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-   -   JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread (http://www.fordrangerforum.com/project-logs/128503-jm74s-fx4-level-ii-build-thread.html)

JM74 06-11-2015 12:45 PM

JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
So as some of you already know i picked up this truck just over a year ago at a dodge dealer certified for 8500$. Back then it had around 93,000km. It was a great first vehicle and I loved it. I drove it for a while stock, which was great. Then i got a job as a contractor so i started making quite a bit of money and decided to put some time and money into the truck.

Here are some of the pics of it stock
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ip-lot-photos/

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...lot-photos.png

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...lot-photos.png

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...lot-photos.png



then i started to use to for more than daily commutes on the road.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ng-mudding.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1741-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1749-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1849-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1894-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1895-a.jpg



Then came the body lift. I thought i could get it done in 2 days easily however it turned out to be a nightmare with the front two mounts they just wouldn't come off. everything else was a breeze though. Ended up working one 12 hr day and then another 13hr day and then i went to the shop after my shift at 9pm and ended up finishing at 5:30am just in time to head to work :) (i was so worth it though)

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1927-a.jpg

First time seeing it with the bodylift at 5:30 in the morning
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1928-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1930-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1932-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1937-a.jpg

After doing quite a bit of research and having some experience offroading with duratracs before i decided that they best suited my uses. I picked up a set of 33x15x12.5 duratracs new for 1200$ mounted and balanced. Had to run some spidertrax wheel adapters for the rims so i installed those after work and the tires and took it for a test drive.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1938-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1940-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1941-a.jpg

The next morning i was going to put my lift and tires to the test by taking them on a road trip :p. I was pleasantly surprised at how little noise the tires made on the highway and the truck drove like it was still stock. I drove from sudbury to ottawa valley area around beachburg to go hit up garb wave while it was still in for whitewater kayaking. This is one of the reasons why my bumpers arnt on i didnt have time to do so before i left and then i just kinda go lazy and ended up not minding the better approach and departure angles. So i left them off for a while.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1945-a.jpg

love that tread pattern and they work great in the winter
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1947-a.jpg

Found some random pictures of wheeling it in a sandpit around one of the local WW kayaking spots.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1997-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1998-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1999-a.jpg

Here are some more pictures of a trail near my house. I built some roof rails at this point and they worked great, i then bought myself a thule for 50$ with extra mounts and bars. I love my thule for my snowboard, guns, chainsaw, axe, shovel, tow rope, other recovery gear, etc. and the old ones are super durable ive put mine up against trees on the trail with some of the trucks weight on it and it did fine.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2045-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2054-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2062-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2067-a.jpg

After some more time passed on and as work started to become a little more bleak with the winter coming i decided to cut and modify my front bumper and valence. I was really pleased with the look of my trimming and how it putting a bumper back on transformed the look of my truck in general.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2140-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2141-a.jpg

The next day i was roaming Kijiji and stumbled across an add for 4 hella 500s with 55w hid conversions for 100$. Jumped on that immediately (the guy was replacing them with a light bar). i then rushed home and built myself a little light bar out of some scrap aluminum i had lying around. Man where these things bright as heck i only ended up mounting 3 of them for space reasons. But all in all i was really pleased with what i got for 100$.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2142-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2143-a.jpg

Then work began to pick up again as winter hit hard and fast. This is 2am on halloween night. Had to go plowing, this is with my HIDs hellas on however i hadnt gotten the chance to spot them correctly at that time, they now illuminate up higher to give the driver a father view of sight.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2150-a.jpg


the next day almost all the snow i had to plow had melted
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2162-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2163-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2165-a.jpg

Then i got a snorkel (dorkel :p) i got it for free, its off an hzj70 landcruiser and i fit right up on my truck, i really didn't like the stock intake location especially for river crossings, i never felt comfortable going above to top of the front bumper. I thought in theory it may help with cooling of the engine because your air source isnt from a hot engine bay.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...spot-trail.jpg

Just got the CB installed in this one you can see the whip, decided to get one mainly for weather alerts as well as i have a PA which is fun at times.
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77920-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77921-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...snow-means.jpg

Decided to go do a little bit of offroading that night after plowing. I got a picture of interior with my switch panel for my front lights as well as my reverse aux light, the rest of the switches are blank spaces for future addons. the interior looks almost identical to this other than i now how a field strength and swr meter on the dash in the bottom left corner.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...and-corner.jpg


Same spot as the one i mentioned earlier when i first got my lift, its a gravel pit near a local kayaking spot. Even though the lakes got ice on them the rivers are still open so we can still WW kayak :). Also i got a hella 700 and mounted it with to the fender, i use it as a highway spotlight mainly and its great for offroading too, but man does it ever project far!!!

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77924-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77926-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...t-tailgate.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77928-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77929-a.jpg

Decided to take to trip and see how my favorite zone was doing for biking and discovered this was happening :(. Looks like its time to find and new area to build DH trails in.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ing-logged.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77944-a.jpg

JM74 06-11-2015 12:47 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
(Heres the rest of my build wouldnt let me post more than 1000 characters)


I almost forgot to put this in but i scored a hand throttle from an HDJ80 landcruiser for free so i did a little bit of creative thinking and made it work with my truck. it works very well great for warming up the truck quickly without having to sit in it and freeze and if your stuck and dont have a buddy to push just put it in drive and add a little hand throttle and you can push while the trucks driving itself. Just make sure the truck wont grab and start driving itself towards something thatll damage it.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...uick-crawl.jpg

Spring means biking time. You may notice that it put the hitch back on, i cut and re welded the hitch higher up for better departure angle. And dont worry its a good weld i used a high power machine.

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ans-biking.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ding-bikes.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77932-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77933-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77934-a.jpg


Tire rotation time!!!
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...e-rotation.jpg


The last pics of how the truck sits to this day.
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77936-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ntly-looks.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...ture-truck.jpg

Here are a couple more random pictures of my truck
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77943-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77942-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77941-a.jpg

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...te/77940-a.jpg

Anyways that's my build so far. If you have any comments or questions feel free to post them ill try and get back as quickly as possible. And i hope youve enjoyed it so far.

2006_FX4 06-11-2015 02:16 PM

Good looking truck, can I ask why you chose to get steelies if the tires you got were 15"? My personal preference is in favor of the DSG Alcoas. Was it cuz the Alcoas weren't wide enough?

JM74 06-11-2015 02:27 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by 2006_FX4 (Post 2481965)
Good looking truck, can I ask why you chose to get steelies if the tires you got were 15"? My personal preference is in favor of the DSG Alcoas. Was it cuz the Alcoas weren't wide enough?

I love the look of the stock alcoas but yeah they werent wide enough to run a 12.5inch tire. Im not really a fan of my steelies at all im thinking of getting some method beadlocks or just get a diy beadlock kit for my steeelies then get them powder coated. I still have my DSG alcoas they are in my shed with brand new rubber on them as well lol.

mms1361 06-11-2015 02:55 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by JM74 (Post 2481970)
The last pics of how the truck sits to this day.

*picture quotes entire thread*
you sir have a badass ranger,
-jealousy intensifies-

2006_FX4 06-11-2015 02:59 PM

Ahh well if you ever decide to sell the Alcoas you could get a pretty penny for em. Seems like everyone wants em. I love mine. Where abouts are you located?

JM74 06-11-2015 03:43 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by mms1361 (Post 2481991)
*picture quotes entire thread*
you sir have a badass ranger,
-jealousy intensifies-

Haha thanks really appreciate it

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2006_FX4 (Post 2481997)
Ahh well if you ever decide to sell the Alcoas you could get a pretty penny for em. Seems like everyone wants em. I love mine. Where abouts are you located?

Northern Ontario the rims all have hup caps etc and the tires are new goodride AT 31x15x10.5

JM74 06-11-2015 03:59 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Found a couple more random pictures of my truck on my computer so i thought id share them

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-2110-a.jpg
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1968-a.jpg
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1964-a.jpg
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1963-a.jpg
http://www.fordrangerforum.com/membe...img-1961-a.jpg

Onthetrailto 06-11-2015 04:13 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Awesome truck! I love the setup. :D

JM74 06-11-2015 04:15 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Onthetrailto (Post 2482039)
Awesome truck! I love the setup. :D

Thanks man, i appreciate it!

Tyler46 06-11-2015 06:43 PM

Truck looks really good man!
I'd love to have those Alcoas..

02Fx4red 06-11-2015 07:27 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Truck looks good. Where in Ontario are you from? I'm in Ottawa

2006_FX4 06-11-2015 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyman46 (Post 2482157)
Truck looks really good man! I'd love to have those Alcoas..

^^^

Lol I told you man. They'd go quick. I dig that awning you have on the side. I'd consider putting my camper shell back on just for that.

JM74 06-11-2015 09:37 PM

Re: JM74s FX4 Level II build Thread
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by Heyman46 (Post 2482157)
Truck looks really good man!
I'd love to have those Alcoas..

Id sell them to you but not sure if its worth it for either of us as far as shipping goes.


Quote:

Originally Posted by 02Fx4red (Post 2482235)
Truck looks good. Where in Ontario are you from? I'm in Ottawa

Im from thunder bay but i live in sudbury now, im moving to beachburg right around Pembroke this summer for job on the Ottawa river.

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2006_FX4 (Post 2482238)
^^^

Lol I told you man. They'd go quick. I dig that awning you have on the side. I'd consider putting my camper shell back on just for that.

yeah the awing is nice for camping etc. its off at the moment though i originally built the base structure out of aluminum and it got caught on a tree and bent quite badly so i bought some steel and gonna rebuild it just haven't found the time.

Tyler46 06-11-2015 10:21 PM

Yeah too bad your in Canada. If you were within 400 miles of even come pick up. Very rare to find a set.


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