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Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:40 pm

It is my understanding that you are supposed to remove the stearing damper and let the wheels run free. That is how I do it with my rail and it works just fine. My question: does it need to be licensed as a trailer?

Mon Feb 16, 2009 6:47 pm

The truck almost couldn't pull away from a stop light, until i hit the throttle... :lol:

Its my first time flat towing, but everyone says to leave the wheel unlocked, and i don't have a dampener.

In CA the towed vehicle has to be registered

Mon Feb 16, 2009 7:18 pm

takotruckin wrote: The truck almost couldn't pull away from a stop light, until i hit the throttle... :lol:

Its my first time flat towing, but everyone says to leave the wheel unlocked, and i don't have a dampener.

In CA the towed vehicle has to be registered

green sticker vehicle ca be flat towed also.

Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:48 pm

takotruckin wrote: The truck almost couldn't pull away from a stop light, until i hit the throttle... :lol:

Its my first time flat towing, but everyone says to leave the wheel unlocked, and i don't have a dampener.

In CA the towed vehicle has to be registered

Can't tell from the pics, but I'm pretty sure that's a 7.3L PSD, right?

Thanks for the info on flat towing. Hopefully, I'll never need to do that. 20 year old BFG A/Ts (just to load onto the trailer) or paddles probably won't like 70mph on asphalt... :D

Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:32 pm

Yep, '00 7.3 PSD, 4" turboback, no muffler, intake, DP tuner. It moves pretty well :twisted:

Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:36 pm

If the car were go to go upside down..... can your head make contact with the bar nearest the door? Looks like it may be kinda low?

Tue Feb 17, 2009 9:57 pm

No, the seats actually sit fairly low.

Thu Feb 19, 2009 9:38 pm

I flat tow my rail and I don't have a dampener and I don't tie the steering wheel. Make sure your front end is towed in, otherwise it will wander. I have trouble when I hit a bump while turning at low speeds -- the wheels on the rail then just violently swing back and forth (really great for my rack&pinion). When that happens I have to come to a complete stop and then slowly pull away. I don't have much weight on the front of the rail and the BFG A/Ts are pumped up to the max of 50psi for less resistance, so the front end is bouncy, which probably adds to the issue. Also, you can not back up when flat towing, except for maybe like a foot or two. So plan carefully.

--Tim

Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:11 pm

Ready for some rock crawling :D
I think that it's safe to say that I will never crack the oil pan open again. Well, from a rock that is, the possibility of a rod coming through will probably be very likely :twisted:

The rear skid still needs another set of mounts in the middle, and I still need to add some diagonal braces on the rear cage, as well as some sort of a "wing" to protect the oil filter. But that stuff will get done later, next weekend the Ford is coming out and a 1600 is going in...

Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:07 pm

Better late than never, Huh?

The oil filter protector is a definite good idea and I was going to post that until I read far enough to find you already had it planned.

One suggestion which may be a little late, but I hadn't seen the bumper current version until now. That is that I would start the upward bend of the bottom bumper tubes to vertical further forward, starting the bend at the back edge of the oil pan and making it a 45 to straight for a ways, then another 45 to the vertical about even with the top of the oil pan. That would improve your rear approach/departure angle substantially.

Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:29 pm

dustymojave wrote:
One suggestion which may be a little late, but I hadn't seen the bumper current version until now. That is that I would start the upward bend of the bottom bumper tubes to vertical further forward, starting the bend at the back edge of the oil pan and making it a 45 to straight for a ways, then another 45 to the vertical about even with the top of the oil pan. That would improve your rear approach/departure angle substantially.

It would have helped, But it would have interfered with my tricky exhaust plans :D It would have also made forming the skidplate much trickier, that 1/4" 6061 does not like to do anything.

As it is, I have more clearance and much less overhang than before, so I'm happy.

Sun Mar 22, 2009 11:04 pm

As far as the skidplate goes, I feel 1/4" is 2x what is needed or prudent. 1/8" 6061 T6 is plenty for race car or rock crawler bug. It should not be a rock crusher. Its job is to help the car slide over what obstacles it encounters. Trying to form 1/8" will convince you how tough it is.

Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:18 am

I like overkill :D And a friend was running a 3/16 plate that has been beat to hell, I think skid tore his up pretty well too.

The front is 1/8th, i still had to use the jack to curve it into place

Mon Mar 23, 2009 9:29 am

Yeah, but I tear everything up.... :lol: 8)

Mon Mar 23, 2009 12:16 pm

Skidmark wrote: Yeah, but I tear everything up.... :lol: 8)

And i don't?! :lol:

Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:21 pm

Can that filter thread all the way off?

** EDIT **

Nevermind, I looked at the pictures again. I'm an idiot... :D

Though you may want to switch to cap screws or something. I'd hate to see the bolts for that plate get ripped out.

Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:16 pm

Rockwood wrote:

Though you may want to switch to cap screws or something. I'd hate to see the bolts for that plate get ripped out.

Have you ever tried getting a cap screw out after its been dragged across a few rocks? Its a total PITA. Even after serious damage, a hex bolt will always come out with vice grips :wink:

Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:05 pm

I like carriage bolts for skid plates. Drill the hole close to the bolt shank size and pound it in/ torque it down to create the square hole. Use self-locking nuts. Sometimes you destroy a cheap carriage bolt doing the initial installation, but they are then easy to install and often stay in place when you drop the plate to work on it.

And if the skid plate gets beat, then its doing its job!!! It isn't there for the beauty contest! 1/8" 6061 or mild steel works great for me for decades. 1/8" is also a lot less expensive to buy than thicker material they sell by the pound and much easier to form. And if it gets too beat to re-install, its way cheaper to replace than the engine or trans right above.

Its like paying Chess, sometimes ya gotta sacrifice the pawns to save the King.

Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:28 pm

Thanks for the carriage bolt idea Richard, I'll get some this weekend.

Thu Mar 26, 2009 9:30 pm

You're welcome.

The consulting fees will be...

LMAO :lol:
8)