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2006 overland / light duty crawler build

I dig the simplicity “throwback” style of the build, good old single cab long bed solid axle truck. Makes me want one.

I think there was a guy on Expedition Portal who was building something extremely similar- single cab long bed manual 350, your build reminds me of that one
 
Very nice build. Similar to what I am planning for my 2023 that is on order. On your front suspension choices, I know how terrible the articulation is on these because I had a 2017 and the radius arm setup is the same from 05+. I am going to do my own custom radius arm setup like you proposed in option 1 using MetalCloak stuff. I have been talking with one of their guys and their Ram suspension arms are very close to Ford stuff. Unfortunately, they have no plans to make Ford stuff. They are about 3“ longer and the frame side bolts are 20mm instead of 18mm. I ordered everything yesterday and I will post up a build thread on them in the next month or so. I expect a significant improvement in front flex.
 
Late to reply but the Chinese diesel heaters work well.

Love the simplicity of the build. They stopped making those flip tents right?
 
Late to reply but the Chinese diesel heaters work well.

Love the simplicity of the build. They stopped making those flip tents right?
Yeah flip pac went out of business
 
What is your air source for the ARBs?
Well I just started installing the air compressor today, I went with the arb dual compressor setup for the sake of simplicity and reliability. My truck only has one battery up front so I built a bracket for the arb that bolts in where the second battery would be in a diesel version of my truck. I still have to hook up the airlines to the solenoids, and hook up all the electrical. I’m thinking about running a airline of some kind to both the front and rear bumpers so I can easily plug in from either end with a air hose

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By the way what would you guys go with for springs, I’m thinking about going with the lightest spring rate carli 2.5 springs available for the front, but for the rear I’m not sure if I want to go with a custom set of alcan leafs, or go with the deavers that require me to relocate the spring perch. My truck is a single cab and rides like a brick due to the fact that it weighs significantly less than any other model but has the same springs as a truck that weighs nearly a ton more. This makes me feel like I should probably be leaning towards a custom leaf pack. I’m open to suggestions
 
By the way what would you guys go with for springs, I’m thinking about going with the lightest spring rate carli 2.5 springs available for the front, but for the rear I’m not sure if I want to go with a custom set of alcan leafs, or go with the deavers that require me to relocate the spring perch. My truck is a single cab and rides like a brick due to the fact that it weighs significantly less than any other model but has the same springs as a truck that weighs nearly a ton more. This makes me feel like I should probably be leaning towards a custom leaf pack. I’m open to suggestions
I'm sure custom leaf packs are the way to go if your willing to pay. depending on how many leaves are in your pack, can you get away with pulling a few out to soften them up?
 
By the way what would you guys go with for springs, I’m thinking about going with the lightest spring rate carli 2.5 springs available for the front, but for the rear I’m not sure if I want to go with a custom set of alcan leafs, or go with the deavers that require me to relocate the spring perch. My truck is a single cab and rides like a brick due to the fact that it weighs significantly less than any other model but has the same springs as a truck that weighs nearly a ton more. This makes me feel like I should probably be leaning towards a custom leaf pack. I’m open to suggestions
Honestly on my 05 RCLB I feel like the rear add a leaf I did made it ride better, even empty. How does your truck respond to a load in the bed or trailer? if it is stiff, try pulling the shortest leaves out of the pack.
 
Honestly on my 05 RCLB I feel like the rear add a leaf I did made it ride better, even empty. How does your truck respond to a load in the bed or trailer? if it is stiff, try pulling the shortest leaves out of the pack.
It rides great with about 250 plus pounds in the bed, the goal is to have it feel like that full time, I don’t really care about towing
 
Took it out to ram off road park today. Definitely have a few kinks I’d like to work out, but it gets the job done. Feels like there may be a bit of play in the chain of the transfer case but maybe these are just like that, not sure but it works so whatever I guess

 
Look like it works great! The high clearance rear bumper definitely seemed to help out where you would have been dragging stocker.
 
Look like it works great! The high clearance rear bumper definitely seemed to help out where you would have been dragging stocker.
Thanks. Yeah it really surprised me in a few spots where I was just waiting to feel an anchor dragging out back, but I only touched a few times. Wish I could beat on it harder but it’s my daily driver
 
Feels like there may be a bit of play in the chain of the transfer case but maybe these are just like that, not sure but it works so whatever I guess
Every chain style case I've messed with has some sort of backlash in it, thats how I got my NP208, guy was going to scrap it because it had 1/8th of a turn of slop. I changed the fluid when it went in and that was it. Took plenty of abuse without issue
 
By the way what would you guys go with for springs, I’m thinking about going with the lightest spring rate carli 2.5 springs available for the front, but for the rear I’m not sure if I want to go with a custom set of alcan leafs, or go with the deavers that require me to relocate the spring perch. My truck is a single cab and rides like a brick due to the fact that it weighs significantly less than any other model but has the same springs as a truck that weighs nearly a ton more. This makes me feel like I should probably be leaning towards a custom leaf pack. I’m open to suggestions
I'm late to this but my buddy talked to deaver a year or two ago and there's no extra cost for a custom pack compared to a typical one, they don't really stock up on typical stuff, so there's no real difference for them wether it's typical or custom, it's basically all just custom to them
 
I'm looking into my rear leafs as well and saw people are swapping in 08+ 250 leafs with new hangers to get longer leafs that ride smoother and shackle flip blah blah blah but I think deavers with long travel shackles might be the best bang for buck
 
I'm looking into my rear leafs as well and saw people are swapping in 08+ 250 leafs with new hangers to get longer leafs that ride smoother and shackle flip blah blah blah but I think deavers with long travel shackles might be the best bang for buck
If you're going to move hangers just bite the bullet and go to 2011 leaves. They're 66" long.
 
I think id give the guys at CJC offroad a call and see what they say. Thats one of the biggest dealers for Carli and a bunch of other brands
This

Plus swap to the newer longer leafs

Carli knows these trucks. And CJC knows Carli.
 
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