Budget Tracker Build

[FleshEater]

Do you want a mud tire or not? ​​​​​​

The carnivores are flat out impressive in slick hard clay and basically any mud. They would drive right up slick hills that truck Mt's just spin.

Something like what you listed doesn't seem aggressive enough for mostly muddy trails.

Well, I’ve been running Tusk Terrabites on my Yamaha and have never buried it locally to where I couldn’t spin it out.

However, the Tracker has about 500 more pounds on the SXS, so I’m not sure that I can compare the two.

I’ll seriously consider the Carnivores dammnit. Just window shopping at the moment.

 

[OHV Wildcat]

Glad to see this thread keep moving. Keep it up, crispins ! That thing looks positively bad ass with the bumper and those crazy tires.

For other guys discussing tires--I really wanted to order the carnivores when I just bought replacement tires for my SxS last week. I've heard great things about the grip in most conditions. But there is horror story after horror story about people ripping up the sidewalls. They're just very light-weight tires for 8 ply. I bought some EFX MotoClaws instead. Still a nice wide-spaced lug, but a heavier carcass. It's still rated at 8-ply, but each tire somehow weighs like 8 lbs more than a carnivore, so it's tougher, right?

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Glad to see this thread keep moving. Keep it up, crispins ! That thing looks positively bad ass with the bumper and those crazy tires.

For other guys discussing tires--I really wanted to order the carnivores when I just bought replacement tires for my SxS last week. I've heard great things about the grip in most conditions. But there is horror story after horror story about people ripping up the sidewalls. They're just very light-weight tires for 8 ply. I bought some EFX MotoClaws instead. Still a nice wide-spaced lug, but a heavier carcass. It's still rated at 8-ply, but each tire somehow weighs like 8 lbs more than a carnivore, so it's tougher, right?

Bullshit, I ran them on a 3500 lb loaded 4 door tracker in the rain at Fordyce. If that didn't slice a sidewall, they aren't weak. I haven't been easy on them, they started on the fat pig tracker, then my Talon, now the Sami. Often running very low pressure. Bombing jagged rock trails, ect. Any tire can pop, but they aren't weak for sure.

 

[OHV Wildcat]

Bullshit, I ran them on a 3500 lb loaded 4 door tracker in the rain at Fordyce. If that didn't slice a sidewall, they aren't weak. I haven't been easy on them, they started on the fat pig tracker, then my Talon, now the Sami. Often running very low pressure. Bombing jagged rock trails, ect. Any tire can pop, but they aren't weak for sure.

I don’t have any experience with them. Like I said, they look great. This video turned me off on them, though.

Glad to hear you’ve had such great luck with them!

https://youtu.be/815U4JXZwRo

 

[YotaAtieToo]

I don’t have any experience with them. Like I said, they look great. This video turned me off on them, though.

Glad to hear you’ve had such great luck with them!

https://youtu.be/815U4JXZwRo

That video would have swayed me the exact opposite direction. Stiff tires suck on light rigs.

Also, comparing a well used tire to a brand new tire is dumb.

I'm running the 32s, I wonder if the smaller sizes are thinner?

 

[Will Scarlet]

I don’t have any experience with them. Like I said, they look great. This video turned me off on them, though.

Glad to hear you’ve had such great luck with them!

https://youtu.be/815U4JXZwRo

Embedded:

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

I don’t have any experience with them. Like I said, they look great. This video turned me off on them, though.

Glad to hear you’ve had such great luck with them!

https://youtu.be/815U4JXZwRo

The key word in the video that should be payed attention to is "STOCK" tires. I'll bet those are the Carnivores from a KRX. While they look very similar to the regular ones I do not think they are the same tire that you get when buying aftermarket. SxS manufacturers have a funny way of doing stuff like that when specing out tires. The Maxxis whateverthefucktheyare's that came stock on my Talon are not even available through Maxxis themselves, just Honda dealers.

I'm willing to bet an 8ply Carnivore purchased aftermarket will not be as plyable as the ones shown in that video.

 

[Byro]

The key word in the video that should be payed attention to is "STOCK" tires. I'll bet those are the Carnivores from a KRX. While they look very similar to the regular ones I do not think they are the same tire that you get when buying aftermarket. SxS manufacturers have a funny way of doing stuff like that when specing out tires. The Maxxis whateverthefucktheyare's that came stock on my Talon are not even available through Maxxis themselves, just Honda dealers.

I'm willing to bet an 8ply Carnivore purchased aftermarket will not be as plyable as the ones shown in that video.

I know for a fact the ones I’ve had my hands on are not that flimsy.

 

[SLOWPOKE693]

I know for a fact the ones I’ve had my hands on are not that flimsy.

Neither are the ones my buddy bought and put on his Talon. Those KRX tires can not be the same tire.

 

[crispins]

These are currently being built for me.

I also ordered the front skid plate from Rocky Road, it was kinda expensive and I think I should have built my own for less money.

I liked the design and I was a few beers in so it was ordered for like $220

I am almost there for calling this complete.

I plan on adding lockers front and rear.

I do not think I need the T-case gears.

I also want to research more to determine if ditching the coil spacers for longer springs will make a difference.

I also may upgrade the front housing to the steel Grand Vitara housing as it looks like i can get one cheap.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

Let me know if you want to upgrade the inner shafts to 26 spline and or the Toyota cv kit.

As far as the carnivores. I don't think mine are that flimsy either, they more remind me of the stock talon tires.

 

[crispins]

Let me know if you want to upgrade the inner shafts to 26 spline and or the Toyota cv kit.

As far as the carnivores. I don't think mine are that flimsy either, they more remind me of the stock talon tires.

I plan on researching more before I attack the front end. My riding season is ending in a few more weeks so I have plenty of time to figure it out.

I am looking into the Hegan widening mod along with the Toyo CV's.

I haven't done a ton of research on it yet.

I have found out this year that I really love riding at Windrock Park so that has changed my direction just a bit as I was building this more of a slick mountain trials vehicle but now I have found that there are lots of boulders that need to be handled.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

I plan on researching more before I attack the front end. My riding season is ending in a few more weeks so I have plenty of time to figure it out.

I am looking into the Hegan widening mod along with the Toyo CV's.

I haven't done a ton of research on it yet.

I have found out this year that I really love riding at Windrock Park so that has changed my direction just a bit as I was building this more of a slick mountain trials vehicle but now I have found that there are lots of boulders that need to be handled.

OK, well I have 2 inner long sides and at least 1 shortside/cv. I'm not 100% sure if they swap directly, but I think they do since the steel diff is from a later model.

I got hung up on the steel diff and housing too, I believe JR4X ran his aluminum diff with a locker though.

 

[FleshEater]

I’m going to try the Zuki Ride coils. Not sure when I’ll have them on, but can report back when I do.

I don’t think you’re done with this, Windrock has some gnarly trails! Plus this is a sweet thing you’ve got for your area. No reason to stop building.

 

[JR4X]

I got hung up on the steel diff and housing too, I believe JR4X ran his aluminum diff with a locker though.

Been rock crawling, mudding, snow bashing with a stock aluminum diff with 5.13’s the trail tough locker, 4.24 t-case gears since 2014. I do have the calmini diff drop brackets. Had them come loose once but was able to fix it before anything bad happened to it.

I’m waiting for pictures of it but at the last minute it had to sub in for our photographer vehicle at KOH. He took it wheeling every day. Just something to keep in mind, I don’t think that they’re week going in the forward direction, I think they get broken try to reverse out of a bind.

 

[crispins]

Been rock crawling, mudding, snow bashing with a stock aluminum diff with 5.13’s the trail tough locker, 4.24 t-case gears since 2014. I do have the calmini diff drop brackets. Had them come loose once but was able to fix it before anything bad happened to it.

I’m waiting for pictures of it but at the last minute it had to sub in for our photographer vehicle at KOH. He took it wheeling every day. Just something to keep in mind, I don’t think that they’re week going in the forward direction, I think they get broken try to reverse out of a bind.

I plan on ordering the diff drop brackets, the ones I see for sale are coming out of Russia, I will likely order a set soon.

Did you flip your tie rod ends over? I haven't yet but was thinking it would be a good idea.

Also I figure the Vitara diff cannot hurt and if I am in there already doing a locker swapping it shouldn't be much more work.

My buddy just got a free GV and has no use for it so I think I can get it free or close to it.

Good to know about the reversing.

 

[JR4X]

I plan on ordering the diff drop brackets, the ones I see for sale are coming out of Russia, I will likely order a set soon.

Did you flip your tie rod ends over? I haven't yet but was thinking it would be a good idea.

Also I figure the Vitara diff cannot hurt and if I am in there already doing a locker swapping it shouldn't be much more work.

My buddy just got a free GV and has no use for it so I think I can get it free or close to it.

Good to know about the reversing.

If I could find a steel diff I’d swap it in in a heartbeat just for the peace of mind. The first question anyone asks when I tell them I have the locker up front “how many aluminum diffs have you broken”. The answer is zero but it makes me nervous because of the frequency of the question. If you can get one you’d be foolish not to use it. I just can’t find one.

 

[YotaAtieToo]

I plan on ordering the diff drop brackets, the ones I see for sale are coming out of Russia, I will likely order a set soon.

Did you flip your tie rod ends over? I haven't yet but was thinking it would be a good idea.

Also I figure the Vitara diff cannot hurt and if I am in there already doing a locker swapping it shouldn't be much more work.

My buddy just got a free GV and has no use for it so I think I can get it free or close to it.

Good to know about the reversing.

Not all of the vitaras are steel diffs. There is a lot of conflicting info on what actually came with steel vs aluminum.

 

[Byro]

Been rock crawling, mudding, snow bashing with a stock aluminum diff with 5.13’s the trail tough locker, 4.24 t-case gears since 2014. I do have the calmini diff drop brackets. Had them come loose once but was able to fix it before anything bad happened to it.

I’m waiting for pictures of it but at the last minute it had to sub in for our photographer vehicle at KOH. He took it wheeling every day. Just something to keep in mind, I don’t think that they’re week going in the forward direction, I think they get broken try to reverse out of a bind.

Wait a minute... did you have that mint white 4 door all us Ohio boys were ogling over Saturday as we were tearing down?

 

[JR4X]

Wait a minute... did you have that mint white 4 door all us Ohio boys were ogling over Saturday as we were tearing down?

Yeah that’s me. Did you decide how much you want to offer me for it

I almost mentioned you guys in the post you quoted not knowing you were on here. You guys asked me about breaking aluminum diffs in it.

 

[crispins]

Not all of the vitaras are steel diffs. There is a lot of conflicting info on what actually came with steel vs aluminum.

thanks good info, will look at it and see what it is.

 

[Byro]

Yeah that’s me. Did you decide how much you want to offer me for it

I almost mentioned you guys in the post you quoted not knowing you were on here. You guys asked me about breaking aluminum diffs in it.

Nice.

We used to break them all the time back in the day when that’s all we had to wheel and would weld F&R. Now that we’ve come back to them for cold weather rigs we leave the fronts open.

 

[crispins]

Nice.

We used to break them all the time back in the day when that’s all we had to wheel and would weld F&R. Now that we’ve come back to them for cold weather rigs we leave the fronts open.

How is it for getting a front tire to climb up an obstacle with an open front?

if I can get away without locking the front I would be happier.

 

[Byro]

How is it for getting a front tire to climb up an obstacle with an open front?

if I can get away without locking the front I would be happier.

With the welded rear honestly it’s not bad at all, unless you lift a wheel.

 

[crispins]

What do you guys think of these sliders my friend built for me?

I think they came out great.

Now with the front skid plate, the transfer skid plate and the gas tank skid plate I feel like I have as good as a flat belly as I can get.

I think I am as close to a SXS as I can get.

?

 

[FleshEater]

I really like those sliders. But if you start getting to crazy at Windrock you might want to add some door protection.

 

[FleshEater]

Crispins, did you end up messing with your alignment some more? How’s the camber now?

 

[crispins]

Crispins, did you end up messing with your alignment some more? How’s the camber now?

yes I did.

It is not perfect but it goes down the road just fine so I am happy with it.

One side is close to perfect and the other has a couple degrees of positive camber.

if this was going to be something that did more street miles I think I could mess with it some more and get it 100%.

 

[FleshEater]

yes I did.

It is not perfect but it goes down the road just fine so I am happy with it.

One side is close to perfect and the other has a couple degrees of positive camber.

if this was going to be something that did more street miles I think I could mess with it some more and get it 100%.

Are you going for zero camber, or slightly positive? I don’t want to take mine for an alignment, but have never done camber myself before. Toe is pretty easy with a string.

 

[crispins]

For me I used a string to set the toe to zero

For camber I am going for close to zero as well.

I pull the wheel, apply a little pressure with a jack under the strut, use a magnet bubble stuck to the rotor to get it close to zero.

Like I said for something that only sees a few miles of road here and there I am pretty happy.

If I was doing 1,000's of street miles a year I would have to get it more perfect.

I am fucking sick of alignment shops and am more willing to buy some equipment to start doing them myself.

Once I figured out the string method I have been super happy with my ability to get an alignment done quickly.