TJ: Firetruck TTC Build - Never ending build
 

For those interested I have taken some photos of build up that I did before this years Tuff Truck. It started about 6 weeks before TTC when Matt said he wanted to compete in TTC so I said if he helped me out we could enter the Firetruck. My mistake Matt managed to help out for one weekend!

I started a list of what we had to do and it went something like this:

-build from ground up front and rear steer SOLID Industries "SOLID" Dana 60 Axles,
-stretch and build front suspension (brackets and control arms),
-rebuild and stretch rear suspension (diff brackets and A frame),
-make new rear shock mounts (suit coilovers),
-install new bumpstops and mounts,
-mount and install Atlas,
-mount and install POS front and rear double ended rams,
-make up and install Eaton orbital valve, steering column, reservoir, Vickers rear steer valve and Eaton hydraulic braided hydro lines,
-make up new Aeroquip braid race brakelines (manual aerospace quality fittings),
-make new caliper brakets to suit GQ patrol disc brakes and calipers,
-mount and install cutting brakes,
-remove front cross member, front relocate winch and make new cross member and winch mount in order to have 100% approach angle,
-install stainless steel roof,
-install 6 Narva Spot Lights,
-install 6 rock lights,
-mount and install front and rear Warn Rockcrawling winches,
-mount Staun 20in Double Internal Beadlocks,
-mount Procomp Super Sticky Comp Spec 40x20in Xterrains

etc

Anyway I will try and explain my reasonings for why I did things a particular way and why I chose certain products. I will also try and answer any questions. I am unlikely to post up the photos in any particular order so bare with me.

We started by actually picking the Firetruck from Shane's house after having him house it for approx 10mths. Once it arrived in Canberra it took some creative thinking on how to get it down my driveway (for those that dont know it is extremely steep, I use low range to get up to the main road), at this time FT had no diff and sat on some HD casters.

We put it in my shed, put it on stands at the future ride height and then started marking out what our suspension plans were. The first thing I wanted to do was chop the front off so we could ensure we had the best possible approach angle. It went something like this

Gees Sean, those diffs look pretty heavy, must have been a strong fella that helped you move those suckers;)

more pics of improving the appoach angle!

Hah, which time the 3 or 4th time I put in the new tubes!. No, for real they are bloody heavy and bloody strong (7/8in wall tube) and I appeciated you fellas helping out a cripple like me;) I need to get me a crane!

Good to see this animal come back to life.
Long list of things to do. I am guessing that between those things there are other things that are gonna need doing. Will look on with interest.
Good luck.
Particularly interested in how the Cutting brakes work. In my "street car" days we had "line lokkas" is it the same thing? Do they cut left and right brakes as well as front and rear. Is it a second brake system working hydraulically with in the same system and fluid resevior?
I know you will get to it eventually so I guess we will see in time.
Cheers
OIIIIIIIO

That list was what I had to do before TTC and I got everything done except the front cutting brakes. I sorta gave myself more work for after TTC though, however all i have done since is put in a new alternator.

You can have cutting brakes that go to individual calipers however I only have them going to the front and rear as a pair. They are plumped in line after the master cylinder, therefore they come out of the master to each individual cutting brake lever and master cylinder and then to the front and rear brakes. This way I can do front and rear digs with the 4wheel steer ;)

Some pics of what it currently looks like are attached