Sniper in 4wheeler

[DBLAZER]

I enjoy, and I get in the dirt very chance i get. Moab, Montrose, Clayton, Disney, Ft.Hood, 360 all places I have wheeled. Just because I dont do every little thing on my truck, just because I want experience in my truck, just becuase i feel that someone else can do a better job then myself when designing the suspension and the new steering or anything else that I have had done to my truck, absolutely does not make me any less of an avid or compitent wheeler. Yes I have lots of cash wrapped up in my ride, but it is a ride that will stillbe wheeling 10 years from now. I am trying to build a rig that wont break out on the trail. I figure it like this, I run a car audio shop. People bring their vehicles to us because we are good at what we do. They bring them to us because we have over 30 years experience between myself the owner and my head installer. They bring it to us because we know all the little tricks that will make them get more banfg for their buck. That is the same reason that Diamond Offroad has done all the seriouse conversion components to my rig the axels, the case, the liner, the crossover, the suspension, the lift, moving the axels forward in the front and back in the rear. It makes me no better then anyone else, but it doesnt make any of you better then me.

 

[Donovan]

I think the reason for using the 2 1/2 axles is that he has zero driveline angles and the are also tucked up out of harms way. No more bent drivelines for banging on rocks. Also the weight of the Axles and tires gives him a great center of gravity. I have no idea why he used the 700r4 tranny. I just don't like those things. I have not looked into it but I heard that the low gear set from a 700r4 will go into a TH350 tranny.

Donovan

 

[Brady]

I also don't wheel with trucks that have that much money into them.My rig has about $6000 into it with the only work I didn't do was set up the rear gears.I probally could have but didn't want to chance it.It has climbed everything I put in front of it and looking for more!!I get a kick out some people who buy a rig don't even drive it at all and go and drop it of at a shop,then come back with a totally built rig and don't know a thing about it!!My boss went and bought an "84 scrambler for $6000 brought to a shop and put another $14000 into it!!!!!!!!I ask him ?s and he doesn't have a clue what I'm talking about!!That is pretty sad.This also his first off-road rig and has never wheeled before.I think this is a situation that can get someone in over there head quick on a hard trail.Just my opinion.Brady

 

[Blazer1970]

Wasn't a Sniper, or the Scorpoin in TTC last year, when Grady McCloud (?) won with a flatfender Jeep with a 350 Chevy motor, and Toyota pickup axles and t-case? I think Jeeps beat those things in some of the pure rock crawling competitions too.

Tim

1970 Blazer CST 4X4 350 SM465 NP205
1987 Suburban 4X4 350
1988 Chevy Pickup 4X4 350

 

[DBLAZER]

Oh yah, Jeeps and other rigs beat those thingsall the time. They are neat machins but they arent unstoppable. In my opinion it comes down to the man behind the wheel, be it a buggy, jeep or a BLAZER/JIMMY. If he cant drive then he cant drive.

 

[Emmettology 101]

I agree with most. What is it with these people that drop $45K done on something to go wheelin? Half the fun is building something on your own and taking it out and seeing what it can do. It makes me sick to see these people dropping that kind of cash on something that was built by someone else.

It is a different story when you are like one of the above people and you go out and by a vehicle(K5) and then have someone install the components you want on it when either you dont have the time or the facilities, but to go out and by an off-road/competition ready vehicle and the take on Moab, Rubicon, Tellico, etc.. and even compete in these events is just sickening.
I personally think these vehicles are nice to look at and are sweet to see wheeling when drivin by the person who built them and not the person who BOUGHT them.

Who really needs all this crap anyhow? Look at Sam Patton of Sam's Offroad in Tulsa, OK. He runs a full bodied CJ7 and runs with those guys and usually finishes in the top 5 or 10. I bet he has about half the cash into his 7! That is the way it should be!

This is my .02 cents. Over!





Mike

See <font color=green>EMMETT</font color=green> -&gt; http://emmett.coloradok5.com

 

[Brian 89KBlazer]

OK, I wasn't going to reply, but now I will. I can see Mike's point and Brady's comments about his boss sorta support it. There's nothing like someone building their own rig so that they can not only "walk the walk" but more importantly, "talk the talk". However, I also agree with DBlazer's points about letting a pro do what a pro does best! I will be doing most all of the labour on my frame-off rebuild including designing and fabbing a custom cage, hydraulic nerf bars and hydraulic tire carrier but when it comes to the engine, transmission, and diffs, it'll be a pro all the way. What's the point for me to buy used D60/14-blt and then have the labour and cost of cleaning it all up, buying new R&P, locking diffs, brakes, etc when for only a few hundred more (or less), I can get it from Hicks 4x4 already set-up by experienced pros!
Sorry to rant but I think there needs to be more appreciating a differing opinion and less getting our backs up by a differing opinion (myself included!!

).
For example, I can't figure why alot of people on this board want a Blazer so they can chop half the body away again and then bash the S&^% out of the rest! IMHO, there's nothing nicer looking than the shape of a big, built Blazer. If all someone wants is a D60/14-bolt and sheetmetal to smash, why not just make a tube buggy or worse, buy a jeep!!(

) Just kidding!! Anyway, like I said, I guess it comes down to: "To each, his own".

Brian
89KBlazer

 

[realsquash]

I can't say that paying out a bunch of money to get a truck built is such a horrible thing. I've got a large chunk of cash in my truck, and I've done all the work except the engine. I am proud of the work I have done and people respect that. Part of the fun of having my truck is the wheeling, but part is the building, too! Some people just wanna wheel, some just wanna drive around on the street. It's the same thing with high-dollar musclecars. Some build and some buy.

Squash
http://www.trailrunners4x4.org/users/realsquash

 

[talldogg]

The worst part about SOME people who get their toys built, is how they go on and on about how nice their toys are. And it's like, SO, you didn't build it. But the truth is they're the ones that loose out, because part of building something nice is just that; building it. There's a lot of enjoyment and pride involved in building something. An example, let say someone takes their truck into a shop to get it built up. The guy he leaves the truck with is going to feel good at the end of the day when he's done with the project, when it's not even his truck.
Another point which hasn't come up is that there are people who are NOT mechanically inclined. People who might be smart, but just have no clue as to how to put something together. They're out there and we all no at least a couple of them. So in this case it's totally okay for them to go out and their stuff built, who's to say they can't own something they really want just because they don't have the skills to build it?
In conculsion, a lot of it depends on the attitude of the guy who has his stuff built. Is he cool and realizes that he might have something nice but as to know help from him. Or his he a jerk and no matter how nice his rig is, it still doesn't get your attention.

 

[Rockblazer]

I certainly hope you were not implying my pristine condition Blazer. By the way, I had a straight beautiful Blazer. Got bored with turtle wax and decided to build my every day driver. Didn't want a J##p, but sure did enjoy going on those trails with them. Hope this clears up the chopping the body thing and beating the S$%# out of the rest. If you like, I will gladly take you on some trails and show you how fenders and bodies get beat, whether they are a Blazer, Bronco, Jeep, or any other brand! Take care and for god sakes, put down that sponge and turtle wax! Todd

"You're right... I don't understand that Jeep thing!"

 

[DBLAZER]

Thats pretty funny Rocky, I kind of thought the same thing about that, CRUNCH SCRATCH. My rig has more scratches and dents and I get people everyday I drive it that they dig my truck. And I promise there is no turtle wax there. That doesnt mean that I dont like the pretty ones, man I have seen some really pretty trucks, hell I have seen some really pretty trucks on some hardcore trails. I guess SOME

of us have different tastes. SOME

of us arent to worried about the bidy damage and SOME

of us are. Thats what makes us all different, thank GOD for that.

 

[Kyle89K5]

Just wanted to toss in something on Sam's ride. He's got a TON of money in that thing. And I mean a TON!!! Sam is not one of my favorite people but I won't get into that. His truck is "bought/built". Sure, it's a nice rig, and a VERY capable one at that, but I like to see that rigs that were made in somebody's backyard, not a shop with all the right tools and 4 profesionals doing it for you. This doesn't mean that I look down on people that farm some of their work out. Hell no, I farm some of mine out. There are some things that I'm just not equiped to handle in my own garage. Also, some people may A) Not have the time B) Not have the equipment or C) Not have the tools to do the job. Should we then HANG these people for sending the work out HELL NO! If there is someone who knows what they are doing and have the tools and time, why not send it to them. I wanted to learn alot of this, so I did it in my garage. There were some things though, that I needed to be done RIGHT AWAY and didn't have the time to [censored] with it myself. This stuff went off to the shop. I hate having to do that, I doubt VERY seriously whether I will again or not. I don't like trusting someone else with my life.

Sorry to Rant, that's just my opions.

BTW, this isn't aimed at anybody in particular, just a general toss in and I picked randomly who I replied to

Kyle
89K5

 

[talldogg]

DBLAZER,
I wasn't refering to anyone in particular. I just meant that some people's attidues are what we judge them on, regardless of who built their rigs. I wanted to make it clear that I don't think negatively of people who get their rigs professionally built, I look at their attitude