New family crawler

Don't know what happened to the pic so let's try it again

Just couldn't resist!

Looks about 5 yrs past due for a rattle can paint job it otherwise pretty sweet. Any idea what is in that front axle as far as upgrades? Also you left out details on the rest of the drivetrain

Well it looks well abused I mean well used hope to see you back on the trail.

Congrats on your new toy Mike. If it gets you and your family on the trail it’s a winner!

Gilbert & Betty said Well it looks well abused I mean well used hope to see you back on the trail.

I have a new set of doors for it but for a off road only rig what's a little or a lot of body damage as long as it all works...

kris_olof said Looks about 5 yrs past due for a rattle can paint job it otherwise pretty sweet. Any idea what is in that front axle as far as upgrades? Also you left out details on the rest of the drivetrain

Front axle is welded, stock shafts with 5.38 gears, the rest of the power train is the stock 4.3L vortex motor and L460 tranny (I think) and the tcase has been swapped out for a manual floor shift tcase from a full size chevy. Still thinking flat black, flat OD green or what color to rattle can it...

SMH! Lost my ignition key and can't find it anywhere so been looking all over online to figure out how to do it with no luck other then drilling it out so spent a couple hours today drilling it out and still can't get it all out so I think I'm going to start pulling the steering column apart tomorrow to get to it from the back side. I got a new ignition switch to out in just hope I don't mess it all up

I know a good locksmith that would have been far cheaper. Too late now!

Jeff_R said I know a good locksmith that would have been far cheaper. Too late now!

I called a few and between 150 and 300 dollars I'll just have the headache and busted hands of doing it myself. I'll get it eventually...

Jeff_R said I know a good locksmith that would have been far cheaper. Too late now!

I finally had enough time to just take it all apart and pull the whole ignition housing off and got another one for $30 with a key so all and all I'm good now.

Here's my next thing I have to figure out this Dana 60 front end is welded so turning it isn't the easiest thing to do so I was thinking it's going to be a trailered green sticker rig so I should just go full hydro but dang that's expensive and then I would never be able to run it on the street. So if I just do hydro assist I would be able to drive it on the street and it would be a ton less money...

So my really question is would hydro assist make a big enough difference with a welded front end to do it now until I can get new gears and a selectable locker?

That's exciting stuff getting a new rig. I had an older CJ7 buggy on 60s and 44" tires for a year or two a few years ago. It had full hydro and was a green stickered rig. It was a fun rig. But the number one reason I don't have that rig any more is because no one in our club had a green sticker rig.

It wasn't fun not being able to hang with the group and go all the way through a trail. I always had to find a parking spot for my truck and trailer. Snow runs on MET don't allow green sticker rigs also. It was fun having the security of a trailered rig but these other factors out weighed the decision to keep it. Now I have a JK.

My advice would be to keep it street legal. If you can't run the front end try just locking in one hub. See if that allows you to turn better. (Haven't tried it but see if it works.) Then if you get to a hard obstacle you can lock in the other hub. Hydro assist will make a huge difference on a welded front end. But I would almost just pull the front carrier and get a non welded carrier and leave the rear locked if hydro assist is too much $. Just my two cents.

Mike G said

I finally had enough time to just take it all apart and pull the whole ignition housing off and got another one for $30 with a key so all and all I'm good now.

Here's my next thing I have to figure out this Dana 60 front end is welded so turning it isn't the easiest thing to do so I was thinking it's going to be a trailered green sticker rig so I should just go full hydro but dang that's expensive and then I would never be able to run it on the street. So if I just do hydro assist I would be able to drive it on the street and it would be a ton less money...

So my really question is would hydro assist make a big enough difference with a welded front end to do it now until I can get new gears and a selectable locker?

Just leave one of the hubs unlocked.   $0 to get out and turn a hub.

Long term assist or full hydro should be on your list.  The front end will still fight to turn just because your tires will be spinning the same speed which causes the front to push but with some type of hydro this should be manageable.  I would go hydro assist, selectable locker, axle shaft upgrade in that order.

Ok thanks guys definitely plan on doing a selectable locker for it in the near future and the hydro assist is a very reasonable price so I'll do that first then work on the gear set and locker next.

As for green sticker I think I'll still just do that and get moving permits if I'm going to run and trail that's thru and thru I just don't want to have to smog it that's why I'm building the 71 Suzuki (no smog)

Just figured it out! Street legal and smog exempt!

I bought it from Nevada and it was registered as a classic rod which is smog exempt, so I called Nevada DMV and told them I live in California and bought this rig from Nevada and want to keep it registered there in Nevada and just leave it at my friend's house and they said no problem smog exempt and that's it all done.

Going to make an appointment online for Nevada DMV and get this done

Mike G said Just figured it out! Street legal and smog exempt!

I bought it from Nevada and it was registered as a classic rod which is smog exempt, so I called Nevada DMV and told them I live in California and bought this rig from Nevada and want to keep it registered there in Nevada and just leave it at my friend's house and they said no problem smog exempt and that's it all done.

Going to make an appointment online for Nevada DMV and get this done

Can we modify the the border so that the State of Nevada includes I-80 west to my house?

Jeff_R said

Mike G said

Just figured it out! Street legal and smog exempt!

I bought it from Nevada and it was registered as a classic rod which is smog exempt, so I called Nevada DMV and told them I live in California and bought this rig from Nevada and want to keep it registered there in Nevada and just leave it at my friend's house and they said no problem smog exempt and that's it all done.

Going to make an appointment online for Nevada DMV and get this done

Can we modify the the border so that the State of Nevada includes I-80 west to my house?

I wish cause your not that far from me

Mike G said Just figured it out! Street legal and smog exempt!

I bought it from Nevada and it was registered as a classic rod which is smog exempt, so I called Nevada DMV and told them I live in California and bought this rig from Nevada and want to keep it registered there in Nevada and just leave it at my friend's house and they said no problem smog exempt and that's it all done.

Going to make an appointment online for Nevada DMV and get this done

Nice. Just make sure it is parked off the street and under a car cover.  CA cops will send a letter to out of state DMV requesting proof of residency if they see the same memorable out of state rig for a long period. Never had an issue in Davis as it was a college town but out in Sac I got a letter sent to Oregon every 6 months or so.

kris_olof said

Mike G said

Just figured it out! Street legal and smog exempt!

I bought it from Nevada and it was registered as a classic rod which is smog exempt, so I called Nevada DMV and told them I live in California and bought this rig from Nevada and want to keep it registered there in Nevada and just leave it at my friend's house and they said no problem smog exempt and that's it all done.

Going to make an appointment online for Nevada DMV and get this done

Nice. Just make sure it is parked off the street and under a car cover.  CA cops will send a letter to out of state DMV requesting proof of residency if they see the same memorable out of state rig for a long period. Never had an issue in Davis as it was a college town but out in Sac I got a letter sent to Oregon every 6 months or so.

Thanks for the advice

Mike G said

kris_olof said

Mike G said

Just figured it out! Street legal and smog exempt!

I bought it from Nevada and it was registered as a classic rod which is smog exempt, so I called Nevada DMV and told them I live in California and bought this rig from Nevada and want to keep it registered there in Nevada and just leave it at my friend's house and they said no problem smog exempt and that's it all done.

Going to make an appointment online for Nevada DMV and get this done

Nice. Just make sure it is parked off the street and under a car cover.  CA cops will send a letter to out of state DMV requesting proof of residency if they see the same memorable out of state rig for a long period. Never had an issue in Davis as it was a college town but out in Sac I got a letter sent to Oregon every 6 months or so.

Thanks for the advice

Yeah, california is one of the states that requires dual registration.  If you spend more than 6 months of the year in CA then DMV considers you a california resident and any vehicle that is in california needs to be registered.  If you truly live out of state then the vague wording gives a lot of discretion to the cop, basically if they think the vehicle has been in state for a "significant amount of time" then they can ticket you and it is on you to fight it.

kris_olof said

Mike G said

kris_olof said

Yeah, california is one of the states that requires dual registration.  If you spend more than 6 months of the year in CA then DMV considers you a california resident and any vehicle that is in california needs to be registered.  If you truly live out of state then the vague wording gives a lot of discretion to the cop, basically if they think the vehicle has been in state for a "significant amount of time" then they can ticket you and it is on you to fight it.

Well it's not going to be driven other then to trails and on trails so it's not going to be seen on California roads very often

The true key to avoid being in favor with California, is to possess a Nevada driver's license. If you get stopped for any reason in California, & your vehicle has Nevada registration & you posses a California driver's license, they will force you to register you vehicle in California, without a doubt. This has happened to me twice in the past, regardless how long you have lived in California. With a NDL & NV registration, they cannot do anything to you, unless that want to go though a residency check, which 99% of police officers (or CHP) have better things to do. I'm surprised that NV agreed to register your vehicle using an NV address for the registration, but being a California resident. Business is business gained I guess.

Guy and Lynda said The true key to avoid being in favor with California, is to possess a Nevada driver's license. If you get stopped for any reason in California, & your vehicle has Nevada registration & you posses a California driver's license, they will force you to register you vehicle in California, without a doubt. This has happened to me twice in the past, regardless how long you have lived in California. With a NDL & NV registration, they cannot do anything to you, unless that want to go though a residency check, which 99% of police officers (or CHP) have better things to do. I'm surprised that NV agreed to register your vehicle using an NV address for the registration, but being a California resident. Business is business gained I guess.

The vehicle will be stored in (Nevada) and only trailered to California for wheeling trips...

I guess if it becomes an issue I can get dual residences or something like that