Chase Truck Part 1 / Jeep TJ Part 2

(ANNOUNCER)>> IF YOU'RE BUILDING A CHASE TRUCK FOR THE DEMANDING WORLD OF DESERT RACING, IT'S GOT TO BE STRONG.

(IAN)>> THAT'S NOT STRONG!

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON XTREME 4X4 WE TAKE THIS WORN OUT SERVICE TRUCK AND TURN IT INTO A RIG THAT'S READY TO SUPPORT A JEEP SPEED RACING TEAM. PLUS EASY TO INSTALL PASSENGER PROTECTION FOR OUR TJ.

(IAN)>> EVERYBODY'S GOT A DIFFERENT IDEA ABOUT WHAT MAKES A CAR COOL. AN ENGINE BUILDER PROBABLY DOESN'T REALLY CARE WHAT THE CAR LOOKS LIKE AS LONG AS IT'S GOT 1,000 HORSEPOWER UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. WHILE A BODY MAN, WELL THE ENGINE'S NOT AS IMPORTANT. CUSTOM PAINT IS WHERE IT'S AT. NOW FOR ME PERSONALLY, THIS IS WHAT MAKES A CAR COOL. A PURPOSE BUILT MACHINE MOSTLY HAND MADE PUT TOGETHER WITH ONE PURPOSE IN MIND, AND IN THIS CASE IT'S OFF ROAD RACING. NOW I'M LUCKY, I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOME OFF ROAD RACING IN MY TIME, AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT WHEN YOU BUILD A CAR LIKE THIS, YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER AND PLAN FOR THE WORST SITUATION. BUT NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU BUILD A CAR, THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF YOUR TEAM THAT'S JUST AS IMPORTANT. I'M TALKING ABOUT YOUR PIT CREW, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE VEHICLE THAT THEY DRIVE TO GET AROUND. THEY'RE CALLED CHASE TRUCKS. USUALLY FULL SIZE TRUCKS OUTFITTED WITH EVERYTHING YOU'RE GONNA NEED TO FIX YOUR RACE CAR WHEN YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE. THEY'VE GOT IT ALL, GENERATORS, WELDERS, SPARE PARTS, AND THEY NEED TO BE BUILT TOUGH BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE SAME TERRAIN THAT YOU'RE RACING IN. TODAY WE'RE GONNA BUILD A CHASE TRUCK. WE'LL SHOW YOU THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUTTING A FULL SIZE RIG TOGETHER TO SUPPORT AN OFF ROAD RACE CAR AND JUST BUILDING A GOOD OLE LIFTED STREET TRUCK. AND TO START IT ALL WE WENT AHEAD AND PICKED UP THIS 2007 2,500 HD. NOW WHEN YOU START SHOPPING FOR YOUR CHASE TRUCK YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER, EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, YOU'RE GONNA USE IT TO TOW THE CAR TO THE EVENT. SO YOU WANT TO PICK A DIESEL POWERED TRUCK FOR THAT TOWING POWER. OUR TRUCK HAS A SIX POINT SIX LITER DURAMAX BACKED BY AN ALLISON TRANSMISSION. AND OF COURSE IT'S FOUR WHEEL DRIVE SO YOU CAN GET ANYWHERE YOU NEED TO GO. BUT THE KEY TO ANY GOOD CHASE TRUCK IS GONNA BE STORAGE. WE PICKED UP THIS TRUCK WITH A SERVICE BED ON THE BACK WITH PLENTY OF CABINETS.

AHHH!

WHOO, THAT ONE'S OUT. THE REASON YOU PUT A LIFT KIT ON A CHASE TRUCK IS TO GET MORE GROUND CLEARANCE BY PUTTING ON LARGER WHEELS AND TIRES, BUT YOU NEED TO SHOP FOR ONE WITH SOME SPECIFIC FEATURES. NOW WE WERE ABLE TO FIND EVERYTHING WE WANTED IN THIS BDS SUSPENSION SEVEN INCH HIGH CLEARANCE LIFT. NOW IT'S CALLED THE HIGH CLEARANCE LIFT BECAUSE OF HOW IT DEALS WITH THE TORSION BARS IN THE SYSTEM. INSTEAD OF RELOCATING THEM UNDERNEATH THE FRAME RAIL, IT USES THIS UNIQUE KEYED ARM. THIS KEYED ARM WILL ALLOW US TO LEAVE THE TORSION BARS UP IN BETWEEN THE FRAME RAILS, KEEPING THEM OUT OF HARM'S WAY WHEN THE TRUCK IS OFF ROAD. NOW ONE OTHER THING WE DID IS OPT FOR A NEW SET OF LEAF SPRINGS INSTEAD OF JUST TYPICAL LEAF BLOCKS. YOU DON'T WANT TO RUN LEAF BLOCKS WHEN YOU'RE DOING SOME SERIOUS OFF ROADING. YOU WANT TO SPRING THE EXTRA CASH FOR A SET OF TRUE LIFTED LEAVES. THAT WAY YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE BLOCKS MOVING WHEN YOU'RE RIPPING THROUGH THE DIRT TRYING TO CATCH UP TO YOUR CHASE TEAM. NOW ONE OTHER OPTION THAT BDS HAS IS THEY WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH THE GUYS FROM FOX RACING SHOCKS TO DEVELOP A SHOCK VALVING PACKAGE SPECIFIC TO THIS TYPE OF LIFT. THAT WILL JUST HELP KEEP OUR SUSPENSION UNDER CONTROL WHEN WE'RE DRIVING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE REAR INSTALLATION IS AS SIMPLE AS BOLTING UP THE NEW LEAF SPRING PACK INTO THE FACTORY LOCATIONS, AND INSTALLING THE BUMP STOP DROP BRACKET TO RELOCATE THE FACTORY BUMP.

ON THE FRONT THE ENTIRE SUSPENSION IS DISASSEMBLED AND REMOVED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM POCKET NEEDS TO BE TRIMMED AN INCH AND THREE QUARTERS BACK FROM THE MOUNTING HOLE. THE BEST TOOL FOR THIS JOB IS A SAWZALL. THE UPPER MOUNT ON THE FRONT AXLE NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND GROUND SMOOTH, AND THE NEW DIFFERENTIAL MOUNT IS BOLTED UP TO THE AXLE ASSEMBLY. THEN A SUPPORT PLATE IS WELDED INTO THE FRAME. A DROP BRACKET AND NEW CROSS MEMBERS ARE INSTALLED, AND AN ALUMINUM FILLER PIECE TAKES THE PLACE OF THE STOCK TORSION BAR MOUNT AND THE TORSION BAR DROP BRACKET IS BOLTED IN PLACE. THEN THE LOWER CONTROL ARM IS BOLTED UP TO OUR TWO NEW CROSS MEMBERS. THE SPINDLE IS INSTALLED ON THE FACTORY BALL JOINTS, AND THE TORSION BAR IS SLID INTO IT'S NEW KEYED HOUSING.

LONGER SWAY BAR END LINKS WILL HOOK UP TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. WE'LL DISASSEMBLE THE OLD KNUCKLE AND INSTALL THE UNIT BEARING ONTO OUR BDS SPINDLE. NOW WE COULD INSTALL THE SHOCKS.

AND THE FRONT SKID PLATE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP WE SWAP THE PUNY FACTORY STEERING FOR A BULLETPROOF UPGRADE, AND A STEP BY STEP LOOK AT REGEARING IFS AXLES.

(IAN)>> WITH THE MAJORITY OF OUR LIFT KIT INSTALLED, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE PLENTY OF ROOM FOR LARGER WHEELS AND TIRES, AND AT THE SAME TIME OUR TORSION BAR IS TUCKED UP NICE AND TIGHT IN BETWEEN THE FACTORY FRAME RAILS, GIVING US PLENTY OF GROUND CLEARANCE. NOW THE REASON WE DIDN'T FINISH OUT THIS INSTALLATION QUITE YET IS WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MORE THINGS WE WANT TO DEAL WITH, AND THE FIRST IS A WEAK LINK IN THIS TRUCK'S STEERING. EVEN THOUGH THE CHEVY ONE TON TRUCKS ARE BIG, FOR SOME REASON THE TIE RODS ARE SMALL. SO WE'RE GONNA SWAP THEM OUT FOR A SET OF HEAVY DUTY UNITS FROM COGNITO MOTOR SPORTS. THEY HAVE A SEALED INNER BALL AND A LARGER OUTER TIE ROD END, MAKING THE ENTIRE PACKAGE A LOT STRONGER. WHILE WE'RE AT IT, WE'LL PULL THE IDLER ARM OFF THE FRAME AND INSTALL A NEW HEAVY DUTY IDLER ASSEMBLY, AND BRACE IT WITH THE INCLUDED GUSSET.

NOW EVEN A LIFTED STREET TRUCK CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS STEERING UPGRADE, BUT ON A CHASE TRUCK IT HAS TO BE DONE. YOU SEE, THE TIE ROD ENDS AND THAT CENTER LINK PIVOT POINT ARE VERY COMMON FAILURE ITEMS WHEN YOU TAKE A TRUCK THIS BIG OFF ROAD. AND THERE'S NOTHING WORSE THAN BEING IN A RACE WITH YOUR RACE CAR AND FINDING OUT THAT WHEN THE CAR'S BROKE DOWN YOUR CREW CAN'T GET TO YOU BECAUSE THE CHASE TRUCK IS BROKEN. AND THAT'S THE GOAL OF A CHASE TRUCK, REMOVE ALL THOSE WEAK POINTS. DEPENDING ON THE SANCTIONING BODY THAT YOU'RE RACING IN, YOUR CHASE TRUCK CAN DO MORE THAN JUST CARRY YOUR CREW AROUND. YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE IT IN THE RACE. IN CASES LIKE SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT JEEP SPEEDS COMPETE IN, YOU CAN POSITION THE CHASE TRUCK AND WINCH THE VEHICLE THROUGH HEAVY SILT BEDS OR OVER LARGE ROCKS. BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT YOU NEED TO SWAP THE BUMPER OUT ON THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK. THE STOCK BUMPER, IT IS NOT READY FOR ANY WINCHING DUTIES. WE WENT AHEAD AND PICKED UP A SET OF HEAVY DUTY BUMPERS BOTH FRONT AND REAR FROM ROAD ARM. THEY'RE MADE OF THREESIXTEENTHS INCH PLATE WITH QUARTER INCH UNDER SKIN. HEAVY DUTY DRING SHACKLES THAT ARE WELDED BOTH FRONT AND REAR, AND THE TUBULAR BRUSH GUARD IS MADE FROM .120 WALL DOM TUBING. ONE OF THE UNIQUE FEATURES OF THIS SETUP IS THE REAR BUMPER MADE OF SIMILAR CONSTRUCTION, ALSO HAS PROVISIONS FOR A WINCH TO MOUNT BEHIND THE LICENSE PLATE. THAT MEANS WHEN WE'RE DONE INSTALLING THESE BUMPERS ON OUR TRUCK, NOT ONLY WILL WE HAVE A WINCH IN THE FRONT, WE'LL ALSO HAVE ONE OUT BACK. BUT BEFORE THIS NEW BUMPER CAN GO ON, THE OLD ONE HAS GOT TO COME OFF. IT'S HELD ON BY A GIANT ELASTIC. THERE WE GO! THE WINCH FOR THE FRONT OF OUR TRUCK IS ALL BUSINESS, A WARN M-15,000 SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR LARGE FULL SIZE TRUCKS LIKE OURS. IT HAS A 15,000 POUND PULLING CAPACITY WITH A FOUR POINT SIX HORSEPOWER MOTOR, AND 90 FEET OF SEVENSIXTEENTHS INCH AIR CRAFT CABLE SPUN ONTO THE DRUM. ONCE THE WINCH IS IN OUR BUMPER AND THE BOLTS ARE IN THE MOUNTING BRACKETS, WE'LL SLIDE THE NEW BUMPER ONTO THE TRUCK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, WE'LL PUT THE POWER TO THE PAVEMENT WITH DUAL PURPOSE TIRES, AND HOW TO UPGRADE YOUR ROLL CAGE WITH JUST SIMPLE HAND TOOLS.

(IAN)>> BEFORE WE PUT THE NEW TIRES AND WHEELS ON OUR CHASE TRUCK, WE WANT TO FINISH PUTTING THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM BACK TOGETHER. NOW WE HAVEN'T PUT THE FRONT AXLE BACK IN THIS RIG BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THE GEAR RATIO IN THIS TRUCK BOTH FRONT AND REAR TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LARGER WHEELS AND TIRES. NOW WE'VE SHOWN YOU GUYS MANY TIMES HOW TO INSTALL GEARS INTO THE AXLE THAT'S IN THE BACK OF THIS TRUCK, BUT WE REALLY HAVEN'T SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT ONE OF THESE IFS CHUNKS. AND I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU GUYS WANT TO SEE INSIDE, SO WE'LL TAKE YOU STEP BY STEP. THE FIRST STEP IS TO DRAIN ALL THE OIL OUT OF THE FRONT AXLE. THEN BOTH THE AXLE STUB SHAFTS CAN BE REMOVED.

THE CASE IS SPLIT AND THE CARRIER ASSEMBLY IS PULLED OUT. THE PINION NUT IS BACKED OFF, THE YOKE IS REMOVED, AND THE PINION IS PULLED OUT FROM INSIDE THE HOUSING. NOW FROM THE FACTORY OUR CHASE TRUCK HAS A 3.54 GEAR IN IT. BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA UPGRADE TO LARGER WHEELS AND TIRES, WE WANT TO MOVE THAT GEAR RATIO DOWN. THAT MEANS THE NUMBERS NEED TO GO UP. SO WE PICKED UP A SET OF 4.88'S FOR BOTH FRONT AND REAR FROM GTWO AXLE AND GEAR. NOW WHILE WE'RE AT IT WE HAD THEM SEND US ONE OF THEIR COMPLETE INSTALL KITS. IT COMES WITH THE PINION BEARINGS, ALL THE SHIMS, NEW BOLTS FOR OUR RING GEAR AS WELL AS A CRUSH SLEEVE TO SET THE PINION BEARING PRELOAD. THE FIRST STEP TO REBOOTING THIS AXLE IS TO PUT THE PINION BEARING ON THE PINION. WITH 30 THOUSANDTHS WORTH OF SHIMS UNDERNEATH THE BEARING, IT IS PRESSED ONTO THE PINION. THEN THE PINION ASSEMBLY, CRUSH SLEEVE, AND YOKE ARE INSTALLED BACK INTO THE AXLE HOUSING AND TIGHTENED UNTIL WE GET 22 INCH POUNDS OF ROTATIONAL FORCE. WITH THE NEW RING GEAR BOLTED ONTO THE CARRIER, WE'LL REASSEMBLE THE AXLE, AND CHECK THE GEAR TOOTH PATTERN.

NOW THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT ARE UNIQUE JUST TO THE GM ALUMINUM IFS AXLE HOUSING. NOW WE DID NOT REPLACE THE CARRIER INSIDE THIS ASSEMBLY. SO I WAS PRETTY CERTAIN THAT THE SIDE BEARING PRELOAD AND THE BACK LASH ON THE RING AND PINION WERE GONNA BE OKAY EVEN THOUGH WE'VE CHANGED THOSE GEARS. THE PROBLEM IS TO CHECK THAT YOU NEED A SPECIAL TOOL THAT'LL GET INSIDE THE HOUSING WHEN IT'S CLAMPED TOGETHER. SO INSTEAD YOU SAW ME CHECK IT JUST BY GRABBING THE YOKE AND FEELING FOR THE SPACE BETWEEN THE PINION AND THE RING. NOW THIS IS NOT THE MOST IDEAL WAY TO DO IT, BUT IT'S HONESTLY HOW YOU END UP DOING IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THAT SPECIAL TOOL. NOW ONCE YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH WITH THESE AXLES, YOU'LL GET THE FEEL FOR HOW MUCH PLAY NEEDS TO BE THERE. IF YOU ARE UNSURE ABOUT DOING THAT, GO AHEAD AND REBUILD YOUR REAR AXLE FIRST. SET IT UP PERFECTLY, AND THEN REACH AROUND AND FEEL THE YOKE IN THAT REAR AXLE, AND IT'LL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW MUCH PLAY NEEDS TO BE THERE. BUT THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT'S GOING TO GUARANTEE YOU HAVE THAT SET UP CORRECTLY IS GONNA BE GEAR TOOTH PATTERN. NOW TO CHECK THE PATTERN WE PAINTED THE PINION INSTEAD OF THE RING LIKE YOU WOULD IN A NORMAL AXLE. ROTATE IT AROUND AND IT LEAVES MARKS ON THE RING THAT TELLS US WHERE THE TEETH ARE COMING INTO CONTACT. NOW BECAUSE WE PAINTED THE PINION, THE MARKS ARE BACKWARDS. BUT YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE GOOD CONTACT ON BOTH THE DRIVE AND CO SIDE OF THE GEAR. IF FOR SOME REASON THE BACK LASH WAS NO GOOD OR TOO TIGHT, YOU WOULD SEE THE CONTACT GO DOWN RIGHT INTO THE VALLEY OF THE TOOTH. IF IT WAS TOO LOOSE, YOU'D SEE ALMOST NO PAINT ON THIS GEAR. BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE A GOOD PATTERN HERE, WE KNOW THAT ONCE WE ASSEMBLE THIS AXLE, IT WILL BE GOOD TO GO.

(IAN)>> A TIRE AND WHEEL PACKAGE FOR A CHASE TRUCK HAS GOT TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN ONE FOR A LIFTED STREET TRUCK BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO TWO THINGS AND DO THEM VERY WELL. IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE SOME SERIOUS HIGHWAY DRIVING JUST LIKE A LIFTED STREET TRUCK. BUT WHEN YOU WANT TO TEAR UP THE DIRT, THE TREAD HAS TO BE AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE SOME SERIOUS OFF ROADING. THAT'S WHY WE CHOSE THE MICKEY THOMPSON BAJA MTZ RADIAL. WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD LUCK WITH THIS TIRE ON SOME OF OUR DUAL PURPOSE RIGS. THE TREAD IS VERY AGGRESSIVE AND WORKS GREAT IN THE DIRT, BUT THE RADIAL CONSTRUCTION AND THE DESIGN OF THE TREAD GIVE IT LONG LIFE ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW WE GOT A SET OF 37 BY 12.5 BY 17'S, AND THE WHEEL IS A 17 BY NINE MICKEY THOMPSON CLASSIC LOCK WHEEL. THEY'RE NOW AVAILABLE IN THIS MATTE BLACK POWDER COAT, WHICH JUST LOOKS GREAT. BUT INSTEAD OF KEEPING THE BLACK RING, WE OPTED FOR THIS FULL POLISHED CHROME RING JUST TO SEPARATE THE TIRE FROM THE WHEEL AND DRESS IT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT. NOW THIS UTILITY TRUCK LOOKS A LOT MORE LIKE A CHASE TRUCK. NEXT TIME THIS RIG'S IN THE SHOP, WE'LL TAKE CARE OF SOME PERFORMANCE UPGRADES TO MAKE CHASING THE RACE CAR A LOT EASIER.

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

(IAN)>> LAST TIME WE HAD OUR DOUBLE DUTY TJ IN THE SHOP, WE FOCUSED ON PROTECTING THE BODY OF THE JEEP BY INSTALLING ARMOR ALL THE WAY AROUND. WELL TODAY WE'RE GONNA FOCUS ON PROTECTING THE PASSENGERS INSIDE THE JEEP WHEN WE'RE ON THE TRAIL. SINCE WE'RE NOT TURNING THIS RIG INTO A HARDCORE CRAWLER, ALL WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS REINFORCE OUR FACTORY ROLL CAGE.

NOW NORMALLY HERE AT XTREME, WHEN IT COMES TIME TO BUILD A ROLL CAGE, WE BREAK OUT THE TUBE BENDER AND THE WELDER. WE'VE BEEN LISTENING TO WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING. YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW CAN YOU BUILD A TRUCK LIKE THIS WITHOUT ALL THE FANCY TOOLS IN YOUR GARAGE AT HOME? WELL THIS IS A GREAT OPTION. THIS IS A 100 PERCENT BOLT IN ROLL CAGE FROM SMITTY BUILT. IT KEYS OFF THE FACTORY CAGE IN THE TJ AND JUST TIGHTENS IT ALL UP WITH EXTRA TUBES ON STRATEGIC PLACES. NOW NO, IT'S NOT GONNA BE AS STRONG AS A FULL CUSTOM CAGE, BUT THERE'S A COUPLE OF BENEFITS. THE VEHICLE REMAINS 100 PERCENT STREET LEGAL BECAUSE ALL THE FACTORY SEATBELTS ARE THERE, AND YOU CAN INSTALL IT IN YOUR DRIVEWAY IN LESS THAN A WEEKEND.

THE ENTIRE PACKAGE SIMPLY CLAMPS AROUND OUR FACTORY BARS USING OD TUBE CLAMPS AND ALLEN HEAD BOLTS.

NOW OUR JEEP IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO HITTING THE TRAIL. THE BODY'S PROTECTED AND SO IS EVERYBODY INSIDE. FOR DETAILS ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS SEEN IN TODAY'S EPISODE, HEAD ON OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.