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jefe_4x4's avatar
jefe_4x4
Explorer
Jan 12, 2017

jefe's Extreme Truck Camper Drivetrain Build

Fellow TC travelers,
Mike just rolled out my piece about an XTC drivetrain build:
http://truckcamperadventure.com/2017/01/extreme-truck-camper-drivetrain-build/
This article has only to do with the truck itself and the preparation for the camper, not the camper itself. As i'm typing this, Jeanie says, "It's a bit too technical for me." YMMV.
regards, as always, jefe
  • Thanks to all who waded through the build with me. When a neighbor stopped in and wanted to 'see' how all the upgrades 'looked', he was sorely disappointed. There was nothing to see. We walked around the TC trying to find anything that enhanced the 'look'. None found, unless you consider white painted steel wheels an enhancement. Approaching zero elements to this build had anything to do with the 'look'.
    I've had the truck and camper out in the snow, some pretty deep, in the last few weeks, and with the True Tracs on both ends, it works out to be very surefooted. I could not spin a tire, even on icy patches. Of course, 10K pounds of weight on new AT tires has something to do with it, but from my experience this is now a cut above; exactly what I was hoping for. With no clutches to wear out, and no special LS gear oil in use, longevity will be the only question. I guess I should find out, as usual, where the edges are and try to get this BigBlancoBox stuck,...... and have a suitable winch point handy for self extraction.
    I had my Jeep XJ, the Not-so-grand cherokee out for some wood scavenging today and found a cashe of Oak down a narrow, snow covered trail. So narrow that pickup trucks had no chance for entry; hence the abundance of downed Oak. The XJ has the same True Trac on the front axle and a Trac-Lok on the rear. When I was loaded up and pulling uphill, all four wheels were grinding away, non-stop to get me out. So, another positive result using the True Trac LS.
    No, I don't work for Eaton; just a happy camper.
    I'm no noobie to traction devices having had: Full Detroit Lockers; Detroit Soft Locker; several Trac Loks, several Power Loks; ARB air lockers; a couple Lockrights; and whatever Jeep has installed in Jeanie's 2011 Grand Cherokee MK2. Oh, and a mechanical foot pedal operated cog diff locker on my Kioti tractor.
    Each has it's 'sweet spot' where it continues to propel you rig forward. Some are very transparent. The True Trac is very transparent. Some are a force to deal with: this includes Detroit Locker, Lockright, and any automatic full locking mechanism that oversteers under acceleration and understeers when off the stupid pedal. O.K., I'll take my foot off the stupid pedal now...8<)
    jefe
  • Interesting article for sure jefe! Well thought out and great execution of your plan even if it was in different stages! Always fun to read these kind of articles, so good writing and a good read, you're always setting the bar for XTCs!
  • A very interesting write-up Jeff. Thanks for documenting that, and thanks to Mike for publishing it.

    Steve.
  • RickW's avatar
    RickW
    Explorer III
    Jefe,

    Great read for all who have climbed under a truck with a wrench in hand, but, holy cow, if I had to do this research and make these decisions to get a truck suitable for a TC, I would still be camping in a tent!

    Stay warm and dry my friend,
  • That was a great read. Interesting to see the evolution from DD to present purpose.