Best roll cage, tube frame/chassis for weight loss?

[ARC-]

Wouldn't a redesigned oil pan and lowering bracket (attached to the pan still) for the differential be the work around and use the updated sump, to avoid cavitation. Well as i went to post, i was notified AWcouger made a excellent post with photo! Please elaborate more AW, thanks in advance.

Oh and the 12"curb rhetoric, let me clarify... this is mainly to access a short cut that will save me 60 minutes of drive time, and maybe useful as an escape from traffic when it is bad. I will not be looking for boulders etc...
A lil ranch to ranch prerunning fun when I can. In winter it rains more and ruts that need just a bit more clearance to get to a ranch.

Show queen, yeah, shes hot and weight reduction and well, its a quick truck and mainly street so handling and overall performance is a priority think SS Prerunner or Cayenne turbo is where I'm going.

Im glad yall hard core off roaders find it unbearable that I dare to deviate from the standard 4x4 status quo here, but it is AWD and believe it or not, that was a on purpose. So, please HALT! with the I ride this way and you ride that way crap.

Ok, and a Corvettes weight with tubs is beyond my target,
well you gotta dream big

My SHO did had the OEM Diff so thats less weight = less traction. But I think the weight loss made it easier to spin it up with less weight on the front tires. I know all about the fastest SHO (turbo and supercharged) cars blah blah. Think faster than a stock Brand new Civic Si but slower than a Camaro Z28, adj Tokiko shocks, Mustang Cobra rotors, upper & lower welded in control arm bars and a lot of fun to drive 5 speed.

This again is learning about options. No cutting for a while.

as always, I really appreciate intelligent idea, tips and know that in the search for MPG and performance.
of course when breaking new ground i know that there will always be a DO WHAt? lurking nearby.

[v7guy]

I'm not sure there is a "status quo" here, we've got a pretty wide variety of lifted 360s. I know you want a discussion of the options, and I realize you're trying to think outside the box... and I commend that, I really do. But thinking outside the box requires you being able to think inside it first.

I'm going back to the garage to weld. SMH

[Trail X]

Tony, I think k there are many of us that would love to see you reach your goal on this. I understand you built a nice SHO, I had a nice one too in college. But adding performance mods to that motor is one thing... redoing your whole frame and suspension is an entirely different beast that takes years of experience (or maybe an engineering degree) to do correctly without endangering your life, especially if you want this to be driven on the street.

Also, keep in mind that the awd you have is basically a Frankenstein 4wd. It's not an awd like a car awd. It's rwd until you lose grip, then it slams into 4wd automatically. Not ideal for any kind of racing use, it's more marketed towards soccer mom's to get out in the snow. The 4wd system is actually pretty legit though.

Furthermore, a lowering bracket is impossible for our front diff if you want to drop it less than 5 inches or so. If you are going through the trouble, just fab in a s10 front diff instead.

[ARC-]

by variety once again you mean, within the box of 4x4 not AWD...
The AWD was not, is not intended for 4x4 the yep, the status quo build style, driving style...
I can and do drive this tank aggressively sometimes and it is point and it goes pretty well due to the front wheel drive pulling at 5, 25 & 40 MPH in sand, rain and transition turns on any surface. There are no switches, no stopping, just floor it and steer. It works great and Would not and have no use for a 4WD that is not built properly to be lifted.

All in Baja, on private roads and yes, it sounds like a Corvette is racing & lost in the desert.



I am not fabbing or dropping or building or cutting. I am posing questions.

[Trail X]

I thought you had outlined your goals and plans in the first post. You said something about replacing the frame and dropping 50% of the vehicles weight. That's what started us down this path my friend. Don't throw crazy ideas around unless you have done your homework and are serious about following through with them.

[ARC-]

This is part of my homework.
Somewhere people might start chopping up there trucks when You say so, but for the 5th time, I am just posting questions...for homework.
It's not crazy, not so much as your arrogant assuption that i need to have your approval. I'll follow through when I'm good and ready.

PS: I didn't mean what I said up there. I'm sorry for anything offensive I might've implied. I respect you and your moderators and understand that I don't need their approval to build a rig, but do need their approval to post on this forum of like-minded individuals. Sorry again.

[v7guy]

But TrailX, it's AWD, it's unstoppable bro! drive mad aggressive bro watched those subies, our the AWD is just like that dope shit! Moots is ride sucks it's only 4wd status quo, this new hotness I'm doing. I'm doing my home works too.

[ErikSS]

I don't think you are putting realistic plans together. I look forward to seeing how close to your goals you end up.

[dvanbramer88]

[ARC-]

Ok, i see now it's useless contribute this level of communication, you will win, you're obviously more experienced at it. Have a great life!

[DirtyBacon04]

[v7guy]

Nah bro, it's not useless contribute this level of communication, we do all the time, English brah, use all day, err day. I build that mad long travel IFS, outside status quo, jump that shit, got nothin on dis yo. Representin! Drop it like Parkway Drive.

[AWCougar]

Alright arc I think I figured out what your attempting.
build a tube frame that has a more open front end that our body can drop on to, base a long travel off the clearance you have available, and get/make/find cv's that will work?
what type of front suspension do you have in mind?
And yeah I agree ditch the awd. Go with 4wd.

[v7guy]

Or at least use an AWD that uses some kind of viscous coupling or viscous clutch in the transfer case. My only problem with Tony is he seems to have no understanding of what he's talking about, how our stock system works, and a fundamental lack of understanding of the english language.
The only way most of us communicate on this board is by written word... accordingly we need to be speaking the same language. If you add in that he doesn't seem to understand the mechanics of the stock system it's mostly an exercise in futility. If someone can't be bothered to do enough research to come up with a rough idea of parts they want to use and understand the way they will interact with our stock systems then as Barton said...

pfft...

Why should anyone even bother entertaining the idea, especially with no proof of any fabrication under their belt and no understanding of how anything works?


Chris, if you got an idea we'd like to hear it. We'd like to see some of your fab too. We need guys to build some crazy shit. I'm not hardcore, I'm a fracking retard, but I did some research and came up with a plan. There's been some set backs, and a serious lack of time, but here I sit with some double beadlocks at powdercoating, huge coil overs, 37s and some of the biggest rear and front diffs there are commonly available. Add to that a trailblazer with a hacked off subframe up front that's been sitting in my driveway for months. There's been a pic sitting on my build thread for months and I post updates elsewhere off and on, it's no secret. I haven't really posted here, cause there's really no point until it's finished, especially at my snails pace of progress. But if you're serious and can have a discussion about the pros and cons of various components, and making room, then lets continue the conversation.

I ain't here to discourage, but I get tired of seeing dreamers that aren't going to even attempt to make it happen.

[AWCougar]

I will let you know I'm going to be starting an exo cage here within the coming months. Outside of that like I said out of 8 months of trying to work out what I want i have made very very little head way.I have made head way but very little. The big issue I run into with forward weight and the long travel is countering bump steer. I want to keep the 2 control arms because it's a good system.
i will keep chugging along no matter how ineffective me moving my engine back may seem
at this point my envoy might turn into a collector by the time I'm done

[Trail X]

Moving the engine back seems much more difficult, with far less gains than moving the suspension forward. Moving the suspension forward at least nets you a greater approach angle and also forces you to upgrade stuff like the front diff. You could probably reuse the existing A arms, but I don't know why you would. I think you could keep the existing knuckle, or use a stock one off of another double wishbone vehicle.

[AWCougar]

I haven't considered moving the suspension forward... great more drawings lol

[TBYODA]

Chris take look at this site it may help you, not I am in the cockpit. I'd talk to Jason V7guy

http://www.racingaspirations.com/apps/s ... calculator

[bartonmd]

I haven't considered moving the suspension forward... great more drawings lol

Moving the front axle forward and rear axle back is the way most vehicles with really large tires are done.

Mike

[The Roadie]

Agreed. The large tire folks relocate their SOLID axle forward in the front.