| Author | Message | ||
     Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 827 Registered: 09-2002 |
SUPER SPECIAL THANKS TO DAVE LUCAS AT SLICKROCK FAB AND KEITH KREUTZER FOR MAKING THIS PROJECT HAPPEN! I worked with Dave Lucas at Slickrock Fab for help with bumpers, sliders, body panel protection and a few other engineering feets of magic and I worked with Keith Kreutzer on track rod, panhard rod, trailing arms and other super heavy duty stuff. The test started with about a 120 mile highway drive. Sometimes exceeding 80mph and it drove fantastic. I did not find castor to be as big of an issue as I expected and it was more stable than I expected.  I was smilling ear to ear. I will need to put my steerin dampner back on though. We also did a real easy articulation test but we were able to get the truck cross axled to check for rubbing. I was very pleased. I may need to do a touch more cutting but not on any visible areas and I will need to increase my bumpstops in the rear but I will not need to do anything in the front. This weekend I will be doing a real trail test. Maybe someone has some pictures. | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2472 Registered: 04-2002 |
I wish I had one of those cliparts from the jeeper boards that says "This Thread is Useless Without Pics" What gears are you running w/ them Brian?? | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 829 Registered: 09-2002 |
still stock. That will have to change. Way Way over geared but I think after this weekend I will be able to tell just how bad my gearing is. A big upside is that I am not putting nearly the milage on the truck that someone else going the same distance is. | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2474 Registered: 04-2002 |
have you installed a parachute to help you stop??? | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 830 Registered: 09-2002 |
Hehe....actually I installed forward facing jet engines. Actually, I didn't notice any stopping difference. I was so surprised at how the truck worked, no regrets yet | ||
| Daniel Covaciu (Danielcovaciu) Member Username: Danielcovaciu Post Number: 156 Registered: 10-2002 |
So what is the setup? How much lift, body lift, etc? What tires are you using, what's the actual size? | ||
| Art Vigil (Colorover) Member Username: Colorover Post Number: 144 Registered: 02-2003 |
After seeing this rig yesterday, I have to say it looked AWESOME!  Not just the 35's on a disco, but all the fab work I saw, including the bumpers, sliders and body panels was excellent. Brian, you better hurry up and post the photos I sent you, or I'm going to.  | ||
| Art Vigil (Colorover) Member Username: Colorover Post Number: 145 Registered: 02-2003 |
Sorry, you too too long    | ||
| Art Vigil (Colorover) Member Username: Colorover Post Number: 146 Registered: 02-2003 |
I mean "TOOK" too long dammit! By the way, I really like the custom tailight retainers. Sweet!  | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 831 Registered: 09-2002 |
Thanks Art, I don't know how to post pics. anyway The tail light retainers are now for sale. Easy installation and multi colors available. | ||
| Ron L (Ronl) Member Username: Ronl Post Number: 76 Registered: 11-2002 |
"The tail light retainers are now for sale. Easy installation and multi colors available." ROFL Looks Awesome, Get us some more pics! | ||
| zane pukajlo (Zane) New Member Username: Zane Post Number: 12 Registered: 03-2003 |
Looks sweet Brian! Definitely some good work done there. Maybe get us some close up's of the bumpers and such. Show us a little stuffage! Zane | ||
| RVR OVR (Tom) Senior Member Username: Tom Post Number: 766 Registered: 07-2001 |
What are those lower body panels? Replacement, add on, what? Tom | ||
| Chu Y. Son (Cyson) New Member Username: Cyson Post Number: 31 Registered: 01-2003 |
I gotta say, Dave did a great job on that front bumper. Way to go guys, looks MUCH better than the last time I saw it. So when are you planning your little 'test' run? | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Senior Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 321 Registered: 02-2003 |
as i recall your truck didnt have a straight panel and was damn near totaled looking the last time i saw pictures of it - hell of an improvemnt and looks decent all things considered. now comes the expensive part, drivetrain. rd | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2475 Registered: 04-2002 |
That looks much better than I thought it would | ||
| James (Jimmyg) Senior Member Username: Jimmyg Post Number: 260 Registered: 10-2002 |
Good looking truck. What cutting, lift, driveshaft...etc are you using? | ||
| Carter Simcoe (Carter) Senior Member Username: Carter Post Number: 2480 Registered: 04-2002 |
Brian, I've got to tell you that thing looked like a piece of old crusty white dog shit last time I saw it but you have put it back together nicely. Get some higher res pics up in your gallery asap, I would really like to see some better pics of that front bumper. I'm not sure how I feel about the half black panels you have going on now but something tells me that whatever it is its covering up some otherwise very expensive bodywork. | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 833 Registered: 09-2002 |
Thanks Everyone for the compliments! here are some of the stats. body lift....0 cutting.....1-2inch sus. lift...4-4/12 body panels..custom SlickRock Fab rear bumper..custom SlickRock Fab sliders......custom SlickRock Fab Trailing arm..super hd, Keith Kreutzer Track rod....super hd, Keith Kreutzer Panhard Rod..super hd, Keith Kreutzer (soon) Drag Link....super hd, Keith Kreutzer (soon) As for the first real test drive....this Sunday 5/18/03 at Chinaman's Gultch. Colo. Iposted in the trails section. | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 834 Registered: 09-2002 |
BTW....drive shafts, gears ft axle and c.v. are still stock. If anyone would like to donate some cv and front axles....hehe....I may need them real soon | ||
| RVR OVR (Tom) Senior Member Username: Tom Post Number: 767 Registered: 07-2001 |
Brian, Can you provide a little more info on the body panel protection? Tom | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 836 Registered: 09-2002 |
Tom...talk to Dave Lucas. He can give you the scoop. dave_lucas@attbi.com | ||
| Dave_lucas (Dave_lucas) Senior Member Username: Dave_lucas Post Number: 374 Registered: 02-2002 |
Ok, I just sent some pics to Ho and he posted them, they are of us testing to see what/if it was going to rub, granted it is not a real trail, just some ditches and hills but we were able to lift off the front and rear tire at the same time to see how it behaved. http://www.discoweb.org/brianfriend/index.htm Here is a list of what needed to be done so far to get the 35 12.50 BFG MT’s to “fit” 1. Longer heavy duty trailing arms to push the tire away from the rear doors 2. 3” springs in the rear + 1” spacer 3. OME 764 rear springs in the front 4. Cut and rolled front fenders and rear doors to the first bend in the panels 5. Offset steel rims The rear bumper was added for protection and mounts to the frame in six locations and to the floor of the body in two locations (had to go to body as brian would destroy any brace I ran down to the frame) construction of the bumper is mainly 3/16 steel tube and recovery points are made of 1 x 2.5 inch 1018 Bar stock and go all of the way through the bumper and are welded on the rear and front face of the bumper. I will still need to add a plate above the sides of the bumper and in the rear but Brian needed to get some testing done prior to out Moab trip. Sliders are frame mounted since the sills were destroyed beyond use, they mount to the frame as well as the body mount out riggers, they have a ˝ inch plate that protects what is left of the sill (not much). Steel plating is 1/8 inch thick plating, it adds protection from future abuse by Brian, and hides the damage done in the past, the doors were literally crushed beyond repair and needed replace, however this hides the damage (makes his wife happy) and can be easily touched up or replaced if damaged. Front lower fender will also have steel plating installed after Moab. The front tires do not rub at all under full articulation The rear slightly rubs the rear of the inner wheel well when fully stuffed, however it does not touch the spring, we will try to correct the slight rub by correcting the bump stops and removing a 1 inch of the inner rear wheel well (where the stock mud flaps mount) If anyone remember the pics I posted about a month ago the truck came to me with both rear quarters crushed with factory spot weld busted and quarter pulled all of the way out up to the rear window, bent twisted destroyed sliders, rear bumper destroyed, front passenger side fender was pushed down about 4 inches from the hood and hood would no open, passenger door would not open without bending stuff, rear door would not open proper, all lower doors were gouged and pushed in about 3” in places and the sills were almost flat with the floor pan in places. This is a trail truck only not a daily driver, however Brian needs to take four kids and his wife with him when he hits the trail, so we could not tub the rear and lose seating, cut the top off or bob the tail, and removing the doors and building an exo was out the question. BTW, thanks Ho for posting the pics so fast | ||
| Troy McNeill (Comac90) New Member Username: Comac90 Post Number: 38 Registered: 01-2003 |
brian- all i can say is wow ... what a difference since we met over at keith's a few weeks ago. call me when you head to carnage or otherwise. T | ||
| Art Vigil (Colorover) Member Username: Colorover Post Number: 148 Registered: 02-2003 |
Dave, you do excellent work, give yourself a pat on the back! I also had a look at the bumpers on your DII on Sunday, and they were very impressive as well. Soooo, got any plans to start making D90 stuff? | ||
| Keith Kreutzer (Revor) Member Username: Revor Post Number: 193 Registered: 11-2002 |
Hey Brian!!!! Remember I installed those custom tailight retainers.... | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 841 Registered: 09-2002 |
Dammit Keith....I already had the marketing plan in the works. | ||
| Dave_lucas (Dave_lucas) Senior Member Username: Dave_lucas Post Number: 377 Registered: 02-2002 |
"Hey Brian!!!! Remember I installed those custom tailight retainers...." But with my materials, so do not forget my cut of the profit | ||
| Greg Tearne (Gooddoggomez) New Member Username: Gooddoggomez Post Number: 16 Registered: 02-2003 |
Awesome truck, guys. Job well done. I don't know how the Mrs will take it when I tell her we have to get a Disco I now as well... Can't wait for some action shots!!! | ||
| Keith Kreutzer (Revor) Member Username: Revor Post Number: 194 Registered: 11-2002 |
I just got to see the truck in person! Well i installed a new heavy duty Drag link. Butman Pictures just don't do it justice!! It is Ready!! I has the look and feel of serious! I'm happy it's working out... Now for a shameless plug: Brain and his truck will be a fine Beta site for some up coming products and some current one already on the truck... Add to that the incredibly beef he's added (might i add beautiful) The sliders, the bumper and the handiwork with the plates all exibit fine craftsmanship! | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 510 Registered: 06-2002 |
Brian, can't wait to see it this weekend at Chinaman's, it looks great. Now you need to work on another roofrack flooring, wait till you see what I did to mine, it's perfect. | ||
| Art Vigil (Colorover) Member Username: Colorover Post Number: 154 Registered: 02-2003 |
Eric, I'm looking to do something with regard to a roofrack flooring, I'd like to see it as well. Art Vigil | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 847 Registered: 09-2002 |
Real flooring would be nice. I don't like the ply wood I am using now....not enough bling | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 512 Registered: 06-2002 |
Art, will you be at the Chinamans run this weekend? Otherwise I can post some pics. | ||
| Steve Sherman (Ssherman) Member Username: Ssherman Post Number: 83 Registered: 11-2002 |
Eric, Why don't you go ahead and post some pics for us other curious folk I'm wanting to add a floor to my rack as well and would like to see some other ideas. | ||
| Mike Rupp (Mike_rupp) Member Username: Mike_rupp Post Number: 189 Registered: 02-2002 |
Check out this pic: http://www.discoweb.org/steverupp/disco028.JPG. By brother had flooring made by a metal fabrication shop. Its one sheet of diamond plate that is formed to the adventure rack. It has holes cut in it for tying things down. Its light and sturdy enough to stand on between the rails. | ||
| Eric Pena (Evalp) Senior Member Username: Evalp Post Number: 514 Registered: 06-2002 |
OK, I will post some pics on a new thread. I am very busy with school right now so it might be a day or so. | ||
| Art Vigil (Colorover) Member Username: Colorover Post Number: 155 Registered: 02-2003 |
Eric, I won't be able to make the run this weekend, but I'm sure I'll catch you another time. I've got some ideas for removable flooring (expanded metal) but am still in the planning stage, so I'd like to see what everyone else has done. ~Art | ||
| A. Ali (Alia176) Member Username: Alia176 Post Number: 51 Registered: 03-2003 |
Art, Expanded metal make some serious noise at hwy speeds! Just a FYI. |
