Ok I'll do my best!
CK5
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Fortify Offroad Mission Race Blazer
- Thread starter sreidmx
- Start date
Although desert racing is a left coast sport, there are plenty of folks in the Heartland and E Coast that are just as passionate. I could never have done a fraction of what I've done without my many race friends. If you like desert racing, and aren't a total, self-serving, ahole, then there's probably a place for you on the TEAM.
A couple of notes. I came up with the idea of spacing the transfer case back to improve front driveshaft angles. John Holtz is Jeep racer from Wisconsin, who I raced against at Crandon. He also builds my tcases. He and his Dad, have two serious Jeeps, both with the same driveline as mine. The only difference is one of their Jeeps is pushing over 700 hp with a stroked 401, with 465 cu. in. displacement. John machined the spacer from a monster block of aluminum.
It took me a little while to figure out how to actually do it, but between digging through driveline catalogs, and talking to a tranny guy, I found that if I converted the trans to a longer output shaft, and used a Mark Williams 32 spline coupler, I could then add a shaft that had 32 spline on one end, and the quadratrac 10 spline on the other. I contacted Rusty at The Converter Shop in AZ, who machined two 300M shafts for me at a reasonable price. By the way, the converter in the truck is from TCS. Outstanding stuff.
It took me a little while to figure out how to actually do it, but between digging through driveline catalogs, and talking to a tranny guy, I found that if I converted the trans to a longer output shaft, and used a Mark Williams 32 spline coupler, I could then add a shaft that had 32 spline on one end, and the quadratrac 10 spline on the other. I contacted Rusty at The Converter Shop in AZ, who machined two 300M shafts for me at a reasonable price. By the way, the converter in the truck is from TCS. Outstanding stuff.
Williams is in my backyard, and was a frequent source of solutions to ideas when I was drag racing
blowedupmotor87
1/2 ton status
Subscribed! Very cool to see this resurrection build!!!
Ok I'm sorry but this is bothering me... either you gots one leg? Or your shoes are on the wrong feet?
I was leaning over the other pile and sort of twisted. That's why it looks that way.
Both wrong. His feet are actually backwards. His right foot looks like a left, and vice versa.
Like a dislexic hobbit?
so I went to Bilstein.
Aaaaand....?
Steve dropped the stuff off. They'll mix some new stuff in, but it takes a little time for the magic to happen.
Walking up I saw one of their many development trucks, there is also a tan version almost identically equipped.
This is the lobby, there was lots of neat stuff to check out on the walls,
I got to geek out on some of their new shocks for a min while I waited for Doug.
Here's the main offroad workshop, I didn't know this but 90% of everything offroad related is made and sourced in the USA?? Only a small percentage of parts for oe style shocks come from overseas and none from china! So all the 7100 and up range is completely designed and produced in the USA! I was stoked to find that out because I didn't know that was the case.
They have the capability to modify any shock they produce right here, so if you have a 5100 and want it rebuilt or revalved they can do that. Even on a 4600 they can rebuild and reseal.
In the name of safety I was not allowed past the yellow line, but I was shown around and the space is mostly occupied by oe replacement stuff, some high dollar supercar stuff resides in a special place down the hall from this.
The rest of the tour was offices and cubicles, I was surprised that it was very modest and not flashy, in comparison they have literally 3x the staff that Icon has, one other note, there is a production line here for the 4600 and lower style shocks and the 5100 and higher. They have a full machine shop in house as well as a Haas CNC to make the custom custom stuff.
I met Juan and Doug who are both very versed, it's funny talking to shock guys, they have a whole other level of understanding. They remember the Blazer and are excited to help us out on our mission, we're hoping to see pretty new looking stuff in 2-3 weeks!
This is the lobby, there was lots of neat stuff to check out on the walls,
I got to geek out on some of their new shocks for a min while I waited for Doug.
Here's the main offroad workshop, I didn't know this but 90% of everything offroad related is made and sourced in the USA?? Only a small percentage of parts for oe style shocks come from overseas and none from china! So all the 7100 and up range is completely designed and produced in the USA! I was stoked to find that out because I didn't know that was the case.
They have the capability to modify any shock they produce right here, so if you have a 5100 and want it rebuilt or revalved they can do that. Even on a 4600 they can rebuild and reseal.
In the name of safety I was not allowed past the yellow line, but I was shown around and the space is mostly occupied by oe replacement stuff, some high dollar supercar stuff resides in a special place down the hall from this.
The rest of the tour was offices and cubicles, I was surprised that it was very modest and not flashy, in comparison they have literally 3x the staff that Icon has, one other note, there is a production line here for the 4600 and lower style shocks and the 5100 and higher. They have a full machine shop in house as well as a Haas CNC to make the custom custom stuff.
I met Juan and Doug who are both very versed, it's funny talking to shock guys, they have a whole other level of understanding. They remember the Blazer and are excited to help us out on our mission, we're hoping to see pretty new looking stuff in 2-3 weeks!
That is great, I envy you for going on the tour. Not many people get to do things like you are doing, you have a fine piece of machinery in your hands that everyone has seen!
Thanks Buddy! That means a lot, I'm a Bilstein fanboy so it was pretty damn fulfilling to go. I hope that our efforts keep this truck reliable and competitive!
I also got the parts order yesterday from summit, mostly small stuff like genuine spicer u joint u bolts, brake master reservoirs, window nets, couple of filters, an hose for fuel lines. And one fitting. I replaced all the feed to the carb from the main cell we had a nasty leak that is now gone.
I'll never cut braided line again with a hacksaw.. forgot my grinder at the shop so yea.. sucked. I got them all done though, working on finishing up exhaust cleanup and reseal, along with a few other odds and ends.
I'll never cut braided line again with a hacksaw.. forgot my grinder at the shop so yea.. sucked. I got them all done though, working on finishing up exhaust cleanup and reseal, along with a few other odds and ends.
Bwahaha!
