Rig plans and budget...........

[xCaliK5x]

Ok, I love my truck, its been forsale since I need to save money, it doesnt fit in the garage and I have no driveway, but it looks like its going to be around awhile so I want to ballpark what its going to take financially to get it where I want and do it right. I can do most of the work myself with the exception of welding. I do not have a welder, and no place to weld if I did. Here is the list of my desires, feel free to chime in with cost and experiance of what I should do, where to get parts. I figure I can get most of this with a $5K budget and have a nice rig.

Locker for the 14 Bolt, Detroit (I could install it but have never set backlash so this maybe left to someone with more experiance?)

Locker for the front, ARB? So I can turn it off?

I have a D44, stronger shafts or get a D60?

Crossover steering and high steer.

Cage, I have no idea who, where or how much this would cost. I figure it will likely eat most of the budget. I want one that will keep me safe.

Rocksliders, bumpers, diff covers. I figure I can get from DIY 4X4 and mount them

seats and harnesses to keep me inside the truck god forbid!

H1 beadlocks, do they need to be recentered or run as is? I found a guy on pirate selling them with <90% Goodyear radial military tires for like $1100 shipped.....

desert sand camo paint my buddy and I (mostly him) can do this for the price of paint since he sprays.

A set of decent shocks

Shackle flip and springs

Things I know will not fit in the current budget

doubler? Can I use this with a 208? or do I need to get TWO t-cases?

The 700R4.......... it has 15K on a rebuild. Is this thing a ticking time bomb for a truck on 36"-37"s with lockers and a basically stock 350? I don't plan on wheeling too crazy (I have been told this is what we all say starting out) do I swap trans? Wait for it to pop and get a built 700R4

turret with an M60 on the cage (not in California and not on my budget but I can dream a little right?)

 

[dfl701]

a D60 would eat alot of your budget, but if your inly going to run 36s you could probably make it last if your careful. however, if you think your going to step up in the future to bigger tires then go ahead and get a 60. dont waste money on the 44.
the most common doubler is a 203/205. i would wait on this if your on a tight budget though. you might consider getting a welder and finding a buddy that will let you use it at his place. its gonna cost alot to have someone else weld all this stuff for you.
sounds like a great start though man!

 

[MTBLAZER89]

Locker for the 14 Bolt, Detroit (I could install it but have never set backlash so this maybe left to someone with more experiance?) ~$400 new last time I looked, but you could probably find a CUCV axle with 4.56+Detroit for around that price.

Locker for the front, ARB? So I can turn it off? Always a plus. I beleive there is also OX and maybe an E-locker, but the good ol Detroit will always work too..just depends on how the truck is going to be used. Detroits are harder to steer with on a tight trail. ARB ~$900 plus compressor. Detroit ~$600

I have a D44, stronger shafts or get a D60? Max tire size you'll run? I ran a 3/4 ton 10b front for a long time with 37's. I just carried spare parts. If you can find a CUCV 14B get the matching 60 as well. Probably the cheapest way to get one tons with 4.56 and a locker.~$750-$1100 depending on condition, gearing etc.

Crossover steering and high steer. You'll need a 2wd steering box then the kit is ~$675. Don't forget Hydraulic assist if you lock the front. You can DIY for ~$200

Cage, I have no idea who, where or how much this would cost. I figure it will likely eat most of the budget. I want one that will keep me safe. I would plan on around $1000 for a custom built DOM cage from a reputable shop

Rocksliders, bumpers, diff covers. I figure I can get from DIY 4X4 and mount them $150 each for diff covers, $150 for sliders, Bumpers $300-$600+ depending on what you want.

seats and harnesses to keep me inside the truck god forbid! $200+ each for seats $150+ for 4 pt harnesses

H1 beadlocks, do they need to be recentered or run as is? I found a guy on pirate selling them with <90% Goodyear radial military tires for like $1100 shipped..... They need to be re-centered unless you run dually hubs Not sure what it costs to have them re-centered. I've seen them for $300 a set in stock form.

desert sand camo paint my buddy and I (mostly him) can do this for the price of paint since he sprays.

A set of decent shocks $75-$100

Shackle flip and springs $250 for shackle flip and shackles. $300 for front springs.

Things I know will not fit in the current budget

doubler? Can I use this with a 208? or do I need to get TWO t-cases? The standard doubler you read about is the NP 205 and a 203 range box mated together with a custom plate. Cost will vary with what you pay for the cases but the average price for the doubler is ~$750

The 700R4.......... it has 15K on a rebuild. Is this thing a ticking time bomb for a truck on 36"-37"s with lockers and a basically stock 350? I don't plan on wheeling too crazy (I have been told this is what we all say starting out) do I swap trans? Wait for it to pop and get a built 700R4 Make sure it has a big cooler and take good care of it. Don't run it in OD unless RPM's demand it. High gears with big tires= heat and bad maintenance is what kills an auto

 

[Greg72]

What's the objective?

Dual-Purpose rig or trail only? Are you trying to pull some lift out of it so that you can park it back into the garage?

Don't get sucked into the whole "I have to have 1-Tons to be cool" mentality.... you'll burn your entire budget trying to make it happen, and if you still want daily drivability and comfort I doubt you can get there even with a generous budget like $5000.

1. Safety Items first
2. Reliability items second.
3. Performance items last.

Ultimately, you live longer and have a more enjoyable truck to use....and you'll probably find yourself using it more often.

 

[bp71k5]

Adding up all the lowest numbers quoted above puts you at $5725 roughly for the cheapest estimates.

Being in CA, I doubt you will find a d60 that's worth running for $1100. Not impossible though depending on how patient you are. The bare axles are going for around $800+ and if you do gears, locker, axle shafts, hubs, bearings, seals, and all that stuff, you can get up over $3k easily. Also don't forget to consider driveshafts $$$ if you are doing any axle swaps.

You might be able to find someone to build a very basic cage for $1000. DOM is expensive, but you could get a basic one built and add onto it later.

If you stay away from any axle changes or modifications, you can probably do most of the other stuff. You might have luck finding some poor soul who can't afford his stuff anymore and is parting it out for a steal.

Remember that estimates are always wrong and always end up being too low. My motto is to figure out the best estimate I can, then double it and add 10% and that's what it'll really end up costing.

 

[kgblazerfive]

reread the post wanted to redo my post

 

[kgblazerfive]

don't replace anything untill you break it like the axels people have run for years on 1/2 ton stuff and never broke it. When you do break it though then get better stuff don't get cromo shafts for a ten bolt, its still a ten bolt.

Concentrate your money on one time upgrades

One thing I did with my rig is I sat down and figured what did I want for the high dollar stuff then bought the best, never have to change it and it can't get any better except for stuff like axels and u -joints. People spend alot of money on trying to make 1/2 ton stuff better cuz thats what they have but in the end they still have 1/2 stuff.

So run it till you break it then replace with what you really want instead of fixing.