Stripping weight for a Rockcrawler...

[FireTruck]

OK guys... as you would already know, I have been working on dropping weight from the FireTruck for a while now. More specifically, sprung weight... better stability, climbs better, less strain on drivetrain, etc.

With WE Rock around the corner I am looking at what's left, and nothing immediately springs to mind. Don't want MAJOR fabrication changes, but will take any gains (losses!) I can get. Here's what I have dropped so far:

* Heavy front bumper replaced with light, low profile comp bar (fabricated my yours truely)
* Heavy rear bumper replaced with light, low profile comp bar (again, fab's by me)
* tail gate removed (this sucker was pretty damn heavy!)
* Doors removed (these were about 11 kg's each... as an aside, I cut all the internals out of the doors before TTC to drop weight)
* Windscreen and surround removed (this was about 24kg's I think)
* steel hood replaced with fiberglass high hood (I think this saved 10+kg's)
* Inside of fenders trimmed out (for high hood above)
* steering box removed... full hydro with cylinder mounted on the front axel
* Seats replaced with light plastic jobbies
* Windscreen washer bottle and charcoal filter removed...

Here's what I have left... remove windscreen wiper motor (what would that be... 1kg??), remove centre consol (another kg??), then ???

Any other suggestions?? Eat less pies?? What the heckola is left?? Did I miss anything??

Will also have dual winches - one on the front and one on the rear - to winch down on the axels... keep the COG down where necessary, and help with steep climbs/descents.

S.

[Jeff]

Tube the back
Transfer case skid... can't remember what you're running. Could you save/shave some there?


Hang on, didnt Maddog put up a thread recently about this?

[FireTruck]

tube the back... nice idea, but that fits into the 'major' category and I think I'll save the tube for the full tube buggy...

T'case skid... hmmm... I built my own. My driveline is supported by a Cheezy racing cross member, and my skid just bolts on to protect all the bits. So I can easily drop my skid off and access all the bits for fluid changes and maintenance etc.

Skid is pretty weighty, but the weight is quite low and in a spot that I would really like to keep protected.

I must admit I didn't search - have to go have a look for Maddog's post.

Here's another one - airbags... has anyone taken their airbags out? How hard is it, and what do they weigh??

S.

[FireTruck]

Oh, I switched to synthetic winch rope to from steel cable... forgot that one.

[Wooders]

Remove your cage & give it to me ....maybe that heavy Atlas two

Otherwise:
Stereo & speakers etc,
Vent tubing and heater box (there's a bit of weight in these),
A/c should be long gone,
Smaller battery - snot like you are outback touring,
Jack & wheel brace under the seat - as well as the extendsions next to the seat,
Pull out the battery tray etc and replace it with sheets of alloy where needed.
Recover the fuel tank section with alloy not steel......maybe even use expanded to save even more.
Speed holes in the bumpers to reduce some extra material.

Even the tiny stuff will add up so I'l pull:
Glovebox, ashtray, ciglighter, bezels (should be gone by now), floor grommets and even little softtopclips adjacent to the tailgate opening

Heck if you're really keen Horn? headlights?
For WERock I'd almost cretainly remove the snorkel (not much water )

any of those ramblings help??

[billsta]

remove driver and navigator, or see how much weight you can lose before next comp.

[Wooders]

Lots of brussel sprouts and a butt plug