LP9’s in grill?

[Fifty]

I found a vid with this truck out of Russia. He has a pair of Baja design LP9 hard mounted to the bumper.
Now those lights are legit. I love them.

but for aesthetic reasons only, I’d prefer them in the grill between the headlights and the “RAM”

how solid is that grill? It looks to be a faux pass through in that area so I won’t have to worry about blocking flow.

but is the plastic there thick? I can weld together a mount that has three points of contact and sits as close to the grill as possible,

but it would be for naught if the grill is thin, or if there is something directly behind it that I can’t have a bolt go through…

 

[Caliche]

I’m pretty sure that he has attached his brackets to the metal part of the bumper… ?

 

[TReX-RAM]

I found a vid with this truck out of Russia. He has a pair of Baja design LP9 hard mounted to the bumper.
Now those lights are legit. I love them.

but for aesthetic reasons only, I’d prefer them in the grill between the headlights and the “RAM”

how solid is that grill? It looks to be a faux pass through in that area so I won’t have to worry about blocking flow.

but is the plastic there thick? I can weld together a mount that has three points of contact and sits as close to the grill as possible,

but it would be for naught if the grill is thin, or if there is something directly behind it that I can’t have a bolt go through…

The bumper ain’t too bad, not plastic. This is another solution:

Pre-Runner style light mounts

I've had quite a few requests for my pre-runner style light mount that we fabbed up in-house so I decided to make a run of these to sell. Because of the amount of requests that I had from both here and on FB, we will be making 30 units in the first batch. Obviously I do not want to end up with...

www.ram-trx.com

 

[Fifty]

Yep and yep. But I want to go higher. I’ll make a photo scribble

 

[grangerj440]

If you’re looking for something like this check out @smp_fab on Instagram.

 

[Fifty]

Yeah. Steves work is awesome. But thats further than I will want to take this build. I have love hate relationship with his work. Some is absolute artwork. Some... it seems he forgot it goes offroad or he succombed to the demands of the client.

But yea, I went silly with my ZR2 and Im not going to do that with this one lol

So yea, if there is space behind the grill to make a mount that would be awesome. And also if that backer isnt there to direct air through the s/c heat exchanger and the radiator.

Ill post some pics in another post about struggling with radiators

 

[Fifty]

Blocking these two side gaps with cardboard lowered coolant temps 20°

just so much air going around the radiator.
And now that there is a heat exchanger there as well… It really will need help.

some times the artists forget about the engineering.

 

[Fifty]

Don’t take the wrong way. Steve of SMP has forgotten more about Fabwork today alone than I know.
and I plan on having him do the rear storage he has on the Tacoma under the bed in this trx most likely.
And if he did come up with a brake kit for 17’s and that’s not just extra offset wheels or no calipers for photo shoots. I’ll be first in line for the brakes.

but look at the plastic radiator end tanks sticking out of the bumper and skid plates.
All that beautiful work… and I don’t know if was the truck owner who insisted or if SMP just said “it’s fine, we will put some bubbles over it eventually.”

last I saw the truck there was no new protection … but it also only goes to the same dirt fire road ish loop by Barstow.

so again, it’s a small world which is why I’m reiterating, SMP does amazing and beautiful sick work and If I was closer I’d sweep the floors for free just to learn.

but… sometimes… function got sacrificed because form was too important

 

[Fifty]

I had to go this route. Shorter thicker better flowing radiator, twin pwm fans with cooling ports, (and now replacing ducting) and remote fanned-engine and if needed fanned-transmission coolers in the bed cage.

but getting the radiator off the floor was the only way to make a safe approach angle and not have plastic and hoses in the way.
And those 4 LP9’s don’t change cooling. Too far away, so I was lucky.

they are soooooo much light. I’d like to switch them to lp6 and throw the LP9’s on the TRX.
Then again the zr2 will be the faster truck so maybe the better lighting should just stay.

 

[Fifty]

These are all old pics. Suspension in the front is all different. And there is a 1.9 Eaton supercharger (it seemed so big until you realize the TrX comes with a 2.36 lol.)

and I was flexing going from 330 crank to 450-475 crank hp with the supercharger lol. But… the zr2 weighs 4700# loaded up and makes 13/15 inches of travel and has a 2.5” coilover with a comp adjuster (helps distribute heat and reduce cavitation, and a 2.5” 4 tube bypass with a 3” reservoir
And the rear has a 3” 5 tube bypass with larger tubes for leafs and larger shafts, hoses and reservoir… and a 2.5” bump.

the brakes on the zr2 are thicker and have a larger stiffer caliper, both trucks are running 35’s and both have lockers etc.

id love to have the trx rear axle on my zr2 and then go to a fabricated knuckle up front, and then go stupid, ugh. No.,. I need to stop.

but at around 35 mph I think the zr2 will start to pass the trx just out of smoothness and capability to maintain speed.

on road? The trx will spank my zr2 6 ways to Sunday.

 

[Boosted]

Yeah. Steves work is awesome. But thats further than I will want to take this build. I have love hate relationship with his work. Some is absolute artwork. Some... it seems he forgot it goes offroad or he succombed to the demands of the client.

But yea, I went silly with my ZR2 and Im not going to do that with this one lol

So yea, if there is space behind the grill to make a mount that would be awesome. And also if that backer isnt there to direct air through the s/c heat exchanger and the radiator.

Ill post some pics in another post about struggling with radiators

That’s a good look for sure. I looked at doing the same but in my opinion the amount of work involved to install would have been too much for the average TRX owner which is why I came up with the prerunner light mount.