Building An Ultimate Adventure rig is not easy. You might think there is an infinite supply of parts and money for a rig that has "ultimate" in the title, but that simply isn't the case. Though the rig's primary purpose is to lead our thousand-mile wheeling expedition consisting of unknown terrain, off-the-chart backroads, and jaw-dropping obstacles that is the Ultimate Adventure, it also needs to represent what we think a 4x4 should be. We, like many of you, plan our builds around a few basic elements that generally make sense to us, the main two being, how much does it cost and do we really need it? When we set out to build this year's '00 GMC 1500 we weren't thinking of all the parts that we could rip out and replace, but rather what we could reuse.
This elemental idea was based around the fact that while most of you (including us) would love to yank out the worn old 5.3L and stuff in a GM Performance series 572ci big-block, it's just not something we think our accountant would approve of. So does this mean the Ultimate Z71 isn't really ultimate? Of course not. In future issues you'll see that by keeping many of the truck's parts virtually untouched, we are able to spend more time on developing vital components like our trick suspension, and keep moving along with our theme of building a super-sleeper Z71. Besides, a stock engine and transmission are way easier to find, replace, or service when you get stranded in the middle of nowhere, U.S.A.
So far we've shown you how to tear it down (Aug. '08) and bob it up (Sept. '08), and now we are ready to work on body protection, build our front axle, and start making headway into the suspension department. Creating this Ultimate masterpiece at Off Road Evolution is Mel Wade and his band of metal-morphing sidekicks that continue to amaze us with their top-notch fab work. Well, once again we are back to the grind, and for those of you that can't wait until next month for your UA Z71 fix, cruise over to our Web site (www.4wheeloffroad.com) for more pictures and a behind-the-scenes look into how it all came together.
Building a rollcage requires confidence in both your ability to weld and your ability to understand loading forces. We spent countless hours triangulating and bracing our cage for whatever impact this 1/2-ton may encounter. The cage is comprised entirely of 13/4-inch, 0.120-wall DOM tubing we acquired from Tube Service Co. Though DOM isn't your only option when building a cage, for a recreational wheeler it's hard to beat the price and strength.
Originally we planned on reusing our rear springs under the frame of the truck, but once we pulled them out we noticed that one had developed a negative sag and the other was bent. At this point we made a call to the experts at Alcan Spring to purchase a set of stock replacement springs, but on their advice, we had a pair built that was virtually stock in every way minus the stiff overload springs that would hinder our flex. Keeping in mind that we lowered our spring mounting points a few inches. Putting your stock springs under your frame is an economical and relatively easy way to gain lift without harming your ride and travel.
 Body protection is a must...  Body protection is a must for any wheeler, especially when you're trying to keep the rig low and there is rocky terrain in the future. Starting out with a stick of 0.120-wall 13/4 DOM tubing, we began chopping up the sliders that will protect roughly 6 feet of the truck's body. |  We notched four rung inserts...  We notched four rung inserts for the sliders to add structural support and help tie the two bars together. Be sure to use a tube notcher on projects like this. It will make your life easier and is less dangerous than trying to notch with a grinder. |  Using a handmade template,...  Using a handmade template, we cut out our slider hard mounts that will weld directly onto the frame. While in some applications bolting them down is just as efficient, we have plans of tying the bars into the cage, which will eliminate the option of unbolting them. |
 With our mounting bars welded...  With our mounting bars welded on, we welded our rock sliders to the hard plates on the frame. Since the bars are meant to be used as a slider, not a step, we tilted them to better fit with the body lines of the truck, but still positioned them far enough past the body to give the doors a little more of a fighting chance. |  |  Using a hole saw to cut out...  Using a hole saw to cut out the floor, we tied our rock sliders to the interior cage. By unifying the cage with the sliders we distribute the stress more evenly so in the event of a roll or harsh impact, we lessen the chance of injury or damage to the rig. |
 We went with a standard-rotation...  We went with a standard-rotation Dana 60 from the junkyard for our front axle. This Dana 60 is still found under early-model GM pickups and is perhaps an easier find than the all-too-desirable Ford high-pinion Dana 60. We decided to give ourselves a challenge by converting our 1/2-ton that was designed to be a driver-side drop into a passenger configuration. |  Strength and reliability are...  Strength and reliability are everything when you are on a trip such as the Ultimate Adventure, and if there was ever a traction aid that exhibits those two qualities time and time again, it's the Detroit Locker. Matched with a set of 5.13 gears from Superior Axle & Gear, we shouldn't have to worry about our differential. |  Since our new locker is of...  Since our new locker is of the 35-spline variety, we went with a set of massive chromoly axleshafts from Foote Axle. To match the strength of our new shafts, rebuildable CTM joints were pressed in for the ultimate shaft and axle combo. |
 We upgraded our front 60 with...  We upgraded our front 60 with a Dynatrac stub hub kit, which is built more like miniature lockers than hubs. It is designed to engage rather than disengage like a traditional hub in the event of hub failure. We like to know that if it goes pop, we won't stop. |  With our 14-bolt built up...  With our 14-bolt built up and ready to roll, we did a little trail prep to keep us from getting our differential caught up on obstacles. Though there are a dozen different ways to skin a chunk, we simply used a Sawzall and a grinder to cut off anything that appeared to be hanging down. We then smoothed out all the edges to help the massive rear end slide over things a little bit better. |  From CAD to the cutter to...  From CAD to the cutter to your chassis, Off Road Evolution's leaf-spring mount bolts right in place using existing holes on the GM 1/2-ton's frame. Giving you the choice of either drilling or welding on the bracket for additional support, the Evolution spring mount is a quick and easy way to mount your springs under the frame. |
 Keeping the rear of our springs...  Keeping the rear of our springs in place is Evolution's over-the-frame shackle kit that works similar to a shackle reversal like you might find on a Jeep or Toyota. Using a custom set of Alcan Springs to position the axle and net us an estimated 8 inches of lift, we hoped to keep the truck as low as possible, but still be able to stuff our 40-inch BFG KM2 M-Ts fully. |  Next Month Believe it or not,...  Next Month
Believe it or not, you are looking at the makings of our front suspension. Trust me, next month's suspension how-to is an issue that you will not want to miss. | |