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Put your Blazer on a diet

you made a point, my tow rig, is a 3/4 ton 2wd truck, 8600 gvw. 6000lbs K5, whatever trailer I get, I'm going to be pushing it. AS well its equipped with a Vortec 350, not a tow machine like I'd like but its what I can afford. A lighter rig sure would be nice on it /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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We balance strength, cost and weight and comfort. Everybody has their own balance point.
Part of cost is our ability to fabricate and scrounge parts. If you're really good at building stuff, you can build cool things relatively cheap.


We made a trip to Johnson valley this spring and ran with a small group of jeep buggy guys from nevada that all ran super light tube frame vehicles with 350 motors, little coilovers or light leaves, 36" tires, D44 fronts, etc. There were variations but they were all in the 3600# class. But I can tell you 36" tires were a CHALLENGE for them at JV. With 42's, we just drove over lots of stuff that took them a lot of time to get through, even with really light buggies with decent clearance and small bodies. It's just not the same as having big tires but that's about all they could get away with given the D44 front ends. Drop a D60 in the front, add some 40's and all of a sudden they're weighing 4000# give or take and you're not far away from what we're talking about with our trucks.
They were pretty cool in the sand though.

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Yeah, that's it, there is a big difference between "competiton" and "trail" driving and you have to decide which is best for you, I have been on some trails that have swallowed my 40's hole, I couldn't imagine running anything smaller than that but then again I have no plans on competing.
After taking the normal stuff off (doors, gate, top etc.) you can still lighten more, if I run a trail with large climbs I leave my spare (116#) in the tow rig, if Ken is along I leave my tools. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
 
this peice is lighter now. Probably 10 to 15 lbs. lighter.

10162DSC00283-1.JPG


Probably got rid of 30 or so lbs of sheet metal already and I'm not near done cutting on the front.
 
Yeah, but those cinder blocks are heavy, I would get rid of those for the trail. /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
They keep all the little critters from getting caught in the axles and driveshafts /forums/images/graemlins/yikes.gif
 
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What happened to that blazer /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif

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I took 3 of the body mount bolts out(all the rest were rusty and spinning inside) and wrapped a chain around the roof and pulled it off the K5 frame with my K20. I have a pick-up cab that I plan to put on it.
 
Looks like one of the biggest area's that lightening can be done is the body then. Since we'll never be super light, It makes sense to keep a little form over function. You could saw off everything that isnt needed but I think you would end up with something that might perform great, but looks pretty bad. I guess that would have to be left up to personal interpretation as well.

Well, I just got a line on a 241 transfer case for cheap. I'm wondering if its worth messing with for the possible 50 pounds or so lost. /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Al radiator might be another easy one also.

If we are stuck with some of the weight, how about moving it down for a better center od gravity? Dropping the battery formt he front side to the behind-the-seat floor moves some weight around and down. Would that be worth it? Seems to be worth it on a drag car.

I might go pick up some Lexan this week if I can get my retaining wall built. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
I don't think I can sacrifce the function that a doubler brings with it. I think a 241 would be a good choice though if you weren't going to use a doubler.
 
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Looks like one of the biggest area's that lightening can be done is the body then. Since we'll never be super light, It makes sense to keep a little form over function. You could saw off everything that isnt needed but I think you would end up with something that might perform great, but looks pretty bad. I guess that would have to be left up to personal interpretation as well.


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Hey! I resemble that remark! /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif
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If we are stuck with some of the weight, how about moving it down for a better center od gravity? Dropping the battery formt he front side to the behind-the-seat floor moves some weight around and down. Would that be worth it? Seems to be worth it on a drag car.


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That was one of my goals. My battery moved to the back and inside the frame rails. Same for the K5 tank conversions, low and rearward. Tools and parts all mounted as far rearward as possible too, but higher than I would like.
 
Here is one of my main reasons to run an Atlas. I have a built th400 with 3 forward gears going to 4.56 geared axles and 39.5 Iroks. It is a full manual w/ reverse pattern valve body and compression braking. In 4wd low, I can start my truck out in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear without worry. In 3rd gear I will be putting out a 19.6:1 crawl ratio at the shafts without torque converter multiplication. With a doubler you will be putting out 18:1. 2nd will be 29:1 (doubler- 26.7:1) and 1st will be 48.6:1(doubler- 44.6:1).

Now lets do a comparison.

Doubler in 2:1- 1st gear= 22.6 (slightly more than 400/Atlas in low and 3rd gear at 19.6:1) 2nd gear= 13.5:1 (slightly more than Atlas in High with 1st gear at 11.3:1). 3rd= 9.1:1 doubler (Slightly less than Atlas in high and th400 in 1st gear at 11.3:1 again).

Weight saving offset the extra slightly different gear ratios you gain from a doubler in my opinion.

So with money on the mind, a man (or woman) can build a doubler for less money than a lighter aluminum t-case but is it worth it? I don't think so.

Another thing that not one person has mentioned is balance of drivetrain components. You don't need a huge v-8 all of the time with the right gearing and weight. You don't need 1 ton axles with lighter weight rigs. You also don't need 44's with the properly designed rig. However there are times when the importance of the rigs functions and the owners desires offset the balance of components. There are way to many variables out there to conceive the perfect rig. It is just a matter of what is most important to the owner/operator of such vehicle and the goals they want to achieve with said rig.
 
Maybe we just need a sticky post at the top of one of these forums listing a mod and how much weight was removed.

Like this:

MOD: Narrowed front WEIGHT LOSS:52 lbs.
Cost: lots of time minimal expense.

MOD: Gun drilled 14B axles shafts Weight Loss: 3 lbs.
Cost: 30000000000 gadjillion

These of course are fictional examples. That way if everybody kept track of differences and posted them, people that were looking for ways to trim a little weight could read and find new places to do it. Also be able to decide whether its worth it or not to each individual.
 
This is leading right to the same points that we keep talking about over beers at the shop. Fourwheeling used to be road worthy vehicles getting driven on trails and then home.

Then they got beat and not so much fun to take a long road trip in so they became trailer queens. This in turn let them become more radical and less street freindly.
Then somebody comes up with the idea to make tube chassis and then someone else wants to see who is the best. So we have the first organized rock crawling Comp. in Las Cruces. Where everybody that was in the top places had full bodies. Maybe looking different than when they started but they were there.

Now fast forward to today. We are on CK5 discussing how to get our fullsizes as light as possible for more fun and easier times on the trails. For those of you that have run with Stephen and I you can understand what weight and size means. My buggy is lighter lower and narrower than probably anybody here. It makes off camber,steeper, whatever terrain not so bad compared to Stephens blazer or other like rigs out there.
Now put me in anything that requires Big power and watch Stephen leave me behind.
Okay now lets take my buggy and compare it to Jon Nelsons TINY. Okay, we will stop that now. There really is no comparing them.
The point of all this is that Fourwheeling is getting very divided.
1. Full body, weight not a concern, body damage not wanted
2. Chopped body, weight on the mind, body damage is expected
3. Buggy similiar to mine that goes on the trail without having to give away beers for gas. Weight matters but comfort and long term reliability and longevity are a must. A recreational Buggy.
4. Full out Comp. Buggies. Weigh as little as possible, creature comforts are not a huge concern, cost is high. Need even more money for beer on trail to get gas to make it home.

Bottom line is where do you want to be. I like where I am. I also like what each of the other options hold.
 
I want to be where you are, leaning towards the comp side of things. I don't drink beer afterall /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif This stuff is all personal preference. Like Cybrfire's idea of a list is good but when some people chop the top off they leave material near the windshield. Some cut more internal body panels out, so we'd really have to examine each thing posted on that.
 
This latest go around on mine, I tried to lighten it up and also lower it down as far as I could go. I am running 40" tires with 5" of total lift, good front end flex and it clears the firewall (lots of mods).

I noticed a huge difference on my last wheeling trip. Seems I could hope up rocks and get real tippy with no issues. I would like to move to 42's now just for the extra clearance under the diff's more then anything. Also, my driveline angles got much better so they should last longer.

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The point of all this is that Fourwheeling is getting very divided.
1. Full body, weight not a concern, body damage not wanted
2. Chopped body, weight on the mind, body damage is expected
3. Buggy similiar to mine that goes on the trail without having to give away beers for gas. Weight matters but comfort and long term reliability and longevity are a must. A recreational Buggy.
4. Full out Comp. Buggies. Weigh as little as possible, creature comforts are not a huge concern, cost is high. Need even more money for beer on trail to get gas to make it home.


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This brings up a real good point. Right now we basically have, mud, rock, and trail rig. Maybe its time to redefine some more classifications. I notice sometimes a post that I will make gets responses like "what about the freeway?". I then have to explain the current state of my rig. Now if I could say I have a "something" then the people reading it would know that I have a trailor rig that leans towards rocks and trail and not mud.

Any ideas on new classes and names?
 
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4. Full out Comp. Buggies. Need even more money for beer on trail to get gas to make it home.

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You got me. I throw in the towel.
 
I'll drink your beer while you siphon. /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif I really wish I had a 15 or 16 gal cell. The 22 is way to much so far.
It was nice however in Johnson Valley to have that extra gas.
 
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