Discount Datsun Part II

(ANNOUNCER)>> OFF ROAD RIGS CAN DO EVERYTHING FROM LOW SPEED CRAWLING TO FULL THROTTLE DESERT RACING, BUT FOR TOP PERFORMANCE YOUR RIG NEEDS THE RIGHT SUSPENSION. TODAY ON XTREME OFF ROAD WE DESIGN SUSPENSIONS FOR

TWO VERY DIFFERENT TYPES OF TRUCKS. PLUS WE BUILD A SET OF TOUGH LOOKING AFFORDABLE BEAD LOCKS.

(IAN)>> TODAY IS ALL ABOUT SUSPENSION. I'VE GOT TWO VERY DIFFERENT PROJECTS HERE IN THE SHOP, OUR OVER THE TOP TUBE CHASSIS '66 BRONCO AND PROJECT DISCOUNT DATSUN. NOW THEY'RE BOTH GONNA RECEIVE SOME TYPE OF LINK SUSPENSION, BUT THEY'RE BOTH GONNA BE VERY DIFFERENT, AND THAT'S A QUESTION I GET ASKED ALL THE TIME. WHAT TYPE OF LINK SETUP SHOULD I USE FOR MY RIG? WELL HONESTLY IT STARTS WITH WHAT TYPE OF WHEELING DO YOU PLAN TO DO. IF LOW SPEED CRAWLING IS YOUR GAME, A DOUBLE

TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK IS THE IDEAL SETUP, WITH THE SHOCKS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE AXLE HOUSING. YOU HAVE EXCELLENT FLEX AND ENOUGH WHEEL TRAVEL FOR SERIOUS CRAWLING, WITH A SINGLE SHOCK, EITHER COIL OVER OR AIR.

IF YOU PLAN TO HAUL THE MAIL AT HIGH SPEED, WELL A SINGLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK WILL HELP MINIMIZE BODY ROLL AT HIGH SPEEDS. FOR MORE SUSPENSION TRAVEL THE SHOCKS ARE MOUNTED TO A TRAILING ARM SETUP ON THE LOWER LINK, AND A COIL CARRIER AND BYPASS SHOCK PROVIDE THE MOST ADJUSTABILITY IN THE SYSTEM.

WE'RE GONNA START ON THE BACK OF PROJECT BUCKIN' BRONCO. NOW IF YOU REMEMBER, THAT'S BASICALLY AN ULTRA FOUR STYLE FULL TUBE CHASSIS RACE CAR SKINNED TO LOOK LIKE A CLASSIC '66 BRONCO. SO THE RIGHT SUSPENSION ON THE BACK OF THAT RIG IS A SINGLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK WITH A SET OF TRAILING ARMS. NOW TO UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF TRAILING ARMS YOU KINDA NEED TO VISUALIZE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. AS THE TIRE AND WHEEL MOVES UP AND DOWN, IF THE SHOCK WAS MOUNTED ON TOP OF THE AXLE, WE'D HAVE THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT OF WHEEL TRAVEL THAT WE HAVE SHOCK TRAVEL. SO A 14 INCH TRAVEL SHOCK WILL GIVE ME 14 INCHES OF WHEEL TRAVEL. IF I TAKE THAT SAME SHOCK AND MOVE IT UP ON TO THE LOWER LINK ITSELF IN A TRAILING SETUP I WILL HAVE MORE WHEEL TRAVEL BECAUSE 14 INCHES OF TRAVEL AT THE

SHOCK MEANS MORE TRAVEL BACK AT THE AXLE HOUSING. I'M ALSO ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE BY MOVING THAT SHOCK UP. THAT MEANS I CAN USE A LITTLE BIT SOFTER INITIAL SPRING PACK. IT ALSO MAKES PACKAGING THINGS A LOT EASIER. AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, TRYING TO FIT A COIL OVER AND A BYPASS ON TOP OF THE AXLE HOUSING, THINGS CAN GET PRETTY TIGHT. BY MOVING THEM ON TO THE TRAILING ARM I CAN MOUNT THEM ONE RIGHT BEHIND EACH, MAKING THIS SYSTEM WORK A LOT BETTER AS WELL AS LESS CUMBERSOME. NOW YOU CAN'T JUST MOUNT A COIL OVER SHOCK ON TOP OF A ROUND LINK WITH A SET OF TABS. AS THE SUSPENSION MOVES AND THE LINK MOVES BACK AND FORTH IT'LL PUT UNDUE PRESSURE ON THE SHOCK ROD. IT CAN CAUSE THE SHOCK TO BREAK. YOU NEED TO BUILD A DEDICATED SET

OF TRAILING ARMS. SO THESE ARE USUALLY MADE OUT OF PLATE STEEL. USUALLY HAVE A SLIGHT BEND TO THEM TO HELP SELF CENTER. NOW THAT MEANS A LOT OF CAD DRAWING, SOME TIME AT A LASER TABLE, AND A WHOLE BUNCH OF DESIGNING, BUT THERE IS AN EASIER WAY.

ROUGH STUFF SPECIALTIES IS ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES THAT SEEMS TO ALWAYS BE COMING OUT WITH NEW PARTS TO MAKE BUILDING A CUSTOM OFF ROAD RIG A LOT EASIER. THIS IS THEIR LATEST OFFERING. IT IS A COMPLETE READY TO ASSEMBLE SET OF CUSTOM TRAILING ARMS.

THEY'RE ALL LASER CUT AND KEYED AND NOTCHED TO ENSURE PROPER ALIGNMENT WHEN YOU WELD THEM TOGETHER. THEY COME WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BUILD THE ARMS,

INCLUDING THE POLY JOINTS THAT GO AT THE FRAME AND INCH AND A QUARTER HEIMS THAT GO DOWN AT THE AXLES. THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS WHEN YOU'RE ORDERING THE ARMS.

YOU CAN CHANGE THE LOCATIONS OF THE SHOCK, THE OVERALL LENGTH OF THE ARMS, AND EVEN THE ANGLE IN WHICH THEY LEAVE THE CHASSIS AND HEAD DOWN TO THE AXLE. BUT THE FACT THAT WE WILL HAVE A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM SET OF TRAILING ARMS DELIVERED RIGHT TO OUR DOOR READY TO WELD WILL CERTAINLY SPEED UP THE

FABRICATION PROCESS.

THE TRAILING ARMS ARE DESIGNED TO SANDWICH ALL THE PIECES OF LASER CUT STEEL TOGETHER TO CREATE AND INCREDIBLY STRONG BACKBONE, WITH MULTIPLE LAYERS UNDERNEATH THE SHOCK VALLEY FOR EXTRA RIGIDITY. TO BUILD THE ARMS THE INCH AND A QUARTER BUNG IS WELDED INTO THE DOM TUBING AND THE DOUBLE QUARTER INCH BACKBONE IS ASSEMBLED WITH THE CENTER RIBS AND SPACERS.

THE SHOCK BOLT TUBES ARE PLACED OVER THE WELD WASHERS AND THE TUBES ARE TACKED TO THE BACKBONE. REMOVE THE POCKET AND WELD THE SHOCK TUBES INTO PLACE. THIS WELD MUST BE WATER TIGHT TO KEEP WATER FROM LEAKING INTO THE TRAILING ARM HOUSING.

THE REMAINING FILLER PLATES ARE PUT INTO PLACE AND TACKED. ONCE FULLY ALIGNED THE PLATES ARE WELDED AT THE ALIGNMENT TABS.

THE BOTTOM COVER IS THEN WELDED INTO PLACE. THIS PLATE MUST BE FULLY WELDED.

REMOVE THE BOLTS AND SPACERS FROM THE SHOCK MOUNT AND DROP IN THE SHOCK POCKET.

INSTALL THE BOLTS, INSTALL THE SHOCK POCKET CAPS, AND FULLY WELD THEM INTO PLACE ALONG WITH THE SHOCK POCKET. RIGHT NOW THE ENTIRE OUTER SKIN OF OUR TRAILING ARM IS BASICALLY JUST TACKED INTO PLACE, AND IT DOES NEED TO BE FULLY WELDED ALONG ALL OF THE SEAMS AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL GUSSETS, BUT ROUGH STUFF SPECIFIES TAKING TIME TO DO THAT. AS A MATTER OF FACT THEY SUGGEST WELDING THE

TRAILING ARM OVER A THREE DAY PERIOD TO MINIMIZE ANY DISTORTION IN THE FINAL PIECE. ONCE THE WELDING IS ALL DONE THE LAST THING YOU ADD IS THE SKID PLATE THAT GOES ALONG THE BOTTOM OF THE TRAILING ARM JUST TO PROTECT IT WHEN YOU'RE DRAGGING IT OVER ROCKS. AND THEM WE ARE FINALLY READY TO START BUILDING THE REAR SUSPENSION IN THE BACK OF OUR BRONCO.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, OUR TRAILING ARMS GET CONNECTED TO A HARDCORE AXLE HOUSING THAT'S BUILT FOR SERIOUS ABUSE.

(IAN)>> BEFORE WE CAN BUILD THE SUSPENSION IN THE BACK OF OUR BRONCO WE NEED TO HAVE AN AXLE HOUSING TO BUILD OFF OF, AND THERE'S NO BETTER AXLE TO CHOOSE FOR THIS PROJECT THAN THE NEW SPYDERTRAX FOUR INCH PRO SERIES HOUSING. THIS AXLE HAS A FOUR INCH QUARTER INCH WALL AXLE TUBES THAT ARE HEAT TREATED FOR EXTRA STRENGTH. THE CENTER SECTION IS SIMILAR IN DESIGN TO OTHER SPYDERTRAX AXLES BUT IT'S ACTUALLY WIDER TO HOLD MORE FLUID AND HAS RIBS INSIDE OF IT FOR EXTRA STRENGTH. IT ACCEPTS THE STANDARD FORD NINE INCH DROP OUT AND HAS THE STUDS AND NUTS ALREADY PREINSTALLED.

AND SPYDERTRAX ALSO INCLUDES AN EXTRA LARGE TWO AND A QUARTER INCH FILL CAP AND A BUNG THAT YOU WELD INTO A HOLE THAT YOU CUT INTO THE HOUSING. NOW THIS WILL JUST MAKE FILLING THE AXLE A LOT EASIER, BUT ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO INSPECT THE GEAR SET WITHOUT TEARING THE AXLE DOWN. THE FIRST STEP IS TO SET THE AXLE HOUSING ON SOME JACK STANDS 48 INCHES BEHIND THE CHASSIS AND

SQUARE IT UP TO THE TABLE. DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE TRAILING ARM, IT IS ALSO PLACED ON JACK STANDS AND LINED UP WITH THE OUTER EDGE OF OUR CHASSIS' FLOOR TUBES. A CARDBOARD TEMPLATE IS THEN MADE FOR THE OUTSIDE OF THE LOWER MOUNT AND CUT FROM SOME THREESIXTEENTHS INCH PLATE.

THE LOWER TUBE IS PLUGGED WITH A PIECE OF STEEL AND THE OUTER MOUNT IS TACKED INTO PLACE. A TEMPLATE IS THEN MADE FOR THE INNER MOUNT AND BUILT USING THE SAME PROCESS AS THE OUTER.

THESE TWO TABS ARE JUST THE START OF OUR LOWER MOUNT. I NEED TO GUSSET IT UP FOR EXTRA STRENGTH. I'LL HAVE TO CAP THE TOP AND THE BOTTOM, AND CAP THE BACK SIDE. NOW THE NICE THING IS IS THESE CAPS THAT GO ALONG THE BACK SIDE ALSO ACT AS GUSSETS FOR THE MAIN HOOP ON OUR CHASSIS. THEN I WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE PLATE. I'M GONNA CUT ANOTHER PIECE OF STEEL THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT SMALLER AND I'LL TIG WELD IT INTO PLACE, BASICALLY DOUBLING UP THIS, AND THEN WELD IN ONE OF THESE WELD WASHERS TO FINISH IT ALL OUT AND THEN REPEAT THE PROCESS ON THE INSIDE. BY DOUBLING UP THAT PLATE AND ADDING THE WELD WASHER IT JUST PREVENTS ANY POSSIBILITY OF THAT BOLT TEARING OUT OF THE TAB ON SERIOUS OFF ROAD ABUSE.

THEN ONCE THIS MOUNT IS DONE WE MOVE UP ONTO THE UPPER MOUNT, WHICH BASICALLY SITS RIGHT ON TOP OF IT AND ANGLES BACK TO THE TOP OF OUR AXLE HOUSING.

THE UPPER MOUNT STARTS JUST LIKE THE LOWER ONE DID, WITH THE OUTER PLATE. I ALWAYS LIKE TO MAKE MULTIPLE MOUNTING HOLES FOR THE UPPER LINKS TO ALLOW FOR ADJUSTABILITY IN THE SUSPENSION. IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO WELD ON THE OUTER STIFFENING PLATE AND WELD WASHERS ON THE BENCH BEFORE TACKING IT TO THE CHASSIS. ONCE IN PLACE I REALIZED THAT IF I REDESIGN THE UPPER PLATE ON THE LOWER MOUNT IT WOULD TIE INTO OUR NEW UPPER MOUNT A LOT BETTER.

DON'T EVER BE AFRAID TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND REDO SOMETHING IF YOU THINK IT'S GONNA WORK BETTER. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHEN BUILDING CUSTOM ONE OFF RIGS.

ONCE REMADE AND IN PLACE, THE GUSSETS FOR THE TUBE CHASSIS ARE CUT TO BECOME THE BACK OF BOTH THE UPPER AND LOWER MOUNT. THEN THE INNER PLATE OF THE UPPER MOUNT CAN BE INSTALLED. WITH EVERYTHING TACKED INTO PLACE IT'S EASY TO SEE HOW THIS SECTION OF THE CHASSIS HAS NOW BECOME INCREDIBLY STRONG, BASICALLY CREATING A GOOD NODE USING ALL THIS PLATE WORK AND OUR TUBING. NOW OUR UPPER REAR TRAILING ARM BAR WILL ACTUALLY JUST BE TUBULAR CONSTRUCTION. I'LL USE THESE INCH AND A QUARTER HEIMS THAT I ALSO GOT FROM ROUGH STUFF SPECIALTIES. THEY'LL JUST INDEX OFF OF THAT UPPER MOUNT AND TRAVEL ALL THE WAY BACK AT AN ANGLE AND JUST LOCK INTO SOME TABS THAT I'LL WELD ONTO THE TOP OF THE AXLE HOUSING. I'LL GUSSET THESE UP FOR STRENGTH AND EVEN ADD A COUPLE OF CAPS.

BUT THE UPPER BAR IS INCREDIBLY EASY TO BUILD. BEFORE I DO ANY OF THIS I NEED TO DUPLICATE THAT MOUNT ON THIS SIDE OF THE CHASSIS.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT A SUSPENSION SETUP FOR PROJECT DISCOUNT DATSUN THAT GIVES US MAXIMUM ARTICULATION FOR MINIMUM MONEY.

(IAN)>> THE SUSPENSION FOR PROJECT DISCOUNT DATSUN WILL BE THE SAME BOTH FRONT AND REAR, AND IT'S GONNA BE VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE PUT TOGETHER SO FAR ON OUR HIGH END BRONCO BUILD. THIS IS A SIMPLE LOW BUDGET ROCK CRAWLER. SO THERE'S NOT GONNA BE ANY FANCY TRAILING ARMS AND TWO SHOCKS PER CORNER. THIS IS GONNA BE A SIMPLE DOUBLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK WITH A SINGLE SHOCK MOUNTED AT EACH WHEEL.

AND WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THE BENEFITS ARE TO A DOUBLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY THEY ARE SO POPULAR ON DEDICATED OFF ROAD RIGS. THERE ARE TWO KEY BENEFITS TO THE DOUBLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK. THE FIRST IS SUSPENSION PERFORMANCE, AND TO VISUALIZE THAT I'VE WRAPPED SOME MIG WIRE AROUND THIS EXTENSION. NOW THE WIRE ARE MY LINKS AND THE EXTENSION IS MY

AXLE, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT WHEN THEY'RE PARALLEL I HAVE SOME MOVEMENT BUT NOT A LOT.

I'VE KIND OF LIMITED MYSELF TO THE MISALIGNMENT SPACERS IN THOSE HEIMS. IF I MOVE THE SUSPENSION MOUNTS ON THE AXLE CLOSE

TOGETHER NOW I HAVE A LARGE AMOUNT OF ARTICULATION. I'M BASICALLY PIVOTING ON THE VERY TIP OF THE TRIANGLE THAT IS MADE OUT OF THOSE LINKS, AND THE SAME THING HAPPENS IF I MOVE THE MOUNTS CLOSE TOGETHER ON THE FRAME SIDE, LARGE AMOUNTS OF ARTICULATION. WHAT I'M BASICALLY MESSING AROUND WITH HERE IS THE INSTANT CENTER OF THE VEHICLE'S SUSPENSION. NOW THAT'S THE COMPARISON OF THE SUSPENSION MOUNTING POINTS TO THE VEHICLE'S CENTER OF GRAVITY. NOW THERE'S A LOT OF MATH INVOLVED HERE AND A LOT OF DESIGN, BUT THE EASY WAY TO REMEMBER IT IS THIS. THE CLOSER YOU MOVE THE UPPER MOUNTS ON TOP OF THE AXLE TOGETHER AND THE CLOSER YOU MOVE THE LOWER MOUNTS TOGETHER ON THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE, THE MORE ARTICULATION YOU'RE GONNA GET. THE REASON YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF DOUBLE TRIANGULATED

SUSPENSION SYSTEMS ON THE STREET IS BECAUSE ALL THAT ARTICULATION ON THE ROAD WILL TRANSLATE INTO AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF BODY ROLL AND THE VEHICLE WILL BECOME UNSTABLE. THE SECOND BENEFIT TO THE DOUBLE TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK IS THEY'RE INCREDIBLY POPULAR. SO WHEN YOU WANT TO PUT ONE ON YOUR RIG YOU CAN

GET A COMPLETE KIT TO DO IT LIKE WE HAVE HERE FROM BARNES FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. IT'LL COME WITH ALL THE HEIM JOINTS THAT WE NEED AND ALL THE BRACKETS TO BASICALLY BUILD AN ENTIRE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. ONE THING YOU DO NEED TO KEEP IN MIND THOUGH WHEN YOU'RE DOING THE UPPER ANGLE OF THE LINKS INTO THE CENTER OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. YOU HAVE TO ADD A TRUSS TO THE TOP OF THE AXLE. THIS WILL GIVE A MOUNTING LOCATION FOR THE LINKS THAT IS GOOD AND STRONG. YOU DON'T WANT TO JUST WELD ONTO THE CAST STEEL HOUSING OF THE DIFFERENTIAL. THAT WELD WILL FAIL. ADDING A SIMPLE TRUSS LIKE THIS WILL GIVE YOU A GOOD STRONG MOUNTING SURFACE AND A GOOD PERFORMING SUSPENSION. TO INSTALL THE SUSPENSION THE UPPER LINK FRAME SIDE

MOUNTS ARE TACKED ONTO THE FRAME EXTENSIONS THAT WE PREVIOUSLY WELDED INTO THE STOCK CHASSIS. THIS LINK MOUNT NOW ACTS AS A FISH PLATE FOR THIS JOINT IN THE FRAME RAIL. [ GRINDER SPINNING ]

(IAN)>> THE TRUSS IS THEN TACKED ONTO THE REAR 14 BOLT AND THE CENTER OF THE AXLE IS MARKED FOR THE UPPER LINK LOCATIONS. THE KIT COMES WITH SEVENEIGHTHS INCH CHROMOLY HEIMS WITH A THREE QUARTER INCH BORE. THAT WITH THE MISALIGNMENT SPACERS ACCEPT A

NINESIXTEENTHS INCH BOLT. THESE HEIMS CAN HANDLE A RADIAL STATIC LOAD OF OVER

55,000 POUNDS, MAKING THEM PLENTY STRONG FOR OUR LIGHTWEIGHT DATSUN. A CROSSMEMBER HAS TO BE BUILT FOR THE LOWER LINKS TO MOUNT ONTO THE TRUCK. THERE'S GONNA BE LOTS OF LEVERAGE ON THIS PARTICULAR PIECE OF TUBING, SO ADDITIONAL GUSSETS NEED TO BE ADDED. THEN FINALLY THE LOWER LINK MOUNTS ARE TACKED ONTO THE AXLE TUBE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, WHEN BUILDING A ROCK CRAWLER, ALWAYS BUDGET FOR A GREAT SET OF SHOES.

(IAN)>> NEXT STEP FOR PROJECT DISCOUNT DATSUN IS GONNA BE SOME TIRES AND WHEELS, BUT BEFORE WE JUNP INTO THAT PROJECT LET'S CATCH UP ON OUR BUDGET. IF YOU REMEMBER, WE PUT SOME LOW GEARS IN A SAMURAI TRANSFER CASE AND DID SOME TUBE WORK WHEN WE

BACK HALVED THE TRUCK, AND THAT COST US JUST UNDER $1,000 DOLLARS. THE FOUR LINK KITS, BOTH FRONT AND REAR, FROM BARNES FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WERE VERY REASONABLE. TO LINK THIS TRUCK UP ON BOTH ENDS WAS JUST OVER $1,000 DOLLARS. SO WE'RE FLOATING RIGHT AROUND THE $2,000 DOLLAR MARK. BUT FOR THE TIRES AND WHEELS, HONESTLY, I AM GOING TO DESTROY OUR BUDGET, BUT IT'S FOR A GOOD REASON. IF YOU PLAN TO RUN A SERIOUSLY LARGE OFF ROAD TIRE LIKE THIS 42 INCH TALL PITBULL ROCKER, WELL YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND SOME MONEY. BUT IT'S MONEY SPENT IN A GOOD PLACE. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY AGGRESSIVE OFF ROAD TIRE. IT WILL WORK GREAT ON OUR TRUCK.

IT'S 42 INCHES TALL, 15 INCHES WIDE, AND IT'S SETUP FOR A 17 INCH RIM, HAS A VERY THICK SIDEWALL, AND IS BIAS PLY CONSTRUCTION SO IT WILL CONFORM TO THE ROCKS WHEN WE'RE OFF ROAD. YES, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY BUT THE PERFORMANCE WE'LL

GET WITH THIS TIRE AND WHEEL PACKAGE IS DEFINITELY WORTH THE COST. YOU CAN SAVE SOME MONEY THOUGH WHEN YOU'RE PICKING

OUT YOUR TIRES AND WHEELS, AND YOU SAVE IT WITH THE RIMS. A COMPLETE SET OF STAMPED STEEL WHEELS LIKE THESE BLACK ROCK WHEELS FROM SUMMIT RACING

ARE QUITE REASONABLE. AND HONESTLY, WE COULD JUST MOUNT UP OUR PITBULL TIRES AND THROW THEM ON THE TRUCK, AND THEY'D BE READY FOR THE TRAIL. BUT I'M SURE BY NOW YOU'VE FIGURED OUT, TO GET THE

OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE OUT OF AN OVERSIZED OFF ROAD TIRE IN THE DIRT YOU NEED TO AIR IT DOWN. AND TO LOWER THE AIR PRESSURE SAFELY YOU NEED A BEADLOCK. WELL I CAN CONVERT THESE WHEELS TO A BEADLOCK ON THE CHEAP USING A KIT FROM DIY BEADLOCKS. IT COMES WITH A RING THAT WE'LL WELD ONTO THE RIM AND THEN A CLAMPING RING THAT WILL HOLD THE OUTER BEAD OF THE TIRE IN PLACE WHEN WE AIR IT DOWN. AND THEY HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT SIZES AND A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT DESIGNS.

I OPTED FOR THE PUNISHER SKULL BECAUSE I PLAN TO

PUNISH SOME TRAILS WITH THIS RIG. TO GET A QUALITY WELD THE POWDER COATING ON THE RIM MUST BE REMOVED.

THE FASTEST WAY TO DO THAT CLEANLY IS WITH A SAND BLAST CABINET. THE INNER RING ALSO GETS BLASTED TO PREP FOR WELDING.

THE RING IS THEN TACKED ONTO THE WHEEL IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS TO PREVENT DISTORTION WHILE WELDING. THE BEST WAY TO ENSURE AN AIR TIGHT WELD IS WITH A TIG WELDER, AND THIS IS WHERE HAVING A MULTIPROCESS MACHINE LIKE THE ESAB REBEL PAYS OFF. IT QUICKLY CONVERTS FROM MIG TO TIG WITH A SWAP OF THE LEADS. ONCE FULLY WELDED, THE WHEEL IS THEN PAINTED

ALONG WITH THE OUTER RING. WOO! THE TIRE IS THEN INSTALLED ONTO THE RIM AND THE BEADLOCK IS BOLTED UP USING TWO INCH LONG THREEEIGHTHS INCH GRADE EIGHT BOLTS AND NYLOCK NUTS. ONCE IN PLACE ON THE REAR AXLE, THERE IS NO QUESTION THIS DATSUN IS GONNA BE FLAT OUT MEAN. WITH THESE TWO JOBS COMPLETE WE'VE BASICALLY SPENT ALMOST HALF OF OUR BUDGET, JUST UNDER $5,000 DOLLARS, BUT THAT'S OKAY. WE HAVE MADE A HUGE TRANSFORMATION TO OUR LITTLE DATSUN MINI TRUCK. AND I'M SURE SOME OF YOU ARE KINDA WONDERING WHY WE'RE FOCUSING ON JUST THE BACK HALF OF THE TRUCK AND NOTHING ON THE FRONT END, AND THAT IS BECAUSE IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS SETUP WORK I NEED TO BUILD A CUSTOM FRONT AXLE TO GO UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THIS TRUCK. BUT HOW AM I GONNA DO THAT ON A BUDGET? WELL THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT TIME.