Powerram

The yellow truck will get a small wrecker boom, haven't decided what to do with the 6x6

Sold all the Ford stuff. Picked this up today, will look sharp with fireball on the doors, also picked up a 6x6 army truck for parts

Recovery Gear ratings, winches and wire rope ratings, what do they mean and what do I need. Terminology: 1 ton is 2000lbs, WLL (working load limit), safety of 5:1 and breaking strength. Shockloads Shockloads are intense loads exerted, usually by momentum coming tight on a rope , example of a vehicle pulling a stuck vehicle with alot of slack between them. WLL is the safe working limit of the gear you are using and has a built in safety of 4:1 or 5:1 ratio for breaking strength. Universally accepted rating Breaking strength is the max load the piece of equipment is capable of before it goes into orbit. The average self recovery winch is a 12,000Lb winch. Equipped with a 3/8 wire rope. That wire rope has a safe WLL on average of 4200LBS. Most off road marketed pulley blocks I see are "rated at 20,000lbs" for a 3/8" wire rope, but no WLL given. Those "ratings"are the maximum breaking strength, with no safety factor. In theory the safe WLL would be 4000lbs using that pulley block. The pulley blocks I choose for my 3/8 rope would be rated WLL 2T (2 ton, 4000lbs). That doesn't sound very impressive in the marketing world. So when you see a pulley block that has a "rating of 20,000lbs" for 3/8 rope, remember the WLL will be 1 fifth of that. When selecting pulley blocks to complement your winch, select it for the wire rope size your winch has, if you use a pulley block that is too big for your rope, it will"flatten" the rope under load causing damage and shorten the service life of the rope. Chains , grades and ratings Standard transport grade chain is rated at G70 , common chain used is a 3/8 chain and has a WLL of 6600 lbs and a design factor of 4:1. Chain can be used for rigging anywhere shock loads are not present. I don't have much information or expirence with synthetic rope or synthetic rigging but am currently expirementing with them

Happy New year!!! Looking forward to the trails

Ok awesome! Thanks, And yes I know you know your way around the bush, can probably teach me a thing or two. If it's easier for you, you can txt or call me at 902-329-3440 anytime.

Merry Christmas everyone and a happy new year. Take care and be safe over the Holidays. From our family to yours

Iv been getting a few calls for offroad Recovery now, and as a company I have accepted these calls, from mildy stuck to buried in swamps and the last one I called in some assistance from Bill and his jeep. Everyone loves pics to go with a story, and they love video even more than pics. Hooking up rigging and using equipment doesn't leave me much time or ability to do the documentation of the Recovery. Is there anyone who would like participate in some off road work that would be in charge of filming and picture taking, and here is the kicker, possibly be available for short notice. I understand everyone has jobs and commitments and life, and not asking for you to be on standby, but if you are available when the call comes in be willing to come do some film/ photos? You don't need to nessairly have an off road rig, but be able to at least meet at a trail head and jump in our vehicle . And of course some compensation for time/costs. The goal is to get enough film and photage to be able to make a video just over 10 minutes to be displayed on the Fireball Towing & Recovery youtube Chanel. My few test videos are pretty dry and uninteresting. All the "good" stuff I'm in the moment and never document

I'm towing them

I been in the snow , and lots of it haha

Agree that it sounds like a stuck caliper, I'd also recommend a brake system flush if possible, brake fluid attracts and absorbes moisture and humidity, causing internal rust issues/failures. it's possibly a contributing factor in sticking brake parts. Glad ya not in the ditch, but if you were, you know who to call lol

Alright, this build has some direction, iv had a chance to give it a good onceover it and see what's what. I purchased it without much history or information. Tcase is np208. The transmission, 700r4 is only "sitting" in place, only two bell bolts in, and not tight, starter hanging by the wires, flexplate has a bolt into the convertor, no exhaust other than rotten headers. 350 Engine and engine bay look complete and intact. Body wise it will need rocker sills, and a couple minor spots in the quarter panels along with 2 spots on the jimmy tub. Overall very happy with body condition. Another positive is the front winch mount, there is a 9000lb magnum brand winch with a fairlead through the front bumper. Iv also acquired a chrome front bumper to replace the rusty painted one. Onto the suspension , it looks like a quality full spring lift kit in the range of 6", with a raised steering arm, and beefy 1ton tierod and ends. The brake flex lines are all stainless braided lines, and proper securing clips, axles are corporate 10 bolt diffs front and rear, I haven't checked gear ratio out yet, wheels are factory rally wheels with 35x12.5r15 bfg rubber. My plans and reasoning lol: There is a questionable history on the transmission that's only partly installed, possibly confused with time. So rather than take chances on that, I have in my possession a nv4500 5speed(still currently installed in a newer bodystyle truck behind a 6.2gm diesel). I have a np205 round pattern 32 spline transfercase iv been holding onto for probably 13 years, that will mate to the nv4500. Found the clutch and brake pedals from a guy in the valley that removed them from a parts truck he had, and it's for the hydraulic clutch setup. Planning(hoping) to leave the 350 as is, just tune up and get running, and do the required body work. And get that winch working. This Will be a daily driver/wheeler One other mod is a spare tire mount. I'm thinking the swing out style bumper mounted tire carrier will be the solution to that. Now that there is direction, I'll keep progress updated. The black 1980 jimmy that started this thread will now be used as a parts truck for this one.

Interior pic as well, it's a real solid blue but the flash makes it look grey

Haha, might be a np 205 going in it, along with an nv4500 transmission

So this happened, couldn't pass it up , it came home with me. It's a 1986 Jimmy, lifted, 35" tires, 350cid,700r4 and a transfercase? Sitting for a bit, originally from the west, very minimal rust. I'll fix this one because it's much better Condition, and use the 1980 as a parts truck. It has a hidden winch in the front bumper, stainless braided flex hoses on the brakes, all spring lift , no blocks, real nice rig, but needs some mechanical repairs, more to come on that

Projects come and go, I finish some and move some along. This beast just landed in my lap, yes it needs alot of work lol. Specs are 1980 K5 Jimmy 4x4, with 350cid , th350 trans, np205 transfercase, 10bolt gm front diff, 12 bolt gm rear diff. Been wanting one forever, no plan description, will update as progress takes place. I did get it running and seems to run ok, haven't tried moving it yet. It has no brakes right now. 1636384654054.mp4

Gonna be more difficult to spot you in traffic now

Yep, I hear ya there, my projects have been ignored due to busy schedule, but things are happening and hopefully will get back on track

The last of my steering and suspension pieces came today, except the tie rod, they substituted it with a paper oil filter!? Anyway trying to get that sorted out. Also got some new warn premium hubs too. Almost ready to pull the trigger and start yanking wrenches on this rig.

WooHoo , shiny stuff showed up today

Haha yep, still waiting on the next wave of parts, anything that is replaceable or rebuildable in the suspension is getting it done , that list is just what showed up so far, but not enough to start on yet. Still need a pile of stuff to show up before I can start Lol, I'm kind of curious myself how fast or slow the rebuilding and upgrading of the chassis is going to be

First load of parts showed up, more coming

Just too small for Recovery work, it would just be a toy, And it's still here , iv got a few parts hoarded for it Yep, setting it up to be able to hook into anything, wheels or not, big or small I'll haul them all, putting an old style wrecker boom in the back that way if some leverage is needed or just to pick something up or...? Possibilities are endless. It's going to be built the way iv been dreaming of building an off road Recovery truck.

Will also use this as a off roading rig, be back in the woods again

Most of the parts to rebuild the chassis and suspension are ordered, Still need to look at driveshafts and such, I'm not there yet, but been thinking about them, going to do 1410 series u-jounts in the front and rear driveshafts.

Here are some pictures of the parts iv been accumulating for some time now. It all looks like junk, but it's all pretty solid , and has the right amount of beef. First pic is the frame I'll be using, I have to add a couple crossmembers to it and put the new cab perches on it. The front suspension will be removed and tossed, it's TTB d44 HD and of no use. Next pic is HP d60 front, nothing special, will be adding a leaf to that set of springs along with new bushings, and total rebuild, adding a locker and regearing. Tossing the 4.10:1 aside and installing 3.55:1. Next is the 8.25r16 military tires on steel wheels Picture of the black truck, it will give up it's front clip, hood, fenders , grille etc, Pretty rust free bed, and a super hard to find rare rad support , it's the HD version for the front end I'm using, a 1 Year only piece, and it's rust free And the white cab I'll be using. Power is coming from a Ford 6.6L inline 6 turbo diesel, backed by a Eaton fuller 6 speed and a divorced np205