Rock Crawler- to narrow or not to narrow? AND how???

[Mountain Ram]

So I bought a project truck and I am at the point to start making decisions... That is- before I get too far to turn back. I have noticed a lot of guys have narrowed front, rear, both and the whole body, while others run full width bodies.

I have been running a full size '94 Ram on 44s as a crawler, so I am no stranger to wide bodies. I am likely planning to keep the rear as is and add a rear seat for the kids, but my dilemma is the front. I have good fenders, inners, grille and radiator support.

Guess I am looking for your $0.02 if you care to share. Those that have done it, good move, regret it? Whats the biggest hang ip when doing it? Those that didn't do it during a build- regret it?

Thanks in advance for the input?
Todd

 

[OKLA70]

I've wheeled my pretty hard and the front hasn't seen as much damage as the back. I did cave a fender in the other day, but a narrowed front wouldn't have made much difference. Do you like the look? Do it! I would have to relocate some things under the hood on mine. Trans cooler, battery etc. I'm running full width axles some that may save me sometime too.

Tim

 

[rjlougee]

Really it comes down to where you plan to wheel and what you plan for tires/wheels and axle width. It doesn't make a lot of sense to take 6" out of the whole rig, then put full width axles and 44s with 0 backspace.

BLUF: figure out the axles/wheels/tires, then the rest.

Examples:
1. My "driver Bronco", basically set up as a DD and forest roads runs stock axles and 33" MT/R tires. So measuring the back end puts the outside of the tires and the flares at about the same width, ie. 72".

2. My "wheeler Bronco", set up for hard trails, but still able to travel in comfort and take a couple kids, BB 9" and cut down HP D60 front, both at 65" WMS. This is about 81" wide at the outside of the tires and 72" on the flares. This is dove-nosed with 9" out of the front grill. 40" MT/Rs on 17" Allieds with 4.5" backspace.

3. My buggy, set up for the hard stuff, sits at 56" at it's widest point (outside of "doors") and 73/75" to the outside of the tires. Tube chassis with EB skins. Rear is stock BB EB 9" and front is cut down HP D60 at 60" WMS. 39.5" Krawler reds, 17" wheels with 4.5" BS and 1.5" spacers at each corner. 104" WB, 20" under the belly and 75" at the top.

My current buggy was designed to be wider than my last one, which was too small/narrow. Outside of seat to outside of seat is @50", where the old one was 46". That 4" makes a huge difference when another full growed adult male rides with me.

HTH, Joe

 

[SC74]

My vote is YES to narrow! I wish mine was narrowed even more than it is, but it does crate space issues under the hood and you have to get creative on where to place everything.

What about wheel base? More so than narrowing it, I'd recommend stretching it! I'm 102" and wish I was longer. Stock wb is no fun on 40 plus tires on rocks. What wb is your ram? The reason I bring this up is because you said leave the rear as is for a back seat but its a lot easier to stretch it in the rear of course.

 

[Mountain Ram]

I stretched the ram to 121" (was 118"). It is no slouch and I have been on most trails in Harlan among other places. The wheelbase was a huge help as was the 44s, doubler and tons of flex.

I do plan to stretch it. I want to keep the rear width the same, but both axles will get pushed out.

I have full width D60s and 44s on 10" wide beadlocks with 3" backspace. Looking to use coilovs in front and either COs or air shocks in the back.

All East Coast crawling, wet rocks in the trees and mountains.

 

[Kyle.malone]

My vote is to leave it full bodied. Its always a good feeling when you hear someone say, " that guy is doing the same trail as the buggies in a full bodied rig". Its an even better feeling when you make it look easier than a buggy.

 

[Mountain Ram]

My vote is to leave it full bodied. Its always a good feeling when you hear someone say, " that guy is doing the same trail as the buggies in a full bodied rig". Its an even better feeling when you make it look easier than a buggy.

Too funny... Thats where I am today with a Fullsize Truck. People are amazed to see when you come thru unscathed.

 

[SC74]

I love a full sized rig and if I didn't know differently I'd say full size too. Now that I've seen how convenient it is to be narrowed I love it. Karl B. left his EB crawler and his ranger beater full width. As long as the tires stick out enough to protect you I guess it doesn't matter as much, but visibility is so nice!

 

[blazinchuck]

you ask a question like this if you seek the next challenge lol...i say narrow!

 

[clayne]

narrow! 8" most will never know. if not doing whole body leave it alone.

 

[truck174ff]

I love the narrow body with full widths

 

[bmc69]

Mine started out as a fullwidth body on 3/4-ton axles narrowed to EB width. The body is now, especially the front fenders, quite narrower than where it started.%)

The next one I build will be either:

1. narrrowed body on EB-width axles, or

2. stock body on full width axles.

I would never try again a rock rig with the stock body on stock width axles. But of course mine has been wheeled hard, and even competed on the rocks, for a decade...so the damage adds up over time.

 

[Mountain Ram]

With my axles and wheel/tire combo... It will be fairly wide. I don't have the time space or patience to narrow the whole rig and there is no way I want to add the cost of narrowing the one ton axles...

I pulled the front clip off to see what I am working with. Driver side inner is good. Passenger side- the front body mount was torn out at some point and then caused a crack toward the firewall side of the inner fender.

Does anyone have a comprehensive thread on narrowing an EB front end?

 

[SC74]

The next one I build will be either:

1. narrrowed body on EB-width axles, or

.

Hmmmmmm .... Sounds like a project we have in the works! Narrowed body on stock axles with custom extended half can and tubes rear half ;D

 

[Kyle.malone]

If its on your mind now. IT will always be on your mind in the near future. You will be saying I wish I did it.. Just go for it.. Keep the metal pieces just in case you decide to go back.. Ah who am I kidding. You will stay cut.


The thought had crossed my mind before.

 

[shamu]

My ugly thing is narrowed 16" in the front. The rest of this was a pile of parts when I bought it. Hoods (had a bad day)are semi easy to make and adding two inches to the fenders for the 109" wheel base is a challenge, since I suck at welding sheet metal.
She ain't a bad rig.

 

[thepunisher]

Yes.. I like the dove look on crawlers..

 

[DRBRONCO69]

I narrowed mine 17" in front and 18 in the rear. Full widths with 42's. lots of under hood relocation involved as well as limited seating space in the rear. Could only fit one seat. I like the narrowed look myself.......Although if I did it again, I wouldn't have taken so much out of the rear.

 

[Mountain Ram]

I narrowed mine 17" in front and 18 in the rear. Full widths with 42's. lots of under hood relocation involved as well as limited seating space in the rear. Could only fit one seat. I like the narrowed look myself.......Although if I did it again, I wouldn't have taken so much out of the rear.

That is a sweet ride!

 

[DRBRONCO69]

Thank you, here's a few more pics. My build thread is in my signature on the bottom. There's many pics of the truck during the narrow and the last page has some finished photos from a recent nice Saturday that I took it out.