If your not going to wheel it, why bother? There is nothing wrong with a TTB axle.. I have never seen one actually been destroyed.. I see broken u-joints, and bent axle shafts more than anything else, and that is on some pretty abused rigs.. Those problems are fairly common with any axle that gets abused off road. I do wheel my '95, and the TTB holds up just fine with a lift kit and over sized tires (haven't even changed any u-joints yet, knock on wood). If you just want a straight axle to look cool.. find a dana 44 or retro-fit a straight axle out of a jeep wagoneer or something like that. You don't need the dana 60 for a pavement pounder.

 

True, I'll just toss it out the window and look for a yota or a ranger or something smaller, I wouldn't mind building something and going to Tuttle creek

 

I hear ya there.. I thought about building up my exploder, but my girlfriend wants to drive it this winter.. Honestly, I am in the process of finding an older jeep for myself. I've always wanted one and never owned one. Just waiting for my oldsmobile to die, then I need to sell my camaro.. gotta make some room in the stable

Also just gonna throw it out there for ya.. The first gen explorers are the same as the rangers, but have back seats.. Nice for carrying gear. They are also quite capable off road. My '96 has a limited slip rear end, and 3.90 gearing from the factory. Its been places some modified trucks couldn't go, and mine has the cheapest street-tread tires I could find.

 

Nice, I like the look of explorers, I also like jeeps but I want to build something you don't see all the time, and I also I know that no matter what I build it's been done but jeeps are everywhere just because the the **** but I wouldn't mind starting off with a truck or small SUV

 

How about this for $800?

94 jeep cherokee xj

 

Looks like a good way to start out

 

Yup.. $800 could get you on the trails.. less than the cost of a single axle

 

This is bad ***, local Ne guy built this

Project Small Package: '86 Xtra Cab Build - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

 

I'm going to read through it.. I love reading build threads.

 

It's pretty sweet

 

Yeah it was pretty neat. People are getting awfully proud of those little toyota's though.. aren't very many that you can find cheap. Explorers and xj's are a dime a dozen.. Rangers aren't too badly priced.. I had an s10 and it sucked as far as 4wd is concerned.. I see a lot of people complaining about not having room in the explorers, bronco II's, and jeeps, but I am 6' tall and close to 280 lbs and don't have trouble with room in any of those.. It all comes down to what your needs are, and how much your willing to spend.

 

Izusu trackers would make pretty cool rigs to, something cheap is what I want, I can work on the axles motor/trans/tcase combo.. I was thinking LS 5.3/th350/np208 with ford 9 and a d44 front

 

That would make a really good combo in a light weight rig.. I'm partial to old school engines though.. I like the old straight 6's for their low rpm grunt, and I like the 429's/460's for their excessive power potential. Np435's and T18's are nearly bullet proof manual trans's (I hate autos), and you just can't beat an np205 gear driven tcase clocked to fit underneath and up high... I'm just dreaming again

The chev 350's are impossible to beat for a cheap build, and can make some respectable numbers.. I would opt for a Turbo 400 trans, tough as nails.

 

I was going with a 5.3 b.c they make awesome power stock, and if I get on a crazy angle with the rig on a log of rock it will stay running (if a guy kept it FI) most carbs would choke out, and I have a th350 and Np208 so that's why I was going to use them, but a turbo 400 and 205 would be awesome but 205s are getting hard to find

 

Good morning guys! Just popping in for a sec, before heading out to the garage. Going to do some spot weld drilling, then later this afternoon, headed over to the BIL's to finally get the front and rear axles out of that 79, so I can get it to scrap. I'll bring the front axle home, and get it ready to put on the 67's frame. Dallas wanted the back axle, so I'll get it ready for him to come snag. Have a great day, guys!