Rockwells ??

[Merc69]

Lookign at the past several issues of JP magazine they are putting a set of Rockwells under a J-4000 p/u. I have run across a place where I am working that will sell me a set front and one rear for $650.00 front and $350.00 for the rear.

I still have the 74 Cherokee and am considering the options for a future project.

- Rockwells - with lockers and Hydro-assist steering
- Choptop
- Bobbed tail
- Really big...REALLY BIGGGGG tires :D

Kind of like Whitefoot/ Youngjeeper's chop top/ Rober80's choptop and may others except with ROCKWELLS :cool: :D

[Zack172]

That would be awesome man. Pretty big commitment though, once you start there's no turning back haha. I say go for it.

[GaWag]

I know where you can get a whole running duece and a half for 1500. One front and 2 rears. Could sell one. The truck is in north GA. Would prob need to be towed but supposed to have been running when parked.

Very cool idea tho. I thought of it too when I found the duece smile.gif .

[ March 24, 2004, 05:18 PM: Message edited by: GaWag ]

[robselina]

there's a local junkyard with a 4x4 dodge with rockwells and a 6x6 with them too. I can look into how much he'd want for them if you like....

[Merc69]

Rob: that would be great but I would not want to pay for the shipping...lol I would be curious to see what they want for a set though.

GaWag...don't know what I would do with the rest of the truck. As for trying to sell one rear axle. I would be better off selling it for scrap. Just not much call for them and space is getting limited.

Last 2.5 ton rigs I saw disposed of through the military went for under a $1,000.00 Just the logistics of hauling, cutting out and disposing of the remainder would be tough.

Just thinking out loud on another project. I think this is a sickness...IS THERE ANY HELP???????

[bigun]

Originally posted by Merc69:
I think this is a sickness...IS THERE ANY HELP???????NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Hammer]

You mean big tires like these?
http://www.froadin.com/images/m715/53_chero.jpg

[Merc69]

That's them Hammer...really big tires

[Hammer]

Honestly, life would be easier with the 48" versions of those tires. But yeah, they are HUGE!
Something to think about, depending on what brakes you run, the total weight of the axles, rims and tires will most likely be over 3,000 lbs! That isn't just a little bit of weight there!
But if you leave the hubs out, and have moderate backspacing, you will have a WIDE truck. If you chop up your fenders (basically not having any), to get some great clearance, you would really have a sweet setup.
Also, make sure you understand the clearance issues caused by the center chunk on these axles and the driveshaft angles needed, etc.

[Merc69]

Hammer...sounds like you have done this before or researched it in depth.

As for the tires, I will have to look around and figure out what I want. Those 49" IROC's look really cool.

I figure this will be a trail rig and might just go with the pinion brake system I see used. Loosing those huge heavy drum brake assemblies should drop some weight.

Again just thinking out loud and using the board to test my sanity on this topic. Thanks

[Hammer]

I haven't done them, yet. I have just been researching a lot.
I have the tires obviously, and next week I should be picking the axles up.
As for pinion brakes, only use these for offroad only. And if you don't have it spooled or at least a detriot, you don't want to use them. Otherwise if you hit the brakes you can lock one tire up and not the other. No fun!
It seems a lot of guys are putting disc brakes up front, and running the pinion in back with a spool in the axle. Of problem with that is the front brakes will act normal and the rear brakes will grab almost violently. Some people actually leave some air in the rear brake line to help even it out.
Your right about those drums weighing a lot. I plan on ditching them and running pinion brakes. But I don't plan on driving this on the street either. And plan on at least Detriots in both axles. And also planning on hydrualic assist to help out with this BIG tires. Either the 2x8" ram or the 2.5x8" ram to move them around. If I had more $ I would go full hydro, but I am not putting that much $ into this rig yet.

[FSJeeper]

Hammer, Tuesday is a go on the duece axles. I am trading that POS rent car they gave me on a pickup truck so will be in Austin Monday. I'll be able to trailer the other set back to Victoria so you won't need to make that trip. See you Tuesday in Houston.

[Hammer]

Sounds great, see you there. I am still picking them up from that guy's place, or your's?