Custom Bumper Project

[AlaskaVX]

Man I swear every time I post now thats the first response I get. Yes engine swap still in limbo, no garage, looking for a house, nothing I am interested in within my price range.

Engine swap costs more than the SCer unless you get a hell of a deal on a motor. I got the SCer kit for $2600 i think (Tones Christmas special) and had a shop install for $750, total <$3500 with shipping. Hard to find a V8 and fab/install for that price.

Stock on the 1/4 mile track I ran 16.5 and with the SCer I ran 15.2. curious what the N/A LS1 will do but I don't expect much/any faster.

[Marlin]

Man I swear every time I post now thats the first response I get. Yes engine swap still in limbo, no garage, looking for a house, nothing I am interested in within my price range.

Engine swap costs more than the SCer unless you get a hell of a deal on a motor. I got the SCer kit for $2600 i think (Tones Christmas special) and had a shop install for $750, total <$3500 with shipping. Hard to find a V8 and fab/install for that price.

Stock on the 1/4 mile track I ran 16.5 and with the SCer I ran 15.2. curious what the N/A LS1 will do but I don't expect much/any faster.

Gotta be faster than that, my stock 07 expedition does the 1/4 mile in a little over 16sec. It weighs close to 6000lbs.

but I started the thread...does that make it ok?

[Riff Raff]

.......looking for a house, nothing I am interested in within my price range.

I got the SCer kit for $2600 i think (Tones Christmas special) and had a shop install for $750, total <$3500 with shipping.

Stock on the 1/4 mile track I ran 16.5 and with the SCer I ran 15.2.

Holy Cow, $3,500 for a 1.3 second improvement in the 1/4 mile. That's a hell of a deal..............................NOT!!! You'd be better off to use that $3,500 towards the purchase of your future house; I'm sorry, IGLOO.

ZEUS--- Yes, you nailed it on the head of the pin-- having the appropriate tires for the appropriate terrain is key. The reason why MARLIN was so successful at MOAB over Ldub was because MARLIN has the infamous 44 lb lightweight Grabber AT2 tires which go anywhere in all conditions; including sand, and yes mud. The Grabber AT2 is a jack-of-all-trades tire and highly capable in mud with its cavernous 17/32nds tread depth, whereas the mud tires are only a master of one but are worthless everywhere else (oh yeah, I forgot M/T tires "look good" LOL, tsk tsk). Lesson learned, class dismissed.

MARLIN--- I concur the SC route is a total waste of time and money on the VX. The VX-SC seems to be more of a novelty and opens a can of worms for other periferal things to go wrong with its proven unreliability. If the factory Isuzu engineers thought a SC was a worthwhile feature for the VX, then they would have included it from the factory.

Finally (back on topic), your bumper project is coming along nicely. I really like the squared-off front bumper design. I think the rest of us are just waiting how you plan to "blend" the bumper project by filling up the empty void underneath the headlights, etc. I imagine the expanded-metal treatment will be coming soon. I continue to be blown away that all of this work is being performed in your frickin' driveway. Your neighbors must simply shake their heads in disbelief. Good job, keep it up.

[pbkid]

riff raff....once again you fail to see the application....
i hate to break it to you...but the 'infamous' grabber AT2 is not the best application for moab....may be for a person that doesnt understand rock crawling...but all-terrain tires are not exactly designed for rock crawling applications...
hence is why professional rock crawlers use a 'knobby' tire...like the Nitto Mud-grappler, or other tires with large 'knobs' for grabbing edges and pieces of rocks...

wouldnt you think something designed for it... like this buggy ^^^ would use A/T's if so???

ZEUS--- Yes, you nailed it on the head of the pin-- having the appropriate tires for the appropriate terrain is key. The reason why MARLIN was so successful at MOAB over Ldub was because MARLIN has the infamous 44 lb lightweight Grabber AT2 tires which go anywhere in all conditions; including sand, and yes mud. The Grabber AT2 is a jack-of-all-trades tire and highly capable in mud with its cavernous 17/32nds tread depth, whereas the mud tires are only a master of one but are worthless everywhere else (oh yeah, I forgot M/T tires "look good" LOL, tsk tsk). Lesson learned, class dismissed.

[Marlin]

riff raff....once again you fail to see the application....
i hate to break it to you...but the 'infamous' grabber AT2 is not the best application for moab....may be for a person that doesnt understand rock crawling...but all-terrain tires are not exactly designed for rock crawling applications...
hence is why professional rock crawlers use a 'knobby' tire...like the Nitto Mud-grappler, or other tires with large 'knobs' for grabbing edges and pieces of rocks...

wouldnt you think something designed for it... like this buggy ^^^ would use A/T's if so???

I would have to disagree with you there Jack. I have watched various motosports, and most of the time, the new guys use the same thing as the old guys just because that is the way it has always been done, and I believe partially for looks. One day, a new guy shows up and stirs things up with a new design. Take a look at Monster trucks. They race and freestyle. Two totally different applications and almost all have the same "tractor" type mud tire. A few years ago a guy came on the scene with an AT type tread. He was a self sponsored truck. Blew them away in racing, and performed great in freestyle. Unfortunately, he broke some major parts and the truck disappeared for awhile, the cost of private ownership vs. corporate sponsor, once good jump and roll could cost you $50K.
I do think mud tires are great for the trail, certainly not for everyday driving, but AT tires will get you just about everywhere. As Riffraff said, a jack of all trades, but not really great at any one medium.

And Billy, I think you are exactly right about the tires at Moab. That buggy wouldn't look so cool with ATs. A huge disadvantage of the General AT2s: they are soft!! I was rotating the tires on the weekend, lots of gouges in them, and I just went and compared to my Procomps, which feel like rocks and do not feel soft at all. So that 44lbs a tire came at a sacrifice, but for daily driving, well worth it, hence my hunt to get some trail tires.
As for the bumper, I took some angle iron out last night, may weld it across the top and build little "towers" to weld it to on the outside. That would give me a point to stand on and keep the sheet metal in shape. Dunno yet.

[nfpgasmask]

Maybe it was size and lift, but all I have to say is my first year at Moab was with 245 BFG A/Ts and no lift, and my 2nd year was with 265 BFG M/Ts and a 2" lift. The M/Ts out performed the A/Ts like gang busters. And I have heard bad things about the BFG A/Ts before. Now that I have rolled with street tires, A/Ts and M/Ts, I can safely say that the M/Ts out perform everything else when it comes to traction on and off road. Snow, loose rocks, mud, slick rock, the M/Ts own over the A/Ts....but again, could be my lift and larger tire size helping too, I dunno...

I'm sure different brands of A/T and M/T compare differently. But in general, when talking about traction, I think a knobbier tire is going to perform better in 99% of off road applications, like PB said, I've never seen a full time rock crawler with A/Ts. That said, the VehiCROSS is NOT a rock crawler so I digress...

Bart

[Triathlete]

As far as LDUB in the sand...if I remember correctly DUB aired his tires down very little if any. I know Merlin aired his down conciderably. That makes a HUGE differance in sand and on the rocks. The two biggest things to improve traction off road are tire compound and how low you air your tires down. Most guys who do serious crawling run 4-8 PSI in their tires (with beadlocks). And the comp guys are not running the same tires you and I buy at the tire shop. They are running non-dot super soft rubber compounds (stickies).

Oh yea! We are not jacking the thread....just adding entertainment in between bumper updates!

[ZEUS]

Oh yea! We are not jacking the thread....just adding entertainment in between bumper updates!

That's a good way to look at it! I like that.
As little as I understand this bumper, I am curious to see the end result... I have to say tho, I hope you have a long way to go... because at this point, it just isn't fitting of a VX... just my opinion. But like you say, to each his own. I do, however, hope it turns out how you like it and how you want it to perform... keep it up.

[rowhard]

As far as LDUB in the sand...if I remember correctly DUB aired his tires down very little if any.

He didn't at all. I remember asking him and he said he didn't believe in it what ever that means

[VX KAT]

ZEUS--- Yes, you nailed it on the head of the pin-- having the appropriate tires for the appropriate terrain is key. The reason why MARLIN was so successful at MOAB over Ldub was because MARLIN has the infamous 44 lb lightweight Grabber AT2 tires which go anywhere in all conditions; including sand, and yes mud. The Grabber AT2 is a jack-of-all-trades tire and highly capable in mud with its cavernous 17/32nds tread depth, whereas the mud tires are only a master of one but are worthless everywhere else (oh yeah, I forgot M/T tires "look good" LOL, tsk tsk). Lesson learned, class dismissed.

MARLIN--- I concur the SC route is a total waste of time and money on the VX. The VX-SC seems to be more of a novelty and opens a can of worms for other periferal things to go wrong with its proven unreliability. If the factory Isuzu engineers thought a SC was a worthwhile feature for the VX, then they would have included it from the factory.

OH NO, MR. BILL,... here we go again on the tires.............remember, to each his/her own....

[Triathlete]

Actually, on slick rock (Moab) AT's do quite well. The tires on that buggy are not so good on the rocks. Those tires are probably the best you can get for strictly mud. Most that do use those swampers for other options end up taking a tire cutter to them. For rocks you'll find nothing better proven (in comp.) than the BFG Krawlers and the Maxxis Creepy Crawlers...both of which also do exceptionally well in Moab also! My biggest concern with nearly all AT's is the relatively weak sidewall. Big, sharp rocks around here tend to shred/cut/tear them which is not a fun time in my book.

[Riff Raff]

Actually, on slick rock (Moab) AT's do quite well. The tires on that buggy are not so good on the rocks. Those tires are probably the best you can get for strictly mud. Most that do use those swampers for other options end up taking a tire cutter to them. For rocks you'll find nothing better proven (in comp.) than the BFG Krawlers and the Maxxis Creepy Crawlers...both of which also do exceptionally well in Moab also! My biggest concern with nearly all AT's is the relatively weak sidewall. Big, sharp rocks around here tend to shred/cut/tear them which is not a fun time in my book.

TRIATHLETE--- I don't believe it Bill, that's the very first time you've ever actually agreed with me and paid me a compliment (was that a Birthday Present by chance?). If I was a puppy dog, I'd be wagging my tail. For those who want A/T's with bullet-proof sidewalls can always get the heavier "E-Load Range" version which have the exact same puncture resistance as their M/T sister (regardless of tread pattern).

SCOTT HARNESS--- I haven't seen any sanctioned racing numbers on the doors of VX's lately, so I guess we're talking as you say "in normal life". Thank you for your very kind wishes, you made my day!!!

VX-KAT--- Fellow member "KeithVXlvr" has both front & rear of those aftermarket "clone" cladding pieces on his VX. I've personally seen them up close-- the "fit" is adequate, but they have a more "pebble/grainy texture" to them than the smooth OEM stock and don't match cosmetically for the discriminating VX owner.

MARLIN--- To you I sincerely apologize for the resulting

We now return to our regularly scheduled program.

[Robbomaz]

So how IS that bumper goin Marlin

[Scott Harness]

Holy Cow, $3,500 for a 1.3 second improvement in the 1/4 mile. That's a hell of a deal..............................NOT!!!

In normal life,I'll agree with you.In racing,1.3 seconds is an eternity.
In a longer race that 1.3 seconds turns into an 1/2 hour!
ps...Happy Birthday!!

[rowhard]

The reason why MARLIN was so successful at MOAB over Ldub was.....

Riff, I got news for you, the reason MARLIN was successful was he was a mad man. Remember the scene in the movie '30 Seconds over Tokyo' where the swabbies were coming out to push the B25 over the side and Van Johnson wouldn't give up, yep, that's was our MARLIN.