Build overkill.

[bajascott]

. Think of it man, we could be the bronco mafia![/quote]
i can see it now, pin striped shirts, board shorts and loafers.
you could be the don.

that would be a sight though,

[monkei]

Has anyone heard/seen a front axle half bust/crack from desert abuse, or is it something like the frame or pivot brackets that go first when something gives?

[yikes]

Has anyone heard/seen a front axle half bust/crack from desert abuse, or is it something like the frame or pivot brackets that go first when something gives?

Ball joints and the driver's side tie rod....and in my case, bent frames. Haha!

[yikes]

How awesome would a class 3 bronco with an all bronco support team be! Haha!

Heck yeah!!!!!!!

[philofab]

I saw a spindle rip out of the knuckle when a race truck hit a huge rock at 60 mph.

I've also seen:

stock rear axle housings bend between the leaf spring mount and bearing
numerous cracked x-member and broken drop brackets
aftermarket bent radius arms (usually in a bend for tire clearance)
passenger beams bent between the axle opening and pivot opening
lots of broken leaf spring hanger / shackle hangers due to not being supported on one side

That my list!

[magic carpet XLT]

i have seen all kinds of stuff break, and i've never even been to a desert race. my list of brokens is a mile long...
broken 3rds, detroits, ring n pinions, tcases, leaf springs, shackles, ridiculous body damage, broken D60 knuckles/spindles, cracked frames, broken motor mounts, tranny mounts, seized engines after being inverted too long, pretzeled driveshafts, broken ujoints, i even once saw a buggy whose entire link mount subframe broke off the frame in the middle of a steep rocky descent on the rubicon, and it was on rockwells and 53s. come to think of it, i've even seen broken drivers

with the recent explosion in online activity in the off road community i have noticed a lot of my friends either starting one project only to abandon it half way thru so they can keep partying or tackle a "bigger better project", take a decent rig then hack it up with big dreams only to have it snowball into a unicorn they are unable to finance let alone finish, or they just plain build a truck that is far more capable than they are of handling a vehicle and it usually ends up on its lid or smashed into another truck by the second or third trip. i see tons and tons of projects on the internet but fewer and fewer of them actually make it out to the trails, i guess its easier to have a project than it is to have a wheeler (no hate to those of you who are mid build, mine is forever stuck there and thats fine with me!)

a wise man once said the driver can't make the car any faster, all he can do is screw it up...

[philofab]

Haha, my list was limited to items on Broncos that did not fail just from being worn out....

[Silverslk]

Good thread Nick. In my case it's what is available for a good price (typically used). I got 33" Bajas from a buddy for $400 then sold them and bought 35" Bajas for $250. Can't beat that. I can live with the noise as I only drive it when I go out (and thats not much these days) but knowing how durable they are and that I "most likely" won't get a flat are a bonus to me.

I will build overkill as much as I can afford because I tend to push my vehicles alot harder than most. I do this on street bikes, street cars, road race cars...you name it. haha

[Ian]

I've got to agree with Ollie and Brian on this topic. I try and build my stuff as tough as possible so not to be stranded and to handle how hard I like to beat on my Bronco. Economics limits what we all do, but when it comes down to it. When we brake parts, we are always going to try and replace it with something a little more built/overkill as we can afford. In my case I went through a trans, rearend, ball joints, tie rods, wheel bearings, 3 sets of hubs, 2 sets of coils, 2 sets of shocks, and even broke the sector shaft off the gear box. That was all in my first Bronco the 1st year I owned it, 14 years ago. I'm extremely hard on my sh*t. So over kill has turned into my way when possible. I'm building my Bronco just to go and beat on it, then when I brake it I can drag it back home and build it better and even more overkill. Just to clarify, its not that I'm not running some stock parts on my Bronco now, its just to say that as they break I always try and upgrade. As Nick was saying, building it in phases. The whole go fast theory doesn't lend it self to non beefed-up parts for the long term on our vehicles, if we use them in that way.

[PaulW]

Has anyone heard/seen a front axle half bust/crack from desert abuse, or is it something like the frame or pivot brackets that go first when something gives?

==========
I have seen the crossover axle joint break. Not the shaft. Get air when the front hubs locked and it breaks. Driver can avoid the breakage. I am still on the stock F axles. Chris has replaced several.

Mine gets regular replacement of the ball joints and wheel bearings.
The stock beams started to show cracks after a several years and the pivots were trashed. The good thing with the arms is it becomes obvious where to plate them when you see the cracks. The solution for the pivot is a sphreical bearing. Never needed any frame or pivot bracket work so far. Some others report issues with the P bracket.
This 96 has 40k on it since I bought it and way more than half are on the bad desert roads.
Constant checking is required to keep the thing working. Mostly little stuff. Now days tires are the biggest expense after the carnage I create. I have been doing constant miniscule shock adjustments in the rear, and front ride height needed adjustment after 4 years. Really minor stuff. I have the ambulance tie rod, so far its good. C LeDuk told me that sector will break. Not so far.
PW

[billy1911]

Good thread Nick. I think your really talking about 2 different things.

1 Overkill I see more as a bling factor or what the cool kids do. Like the example Tony gave about the tires. The item doesnt improve anything you already have or can get for cheaper.

2 Overbuilt is bigger heavier material, or using cromoly instead of DOM. This can improve an item, by making them stronger, its just more then you will need to perform a task. But in off road you don't know what will happen so we all tend to over build.

I tend to use what I have available, for the lowest price, that will do the job I want it to do. That's part of the fun and the challenge of playing off road and being a blue collar guy. Its how the off road sport got started. Also with a little my truck is better then your attitude.

[Squarehead]

Nick, as you similarly mentioned in your post, I'm not a racer, and never will be. I'm actually not even really a race fan--rather, I grew up skateboarding and snowboarding and tend to use my Bronco in a similar way that I'd have fun in skateparks or snowboard parks. I like to find a jump and hit it over and over again, going bigger and faster each time. Or find a good stretch of whoops and have fun seeing how my driving can improve as I hit it a few times, making adjustments to my driving so I can go faster and faster. I also like cheering on my friends as they do the same. I like to go explore too, of course, but the fact of the matter is that I'm simply not an overtly competitive guy. I'd rather spend an afternoon screwing around in the dirt, getting video, photos, and crazy stories...then park and enjoy some beers.

Anyway, as to the topic of the thread...I try get certain things overbuilt, parts that wear out, like transmissions, in hopes that they'll last longer. On the flipside, I wasn't interested in a full race rollcage in my Bronco; instead, I wanted a solid cage that would be protective but non-intrusive, and so I went with a pretty basic choice. I'm lucky in that I get some stuff hooked up for magazine stories, and in that case....I'll take the best stuff that is offered! But in my normal choices that I have to pay for, I try to find that intersection between affordability and function.

[redwagon]

Every time I break my "Keep it simple, Stupid" rule I regret it.

Best rule ever, I try to never break it...

[Nick]

Squarehead, can you post any pics of your cage?

[Polarcub]

Nick great thread....When is enough enough haha...Stages are the way to go for most of us for sure. It would be nice to tear the bronco down and take amonth and get it all done up but the reality is most of us dont have the time/respources. As a play toy/pre runner I do think most of us get a bit silly. I am still arguing with that myself on my bronco. I want coilovers but I find myself asking why? The bronco works pretty good now. Yes I want a cage but it will not be a race cage, but one that suits my needs. I do believe in overkill for things that will cripple you and leave you stranded. I also thingk that the driver has a big factor in the equation as well. I want to push so much harder on my bronco at times but I try to rememebr that I have to drive it home and if I break it I cant really afford to fix it right away.
I think that one has to ask themselves and answer honestly when they are building their rides what they want out of it. You can have a pretty low tech reliable pre runner toy that will perform better than a half ass bling bling one...

[PaulW]

I for one would like to have opinions on build items that could leave you stranded.
Anybody want tomake a list?
PW

[bajascott]

shock hoops
shock mounts(mostly c/o due to the obvious reasons)
two things off the top of my head

[SteveG]

I for one would like to have opinions on build items that could leave you stranded.
Anybody want tomake a list?
PW

Done.

http://www.gofastbroncos.com/forum/view ... f=14&t=328

[Deleted Account]

Ok here is my 2 cents. Some things can be small and stock and you my mever have any problems. Some things should be as good as you could possibly afford. Rear ends for ex. should be as strong as you can buy. This last race season has tought me lot about what you can make live and what you cant. Case in piont. we went though 2 sets of 35 spline axles,(not cheap ones btw tube works and tcs 300m) 2 spools and 2 r&p and 1 hub( with 11 studs and some 1/2 bolts. lol ask tony he was there) The last time we went to 40 spline and we are good so far. New bigger rear hubs are being put on now. All of this damage was done with a 100% stock 351. AND stock 2wd front spindles and little tiny bearings that have been problem free. You dont have to overbiuld eveything, only the inportant things. I will be starting a new 1400/1450 chassis soon and i can tell you this, it will have the biggest shocks and drivetrain i can afford. The only other thing that is super important is safety. Nice cage is super super important as is a GOOD helmet and suit. Ever in a prerunner.

[tcm glx]

This last race season has tought me lot about what you can make live and what you cant. Case in piont. we went though 2 sets of 35 spline axles,(not cheap ones btw tube works and tcs 300m) 2 spools and 2 r&p and 1 hub( with 11 studs and some 1/2 bolts. lol ask tony he was there) er.

Spare studs... carry plenty of them!! And then buy more and carry them in the chase truck!! lol