Ok, first nobody has asked the important questions in this thread yet. Where are you located or planning to wheel, and what types of wheeling are you planning on. The answers to these 2 questions will cause you to build completely different trucks.


Remember, big block V8 engines are not always your friend. They have their place, but as was stated earlier in the thread a smaller or lighter engine with the correct gearing will kick the crap out of a big block.


If you want a 3/4 ton from the late 70s most will be D44HD axles and even though they are 8 lug axles they are no stronger than a standard D44 (1/2 ton). The only F250s Ford made back then that got a REAL D60 front was the ones with the snow fighter package. Also keep in mind that anything Ford made after 80 is a TTB front axle. Only the 86+ F350s ever went back to a solid axle.

Also be very careful of buying those solid axle Chevys. You need to find an early 70s model as they will have a D44 up front instead of the 10 bolt. The 10 bolt axles have a nasty habit of the housing snapping in 2 right at the DS of the pumpkin.

The last thing to keep in mind is that a D44 is not going to hold up to more than 35s for any amount of time. Even at 35s after you lock the front axle it will hate life. You can upgrade to alloy shafts, but by the time you do that you might as well have sprung for a set of D60s to start with.



If you're doing trails then you can get by with a D44 and some 35s or 36s. Make sure both axles are locked or welded. Just remember the fact that you're locked and use the skinny pedal a little more sparingly to prevent blowing the front axle up. 4.56 gears will be best for this setup. A mild 302 is cheap and easy to build and have more than enough power for you. Find a 5spd trans as well.

For rocks I wouldn't waste any time with a D44, go with 60s right away. I wasted time on mine, no way would I put a 44 in anything again. Minimum tire size here would be 36s, but ideally 37s or bigger will help out alot. Gearing here is more critical. 5.13 gears or deeper and a tcase doubler will go a long ways.

Mud, well I stay as far away from that crap as I can, but for that it all depends on what kind of mud. If its thick gumbo mud then tall wide tires will help you out. If its somewhat shallow with a hard base then tall skinny tires is what you want. Gearing will be a little taller, but don't go too tall or you will have trouble transmitting the power. HP will also come in handy here though.



Now that you've read that long *** post heres the best bet for a cheap "all purpose" rig. Get yourself a early/mid 90s F150. This will get you fuel injection which will help in off cambur situations. Rip the TTB D44 out of the front and burn it. Get a D44 from a 76-79 F150 or 78/79 Bronco. Swap that in with a set of 4" lift coils. Build a set of extended radius arms and wrist the passengerside arm. Gear to 5.13 gears, weld both carriers (lockers suck), and throw on a set or 35 or 36" tires. If you find one with a 300 IL6 engine it will be nice offroad as they are durable as hell and torque mosters to boot. Try and find a reg cab long box truck, bob the bed, and cut the fenders for tire clearance and you're set. Should cost you less than $5k including purchase price of the truck. It should only be about $1500 for the axle, gears, and lift components.

 

Ok,well its mostly gunna be for mudding,not alot of rocks around here.Actualy,plan on taking it to Lakeland speedwaythey have a big mud boggin' arena there,some times they televise events!

Engine,I dont have any big blocks lying around,I DO have three 5.4L's,a Explorer 302 (with the GT40p heads and lower intake) and another motor that was for my other drag project car,it will be a 408 with some wheres around 680hp,but will turn around 7500rpm,and I dont know if it would be the most durable thing for this kinda sport.

Hate to say it,but if I go big block Im gunna use a 454 chevrolet most likely,possably even with a 8-71 huffer on top.Would be pretty cheap to set that up and make 8xxhp.

What about transmissions? I got a built C4 (PA SuperComp with transbreak) and a 8" 5000rpm stall converter,but that more for a bracket race drag set-up.Was thinking a mild built TH400 with manual vb and a 10" 4000rpm conveter?

 

i picked up my 92 f150 for $500 can and im planning on making it my off road truck i cant wait to start...

anyways anything with a solid axle is a good start

my dad uses a toy pickup 84 nice truck made for asians (SMALL AS FAWK)

 

Go buy a worn out 90's DOT single cab longbed chevrolet 1500 v6 5 speed. Put some huge tires on the rear, and some skids on the front, and you'll have the toughest mudbogging truck for the $$'s. You can't seem to hurt those trucks.

 

Just go pick up a Suzuki Samurai. I got one for about $150. i have put about 2k into it and its a monster. These vehicles are rediculously capable of handling anything you throw at it. Mudding is fun, but if your new to off-road, wait til you hit some trails, and eventually hit some rocks. Mud is fun to play around in, rocks provide us wheelers with more of the driver challenge aspect. I have seen very well built vehicles get detroyed on rocks because of careless driver mistakes. Go with the Zook (Suzuki). Best off-road vehicle out there. Go check out this site, http://rocky-road.com/index2.html just to get an idea of whats out there. After market ideas for the Zook are endless. i have seen them with Diesals, small chevy v6s and v8s and even wierder combos. I have seen coil conversions and crazy suspension set-ups (a buddy runs the quarter ellipticle and flexes like MOTHER...) Those full size rigs are great (I owned one. It was a chevy with big ole Dana 60s, the destroyed diesal motor ripped out and a crate 350 dropped in. I installed the TH400 with a NP-205 tranfer case. I put 4.88 gears in the axles and a 4-1 kit for the tranfer. This thing was a beast. Topped off with 40x 18 ground hawgs. Mudding was no problem and deep snow was fun, but trails? Not so much and wouldn't even think about the rocks! Couldn't see anything!), til everyone your with in little jeeps and Yotas go down some super tight, small trail and you have to hang back and wish them luck. IMO

 

I would say your best bet is a Jeep Cherokee, Wrangler, or Samuri. Small and capable is what you want. My dad owned a cherokee with stock engine lift and 33's locked front and rear and it was crazy on the rocks. Now we are building a 91 Wrangler up. We moved the cherokee engine over. It has a doubler kit on the transfer case making it super low geared. A toyota tundra axel in the back accoumpined by a full size chevy in the front. It will be four linked and coils in the back leafs in the front. Its got a one inch body and i think a 2inch suspension. Eventually it will probably have coils in the front but we are short for time before i offroading trip to tennessee. We are gonna run 37 boggers but after the trip we will probably get 37 MTR's. Its gonna have a lot of custom body work and hopefully soon a roll cage oh yeah and lockers can't forget lockers..

 

Sorry, double post (don't know how the **** i did it tho) I still say Samurai!!

 

Ok,I guess Ill consider the Samurai..

One thing I heard from a good friend that has alot of automotive experiance,he said that Id need a MASSIVE rear end,like out of a 2.5/3 ton truck to handle anything larger than 40's. So does this mean I should look for some dump truck rear ends or something?

Hmm,if I where to get a Samurai,cram the 302 in there somehow,what kinda transfer case and rear end set-up should I use?

 

Unless you're running 800 HP or have super deep pockets, Dana 60's will hold up just fine with some work done to them.

 

Awsome,cause I found quite a few over at our local junk yard. For the front,do I just cut the ends off the D44's and weld them to the D60? I know I will need a custome axle,but I planed on that anyways.

 

You can't go wrong with a 97-06 TJ Jeep. Solid axles, linked suspension, and every single part is replaceable with upgraded parts.

Since you are a capable welder, you can easily work on the cage, tube fenders, rockers, and bumpers. Suspension design can be very basic for the TJ's. You can build your own control arms and skid plates.

Upgraded axles are nice, but the 44's are good up to 35" tires (with upgraded axle shafts). Anything above that, a stronger axle would be needed.

Skip the D60... and build a 609 axle Ford 9" center section, with D60 outers. Ground clearance on the D60 is horrible.... with the shaved 9" giving nearly the clearance of the D44. CTM shafts and joints, and you wouldn't have a problem.

If your playing in mud, Line-X the interior and be done with it.


Other vehicles are nice, but can't go wrong with a Jeep.

 

you will definately want solid axles and i got a d50 front axle and 10.5 rear under my truck with 40s and so far ive only got to take it in the mud one time but with 5.38 gears i had no prob with anything breakin or tearin up

 

Sorry that I'm resurrecting a dead thread, but I was searching and this came up and there was some serious stuff that needs to be set straight. First, not all post 80 Ford trucks are TTB! Only F150s and Rangers are TTB - the F250 still have solid axles. Chevy switched from solid axles in the mid 80s on all trucks. Therefore, even a 90s 3500 is gonna be a PITA IFS rig! You can always buy axles from Currie if you have the cash and they will be more dependable than most junker axles you can find especially Dana 60 front axles.

 

find something pre 1980 if you want a good heavy base, thats where youll find solid front axles instead of our twin i beams or IFS something with dana 60s or 44s