Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite - View Single Post

bigelk50 · 08-03-2009, 02:48

Wow lots of questions, you sound enthused. Lets see what I can answer.

Loosing the rear axles and 3 feet of frame will drop the weight from 13k to 10k pounds. the top speed will not change. Stock they reached their top speed to the mechanical limits. So that will not change.

You could always trailer another mud rig behind it. In my opinion if you have it locked up you will still do great, but loose how the 2 articulating axles work and benefit the truck. Do not get me wrong in mud great trucks. Rock crawling I think the stock rears are better.

Buy one or build your self?? If you think that you need to take classes and buy things (you need an torch too) I would say to buy one or have it done. Someone MIGHT help you do yours. If your just want a hack job and slap a bed on it, it might be worth your time. If you want a great job done I think it is out of your reach. its all in what you want, thats not an insult. There is tons more to it than what you listed. You have to do wiring, move airlines, take the old bed off cut it down (or use a M105 bed) and re-install after the frame work. You will have to cut off around three feet and reinstall the rear cross member. Then modify your racks/troop seats to fit the custom bed. I have seen custom covers made and they look
great. Any local heavy truck tarp company can do this for you. To hang the axle you have to find a bobber kit like the ones on Boyce equipment. Add shocks and move and rebuild the drive lines too.

Good luck on a factory Fording kit. They are rare and spendy. Some people make them after market. I would just put a 90 degree upright on your air intake and extend your axle breather vents to the top of the frame to keep water and mud out. That should do.

The stock tire holder will hold just that. A stock tire. I hope this puts things in perspective.