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Branching Out From Eliminators..... My Metric Ton Dually Build.


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I looked at Greyhound.  Would have been $48 per fender, but boxed would have probably added to that.  Neither Lurch nor I were real excited about having to make the trek to the bus stations though.  The nearest one to me is about 30 min.  Since Lurch helped me out, I wanted to make it easier for him and have them picked up at his place.

 

I just shipped a large box to one of the members here via FedEx using his account. When I looked it up, it was going to be $68 (15x25x36 and 36 lbs.)  FedEx said it used "dimensional weight" as well to calculate shipping.  NO LARGE BOX UP CHARGE LIKE UPS.

 

Eff UPS.  I can't believe they felt their calculations of 180 lbs "dimensional weight" plus the large box $55 charge per boxed fender was even remotely accurate or fair.

 

Oh well.  This sets me back a bit on the project........ no real biggie.  Just have to sell some stuff. 

 

The hunt continues for the project truck. 

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saw a 91 metric ton on CL for 1700 a couple days a go don't know if it is still there but that might be of interest to you

 

 

Yeah, that one keeps popping up and disappearing a couple days later.  Dunno what's up with it.  It's a 2wd 5 speed though and kinda beat........ not "ideal".  It lives up in Kittridge, for some reason the guy won't show it there, insists on meeting somewhere else.  Couldn't get my schedule to match his the first time he had it for sale.

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  • 2 months later...

FOUND IT!  Got my dually project truck!  :D

 

'88 long bed from New Mexico........ yep...... ZERO rust.  And a stupid-straight body. 

 

The guy got a notice from the city to get rid of it and since he'd removed the engine/trans/t-case and axles from it..... he decided he couldn't get it together in time and decided to sell.  He had bought a bunch of brand new lift parts, 31's and whatnot, and the engine was blown so we struck up a deal where he kept the new parts, builder engine, trans and t-case to sell off and I bought the roller body.  For $600.  :D

 

It was his father's truck since new.  He wanted to do a resto-mod.  Helluva nice base-truck for my project.  The bed had a topper on it all it's life so the bed rails are perfect except for 6 bolt holes from the topper.  Perfect bed all around. Perfect tail gate too.  Never been in an accident, the only body filler is on the right rear and that's very minor.

 

The odometer says 30K miles....... unfortunately, it quit working years ago.  His father kept oil change records and the last oil change was at 145K before it spun a bearing.  Being that I wasn't interested in the drivetrain, mileage really wasn't a factor.

 

The interior is damn near like new.  The bench has had that seat cover on it since new - so he says - I'm anxious to pull it off and see what it looks like under there.

 

It has rebuilt rear leaf packs with new leaf insulators and bushings, and a 3" AAL.  The front has a new poly bushings, Black Diamond 3" lift arms upper and lower and a dropped track bar bracket.  The coils were shot and he cut those out with a torch, so I popped in a pair of Metric Ton front coils to get it home.

He also installed clear corners and signals with new halogen head lights, then painted the grill/trim.

 

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LOL...... in my excitement I overlooked the fact that this truck has factory skids and hook brackets! :D

 

Some "oddities" with this truck:

 

Too bad this isn't actual mileage.......

 

 

Previous owner (his father) musta been short........

 

 

Old school track bar drop bracket.......

 

 

Original headliner still intact and both pillar lights work and work correctly.....

 

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What bout dana 44 with them dual rims seen a xj running duel rims. Very interested in how this goes, got some ideas of my own.

Bad idea. Even the Mopar option dually used nothing but a wheel spacer/lug adaptor and to me..... The D44 wasn't made to be a dually axle. The lug flange, outer bearing and retainer, and the axle shaft itself.... All too small and weak if you ask me.

 

I'll use the Sterling 10.25 axle I have for this project..... It's WAY overkill but it's the right size. Ultimately I'd like to find a dually D60 and will keep my eyes out for one. I'm just a little concerned about the unsprung weight of the Sterling under such a light truck.

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Yeah they are light I wonder how much weight a solid metal  bed would add , and heavy duty bumper, are you adding frame stiffiners, or box up the frame? Just ideas not a pro.What bout heavey duty lock box's and maybe fifth wheel hook up hitch thing?

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Nope. No flat bed..... Defeats the purpose of having bought and shipped the dually fenders.

 

No 5th wheel..... That's for big trucks.

 

No need to box the frame.... It already is. Might plate the rear spring/shackle mount brackets for a bit more strength.

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I didn't mean flat bed was thinking thick metal welded up  like a the bed, then you add them dually fenders. If I'm bugging let me know,  just trying wrap my head around this.it's one  my dreams to do a dually in future.

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Then build one! Do it your way!:thumbsup:

 

I'm not building a hauler, just a re-creation with some modifications that, to me, make more sense than the way the original ones were done. My truck will haul a long bed MJ trailer and perhaps.... in the future, a light tandem car hauler with an Archer style MJ on it.

 

For hauling, I have one of these....... :D

 

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I build with wood.metal skills Not really nope HaHa. You gonna do a  Stroker? Moon visor? Running lights on the roof?double stack exhaust like them big rigs?

 

Stroker...... most likely as I have one sitting ready to go.  Still contemplating an LS engine swap too..... got a NAXJA buddy that's good with these swaps and is dying for me to jump into the LS pool.....

 

Moon visor?  Good gawd no.

 

Running lights on the roof?  Good gawd no.

 

Double stack exhaust like them big rigs?  Good gawd no.

 

This......

 

 

 

Still debating on if I'll go the chrome trim route or keep things black.  Won't be a roll bar, but I will probably make a headache rack/bed rail combo set up.  I have a winch/brush guard set up..... dunno if I'll use it on this project.   This one has the "good" wheel adaptors and wheels.

 

I tried real hard to buy this one a while back....... unfortunately it was for sale in Mexico...... too much red tape to get it and it sold locally before I had all the formalities worked out to get it into the States.  But it's set up nicely.  This one has the "odd" wheel adaptors and wheels.  I'm not going this route.

 

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LS swap sounds nice until you realize that the vast majority of people who put a V8 in either a Cherokee or Comanche end up battling cooling issues. The nose of our vehicles is not designed to flow enough air to cool a V8.

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