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center of gravity and weight distribution

maybe I'm off here ,but when we used to run sand rails we would put water in the front tires to keep them on the ground, and I know tractors run calciem in the tires .That would be about as low as you could get your COG and keep ground clearance. just a thought way out side the box
 
water is dangerous... it shifts. any truck driver will tell you that they'd rather pull a full tanker than a half full one
maybe if you could baffle the tire :D
 
how does a liquid filled object get out of balance.... it would act like equal or golfballs and balance the tire
 
So I would think too. Doesn't work that way. First bump causes a displacement of water that unbalances the assembly. Once unbalanced it gets worse until the speed is reduced. My grandad learned this first hand in the early 60's.
 
Wally went to about 55/45 after the latest round of mods, but that's with the spare tire (about 150# with the mount) hanging on the back. Of course if the tire wasn't there my tools would be so it's probably fairly accurate. The cool thing is I lost a lot of sprung weight off the front and I could really feel it on the one higher speed rough road section I drove on the UA, the front wasn't hitting near as hard as before.

The changes that would be relavent are:
front axle moved forward 6-7"
alum. heads and water pump plus lightweight rotating assembly in motor
switch to full hydro steering so I lost the box and a lot of locating and steering linkage off the front of the chassis in exchange for a valve mounted on the firewall.

That's really about all that was relavent weight wise, the rest is all comfort stuff.
I imagine if this had a alum head small block that it would be very evenly balanced and a lot of fun to go fast in. And with the weight of a Dynatrac/Dedenbear hydro steer D60, if you tie the axle to the chassis it would still be a good climber.
 
Stephen said:
Wally went to about 55/45 after the latest round of mods, but that's with the spare tire (about 150# with the mount) hanging on the back. Of course if the tire wasn't there my tools would be so it's probably fairly accurate. The cool thing is I lost a lot of sprung weight off the front and I could really feel it on the one higher speed rough road section I drove on the UA, the front wasn't hitting near as hard as before.

The changes that would be relavent are:
front axle moved forward 6-7"
alum. heads and water pump plus lightweight rotating assembly in motor
switch to full hydro steering so I lost the box and a lot of locating and steering linkage off the front of the chassis in exchange for a valve mounted on the firewall.

That's really about all that was relavent weight wise, the rest is all comfort stuff.
I imagine if this had a alum head small block that it would be very evenly balanced and a lot of fun to go fast in. And with the weight of a Dynatrac/Dedenbear hydro steer D60, if you tie the axle to the chassis it would still be a good climber.
Click to expand...
So how much does it weigh total now?
 
I know my junk isn't cool because I'm not running the requisite D60/14FF but...

I started with a 79K5 frame with a 87C10 cab on it. 305TBI/465/208.
  • I moved the front axle forward 4.5" and have 56" springs.
    I moved the rear axle rearward 2.5" and have 64" springs.
    I have a 2" body lift.
    I moved the cab rearward 3".
    I moved the motor/transmission/transfer case rearward 2.5". 40" collapsed front driveshaft, just like a Heep. The motor's harmonic damper sits on top of the front axle.
    I shortened the frame to 15'.
    The transfer case is clocked all the way up and I am running a flat crossmember that probably weighs in excess of 50lbs.
    I am running a 34 gallon tank in its factory location.
    I have bucket seats with a stripped interior. No door glass at all (no wing, no regulator) and no dash pad. Not even door locks or sun visors.
    I moved two batteries to under the passenger's seat.
    I am running an aluminum S10 radiator with an angle iron core support.
    The front fenders are narrowed to 41" and are cut off at the front at the top of the wheelwell. The fender is then lined 7" wide with 16 gauge sheet metal around the lip. The mirrors are relocated to the front fenders, where they belong.
    I have a S10 plastic tool box mounted behind the cab. Under the tool box a 48" Hi-Lift is mounted along with a long handled shovel and a Michigan ax.
    Under the driver's side of the cab all my driveline spares are mounted.
    My bed measures 34x39 and is made out of 2x1/4 angle and 16 gauge sheet with fenders mounted off the bed. Below the bed on top of the axle/in front of the gas tank is a recess that holds a spare waterpump, starter, alternator, and spindle.

Everything I do I'm horsepower limited instead of traction limited. I am able to climb hills better than all the Jeep guys with 38" TSLs or 37" boggers with more horsepower... in some cases twice the horsepower.

Unloaded with 12psi in the front and 6psi in the rear... the rear tires will push the locked front tires across asphalt.

It'll gain weight in the front once I start running a hood and inner wheelhouses... and hopefully a hydraulic winch. But, I'm also hoping to either have a TBI 4.3L or a LS1 in there someday.
 
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