RMP&Os 1977 Patrol Ute build for overlanding
- Thread starter RMP&O
- Start date
richard310
pew pew
Making progress! This is quite the undertaking but it's looking good so far.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Thanks! More progress made....
Got the front axle stripped down, cleaned and all brackets cut off the housing.
Using an FJ60 Land Cruiser perch on the pumpkin side. Made by RuffStuff.
Cheers
J
JWP58
Guest
I cant wait to see this finished, looks like a sweet project.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Heh, thanks bud!
Few things in the works. I need to extend the rear frame rails upwards of a foot. These Deaver springs are nearly 63" long! To have the axle where I want it and wheelbase where I want it I need the frame rails longer in the rear. Bought some 3x2 box tube to extend it the other day. Last night though I started on making a wheeled cart to hold the frame. The cart will grab and hold the frame in the center allowing me to work on suspension and axles with nothing in my way.
Cheers
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Thanks Dave! It is a resto-mod! I had planned originally and a few years back to just SoA the truck using stock and old Patrol leaf springs. But they are kind of oddballs in their length and so forth. So it was then I decided to go with a 2.5" wide leaf spring since that is a very common size. If the truck comes out to tall SoA (I have some ideas and plans to keep it low) then I am just going to do it SuA.
Cheers
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Getting set up, H233 in the rear
Going to need to extend the frame rails in the rear for these nearly 63" long Deaver springs. I built the cart you see the frame sitting on to make all this just that much easier.
Ford shock towers, Fox 5/8s shaft shocks and Rubicon Express leaves.
RuffStuff frenched 63" leaf hangers on the top of the frame rails. May end up going SuA in the rear, only time will tell.
Ya I know, not even close to straight or square, just playing around with the first test and set up.
Cheers
Going to need to extend the frame rails in the rear for these nearly 63" long Deaver springs. I built the cart you see the frame sitting on to make all this just that much easier.
Ford shock towers, Fox 5/8s shaft shocks and Rubicon Express leaves.
RuffStuff frenched 63" leaf hangers on the top of the frame rails. May end up going SuA in the rear, only time will tell.
Ya I know, not even close to straight or square, just playing around with the first test and set up.
Cheers
I like it! There's something appealing about the simplicity of leaves at all four corners ... and I'm always blown away by the size of those big 63" rears (I know yours are Deavers, as opposed to JY takeoffs; but same size) on smaller bodied trucks & frames.
I know you're not building this as a crawler, but are you going to do anything for the rear (like airbags) to give some load capacity while maintaining softer leaves for flex? Or just let the leaves give it all the load carrying capacity it might need.
I know you're not building this as a crawler, but are you going to do anything for the rear (like airbags) to give some load capacity while maintaining softer leaves for flex? Or just let the leaves give it all the load carrying capacity it might need.
RMP&O
Expedition Leader
Good questions.
The truck will be able to handle light to mild rock crawling but beyond that nadda. Not enough of a low crawl ratio with the 160-series Patrol drivetrain and no real way to lower it much. I envision and sort of plan on making a bed that is a multi-platform. Have a basic flat bed type platform but be able to bolt on different configurations for different uses. This means weight will vary depending on the type of platform that is on the bed. One may be substantially heavier than another. I have also contemplated making any bolt on stuff for the bed out of aluminum to keep weight down. So yes, air bags have crossed my mind. Will I end up using them, pretty unsure at this time. It also crossed my mind to toss another leaf or two in the Deaver pack if needed but that seems kind of a waste in using the Deaver springs. Most people might think the Deaver pack is fairly stiff being a 10(ish)-leaf pack but they are actually pretty soft. They are capable of HUGE amounts of travel but I think I will be limiting that to 12" with the Fox shocks. May do that with a limiting strap. The Deavers are also designed for 1.5" of lift in a SuA configuration (pretty much designed for Tacoma's) so in a SoA configuration they may give to much lift. As a result I have no issues going SuA in the rear but plan to try SoA first. The front is definitely staying SoA and I did buy the Rubicon Express HD pack knowing I have a diesel to drop in. No issues for me to drop another leaf or two in the front pack as needed, I have like a dozen leaf packs laying around including a brand new OME for an FJ60 Cruiser plus a set of AAL from OME. In the end I think I will be limiting the rear on travel but still getting the full 12" from the shocks, unless of coarse air bags go in then they determine how much the rear flexes. The front should be pretty flexy and I think I am just going to run a sway bar in front, probably a Currie.
One possibility is if I find the Deavers to be to soft, I can swap them out for some 3/4ton Chevy 63's and easily sell the Deavers. Also both leaf packs, front and rear, are 2.5" wide which is a really common size. One of the main reasons I went with these springs.
I am kind of planning to pull the diesel and 5spd from my 83 Patrol this weekend so I can build motor/trans mounts and get that set up in the chassis. Then I can really start dialing in the suspension.
The project certainly has a concept or two. Of course one is the overland thing and set up but the other is also a potential recovery vehicle. With front & rear PTO winches, lockers, plenty of room for recovery gear, ect ect ect this truck will make a BOSS of a truck for that kind of use.
Cheers