Half-Price Raptor Part 1 / Jeep TJ Part 1

(ANNOUNCER)>> WHO WOULDN'T WANT THE BEEFY ENGINE, LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION, AND STYLISH LINES OF A FORD RAPTOR? BUT IT'LL COST YOU, ABOUT $50,000 IN FACT. THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4 WE TAKE THIS BUDGET F-150 AND REDESIGN IT TO TEAR UP THE STREET AND THE TRAILS. THE BEST PART, OUR TRUCK WILL COST ABOUT HALF AS MUCH AS A NEW RAPTOR.

(IAN)>> EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, A CAR MANUFACTURER WILL ANNOUNCE THAT THEY'RE BUILDING A NEW VEHICLE AND IT CREATES A LOT OF BUZZ, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED WHEN FORD SAID THEY WERE GONNA BUILD A SPECIAL EDITION F-150. NOW THE REASON THAT ALL THAT BUZZ WAS STIRRED UP WAS BECAUSE THE FIRST THING THEY DID WAS ANNOUNCE THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE TRUCK. WHEN THEY SAID THERE WAS GONNA BE 11 AND A HALF INCHES OF SUSPENSION TRAVEL UP FRONT AND 12 AND A QUARTER IN THE REAR, WELL WE ALL KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING AFTER THE HARDCORE OFF ROAD MARKET. AND THAT WAS GREAT NEWS BECAUSE WHEN THIS TRUCK HIT THE SHOWROOM FLOORS, IT WAS INCREDIBLY POPULAR. THE TRUCK I'M TALKING ABOUT, WELL IT'S NONE OTHER THAN THE SVT RAPTOR. BUILT ON ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR TRUCK PLATFORMS IN THE WORLD, THE FORD F-150, THE RAPTOR TOOK THE TRUCK MARKET BY STORM. WITH AGGRESSIVE STYLING, PRERUNNER LOOKS, YOU COULD SPOT A RAPTOR COMING FROM A MILE AWAY. 17 INCH WHEELS AND BF GOODRICH ALL TERRAIN TIRES GAVE THIS TRUCK THE ABILITY TO PERFORM IN THE DIRT WHENEVER IT NEEDS TO. BUT WITH A 6,000 POUND TOWING CAPACITY MEANS THAT YOU CAN STILL USE THIS TRUCK FOR WHAT IT WAS INTENDED FOR, HAULING STUFF AROUND, EITHER IN THE BED OR BY PULLING A TRAILER BECAUSE LETS BE HONEST. YOUR BUYING A TRUCK, YOU WANT A TRUCK, YOU DON'T WANT A CAR. SO BY FOCUSING ON THE HARDCORE OFF ROAD MARKET INSTEAD OF THE SLAMMED DOWN STREET MACHINE VERSION OF THE TRUCK, IT REALLY PAID OFF. UNDER THE HOOD YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF ENGINE CHOICES. A FIVE POINT FOUR VEIGHT ROCKING 310 HORSEPOWER, 365 POUND FEET OF TORQUE, OR IF YOU WANT A LITTLE MORE YOU CAN UPGRADE TO THE SIX POINT TWO WITH 411 HORSEPOWER, AND 434 POUND FEET OF TORQUE THAT'LL PUSH THE RAPTOR FROM ZERO TO 60 IN JUST UNDER EIGHT SECONDS. BUT YOU CAN THROW THE ANCHOR OUT JUST AS FAST THANKS TO 13 INCH DISC BRAKES BOTH FRONT AND REAR, TWO PISTON CALIPERS UP FRONT AND SINGLES IN THE BACK. QUITE OFTEN A MANUFACTURER WILL BUILD A TRUCK THAT JUST LOOKS LIKE IT CAN GET THE JOB DONE, FALL SHORT IN A LOT OF AREAS. BUT WITH THE FORD RAPTOR, FORD REALLY DID THEIR HOMEWORK, AND THIS TRUCK HAS GOT IT WHERE IT COUNTS. FORD ENGINEERS PULLED A PILE OF PARTS FROM THE SPECIAL VEHICLE TEAMS PARTS LIST WITH UPGRADED HALF SHAFTS AND STRONGER ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS. BUT IF THERE'S ONE THING WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE DESERT RACERS, THE SECRET TO GOING FAST IN THE DIRT, WELL IT LIES IN THE SHOCKS. FOX RACING SPENT SOME SERIOUS TIME WITH THE GUYS AT FORD TESTING DIFFERENT SPRING RATES AND SHOCK VALVING STATS FOR BOTH THE FIVE POINT FOUR AND THE SIX POINT TWO VEIGHT TO DEVELOP A TRUCK THAT CAN HANDLE HIGH SPEED OFF HIGHWAY DRIVING. BUT IS IT A TROPHY TRUCK, NO IT'S NOT A TROPHY TRUCK. IT'S NOT A DESERT RACER. HECK IT'S NOT EVEN REALLY A HARDCORE PRERUNNER. BUT WHAT IS IT, IT'S A REALLY GOOD TRUCK. SCRATCH THAT, IT IS A GREAT TRUCK! IT DOES A LOT OF STUFF REALLY WELL. TONS OF POWER UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. IT'S GOT GREAT INTERIOR, HEATED LEATHER SEATS, AND ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES YOU'D EXPECT IN A NEW VEHICLE. BEST OF ALL IT'S GOT THAT AGGRESSIVE STYLING THAT REALLY TURNS HEADS. YOU'D HAVE TO BE HONEST AND ADMIT THAT THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING TRUCKS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. BUT MOST IMPORTANT, THEY REALLY HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THIS SUSPENSION. THIS TRUCK'S GOT IT WHERE IT COUNTS. IT'S GOT A SUSPENSION SYSTEM THAT CAN HANDLE OFF ROAD TERRAIN BETTER THAN ANY OTHER TRUCK IN ITS CLASS. BUT LIKE ANY NEW TRUCK WITH ALL THESE BELLS AND WHISTLES, IT'S GONNA CARRY A PRETTY SERIOUS PRICE TAG. HOW MUCH? WELL DEPENDING ON THE OPTIONS, YOUR NEW RAPTOR COULD SET YOU BACK JUST UPWARDS OF $55,000 DOLLARS. NOW ALL OF THIS GOT US THINKING, COULD YOU BUILD A TRUCK THAT IS JUST AS GOOD AS A FORD RAPTOR BUT FOR AROUND HALF THE MONEY? WELL THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT. NOW WHAT WE NEED TO START WITH IS THE RIGHT TRUCK, AND THIS IS WHAT WE CHOSE, A 1997 FORD F-150. IT'S BLACK, JUST LIKE OUR RAPTOR, AND AN EXTENDED CAB, AND HAS VEIGHT POWER, BUT THAT'S WHERE THE SIMILARITIES END. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE PRICE DIFFERENCE. COST FOR THE TRUCK, ONLY $4,000.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, OUR HIGH PERFORMANCE JOURNEY BEGINS WITH A REVAMPED REAR SUSPENSION. PLUS WE TRANSFORM THIS TJ INTO A KILLER TRAIL RIG.

(IAN)>> WE'RE BACK ON XTREME WITH THE TRUCK THAT WE'RE GONNA TURN INTO OUR VERSION OF THE FORD RAPTOR. AFTER SPENDING SOME SEAT TIME IN AN ACTUAL RAPTOR, WE THOUGHT WE'D GIVE THIS '97 F-150 A TEST DRIVE FOR A QUICK COMPARISON. NOW IT'S A PRETTY GOOD VEHICLE TO START AS THE BASE FOR US BUILDING A CLONE OF THE FORD RAPTOR. IT'S A FORD F-150 AND THE SUSPENSION IS VERY SIMILAR, INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION UP FRONT AIR AND LEAF SPRINGS OUT BACK. NOW IT WAS NOT BUILT TO PERFORM LIKE A RAPTOR, BUT THAT'S OUR JOB. SURE, IT'S MORE THAN 15 YEARS OLDER THAN THE RAPTOR, BUT HONESTLY THE TRUCK STILL HAS SOME GOOD STYLING LINES. POWER WISE, NO SIR, THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE FOURSIX UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THIS TRUCK EVEN COMPARES TO THE MOTOR THAT WAS UNDER THE HOOD OF THAT RAPTOR. THERE MAY BE A LOT OF SIMILARITIES IN THIS TRUCK, BUT THERE'S MORE DIFFERENCES. THE ONLY WAY THIS TRUCK IS GONNA BECOME A RAPTOR IS WITH A LOT OF WORK. NOW IN ORDER FOR US TO SUCCESSFULLY CONVERT A '97 FORD INTO SOMETHING THAT CAN COMPETE WITH A 2011 RAPTOR, WE HAVE TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH, AND WE'VE ALREADY DONE THAT. WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON THREE KEY AREAS. THE FIRST IS GONNA BE PERFORMANCE, NOT JUST OF THE ENGINE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY OF THE SUSPENSION. NOW WE'RE LUCKY. THE F-150 FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IS A VERY POPULAR TRUCK OUT WEST. GUYS BUILD THEM UP TO GO PRERUNNING WITH AND EVEN DESERT RACING. THERE'S A LOT OF LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION KITS OUT THERE THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF. NOW WHEN IT COMES STYLE, WE WANT IT TO LOOK AS GOOD AS THE RAPTOR, AND THE SAME THING. THERE'S LOTS OF PRERUNNER KITS OUT THERE THAT WILL GIVE THIS TRUCK THAT MEAN, AGGRESSIVE LOOK. SO WE CAN CHECK THAT OFF THE LIST. THE INTERIOR, YOU KNOW THERE'S NOT REALLY MUCH WE NEED TO DO. THE '97'S NOT THAT BAD. WE WILL GO AHEAD AND ADD SOME HEATED SEATS JUST TO ROUND OUT THE PACKAGE TO MAKE IT JUST AS COMFORTABLE INSIDE. NOW THE LAST THING IS THE QUESTION. CAN YOU MAKE AN OLD TRUCK AS RELIABLE AND AS GOOD AS A NEW TRUCK? WELL YOU'RE NEVER GONNA MAKE IT JUST AS GOOD AS A TRUCK THAT ROLLS OFF THE LOT. BUT WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF LABOR AND A BUNCH OF NEW PARTS, I THINK IT'LL ACTUALLY BE BETTER THAN A NEW TRUCK. THE FIRST STEP TO BUILDING OUR HALF PRICED RAPTOR WILL BE TO TEAR THIS TRUCK APART. WE WILL REUSE A LOT OF THE STUFF THAT CAME FROM THE FACTORY ON THIS '97 F-150, BUT KEY PARTS ARE GONNA HAVE TO BE UPGRADED. NOW YOU DON'T HAVE TO PULL THE BED OFF OF YOUR PICK UP TO UPGRADE THE REAR SUSPENSION. WE DID IT BECAUSE WE'VE GOT SOME CHANGES PLANNED FOR THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON. NOW IT'S JUST GONNA MAKE INSTALLING NEW LEAF SPRINGS A LOT EASIER. NOW BECAUSE WE STILL WANT OUR F-150 TO STILL BE A TRUCK AT HEART, IT'S GONNA KEEP LEAF SPRINGS IN THE BACK SO WE CAN STILL DO THINGS LIKE PULL A TRAILER AND LOAD UP THE BED. BUT BECAUSE WE WANT IT TO BE A TRUE OFF ROAD PERFORMER, WE NEED A VERY SPECIFIC TYPE OF LEAF SPRING. NOW THESE ARE DEVER LONG TRAVEL MULTILAYERED LEAF SPRINGS. AND YOU CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF LEAVES IN THIS LEAF PACK. THERE'S ACTUALLY 11. FROM THE FACTORY THE FORD F-150 ONLY HAD FOUR. NOW BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY, THEY'RE ABLE TO BE A LITTLE BIT SOFTER. THAT SOFTER LEAF SPRING PACK MEANS THAT THE WHEEL CAN TRAVEL FARTHER. A GOOD SET OF DEVERS LIKE THIS ON THE BACK OF AN F-150 USUALLY NETS YOU SOMEWHERE AROUND 14 INCHES OF WHEEL TRAVEL ONCE SET UP CORRECTLY. NOW THAT MEANS OUR F-150 WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE ANY TYPE OF TERRAIN THAT WE THROW AT IT. THE LEAF SPRINGS INSTALL INTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK IN THE STOCK LOCATION REUSING ALL THE FACTORY HARDWARE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF INSTALLING A CUSTOM AXLE HOUSING.

(IAN)>> NOW IN THE BACK OF THE FORD RAPTOR YOU'RE GONNA FIND A NINE AND THREE QUARTER INCH VERY STRONG DIFFERENTIAL WITH AN ELECTRONIC LOCKER. NOW ON THE BACK OF A FORD F-150 YOU'RE GONNA FIND THIS, A FORD EIGHT POINT EIGHT. IN THE BACK OF OUR TRUCK IT'S ACTUALLY AN OPEN DIFFERENTIAL. NOW WE DON'T WANT TO RUN THIS IN THE BACK OF OUR TRUCK, SO WE'RE JUST GONNA THROW IT ALL OUT AND UPGRADE IT. WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS SWAP OUT THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH THIS SPYDER TRAX SPYDER NINE FABRICATED NINE INCH AXLE HOUSING. IT'S AN INCREDIBLY LIGHT, INCREDIBLY STRONG AXLE HOUSING WITH THREE AND A HALF INCH TUBES WITH A QUARTER INCH WALL. IT ACCEPTS THE POPULAR FORD NINE INCH DROP OUT THAT WILL ALLOW US TO CHANGE THE GEAR RATIO AS WELL AS ADD A SELECTABLE LOCKER WHEN WE GET IT BACK UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK. NOW WE'LL FINISH IT OUT WITH SOME OF THEIR SPYDER TRAX FIVE ON FIVE AND A HALF HEAVY DUTY UNIT BEARINGS AND DRIVE FLANGE KITS, AND THEN AT THE END WE'LL CONVERT OVER TO THEIR DISC BRAKE KIT. NOW THESE ROTORS WILL WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THESE FOUR PISTON CALIPERS TO GIVE US A LOT MORE BRAKING POWER THAN THE EIGHT POINT EIGHT DRUMS THAT WERE ON THIS TRUCK. PLUS AS AN ENTIRE ASSEMBLY IT'LL BE STRONGER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY LIGHTER. THE FIRST STEP TO THE CUSTOM AXLE BUILD IS TO SET THE HOUSING UNDER THE TRUCK AND SQUARE IT UP. AND WITH AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF AXLE TUBE BETWEEN THE CENTER SECTION AND THE LEAF SPRING, WE KNOW THIS AXLE IS PERFECTLY CENTERED. THEN WE CAN TACK THE LEAF SPRING PADS IN PLACE. WITH THE HOUSING REMOVED, WE'LL MEASURE FOR THE TOTAL LENGTH, CALCULATE THE AMOUNT THAT WILL BE ADDED BY THE UNIT BEARINGS, AND THEN CUT THE HOUSING TO LENGTH. THEN THE HOUSING ENDS ARE INSTALLED. WITH AN ALIGNMENT BAR INSIDE THE HOUSING TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING IS PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, THE UNIT BEARINGS ARE BOLTED IN PLACE. AND THEN THE CUPS ARE BURNED IN. THE BRAKE CALIPER BRACKETS, ROTORS, AND CALIPERS ARE THEN INSTALLED. TO FINISH OUT OUR REAR AXLE WE NEED TO PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY SERIOUS CENTER SECTION. SO WE GOT EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED TO DO IT FROM RANDY'S RING AND PINION. NOW IT'LL START WITH ONE OF THEIR HEAVY DUTY YUKON NODULAR IRON THIRD MEMBER ASSEMBLIES. AND INSIDE THAT WE'LL INSTALL THE NEW YUKON GRIZZLY MECHANICAL LOCKER. NOW I KNOW THE RAPTOR HAS A TRUE SELECTABLE LOCKER IN THE REAR AXLE, BUT WE CHOSE THE MECHANICAL LOCKER JUST BECAUSE IT IS REALLY EASY TO USE. ONCE IT'S INSTALLED, IT'LL SENSE WHEEL SPIN AND LOCK THE TWO WHEELS TOGETHER. IT'LL BE THERE WHEN WE NEED IT AND IT WON'T ACTIVATE WHEN WE DON'T. NOW THE GEARS ARE GONNA BE A SET OF 4.86'S, AND WE'LL INSTALL THOSE WITH ONE OF THEIR MASTER INSTALL KITS. ONE THING WE DID A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THIS TIME IS WE OPTED FOR A SOLID PINION SHIM INSTEAD OF A CRUSH SLEEVE. SEE PINION BEARING PRELOAD INSIDE THE NINE INCH IS SET BY USING A SMALL CRUSH SLEEVE. THE CRUSH SLEEVE RESTS IN BETWEEN THE TWO PINION BEARINGS. WHEN YOU TIGHTEN THE PINION NUT, THE CRUSH SLEEVE ACTUALLY GETS SMALLER AND SETS THE BEARING PRELOAD ON THOSE PINION BEARINGS. BEARING PRELOAD IS BASICALLY JUST EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE BEARINGS. SO WHEN THEY BREAK INTO THE RACES AND TRY TO LOOSEN UP A LITTLE BIT, THAT PRELOAD WILL PREVENT THEM FROM BECOMING SO LOOSE TO DAMAGE THE RACES. THE ONE DOWNFALL TO THE CRUSH SLEEVE IS WHEN YOU PUT A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THE GEAR SET, IT CAN ACTUALLY CRUSH A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, THEREFORE EFFECTING YOUR PINION BEARING PRELOAD. ONCE YOU INSTALL A SETUP WITH A SOLID PINION SHIM, WHEN THE PRELOAD IS SET, IT'S SET FOR LIFE. BEARINGS ARE PRESSED ONTO THE LOCKER, THE PINION, AND INTO THE THIRD MEMBER HOUSING. THE SOLID SPACER IS PLACED ONTO THE PINION AND THE FRONT BEARING IS INSTALLED ALONG WITH THE YOKE. THE PRELOAD IS CHECKED. AND AFTER A COUPLE OF CHANGES TO THE SHIM PACK, THE SPACER IS BANG ON WITH 15 INCH POUNDS OF ROTATIONAL LOAD. NOW THE SEAL CAN BE INSTALLED. THEN THE PINION SUPPORT AND THE LOCKER ARE BOLTED INTO THE HOUSING AND BACK LASH IS SET. AFTER CHECKING THE GEAR TOOTH PATTERN, WE INSTALL THE THIRD MEMBER INTO OUR AXLE HOUSING.

(ANNOUNCER)>> YOU LOVED OUR LOW DOLLAR WHEELER PROJECT, BUT THIS TIME WE THROW THE BUDGET OUT THE WINDOW AND BUILD A TOP NOTCH RIG THAT YOU CAN OWN.

(ANNOUNCER)>> XTREME'S DOUBLE DUTY TJ IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY FOUR WHEEL PARTS, YOUR TRUCK AND JEEP ACCESSORY SUPER STORE ONLINE AT FOUR WHEEL PARTS DOT COM.

(IAN)>> LAST YEAR WE WENT OUT AND PICKED UP A USED JEEP CHEROKEE AND PUT TOGETHER A PROJECT WE CALLED THE LOW DOLLAR WHEELER. A TRUCK THAT WAS DESIGNED TO DO SOME MILD WEEKEND WHEELING ON A VERY TIGHT $5,000 BUDGET. WELL YOU GUYS LOVED IT SO MUCH, WE DECIDED TO DO IT AGAIN BUT THIS TIME A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE'RE GONNA TAKE THIS '97 JEEP TJ AND SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN SLOWLY MODIFY IT OVER TIME WHILE STILL DRIVING IT EVERY DAY TO TURN IT INTO A VERY CAPABLE OFF ROAD RIG THAT CAN STILL GET YOU TO WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY. JUST LIKE OUR CHEROKEE, EVERYTHING WE NEED TO CONVERT THIS TJ IS AVAILABLE IN ONE PLACE.

AND THE FIRST PILE OF PARTS JUST SHOWED UP HERE TODAY. NOW TODAY WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON BODY PROTECTION. THAT MEANS BUMPERS, TUBE FENDERS, ROCK SLIDERS, AND A WENCH.

WE'LL WRAP THIS TJ WITH AN ARMOR PACKAGE ALL FROM SMITTY BUILT. IT'LL START UP FRONT WITH ONE OF THEIR ROCK CRAWLER SPECIFIC BUMPERS. IT'S VERY NARROW AND HAS WINCH MOUNT BUILT INTO THE MIDDLE. A VERY VULNERABLE AREA ON THE TJ IS THE ROCKERS. SO WE'LL PROTECT THOSE WITH A SET OF ROCK SLIDERS WITH INTEGRATED TUBE STEP THAT'LL HELP PROTECT THE BODY EVEN MORE. TUBE FENDERS UP FRONT WILL GIVE US MUCH MORE CLEARANCE ON THE TIRE AND WHEEL, AND THEN WE'LL FINISH IT OUT IN THE BACK WITH A SET OF THEIR CORNER GUARDS. NOW ALL THE STEEL PLATE IN THIS SYSTEM IS ALL THREESIXTEENTHS OF AN INCH. SO IT'S GOOD AND STRONG, AND IT'S PREPOWDER COATED. SO ONCE IT'S BOLTED ON WE'RE GONNA BE READY TO GO.

THE FRONT FENDERS REQUIRE THE MOST FABRICATION.

YOU'VE GOT TO TRIM AWAY THE INNER FENDER FROM THE OUTER FENDER.

AND THEN INSTALL THE TUBE FENDER ONTO THE JEEP.

THE ROCKERS SLIDE UNDERNEATH THE BODY MOUNTS, THEN BOLT UP TO THE SIDE OF THE TUB. THE CORNERS SIMPLY WRAP ALL THE WAY AROUND THE BACK AND ARE FASTENED WITH THE ALLEN HEAD BOLTS. WE FINISH IT OFF UP FRONT WITH THE BUMPER, AND ON IT WE HAVE A WARN VR 8,000 POUND WINCH IN CASE THIS JEEP GETS STUCK. AS YOU CAN SEE, IN ONE AFTERNOON'S TIME YOU CAN COMPLETELY CHANGE THE LOOK OF YOUR TJ AND MAKE IT MORE TRAIL READY. FOR DETAILS ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS SEEN IN TODAY'S EPISODE HEAD ON OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.