory...

Threw the front clip off the 95 to keep the neighbors happy untill it's in the garage in the next couple weeks, startin to look like a truck.

 

[Speedy2222]

what happened to the long travel idea??

 

[DieselS10]

opcorn: Subscribes!

 

[NM_Wanderer]

/\ X2

 

[BillsDuster]

Well I'm puttin these Fabtech long travel arms on my red 98, so theres my LT . I do have a set of f150 beams just settin here that I could put under the new truck but I'd rather have something for the trails/rocks, something I won't care so much if I flop it on its side. I sure as heck won't take my Trail Duster in the narrow technical trails in the northern part od the state here.

 

[crewcab rabbit]

looks like a fun trail truck, lot of work to be done to get it on the trails by fall good luck

 

[sas10]

the idea on the 2wd v8 sand truck would of been awsome but.....so is swaping in a straight axle and making it a 4x4. i will deffintaly be watching good luck!

 

[BillsDuster]

looks like a fun trail truck, lot of work to be done to get it on the trails by fall good luck

It'll keep me busy for sure. If I can drive it to the woods before snow falls I'll consider it a win. First things first I have to finish stripping my wrecked 95 of everything of value and ship her off to the scrap yard, then I'll have the whole garage to build this thing.

 

[Speedy2222]

pics of 95? there's a few pieces i need if they are still there/useable

 

[BillsDuster]

Kind of an update on this thing I guess. It looks like I'm probably not going to be running my friends 351 setup. Instead I'm workin a deal on a lower mileage 94 4.3, 4l60e, np233? complete with computer and wiring harnesses. If it pans out that'll be the setup going into it. Less monkeying around making things work, and from what I have seen of builds on here the 4.3 should make me plenty happy. And it's fuel injected which would be nice.

Speedy, what peices are ya lookin for, if I have them and am not using them they'll be forsale.

 

[Speedy2222]

hey if you want a manual-shift t-case i'd be willing to let my 231 go cheap.

I'm needing a grille/factory fog lights,seats if they are nice still( worth a shot), front fenders(especially drivers side)

 

[BillsDuster]

hey if you want a manual-shift t-case i'd be willing to let my 231 go cheap.

I'm needing a grille/factory fog lights,seats if they are nice still( worth a shot), front fenders(especially drivers side)

When you comin up to silver? And what is "cheap"...? I have a decent light gray 60/40 split bench from my 95, has a small hole on the driver side at the hinge. And I got a good dark gray split bench from my 98. I'll do partial trades..

 

[BillsDuster]

Picked this little unit up today... 1994 4.3 out of a blazer, I hope it runs as good as the guy says it does. I got all the wiring harnesses, computer, and the steering box along with it lol. Now all i need is a front axle and to get my fab on...

 

[96superflow]

Good deal! Looks like the one i pulled from my 92! Its deff close!

If im not mistaken, there was a right up on how to convert the electric shift np233 to a manual shift. I think rabbit linked it somewhere..... Could be useful for you since it will be only be a trail rig.

Found it!

http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=11695

 

[BillsDuster]

I'll have to look into that info. Thanks for the heads up! Technically it'll be a street legal trail truck cause I don't have a trailer to haul it around on yet.

I'm looking at going with a dana 30 front just to keep the width down and johnny law off my back. That is unless I find a 44 for a good deal first. But then is a dana 30 going to hold up to wheelin, I know alot of guys swap um in. My friend has a 9 inch rear I can have if I want it, if I do end up going full width.

 

[96superflow]

man Billaksblazer has been wheeling on his d30 with 35's for well over a year and i havent heard any huge breakages. but you cant goose it either. Its really not as bad of an axle as everyone makes it out to be. Its just the jeep guys dont know how to wheel, they just floor it and wonder why a d30 explodes with 36's on it.....

You can make um last.... If you aint planning on running something over a 35" tire then i would just do the hp30 up front and call it a day.


Oh and i think the guy drives his rig everyday with the np233 manual conversion.

 

[Speedy2222]

i really needed that article, great writeup, i am now going to have an np233/241 doubler in the blazer :-D woot

 

[96superflow]

haha Glad i could remember where to find it!

 

[BillsDuster]

man Billaksblazer has been wheeling on his d30 with 35's for well over a year and i havent heard any huge breakages. but you cant goose it either. Its really not as bad of an axle as everyone makes it out to be. Its just the jeep guys dont know how to wheel, they just floor it and wonder why a d30 explodes with 36's on it.....

You can make um last.... If you aint planning on running something over a 35" tire then i would just do the hp30 up front and call it a day.


Oh and i think the guy drives his rig everyday with the np233 manual conversion.

Sweet! I'm planning 35's as a maximum, more then likely I'll be running 33's on it. Which years jeep had the high pinion in them? I need to go axle hunting very soon so this thing at least rolls around the driveway. Then I need to let my wallet cool off from all this spending...:rotf:

 

[crewcab rabbit]

all of the xjs where hp