Engine Developments was installed. Transferring power to the front and rear are Tom Wood Custom Driveshafts.
Coilovers are all the rage now. While Steve fabricated his own three-link suspension using coilovers from Black Diamond and "Johnny Joints" up front, he was concerned with the weight transfer during steep climbs and descents that coils at all four corners allow. To combat this, he installed YJ Wrangler leaf springs from Superlift, controlled by Rancho 9000 shock absorbers in the back.
In the passenger compartment, the Master Craft seating is tandem. A removable steering wheel operates the hydraulic ram steering, which steers the Centipede, no matter what. An Art Carr shifter is precise and positive and Auto Meter Ultra Light gauges keep Steve informed of what's happening up front in the engine compartment. While the Centipede isn't street legal in many places, it is in Arizona, where Steve now resides, so a windshield wiper and turn signals were installed. 15/39.5-15LT Super Swamper TSL's were mounted on 15x10" Baja wheels with Champion Beadlocks. Finally, if even the Centipede can't make it over something too steep, a Warn HS9500i winch saves the day.
We had a chance to drive the Centipede during our photo shoot. After taking on a few obstacles, it was hard to wipe the grin from our faces! The hydraulic steering, while being a bit strange at higher speeds, worked great at rock crawling velocities and the narrow chassis was great. Imagine leaning out the left to see where things |
The Ford 9" rear end features 5.38 gears and a Detroit Locker. Off-the-shelf Superlift 4" YJ leaf springs and Rancho 9000 shocks work great in the rocks.
Steve's custom control arms aid Black Diamond coilovers up front. The arms utilize Johnny Joints for a wide range of movement. |
