Jim Weed

Off-Road Buildup Tips for Scout II's w/33" tires

Motor and Drivetrain!

In 1980 I put a Detroit Locker in the front of my Scout! I loved it and was able to impress a lot of people with my Scouts 4-Wheeling ability (this was before lockers were common knowledge). My only complaint was that my Scout was difficult to steer when pointed down hill. Well Everette France and I decided to try boosting the power steering pump.

The VIN number should be 13 numbers long and is located on your vehicle capacity plate.

Jim's Serious Off-Road Buildup Tips for Scout II's

Body and Interior

The Scout II Power brakes work OK but for an even better solution the Binder Bunch has been changing over to Hydra Boost. The Hydra Boost utilizes the Power steering pump for it's boost. This means that your engine no longer needs to have it's vacuum robbed for power brakes.

About 15 Years ago I was hanging out at my local 4x4 shop talking about how ever since I went to these giant 33" tires (OK! OK! they seemed big back then) my Scout wanders all over the road. The mechanic and I started talking about how the Scout has almost no caster from the factory and if we could change that then we would resolve the wandering problem. After studying my front axle housing we observed that the front knuckle assemblies that the ball joints bolt through are pressed onto the axle tubes and welded in the proper factory position. Idea! What if I built a jig to support the axle housing, ground out the factory welds (see pictures) and twisted the front axle assembly.

Hi, I'm the editor of the International Harvester and Scout pages. I'm 38 years old, married with 5 children. I have a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado Univesity and a MBA from Regis University. I am presently employed as an Operations Manager at Hydro Gate Corporation manufacturer. I live in Golden, CO (that's right home to Coors) at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and love every minute of it!