Aluminum Samurai Part I

(ANNOUNCER)>> WE BUILT OUR SAMURAI TO HANDLE THE ROUGHEST OF ROUGH WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT. SO HOW DO WE TOP THAT? TEAR IT DOWN AND START ALL OVER AGAIN. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4 WE'RE JUMPING IN, PULLING IT APART, AND MAKING PLANS FOR THE BADDEST ZUK EVER WITH A CUSTOM FRAME, UPDATED SUSPENSION, AND MORE!

(IAN)>> WE ARE BACK, AND WE HAVE A GREAT YEAR PLANNED FOR YOU GUYS. WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO YOU ON MESSAGE BOARDS, RUNNING INTO A BUNCH OF YOU AT DIFFERENT OFF ROAD EVENTS, AND READING EVERY SINGLE EMAIL THAT YOU GUYS SEND INTO THE SHOW. AND WITH ALL THAT INFORMATION, WE PUT TOGETHER A GREAT SEASON FOR YOU GUYS. NOW THIS IS WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPE. WHEELING AT SOME GREAT OFF ROAD LOCATIONS, OVER THE TOP FAB PROJECTS, GUESTS SWINGING IN THE SHOP TO THROW SOME WRENCHES AROUND, AND AN IN DEPTH LOOK AT SOME AWESOME OFF ROAD RIGS. WOW, NOW TO KICK THINGS OFF I WENT AHEAD AND ROLLED ONE OF OUR MOST POPULAR PROJECTS BACK INTO THE SHOP. NOW THIS RIG, WELL IT'S MY PERSONAL FAVORITE, AND I'M SURE A LOT OF YOU GUYS HAVE ALREADY FIGURED OUT THAT I'M TALKING ABOUT OUR DIESEL POWERED SUZUKI PROJECT. OH YES, THIS RIG HAS BEEN AROUND THE XTREME SHOP FOR A FEW YEARS, AND WE'VE ALREADY REBUILT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES. EACH TIME IMPRESSED WITH HOW MUCH BETTER IT WORKS WHEN WE HIT THE TRAILS. NOW THE FIRST TIME WE BUILT THIS RIG, WE FOCUSED ON BUDGET WITH A WELDED REAR AXLE AND A BUNCH OF JUNKYARD PARTS. THEN WHEN WE REBUILT IT, WE FOCUSED ON PERFORMANCE WITH A LOW SLUNG STANCE AND UPGRADED AXLE ASSEMBLIES. WELL THIS TIME WE HAVE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT END GAME IN MIND. EVERY YEAR ZUK ENTHUSIASTS FROM ALL OVER THE NATION GATHER AT AN EVENT CALLED "ZUWHARRIE". THEY SPEND THE WEEKEND WHEELING AND JUST HANGING OUT. SO WE'RE GONNA REBUILD OUR ZUK FROM THE BOTTOM UP, CARRY IT TO THE ZUWHARRIE, AND LET THEM DECIDE DID WE BUILD THE ULTIMATE ZUK.

(CHRIS)>> OUR SAMURAI IS ALREADY PRETTY UNIQUE, RUNNING A VW TURBO DIESEL ENGINE ON VEGETABLE OIL. BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS ONE OF A KIND, WE'VE GOT TO REBUILD IT FROM FRONT TO BACK.

NOW THE ONLY THINGS WE'RE GONNA REUSE FROM THE BODY IS THIS GREASE CAR FUEL SYSTEM, THE SUSPENSION SEATS, AND THE STOCK DASH.

(IAN)>> NOW ON THE CHASSIS WE'RE GONNA SAVE THE ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN BECAUSE THE ENTIRE PACKAGE WORKS GREAT. WE'VE GOT GOOD POWER AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, GREAT TORQUE NUMBERS OUT OF OUR LITTLE FOUR CYLINDER DIESEL. NOW NORMALLY I'M NOT A FAN OF A STANDARD TRANSMISSION IN AN OFF ROAD RIG BECAUSE YOU'RE ALWAYS RIDING THE CLUTCH. BUT BECAUSE OF THE LOW TORQUE CURVE ON OUR DIESEL, YOU CAN JUST PICK WHATEVER GEAR YOU WANT, STEP OFF THE CLUTCH, AND DRIVE THIS RIG LIKE AN AUTOMATIC, GIVING US TONS OF GEAR RATIONS INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. AND OUR TRANSFER CASE, IT ALREADY HAS THE SIX POINT FIVE TO ONE LOW RATIO GEARS INSTALLED. NOW THE AXLES, THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN UPGRADE THEM ANY MORE. WE'VE THROWN ALMOST EVERY PART THEM THAT WE COULD. THE PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH THIS RIG, HONESTLY, IS JUST THE FRAME ITSELF. IT'S GOT SOME RUST IN SOME POTENTIALLY BAD AREAS. WE'VE CUT ON IT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT TIMES. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE HAD TO ACTUALLY LIMIT THE SUSPENSION TRAVEL UP FRONT BECAUSE OF THE POSITION OF THE MOTOR AND THE UPPER LINK MOUNTS. NOW BY MOVING THE MOTOR BACK, WE'LL BE ABLE TO FIX THAT WHOLE FRONT END PROBLEM BUT HONESTLY, THE BETTER DECISION HERE IS TO JUST DITCH THIS FRAME ALL TOGETHER. SO WE WANT THIS ZUK TO BE ONE OF A KIND, AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO DO THAT THAN WITH A CUSTOM FULL TUBE FRAME. WE'LL PULL THE MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION AND SET THEM UP ON JACK STANDS KEEPING THEM AT THE SAME HEIGHT THEY WOULD BE IF THEY WERE STILL SITTING IN THE FACTORY FRAME.

(ANNOUNCER)>> SQUARE TUBE ON A CUSTOM FRAME, IT'S KINDA SQUARE. COMING UP, WE DESIGN AND BUILD A WICKED DOUBLE RAIL FRAME!

(IAN)>> NOW THIS IS THE START OF OUR ZUK'S NEW CHASSIS. NOW I'M SURE TO SOME OF YOU GUYS IT MAY SEEM OVERKILL TO TEAR APART A PERFECTLY RUNNING RIG TO START TO BUILD SOMETHING LIKE A CUSTOM FRAME. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE NO LONGER CONSTRAINED BY FACTORY FRAME RAILS, WE CAN MAKE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CHANGES, AND ALL OF THEM REVOLVE AROUND THE DRIVE TRAIN. THE FIRST THING WE DID IS MOVE THE ENGINE THREE INCHES OVER TOWARDS THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THAT GIVES US MORE ROOM FOR OUR HIGH PINION THIRD TO TUCK UP CLOSE TO THE ENGINE AND WILL ALLOW THAT SUSPENSION TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE FREELY. WE MOVED THE ENGINE BACK IN OUR NEW FRAME, AND THAT'S OKAY BECAUSE WE MEASURED ON THE ZUK BODY BEFORE WE TOOK IT OUT AND WE HAD FIVE INCHES OF CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE VALVE COVER AND THE FIRE WALL. WE ALSO SUCKED IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT IN THE CHASSIS TO GIVE US EVEN MORE STABILITY WHEN WE'RE OUT ON THE TRAIL. NOW WE'RE GONNA LEAVE THE WHEEL BASE RIGHT WHERE IT WAS BECAUSE IT ALWAYS WORKED GREAT. IT WAS RIGHT AT 101 INCHES. ONE CHANGE WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE HAS TO DO WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION. WE ALWAYS HAD A TRIANGULATED FOUR LINK UP FRONT, BUT NOW THIS LINK MOUNT, YOU CAN SEE, THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GONNA RUN A LINK LITERALLY THROUGH THE ENGINE. THAT'S OKAY, WE'LL JUST LOP THAT OFF. WE'LL RUN A THREE LINK FRONT WITH A PAN HARD BAR. IT'LL ACTUALLY FLEX BETTER THAN A FOUR LINK AND MAKE THIS RIG EVEN BETTER ON THE TRAIL. WITH THE WHEEL BASE SET, WE'LL MEASURE ACROSS BOTH AXLES TO MARK THE CENTER LINE TO ACT AS A REFERENCE. NOW THE FIRST STEP WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A CUSTOM TUBE FRAME STARTS RIGHT HERE AT THE STEEL RACK CHOOSING WHAT YOU'RE GONNA MAKE IT OUT OF. NOW YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF DIFFERENT CHOICES. YOU CAN CHOOSE DOM TUBING, WELDED SEAM TUBING, OR EVEN RECTANGULAR STRUCTURAL TUBING LIKE THIS PIECE OF TWO BY THREE THAT'S LEFT OVER FROM OUR S-10 PROJECT. NOW THERE'S NOTHING REALLY WRONG WITH THE RECTANGULAR TUBING. IT'S PLENTY STRONG AND IT'S EASY TO PUT TOGETHER. THE ONLY REAL DOWN FALL IS WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IT KINDA STILL LOOKS LIKE FACTORY FRAME RAILS, AND THAT IS NOT WHAT WE'RE AFTER. WE WANT SOMETHING SUPER CUSTOM, SO WE'RE GONNA GO WITH A ROUND TUBE TYPE FRAME. NOW YOU WANT TO STAY AWAY FROM THE SMALLER TUBING LIKE INCH AND A QUARTER AND INCH AND THREEEIGHTHS. SOME GUYS WILL EVEN STEP UP TO MONSTER TWO INCH OR TWO AND A QUARTER INCH TUBING WITH A REALLY THICK WALL TO GET THAT EXTRA STRENGTH. BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE WORRIED ABOUT THE WEIGHT. SO WHAT WE'RE GONNA PLAN ON RUNNING IS INCH AND A HALF 120 WALL DOM. NOW THAT MAY SOUND A LITTLE UNDER KILL, BUT WE'VE GOT A PLAN AND IT'S CALLED A DOUBLE TUBE FRAME RAIL.

NOW A DOUBLE TUBED FRAME RAIL STARTS BY MAKING TWO IDENTICALLY BENT PIECES OF TUBING THAT TRAVEL FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK. THEN WHAT WE'RE GONNA END UP DOING IS WE'RE GONNA STACK THEM ON TOP OF EACH OTHER USING SPACERS IN BETWEEN. NOW THE SMALL SPACERS WILL KINDA GIVE US THE APPEARANCE OF A LADDER FRAME RUNNING THE ENTIRE DISTANCE OF THE ZUK. NOW THIS IS DEFINITELY A VERY LABOR INTENSIVE PROCESS CAUSE WE HAVE TO MAKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF THESE LITTLE SPACERS AND WELD THEM IN EVERY 12 INCHES OR SO. BUT THE NICE THING IS IS IT'S GONNA REALLY GIVE THIS RIG THAT CUSTOM TOUCH THAT WE'RE AFTER. NOW UP FRONT WE KICKED THIS FRAME RAIL UP NICE AND HIGH TO GIVE US EXTRA CLEARANCE FOR THESE TIRES WHEN THEY'RE TURNED. NOW THAT POWER STEERING PUMP THAT'S UP THERE, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO MOVE THAT NO MATTER WHAT AND UPGRADE IT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON. THE REAR WE DIDN'T KICK UP VERY MUCH AT ALL, JUST ABOUT SIX INCHES. THAT WAY WE CAN RETAIN THE STOCK FLOOR IN THE BACK OF THE ZUK BODY FOR STORAGE AND STUFF THAT WE NEED WHEN WE'RE ON THE TRAIL. EACH ONE OF OUR FRAME SPACERS STARTS AS A PIECE OF FOUR INCH TUBE THAT GETS NOTCHED. NOW WE NEED TO MAKE A TOTAL OF 16 OF THEM.

THEN WE'LL SET THEM IN PLACE AND TACK THE FIRST FRAME RAIL TOGETHER. BUILD THE SECOND ONE SITTING RIGHT ON TOP OF IT SO THAT MATCH PERFECTLY. SO AFTER ALL THAT WORK I FINALLY HAVE TWO MATCHING FRAME RAILS THAT I CAN START TO BUILD A CUSTOM CHASSIS WITH. NOW TO PUT IT ALL INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR YOU GUYS, BY THE TIME I AM DONE FINISH WELDING BOTH OF THESE, PROBABLY GONNA HAVE ABOUT FOUR HOURS WORTH OF TIME IN IT. IF I BUILT THE SAME OUT OF TWO BY THREE RECTANGULAR, IT PROBABLY TAKE ME ABOUT 25 MINUTES. BUT THERE IS CERTAINLY NO WAY THAT RECTANGULAR TUBING IS GONNA LOOK AS COOL AS THE TRUE TUBULAR DOUBLE RAIL SETUP THAT WE'RE GONNA SLIDE UNDERNEATH THIS ZUK. PLUS THE NICE THING ABOUT WORK WITH THE ROUND TUBE IS YOU CAN GET A BUNCH OF ACCESSORIES TO REALLY FINISH IT OUT. WE GOT A BUNCH FROM CORE FOUR BY FOUR CUSTOMS. NOW WE GOT WELD THROUGH BUNGS THAT'LL GO THROUGH THE TUBE, ALLOW US TO MOUNT SHOCKS AND LINK MOUNTS. ROUNDED END CAPS THAT JUST FINISH OUT THE END OF A PIECE OF TUBE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY ONE OF THEIR WELD IN RECOVERY POINT SETUPS. THIS SLIDES INSIDE THE TUBE, GETS WELDED, AND GIVES US A SPOT TO MOUNT A DRING SHACKLE ON THE BACK OF OUR ZUK. BUT BEFORE WE PUT ANY OF THESE IN, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED TO FINISH OUT THIS FRAME ITSELF, AND THAT MEANS PICKING THE WIDTH. NOW WHEN YOU'RE SETTING UP THE WIDTH OF YOUR CUSTOM FRAME, YOU WANT TO TRY TO LAND SOMEWHERE AROUND 30 INCHES WIDE. IT'S GONNA GIVE YOU LOTS OF ROOM FOR A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT DRIVE TRAINS. BUT BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE'RE JUST GONNA STICK WITH OUR SMALL LITTLE FOUR CYLINDER AND STANDARD TRANSMISSION, WE'RE GONNA SUCK THAT IN TO ABOUT 25 INCHES WIDE. THAT'S GONNA GIVE US A LOT OF ROOM TO TURN THOSE FRONT TIRES AND ALLOW THE REAR SUSPENSION TO ARTICULATE JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE WITHOUT GETTING IN CONTACT WITH THE FRAME RAIL.

(IAN)>> TODAY WE TORE OUR SUZUKI PROJECT APART TO CONVERT IT INTO THE ULTIMATE ZUK, AND THAT'S GONNA START WITH A CUSTOM TUBE CHASSIS. I GOT BOTH FRAME RAILS BUILT AND THEY'RE SET 25 INCHES APART WITH A COUPLE OF CROSS MEMBERS. NOW WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S PERFECTLY SQUARE. IF WE GO AHEAD AND FINISH WELD THIS SET UP RIGHT NOW, THESE FRAME RAILS COULD BE OFF FROM EACH OTHER, PUT TOGETHER A LITTLE BIT OF AN ANGLE. YOU WOULDN'T REALLY NOTICE IT UNTIL YOU PUT THE SUSPENSION IN, AND THEN YOU'D FIGURE OUT THAT YOU COULD BE OUT OF SQUARE UP TO AN INCH AND NOT EVEN SEE IT WITH YOUR EYE. THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE IF A SHAPE LIKE THIS IS PERFECTLY SQUARE IS TO CROSS MEASURE IT. MEASURING FROM THE END OF ONE FRAME RAIL TO THE FRONT OF THE OPPOSITE ONE, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS FRAME IS EXACTLY THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OUT OF SQUARE. WE FIX THAT BY ATTACHING A RATCHET STRAP TO TWO OPPOSITE CORNERS AND RACKING THE FRAME UNTIL BOTH MEASUREMENTS ARE THE EXACT SAME. THEN WE CAN WELD IN THE FIRST FEW CROSS MEMBERS AND ALL THE FRAME SPACER TUBES.

SET THE FRAME BACK DOWN AND HAVE A LOOK AT IT TO SEE IF IT'S STILL SQUARE. WE'LL TWEAK IT TO GET IT PERFECT USING A MATCO PORT A PACK AND WELD IN THE REMAINING CROSS MEMBER. SO THE FRAME RATE NOW IS PRETTY SQUARE CONSIDERING WE BUILT IT JUST ON A CONCRETE FLOOR. IT'S LESS THAN POINT THREE DEGREES DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR FRONT CROSS MEMBER AND OUR BACK. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHEN YOU LOOK DOWN THE ENTIRE FRAME, ALL THE CROSS MEMBER RAILS SEEM TO LINE UP PERFECTLY. WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING ON A CONCRETE FLOOR LIKE THIS, YOU'RE NEVER GONNA GET THE FRAME PERFECT NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY. IF YOU CAN GET IT WITHIN AN EIGHTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH, YOU'VE PRETTY MUCH KNOCKED THE BALL OUT OF THE PARK, BUT YOU'RE GOT TO BE REALISTIC. REMEMBER, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE FULLY ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION, 40 INCH TALL TIRES OR BIGGER RUNNING WITH ABOUT TWO TO THREE POUNDS OF AIR. IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR FRAME PERFECTLY SQUARE, MAYBE OUT BY UP TO AN INCH, YOU CAN COMPENSATE FOR IT IN THE REST OF THE PACKAGE. NOW DON'T GO BRAGGING TO YOUR FRIENDS SAYING HOW OUT OF SQUARE YOUR RIG IS, BUT REALLY, IT'S NOT GONNA BE THE END OF THE WORLD. NOW WHILE WE WERE BUILDING IT I WENT AHEAD AND DROPPED THE TRANSFER CASE IN JUST TO GET AN IDEA IF IT WOULD CLEAR THIS CROSS MEMBER, AND IT WON'T. SO I JUST TACKED IT IN PLACE SO WE COULD ADD A LITTLE DRIVE SHAFT HOOP LATER ON. AND IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PORT A PACK LIKE WE HAVE HERE TO SPREAD THE FRAME RAILS OUT TO SQUARE IT UP, YOU CAN GET THE EXACT SAME EFFECT BY SIMPLY USING THE HIGH LIFT JACK OFF YOUR RIG.

(ANNOUNCER)>> SINCE OUR SAMMY IS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, WE'RE GONNA RECYCLE EVERYTHING WE CAN OFF THE OLD FRAME. PLUS WE'LL FAB UP AND INSTALL MOUNTS FOR OUR ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION.

(IAN)>> WITH OUR NEW FRAME SET IN PLACE OVER OUR ENTIRE DRIVE TRAIN, WE'RE GONNA START TO WORK ON THE SUSPENSION. NOW WE'RE GONNA REUSE ALL THE BRACKETS THAT ARE ON THE AXLE. SO ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS BUILD MOUNTS FOR THE CHASSIS.

ALTHOUGH WE'RE GONNA REUSE ALL THE SUSPENSION MOUNTS ON OUR AXLES FRONT AND REAR, WE'RE NOT GONNA REUSE MANY OF THE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. YOU CAN SEE THAT THESE LOWER LINKS THAT WE TOOK OFF THE OLD FRAME, THEY ARE SEVERELY BENT FROM SOME GOOD TRAIL RIDING. NOW WHAT CAUSED THIS HAS TO DO WITH HOW LONG WE MADE THIS LOWER LINK. THE REASON WE MADE IT SO LONG IS BECAUSE WHEN WE ORIGINALLY PUT THE ZUK TOGETHER, IT HAD LOW PINION DIFFERENTIALS. BY MAKING THE LINK NICE AND LONG, IT WOULD GET INTO THE ROCK BEFORE THE DRIVE SHAFT WOULD. AND YOU COULD SEE, THESE LINKS HAVE DONE EXACTLY THAT. BUT NOW WE HAVE HIGH PINION THIRDS BOTH FRONT AND REAR. SO WE CAN SHORTEN THESE LOWERS UP TO A MORE RESPECTABLE LENGTH. WE WILL REUSE ALL OF THE ROD ENDS FROM THIS SUSPENSION SETUP ONCE WE INSPECT THEM. WE'LL GO AHEAD AND CHECK THEM TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE THREADS ARE STILL GOOD. MAKE SURE THE SHANK ITSELF IS NOT BENT, AND THEN CHECK TO SEE IF THE UNIBALL HAS LOOSENED UP INSIDE THE JOINT. WHAT CAUSES THE UNIBALL TO LOOSEN UP HAS TO DO WITH THE NYLON THAT'S INJECTED INTO THE ROD END. THE NYLON IS THERE TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT OF LUBRICATION AND GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF CUSHION TO THE JOINT. A LOT OF EXCESSIVE WHEELING, HEATING AND COOLING OF THE SUSPENSION CYCLE, THIS NYLON CAN START TO BREAK DOWN. IF ALL THE BALLS ARE STILL TIGHT IN THE JOINT, THEY'RE STILL GOOD TO USE. FOR A TRULY CUSTOM CHASSIS, OFF THE SHELF BRACKETS JUST AREN'T GONNA CUT IT. SO THREESIXTEENTHS INCH PLATE IS CARVED UP TO BUILD NEW UPPER AND LOWER MOUNTS.

AND SOME THREE QUARTER INCH GREEN PAINTER'S TAPE WILL GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHERE ALL THE LINKS WILL RUN.

UP FRONT A CROSS OVER BAR WILL LOCK THE TUBE FRAME RAILS TOGETHER AND GIVE US A SPOT TO ATTACH OUR UPPER SHOCK MOUNTS. SO WITH THE FRONT SHOCK MOUNTS IN PLACE, WE HAVE A COMPLETELY REBUILT CHASSIS FOR OUR NEW ZUK. AND YOU CAN SEE, WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PLANNING AND A WHOLE LOT OF WORK, IT'S EASY TO PRODUCE A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM FRAME. NOW FOR OUR ZUK THIS ONE IS DEFINITELY OVER THE TOP. NEW SUSPENSION IN THE BACK, ALL NEW SUSPENSION UP FRONT, AND A RELOCATED DRIVE TRAIN. NOW I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE FIGURED OUT BY NOW, AFTER ALL THIS WORK, THERE IS NO WAY WE'RE DROPPING ON THAT RUSTY OLD TIN TOP BODY. FOR THIS CHASSIS, WE'VE GOT SOMETHING A LITTLE BETTER PLANNED. FOR DETAILS ON ANY OF THE PRODUCTS SEEN IN TODAY'S EPISODE, HEAD ON OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.