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From built tons to rockwells?

MNorby

MNorby

3/4 ton status
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I picked up a pair of steering rockwells for a good price with plans to put in my S10 truggy but with a possible future move in the plans , and hard to say if will have a shop to work in once moved, trying to decide if it is really worth it. I currently have a GM 60 front with full chomoly shafts (spicer joints), solid knuckles, full hydro high steer, lockerer, etc and a 14ff rear lockers, disked, linked and 5.38 gears. I have broke a cromoly shaft and twisted another one up and a spicer u-joint along with breaking a 14ff shaft in the last 2 years since I built the Sonoma truggy. I have full spares for every shaft on the rig and spare driveshaft to front front/rear. Was planning on linking the front when I swapped in the rockwell but now thinking to sell the rocks and finish linking the front of this rig. It weighs 6100 pounds currently fully loaded ready to wheel with a 454, th400, doubler, and tons on 43 SXs.

My question is do you think it is really worth the work and money to swap to rockwells? Rear steer would be cool but really with cutting brakes currently I get around pretty good. The rocks still need steering, brakes, and a some little parts (about another $1000 to have them ready to put in). Already shaved them, welded gears, etc but would be on stock shafts and don't have any spare anything. Plus to fit them I plan on moving engine up and back a handful to get front diff to clear so there is pretty much a complete truck remodel in the books to do it. Maybe sell rocks, finish front link job, and put some quality joints in 60 and be content? Sounds like a drama noob post but what the hell...

Rig in question:
Moab2011185.jpg


Matt up Rod Knocker 11-12-2011 - YouTube
 
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I think it's cool with the tons. Plus with the rockwells it's not like you can just run to the parts store if you break something.

Where might you move?
 
Seems like a lot of extra work. You have already a nice rig and yiu have so.many spare parts and done a lot with what you have
 
Biggest gain with rocks in rear steer. Gearing doesn't matter as much to me. Rocks can ultimately have more strength but stock don't think they are really any stronger than my current setup.
 
Go with 5 ton Rocks. I have some for you. :whistle:
 
Yeah. No. Dunno. Everything is for sale...for a price. :D
 
thatK30guy said:
Yeah. No. Dunno. Everything is for sale...for a price. :D
Click to expand...

Hey, you too?
:thumb:
I buy when I find nice deal for my projects but If I can turn around and make money off them when I need the money, I don't hesitate to do it.
I have way too many projects and if I sold 90% of what I have I will still never have enough time to finish all my projects.
:doah:
 
imiceman44 said:
Hey, you too?
:thumb:
I buy when I find nice deal for my projects but If I can turn around and make money off them when I need the money, I don't hesitate to do it.
I have way too many projects and if I sold 90% of what I have I will still never have enough time to finish all my projects.
:doah:
Click to expand...
Thats exactly my problem, too.

House
Shop
'85 K30
'87 V30
'75 F250
'74 K5 chassis
5 ton Rocks
3 BBC's on cradles
1 SBC on cradle
400/205 combo
spare 205
Several lift springs
38's on 12" wide Welds
460 on cradle
spare Ford 205

Tools just about everywhere, both mechanical and construction.
What the hell does one do with too many projects? Downsize to one or two and stick with that plan. :doah::doah::doah:
 
And these are my own personal items.

Got a few customer crap to do, too. If I could downsize my loot, I'd have more room in the shop to move around a little better.
 
I keep contemplating this also, although, I'm a web wheeler
 
How often do you suppose you break something in the axles?

How long do you think it'd take for you to make the swap to Rocks?

Do you know how much more unsprung weight you'd end up with after the rocks? I don't know the weight differences off the top of my head.

Tough call Matt. I really like your rig as is. One of the best rigs on here for sure. Also enjoy seeing them evolve. Since I am not in your shoes, I can only draw on my current situation for influence. Personally right now, i'm more about getting things finished rather than major mods and having things torn apart for longer periods.
 
Last year I broke a chromoly stub, twisted a chromoly inner, and broke a spicer 806 joint. Year before that I broke a 14ff shaft and stock inner shaft. IMO its not too bad. The weight difference on a stripped rock (no drum brakes but not counting steering and pinion brake0 is 155 lbs from my research so in reality probably 180-200 lbs heavier. To swap I need to at minimum raise engine/trans/cases 3-4" so I could have about 5-6" of uptravel with a rockwell. Otherwise I was thinking of moving the engine back 12" so I can get the front axle in front of engine and not make it stupid long wheelbase. There is a local with a ext cab s10 cab truck like mine on steering rocks and 49s with a 440 engine n the stock location and his front is in front of engine and his wheelbase is 145" which I was hoping to avoid. I know the swap and engine moving stuff can be done. Would have been alot easier to do it when first building the rig though and with the possibility of not having a shop to work in would make the stuff really difficult.
 
After reading that, i'd have to say, I'd stick with the tons. That's just me though.
 
I am really leaning that way right now. Sell them, finish linking front and put some good joints in axles. Added it up and I have about $1700 into all the rockwell/rear steer stuff I had collected but have a buyer if I wanna sell.
 
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