Posted by John Eickhof on Friday, April 29, 2005 at 11:30PM :
I worked on the main handicap experienced while in Moab on the 6x6 today, I was experiencing the typical problem of insufficient front bumper clearance when ascending steep 100% or more obstacles...I built an entirely new front bumper out of 5" channel iron, with a fairlead built in and the ends angled back towards the front tires. This afforded an immediate addition of 4" ground clearance plus I back set the front of the bumper to the face of the winch risers. No longer will I be so easily succeptable to hanging up on the outer ends of the front bumper. (Not to say I won't as Moab is always full of surprises! ) But at least I should have a better approach angle now! I estimate it at 50 degrees now! Better than the original 40 degrees or so. I also replaced a broken U bolt on the drivers front spring ( it was a 'home made' one! ) Next on the list will be the rear winch, and a flat bed body narrowed down for Moab trips. It will be easily interchangable with the dump body
simply by removing three pins! The 2.76:1 gear retarder has been measured out and drawings are in progress for the coupler and mountings to install it between the T-case and the trans! Then adding Tibus axles and a lock-rite in the front axle! So...eventually, this non-stock WW2 6x6 should end up being quite the rock crawler!!
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