Low Dollar Wheeler Off-Road

(ANNOUNCER)>> HEAVY DUTY AXLES, UPGRADED TRANSFER CASE, FOUR AND A HALF INCHES OF LIFT, WE'VE MADE LOTS OF IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR LOW DOLLAR WHEELER. TODAY ON XTREME FOUR BY FOUR IT'S TIME TO TAKE IT TO THE TRAIL. YOU TOO CAN HAVE THIS MUCH FUN FOR LESS CASH THAN YOU MIGHT THINK.

(IAN)>> ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS ABOUT FOUR WHEELING IS HONESTLY IT'S NOT ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY YOU SPEND. AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE RIG, YOU CAN GET OUT IN THE WOODS AND GET SOME DIRT ON YOUR TIRES AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FUN. NOW WITH THAT IN MIND WE PLANNED A PROJECT. WE CALLED IT THE LOW DOLLAR WHEELER, AND THE PLAN WAS SIMPLE. PICK UP A RIG FOR AS CHEAP AS WE POSSIBLY COULD, BUILD IT SLOWLY OVER TIME, JUST MAKING SUBTLE IMPROVEMENTS HERE AND THERE TO EVENTUALLY HAVE A GREAT DUAL PURPOSE DAILY DRIVER HARDCORE WEEKEND WHEELER TRUCK. WELL AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY. THE RIG IS DONE AND WE'RE HEADING TO THE TRAILS TO DO SOME WHEELING. NOW THE COOL THING IS IS THIS JEEP LOOKS NOTHING LIKE IT DID WHEN IT FIRST ROLLED INTO THE SHOP. WHEN IT CAME IN IT WAS A BORING OLD WHITE GROCERY GETTER. BONE STOCK JEEP XJ JUST DYING FOR SOME XTREME TREATMENT. SO AFTER DOING SOME ODDS AND ENDS, LIKE A WINCH MOUNT AND WELDING UP THE STOCK REAR END, WE WENT AHEAD AND GAVE IT THE ULTIMATE CHANGE, AND THAT WAS A SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND SOME WHEELS AND TIRES. TODAY ON OUR LOW DOLLAR WHEELER PROJECT WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SUSPENSION SYSTEMS. AND THE NICE THING ABOUT CHOOSING A JEEP CHEROKEE AS THE BASE VEHICLE FOR THIS PROJECT IS THE FACTORY SUSPENSION DESIGN GIVES YOU A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE A RIG LIKE THIS AND GET IT UP IN THE AIR TO FIT SOME LARGER WHEELS AND TIRES. ON THE REAR IS A SET OF PARALLEL LEAF SPRINGS THAT LOCATE THE AXLE AND ACT AS THE SPRING. UP FRONT A FOUR LINK WITH A PAN HARD BAR AND A SET OF COIL SPRINGS SUSPEND THE FRONT AXLE. WHEN SHOPPING FOR A LIFT KIT, YOU DO HAVE TONS OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. YOU CAN SIMPLY ADD SOME SPACERS AND GET AN INCH OR TWO WORTH OF LIFT. OR YOU CAN GO ALL OUT, INSTALL A COMPLETE AFTERMARKET SUSPENSION SYSTEM WITH ALL NEW LINKS AND COIL OVER SHOCKS. ON A JEEP XJ, THE SIZE OF TIRE THAT YOU WANT TO RUN ON YOUR PROJECT PLAYS JUST AS MUCH OF A ROLL IN THE SUSPENSION YOU GET AS YOUR WALLET DOES. IF YOU WANT TO RUN ANYTHING LARGER THAN A 32, YOU NEED A COMPLETE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. SPACERS AND BLOCKS AREN'T GONNA CUT IT. SO WE LOOKED THROUGH THE FOUR WHEEL PARTS WEBSITE AND THIS IS WHAT WE FOUND. THIS IS A ROCK CRAWLER SHORTY FLEX SETUP. NOW THIS'LL GIVE US FOUR AND A HALF INCHES OF LIFT AND ALL THE PERFORMANCE WE NEED WHEN WE'RE WHEELING OFF ROAD. AND THE BEST PART IS IT COMES IN AT LESS THAN $900 BUCKS.

ON THE REAR OF OUR CHEROKEE, WE DID CHOOSE ONE EXTRA UPGRADE, AND THAT IS TO INSTALL THE DEAVER LONG TRAVEL JEEP SPEED SPRING INSTEAD OF THE LIFT BLOCK AND THE ADD A LEAF. THIS WAS A COUPLE OF HUNDRED EXTRA BUCKS BUT WORTH IT BECAUSE THE MULTI LAYERED SPRING PACK WILL FLEX VERY WELL BUT STILL OFFER A VERY STRONG SPRING RATE. UP FRONT WE'LL START WITH SOME TALLER SPRINGS, A DROPPED TRACK BAR BRACKET, NEW ADJUSTABLE LOWER ARMS, SOME SWAY BAR DISCONNECTS, AND A NEW TRACK BAR.

SO I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU GUYS WANT TO KNOW WHERE EXACTLY WE'RE AT MONEY WISE WITH THIS TRUCK. WELL BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FOR LESS THAN $3,000 DOLLARS WE HAVE A LIFTED JEEP CHEROKEE WITH A LOCKED REAR AXLE, A WINCH TO PUT UP FRONT, AND A SET OF 33 INCH TALL TIRES, AND THIS TRUCK IS DEFINITELY READY TO GO WHEELING. OH, AND THAT $3,000 INCLUDES THE PRICE OF THE TRUCK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, ONE EASY WAY TO KEEP YOUR RIG RUNNING. PLUS A REAR AXLE UPGRADE TO CONQUER THE ROCKS!

(IAN)>> WE'RE BACK ON XTREME WITH OUR LOW DOLLAR WHEELER FINALLY OUT ON THE GETTING SOME DIRT ON ITS TIRES. NOW THIS BUILD WAS A FOCUS ON BUDGET, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE HELD OFF ON ANY HARDCORE OFF ROAD PARTS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO OUR REAR AXLE. TODAY ON OUR LOW DOLLAR WHEELER PROJECT WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA SPEND A LITTLE MONEY TO SAVE A LITTLE MONEY. SO FAR ON THIS RIG WE HAVE $3,000 DOLLARS INVESTED IN THE TRUCK COMPLETE, AND IT'S READY TO GO WHEELING. WE ACTUALLY TOOK IT OUT RECENTLY FOR A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT TRAIL RIDING JUST TO CHECK OUT THE SUSPENSION LIFT AND THE NEW TIRES AND WHEELS, BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. BECAUSE WE WELDED UP THE REAR AXLE IN THE BACK OF THAT TRUCK, WE HAD TO PUT IT ON A TRAILER AND HAUL IT WITH A TRUCK. AND WHEN WE WERE COMING BACK FROM THE TRIP I REALIZED, WHAT GOOD IS A LOW DOLLAR WHEELER THAT YOU NEED TO OWN A PICK UP TRUCK AND A TRAILER TO USE EVERY TIME YOU WANT TO GO WHEELING? SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA SWAP OUT THAT REAR AXLE AND UPGRADE THIS ONE THAT WE PULLED FROM A JUNKYARD. IT'S A POPULAR SWAP FOR THE JEEP CHEROKEE. IT'S A FORD EXPLORER EIGHT POINT EIGHT. THE TRACK WIDTH ON THESE EIGHT POINT EIGHT AXLES IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE AXLE WE'RE GONNA TAKE OUT OF THE CHEROKEE. PLUS THE BOLT PATTERN IS THE EXACT SAME, MAKING IT AN ALMOST DROP IN SWAP. WE'RE TEARING OURS DOWN TO UPGRADE IT. NOW THE EIGHTEIGHT HAS A 31 SPLINE AXLE SHAFT, WHICH GIVES US EXTRA STRENGTH, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE AXLES HAD AN OPEN CARRIER DIFFERENTIAL JUST LIKE THIS. SO WE'RE GONNA UPGRADE OURS WITH A LOCKER. WHILE WE'RE INSIDE, WE'LL SWAP OUT THE RING AND PINION FOR A SET OF 4.88 GEARS FROM GTWO. NOW THIS WILL GIVE US A GOOD CRAWL RATIO WITH OUR 33 INCH TALL TIRES. NOW WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOCKER TO RUN ON THE STREET AND ON THE TRAIL, YOU BEST OPTION IS THE ARB AIR LOCKER. IT'LL GIVE YOU THAT TRUE OPEN DIFFERENTIAL ACTION WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON THE STREET. BUT WHEN YOU HIT THE DIRT, WITH THE FLIP OF A SWITCH, YOU HAVE THAT 100 PERCENT CONNECTION BETWEEN BOTH REAR WHEELS. AND OF COURSE, TO INSTALL IT IN OUR HOUSING, WE PICKED UP A COMPLETE INSTALL KIT. WE'LL START BY PRESSING THE MAIN BEARING ONTO THE PINION AND PUTTING NEW RACES IN THE HOUSING.

INSTALL THE PINION AND DRILL AND TAP THE HOUSING FOR THE AIR LOCKER BUNG. FINALLY DROP IN THE AIR LOCKER, AND ADJUST THE SHIMS TO GET THE APPROPRIATE BACK LASH AND TORQUE ON THE CAPS. THE EIGHT POINT EIGHT DOES HAVE ONE DRAWBACK, AND THAT IS THAT THE FACTORY AXLES ARE HELD IN PLACE USING A CCLIP INSIDE THE DIFFERENTIAL. NOW THE REASON THIS IS BAD IS IF YOU BREAK AN AXLE SHAFT WHEN YOU'RE OUT WHEELING, THERE'S NOTHING HOLDING THE TIRE AND WHEEL UNDERNEATH YOUR RIG. IT'LL SIMPLY WALK RIGHT OUT AND LEAVE YOU STRANDED ON THE TRAIL. SO WE'RE GONNA UPGRADE THIS HOUSING USING A SUPER 88 KIT FROM SUPERIOR AXLE AND GEAR. IT REPLACES BOTH SHAFTS WITH CHROMOLY PIECES AND NO CCLIP ON THE END. INSTEAD THE AXLE IS HELD IN PLACE BY A PRESSED IN BEARING THAT'S HELD ONTO THE AXLE SHAFT, AND A RETAINER AT THE END OF THE TUBE, KINDA LIKE A FORD NINE INCH. WITH THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY REMOVED, CUT THE HOUSING DOWN SO IT IS FLUSH WITH THE BEARING PLATE. THEN INSTALL THE NEW BEARING HOUSING WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SILICONE ON IT. PRESS THE NEW BEARING AND RETAINER ONTO THE AXLE SHAFT. SLIDE THE NEW SHAFT INTO THE HOUSING, AND SECURE IT USING THE PLATE. NOW EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE TODAY IS OBVIOUSLY A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT, TO REBUILD THIS REAR AXLE AND MATCH THE GEAR RATIO ON THE FRONT WITH A NEW RING AND PINION IS GONNA LAND SOMEWHERE BETWEEN $1,300 TO $1,400 DOLLARS. BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE BIT PICTURE, NOW WE CAN DRIVE OUR CHEROKEE ON THE STREET. A GOOD FLAT BED TRAILER TO HAUL IT TO THE TRAIL IS GONNA RUN YOU ABOUT $1,500 TO $1,600 BUCKS. SO WE ACTUALLY SPENT MONEY TO SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN. NOW WE'LL FINISH UP THIS REAR AXLE BY SEALING UP THE DIFF WITH THIS HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM GTWO COVER.

NOW ONE THING THAT WE DIDN'T SHOW YOU GUYS WAS AFTER UPGRADING THAT REAR AXLE, WE OBVIOUSLY HAD TO TEAR INTO THE FRONT TO MATCH THE GEAR RATIO WITH ANOTHER SET OF 4.88'S. BUT WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE, JUST A RING AND PINION. LEFT THE FRONT END COMPLETELY OPEN. DID THAT FOR A SPECIFIC REASON. THERE'S NO CHROMOLY SHAFTS OR UPGRADED UJOINTS INSIDE THIS HOUSING. IF WE'D HAVE INSTALLED A LOCKER ON THERE, THERE'D BE A GREATER CHANCE THAT WE'D BREAK SOMETHING WHEN WE HIT A HARDCORE TRAIL. NOW AN OPEN FRONT AXLE MAY KEEP YOU FROM GETTING PLACES WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON THE TRAIL, BUT IT'LL ALSO KEEP PARTS INSIDE THE AXLE.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, WE'LL TOUGHEN UP THE DRIVE TRAIN, DISCONNECT THE SWAY BAR, AND TRULY TEST OUR JEEP.

(IAN)>> WITH THE XJ IN THE ROCKS AND THE AXLE ARTICULATING, IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY ELIMINATING THE SLIP FROM THE BACK OF THE TRANSFER CASE IS AN IMPORTANT UPGRADE ON THIS MODEL OF TRUCK. THIS IS THE TRANSFER CASE OUT OF OUR PROJECT, AND LIKE ALL JEEP CHEROKEE TRANSFER CASES, THE REAR OUTPUT HAS A SLIP YOKE BUILT INTO IT. NOW WHAT THAT IS DESIGNED FOR IS AS THE REAR SUSPENSION MOVES UP AND DOWN WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING, ANY DRIVE TRAIN LENGTH DIFFERENCES ARE MADE UP BY THE DRIVE SHAFT SIMPLY SLIDING IN AND OUT. NOW THE PROBLEM COMES WHEN YOU LIFT YOUR TRUCK UP IN THE AIR WITH A LIFT KIT LIKE WE HAVE. TAKE IT WHEELING AND YOU MOVE THAT AXLE WAY MORE THAN THIS SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO ACCOMMODATE. EVERY NOW AND THEN YOU'LL GET THE DRIVE SHAFT RIGHT TO THE END OF THE SPLINES IN THE TRANSFER CASE, OR WORST CASE SCENARIO, DISENGAGE IT COMPLETELY WHEN YOU'RE OUT ON THE TRAIL. SO TO KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING, WE NEED TO ELIMINATE THIS SLIP YOKE WITH A SHORT SHAFT SLIP YOKE ELIMINATION KIT. NOW THIS WILL REPLACE THE OUTPUT SHAFT IN OUR TRANSFER CASE AND GIVE US A NEW HOUSING TO CONVERT IT OVER TO THE FIXED YOKE STYLE. THE FIRST STEP IS TO COMPLETELY DISASSEMBLE THE TRANSFER CASE IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE OUTPUT SHAFT.

THEN THE INTERNALS ARE SWAPPED ONTO OUR NEW SHORT SHAFTS.

THE CASE HALVES ARE CLEANED, THE CASE IS REASSEMBLED...

AND THE NEW REAR HOUSING AND YOKE ARE ATTACHED. NORMALLY WHEN YOU PERFORM MODIFICATIONS LIKE THIS TO YOUR TRANSFER CASE, YOU HAVE TO PLAN FOR SOME DOWN TIME IN YOUR RIG, AND THAT IS BECAUSE YOU NEED TO ORDER A CUSTOM REAR DRIVE SHAFT. NOT ONLY HAVE YOU CHANGED WHERE IT MOUNTS UP TO THE BACK OF THE TRANSFER CASE, BUT BY INSTALLING THE FIXED YOKE YOU'VE REMOVED THE SLIP FROM THE SYSTEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE PUT BACK IN. BUT THE NICE THING ABOUT USING A JEEP CHEROKEE FOR OUR PROJECT IS THERE'S A SOLUTION FOR THAT. WHEN WE ORDERED OUR SHORT SHAFT KIT FROM FOUR WHEEL PARTS, WE TOLD THEM OUR FOUR DOOR JEEP CHEROKEE WAS WHAT WE WERE BUILDING. THEY SENT US AN ALL BRAND NEW CUSTOM LENGTH SHAFT. IT HAS A C/V JOINT UP AT THE TRANSFER CASE TO REMOVE ANY DRIVE LINE VIBRATIONS, AND THEN DOWN AT THE OPPOSITE END THE SLIP YOKE IS NOW BUILT INTO THE DRIVE SHAFT ITSELF. NOW THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS PACKAGE PUT TOGETHER IS YOU CAN EASILY INSTALL IT IN YOUR RIG AT HOME IN YOUR DRIVE WAY IN ONE DAY AND BE BACK OUT WHEELING BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEKEND. THERE IS NOW WAY THAT THIS TRUCK WOULD LOOK GOOD DRIVING THROUGH THE TRAILS WITH THAT WHITE SAD PAINT JOB. SO WE TOOK CARE OF THAT WITH $25 BUCKS WORTH OF RATTLE CANS AND TURNED THIS TRUCK CAMO.

NOW WHETHER OR NOT YOU LOVE OR HATE A CAMOUFLAGE PAINT JOB ON A RIG, YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH THE PRICE. PAINTED THIS WHOLE TRUCK FOR LESS THAN $25 BUCKS, AND IT CERTAINLY LOOKS BETTER THAN THE ANEMIC CHALKY WHITE WHEN IT ROLLS INTO THE SHOP. NOW IF YOU DON'T WANT A CAMOUFLAGE PAINT JOB ON YOUR RIG YOU DON'T HAVE TO. YOU CAN GET JUST AS GOOD OF A LOOK WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER RATTLE CANS, JUST CHOOSE THE COLORS THAT YOU LIKE. JUST REMEMBER, IT'S A WHEELING RIG, YOU'RE GONNA BE OUT IN THE WOODS. IF YOU DENT IT, YOU DON'T REALLY CAR.

(ANNOUNCER)>> WITH OUR RIDE FULL OF TOUGH NEW UPGRADES, WE'LL HAMMER THE HILLS!

(IAN)>> ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM WE INSTALLED ON THIS JEEP IS IT HAS SWAY BAR DISCONNECTS. NOW THAT MEANS WE CAN SIMPLY UNHOOK THE SWAY BAR FROM THE AXLE. THIS WILL GIVE US MORE ARTICULATION WHEN WE HIT A HARDER TRAIL. WITH THE FRONT AXLE COMPLETELY UNLEASHED, THE TRUCK FLEXED REALLY WELL FOR AN OUT OF THE BOX SUSPENSION KIT, ARTICULATING OVER ROCKS AND GIVING US TRACTION WHEN WE NEEDED IT. THE ONE THING YOU'VE GOT TO GET USED TO WHEN YOU'RE WHEELING A CHEROKEE THOUGH IS THEY'RE A UNIBODY TRUCK. SO THAT CREAKING AND MOANING, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR IT ALL THE TIME. IT'S JUST BECAUSE ALL THE SUSPENSION MOVEMENT GETS TRANSMITTED BACK INTO THE BODY. WHEN RUNNING A SET OF STANDARD WHEELS ON THE TRAIL, YOU CAN'T AIR DOWN THE TIRES TOO MUCH OR YOUR RISK BLOWING A BEAD. WE LEFT ABOUT 10 TO 15 POUNDS IN OURS BUT THE PRO COMP EXTREME MT'S STILL FLEXED AROUND MOST OF THE ROCKS, AND WHEN YOU NEED SOME TRACTION YOU JUST HAD TO HEAT THEM UP A BIT AND THEY GOT REAL STICKY. OUR 33 INCH TALL TIRES, THAT MAY SOUND LIKE A BIG TIRE, AND HONESTLY THEY'RE NOT, BUT IF YOU PLACE THEM IN THE RIGHT SPOT AND JUST CRAWL SLOWLY, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET UP MOST OBSTACLES. NOW BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A FRONT DIFF IN THIS TRUCK, WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO SOME TIMES TAKE MULTIPLE STABS AT DIFFERENT LINES BECAUSE THAT FRONT TIRE, IF IT GETS OFF THE GROUND, WE'RE GOING NO WHERE. THERE WE GO! WHEN YOU START TO GET STUCK, JUST SPIN THE TIRES A LITTLE BIT, LET THEM HEAT UP. DON'T LET THE TRUCK BOUNCE. IF IT STARTS TO BOUNCE, SOMETHING'S GONNA BREAK. WITH OUR FRONT DIFFERENTIAL THAT'S OPEN, THE GOAL HONESTLY IS TO TRY TO JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD. THAT'S GONNA HELP THAT OPEN DIFF MOVE POWER FROM SIDE TO SIDE. EVERY NOW AND THEN, A LITTLE BUMP IS GONNA HELP, YEAH! YOU CAN'T SEE ME, I'M CAMOUFLAGED. HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF EXTRA SPACE ON THE BODY THANKS TO THE NEW BUSHWHACKER FENDER FLARES MEANT WE WEREN'T TEARING THE TRUCK UP WHEN THE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY STUFFED UP INTO THE FENDER WELL. TO THE TOP, WHOO, YEAH! SO WITH OUR TRUCK COMPLETELY FINISHED, WHAT DID IT TAKE TO PUT TOGETHER OUR LOW DOLLAR WHEELER? WELL IT STARTED WITH A FOUR AND A HALF INCH ROCK CRAWLER SUSPENSION KIT, BILSTEIN SHOCKS ALL THE WAY AROUND, AND 33 INCH TALL TIRES ON SOME 15 INCH BLACK STEEL WHEELS. ADD TO THE THAT THE FORD EIGHT POINT EIGHT IN THE BACK, INSTALL KIT AND NEW GEARS, ARB AIR LOCKER, AND UPGRADED AXLE SHAFTS. UP FRONT, NEW GEARS TO MATCH AND AN INSTALL KIT AS WELL, A COMPRESSOR FOR OUR ARB, A SLIP YOKE ELIMINATOR IN THE TRANSFER CASE, AND A BRAND NEW DRIVE SHAFT. AND FINISHING IT ALL OUT, THE BUSHWHACKER FLAT STYLE FENDER FLARES. NOW THAT COMES TO A TOTAL OF AROUND $6,000 DOLLARS. BUT IF YOU WANT TO BUILD YOUR OWN LOW DOLLAR WHEELER, HOW'S THIS FOR A DEAL. THE GUYS AT FOUR WHEEL PARTS WILL PUT THIS WHOLE PACKAGE TOGETHER JUST FOR YOU AND YOUR CHEROKEE FOR ONLY $4,999 BUCKS! THAT'S A DEAL! THIS IS A LOT OF FUN. YOU REALLY COULD DRIVE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND THEN TAKE IT WHEELING. AND THE NICE THING IS, IT'S MONEY SPENT WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE SPENT. THIS THING WILL PRETTY MUCH HANDLE MOST MILD TRAILS. NOW YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING CRAZY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO UPGRADE IT. MAYBE WE'LL DO THE NEXT. FOR DETAILS ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS SEEN IN TODAY'S EPISODE, HEAD ON OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.