Rock Crawler Build - E53 3.0L

[Sarek]

Not going with 1 ton axles yet. Ha

[acannell]

Originally Posted by Sarek

Not going with 1 ton axles yet. Ha

haha awesome

how strong you think the X5 diff is? like a dana 35 or better? i wonder if it would break axle shafts for the same reasons as a solid axle

[Sarek]

Yes that's me in the pic. Its never done but a work in progress.

[Sarek]

After the strongbox doubler and dana 300 is installed. I think the diffs might be fine. Axles and CVs on the other hand will probably be another story.

[acannell]

Originally Posted by Sarek

After the strongbox doubler and dana 300 is installed. I think the diffs might be fine. Axles and CVs on the other hand will probably be another story.

whats your inboard winch plan? i always wanted to do that to my jeep but couldnt figure out a realistic way that wasnt basically designing a truck around a winch lol

btw, sort of off topic, but how much more annoying is it to work on the X5 engine versus the jeep straight 6, for instance? im trying to gauge what its going to be like when my parents get an X5 and i attempt doing timing chain/guide service..

and is it just more annoying or is it actually more complex, and how much can you trust the bentley manual?

[Sarek]

right now it is mounted in the spare tire well. It only pulls to the rear at this point. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the cable to the front. I have some ideas but as you well know it is in an easy path. I will post some pictures if I choose to keep it this way. I may just mount it on the front and be done with it. As far as the x5 versus the Jeep engine I'm assuming you're talking about the BMW inline 6? Or are you talking about the 8 cylinder?

[SlickGT1]

Originally Posted by Skyline

Well in that price range, a Jeep Grand Cherokee would be a better starting point.

I really think you missed the point here. The guy has a cool ass build and we are all enjoying it. If you cannot contribute, don't.

[Skyline]

Originally Posted by SlickGT1

I really think you missed the point here. The guy has a cool ass build and we are all enjoying it. If you cannot contribute, don't.

Sorry, but I think this is a silly build that is trying to "make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" as the expression goes. Consider my "contribution" as steering others away from such a silly path. There's no question that you can turn a Camaro into a mud truck if you want...anything is possible if you're crazy or redneck enough. But some SUVs have the right "bones" to become good off-roaders..others do not.

I have plenty of experience building and breaking off-road vehicles. Even beginner trails at most of the off-road facilities I've been to would be impossible with an X5 without huge expenses in modifications, while a stock 10 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee or Toyota 4 Runner with the right factory options could handle these same trails with ease. It's not just what kind of trail you can get through, it's what you can get through without breaking your car, or smashing the body to bits. Or taking your life in your hands. Most off-road parks won't even let you in to the beginner trails without a low range TC.

The X5:
The bad:
---A unibody vehicle with no frame
---4 wheel independent suspension
---No low range in the TC
---No lockers
---No lockup in the TC
---A PLASTIC gear that controls the TC
---TC itself is prone to failure with normal street use
---Rubber guibos in the drive shafts; drive shaft mounted in rubber
---No reputation for transmission robustness, (at least with the automatics)
---CV joints in the axles shafts
---No skid plate protection underneath for Gas tank, TC
---No attempt to make the car waterproof from the factory. (This is not just a lack of double door seals or positioning of electrical components. You must also keep the venting of transmission, TC, and axles in mind, as water in these vents will ruin them almost immediately.)
---Speaking of electricals...have you noticed that the ABS/DSC module is only 18" off the ground? How the hell are you going to move that to a "high and dry" location? I've been on plenty of beginner trails with water crossings or water holes more than 2' deep. While this very expensive bit of electronics is designed to be slightly water resistant, it is absolutely not waterproof.
---Lack of ANY pre-made lift kit. Even if you could work out some lengthened coil-over, exactly how you're going to get the rest of the suspension geometry working properly is a mystery to me. For example...how would you lengthen the front control arms?
---Lack of available pre-made winch mounts/ off-road bumpers.
---Lack of availability of ANY sort of axle lockers (ARB, Eaton, Detroit, etc...but I guess you could weld them.)

On the plus side...
---The engine has a thick aluminum plate underneath
---Descent control
---Good brakes

The best use of an X5 for off-roading is to tow a modest sized off-road rig to the trail.

Here's my soccer mom car: (for sale BTW)

[Sarek]

At least a grand cherokee isn't a unibody. ........

[acannell]

Originally Posted by Sarek

right now it is mounted in the spare tire well. It only pulls to the rear at this point. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the cable to the front. I have some ideas but as you well know it is in an easy path. I will post some pictures if I choose to keep it this way. I may just mount it on the front and be done with it. As far as the x5 versus the Jeep engine I'm assuming you're talking about the BMW inline 6? Or are you talking about the 8 cylinder?

yeah i never figured out a way to get the winch line straight out to the front once its behind the engine..

someone somewhere must have done it..i would think there must be some kind of production vehicle that has it and maybe that could shed some light on the subject

theres an interesting thread here:http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthr...28mid-mount%29 on a "foers winch" for a land rover which uses a snatch block and flared pipe to redirect the cable to the front from between the frame rails..presumably with the option to go to the back too.

the idea for an inboard winch is mainly to put the weight in a better spot and also not impact the approach angle or radiator cooling with a huge object hanging of the front bumper, right?

heres another link to it with pics Foers 4WD Winch

i barely researched it, there may be alot more in the google

"
The winch, in this case a Warn electric winch, is mounted under the floor, between the main chassis rails and immediately behind the front seats, i.e. in the centre of the vehicle, and facing to the rear. This is the optimum position for a low polar moment - that is to say it does not give the 4WD's springs a hard time. The winch cable leads out to the rear of the vehicle, around a snatch-block which is normally embedded in the rear chassis cross-member, around a second pulley and then into a tube inside the left-hand chassis rail whence it emerges from the front of the chassis (below)."


I think if you end up with a rock-crawling X5 with an inboard mounted winch you will go down in some sort of history book lol


by the x5 i meant the M62 4.4liter versus the jeep straight 6..im thinking i may have to do a timing chain/guide replacement on it and its hard to get accurate opinions on how difficult it is on here..as you can tell the usual forum swing applies from "threatened and terrified youd touch your engine" to "i regularly dismantle my engine for fun and this is no big deal"