The cliffs offroad park

[snakebite46]

Here Mich check out this Ranger build-up dovetailed and all.
Read around that site for ideas if your gonna wheel your truck.

Click me

[rocco79]

LOL Rocco. I bet you were happy to got out of that spot. Oh man your boss is going to shiot when the snow melts.

Yeah... Im gonna be out there with a spade asap... Sounds like later this week is gonna warm up... So i might have to get out there quick

[Michowski]

Thanks Rich. I've also been a member of the ranger station site for some time now and got tons of idea's from there. My plan right now is, 4" lift which il be purchasing as soon as im done paying off my cc, extended brake lines, 33" tires, extended radius arms, traction bar, new front bumper, loc-rites in the front and rear. Probly drop in an 8.8" axle from an explorer also so I can 1 have a beefier axle and 2 to get rear disk brakes. Once all that stuff is done I should have some really good flex out of it, a solid rig that shouldnt have any problems on trails. Not to much stuff to do but just gotta get it all.

[snakebite46]

Yeah I'm planning on doing a 8.8 swap into the grand also.
Problem with those nerf bars you got is they'll buckle with stress on them (pivoting around a tree) you should see if someone makes steel rock bars for a Ranger.

[Michowski]

Ya I wasnt happy when I got these bars. They attatch to the bolts that hold the body down. Right under the bushings lol. I was like wtf is this. Its not functional. It only sits a few inches from under the body so its hard to even use em as a step. They hold my weight just fine. No real big movement out of em. Il keep em for now just for looks but like you said, once I get on the trails im sure they will only last a few outings tops.

[Jetboat]

not just pick up some steel square tube and weld up some rock sliders. I have made them before, pretty easy to do.

[snakebite46]

I was going to suggest that but didnt think Mich has access to a welder or knows someone with one. But yeah, that would be the cheapest route to go.
I plan on buying myself a welder soon. So if you don't have anything by then I might be willing to help you out.

[Michowski]

Actually I do got a wire fed welder. I just dont have access to any material or bender or anything to cut it easy. Another thing is im far from a pro welder. Im sure I could weld it strong enough to be able to slide around tree's and such but id still want to have it done to take more then that. Id rather over do it for strength and know its probly never gonna fail vs just having something that barely works.

[bubbaracing]

Mich, do ya work during the day? If ya got a free day and wanna come down by Joliet i'm sure we can make ya whatever ya want at Bill's Speed Shop, I work a little there in the morning's before I go to my main job at WM at 3pm and do a lot of welding for him. He's got pipe and a bender to make anything ya want! LMK and if ya got a pic of something you'd want send it or post it and i'll ask him what it might cost to do it for ya?

Matt

[Michowski]

Do you think theres any chance I can make a front bumper? I know how I want it to look and even got some pics so all I would need to do is bend the pipe, cut it to length, weld it.

[bubbaracing]

Pretty sure we can do it, we made a pre-runner style bumper for a guy a couple a month's ago! Post a pic of it here and i'll see what it'd cost? Also need to know how wide, what size pipe? LMK, i'm off to bed, fallin asleep at the puter now! I'll check in the mornin before I head up there for ya and let ya know tomorrow after I get home from work.
Later
Matt

[Jetboat]

you work at Bills????? I have been trying to get down there since the summer to discuss him building a rock "buggy" chassis for me. He says he doesnt understand email so I have to bring everything in.

RockSliders are about teh easiest thing to make, just need some Square tube...Prolly 1"x1/8" wall maybe 1 1/2"x1/8" and some flat stock....My garage is full of my Dune Buggy project or I would offer to help. Maybe once it gets warmer were working in the drive isnt as big a deal could fab some up.

[Michowski]

I was hoping to get a look like this

I also want a winch on the front so il have to leave enough room so I could weld up a plate so I could bolt one down. Also I wanted to strengthen the front end also so I also wanted to put a square tube between both frame rails and weld that in place so that way the chassis will have a solid front end and wont twist or bend. Also to attatch this bumper with 4 mounting spots using the square tube and frame rails. I figured if im gonna be using the front bumper to use to pull me out of whatever, I wanna make sure the frame doesnt twist or bend or even come out of alignment. Also all the mounting points so the bumper will be equally as strong and be able to be used as something I can use to pull me out.

Il draw up a pick of exactly how I want to do this so you can at least see what I want to add in and what kind of bends, ect. And for the bumper I was thinking inch and a half tubing.

[Michowski]

I cant draw that up lol. Its a really simple idea I got but trying to explain it makes it sound complicated. I dont see any reason why this shouldnt take 2-3 days to complete. A square peice of tubing on the front inbetween the frame to 1 give me a nice solid mounting spot for this bumper and 2 to strengthen up the front end from twisting or anything like that. Then just bent the first peice of tubing to contour around the sides of the body right under the headlights and make mounting tabs on it. The rest is just mainly to protect the grill, add a spot for a winch, and looks.

[bubbaracing]

Nice, I printed the picture and will take it with me Fri when I go up there, didn't make it today cause my little girl was sick! mash: So i'll be up there tomorrow

Jetboat- Yep I part time help him out, I grew up with his kids and help the oldest son when he started racing years ago. Been around them ever since. Get down here so we can build ya a buggy! I've been wanting to do a rock buggy too! Yeah e-mail is not Bill freindly lol He'd rather talk face to face or have a picture of something to go off of! Gotta go ya two, talk at ya later!

Matt

[Michowski]

Il also come in and help out also. Im like Paul Jr from OCC. I got it all invisioned in my head and the only way I can get it how I want it is if im there to do it or watch over lol.

[bubbaracing]

Il also come in and help out also. Im like Paul Jr from OCC. I got it all invisioned in my head and the only way I can get it how I want it is if im there to do it or watch over lol.

That's kinda funny ya say Paul Jr. One day my buddy asked if he could get some pipe from Bill's and I was like hell yeah. Told him where it was and who to ask for. Next day at work I said, "did ya get ya some tubing", and he was like oh yeah, but it was funny cause when I walked in there was the older guy yelling back and forth with what looked like his kid. I was like "yep ya went to the right place, kinda like OCC but only no bikes, only stock cars and etc!" He wasn't in there Fri when I got there so i'll talk to him Mon when I get there for ya Mich! Got the pic in my truck. Maybe one day ya can come down there and talk to Bill and he'll help ya figure out what all ya want to do? Here's a couple pics of a few cars we've done, the Red #1 is Bill's Vintage stock car he races in the Vitage Series around the area! Later!
Matt

[Michowski]

Sounds good