yet another V8 stretched one ton TJ build (copied from my build thread on pirate4x4)
- Thread starter knobby97
- Start date
Well finally figured I should get around to updating this thread. So long story short is I ran into some issues with my rear coilover mounting situation that left me with 1 3/4"s of uptravel with the 12" coilovers and a ride height that was about 3"s taller than where I wanted to be. So considering that my rear mounts were already frenched and welding into the frame, I wasn't left with too many options of how to reconfigure things that would allow me to keep the rear seat. The two options that I came up with were either cutting the current mounts out of the frame, renotching, welding in new mounts, then filling and fish plating any open spots in the frame. Option 2 was to cut the old mount off above the frame, the fab a new hoop that utilized the old notch to clear the coilover, then figure out how to stuff the hoops and supports into the well. So needless to say I went with option 2. Ended up having to cut the rear portions of the wheel wells out to clear the hoops and to run a cross over bar over the top of fuel cell. So here is what I ended up with:
This shows how the hoops fit into the wells.
Crossover bar over the fuel cell.
and the stuff I had to work around.
Heres how it fits around the rear seat:
and lastly, here are some crudy night pics of her sitting on her own weight for the first time in a while. Well with actually dual rates in the back instead of the mains resting on the slider stops:
Still have to finish the welding, add gussets, and paint all of the new stuff in the rear. Then have to move back to the front and get the trac bar squared and revisit the steering. I'm pretty close to saying "screw it" and chop the front from the front hoops forward, replace with tube, skin the grill, tube out a radiator support, and just go to full hydro. More to follow . . .
This shows how the hoops fit into the wells.
Crossover bar over the fuel cell.
and the stuff I had to work around.
Heres how it fits around the rear seat:
and lastly, here are some crudy night pics of her sitting on her own weight for the first time in a while. Well with actually dual rates in the back instead of the mains resting on the slider stops:
Still have to finish the welding, add gussets, and paint all of the new stuff in the rear. Then have to move back to the front and get the trac bar squared and revisit the steering. I'm pretty close to saying "screw it" and chop the front from the front hoops forward, replace with tube, skin the grill, tube out a radiator support, and just go to full hydro. More to follow . . .
Would totally love to ditch 3 ft worth of frame, as that would take me to just in front of the motor mounts. Only issue is I would have to reconfigure the front mounting point of my front coilover hoops. Took some rough measurements a little while ago and am pretty sure I could get away with chopping 20"s of the frame off and still be able to retain my current front hoop mounting point on the frame. So basically I would be cutting right behind the bare piece of metal is, which was where my old frame side trac bar mount was.
On the passenger side the cut would be right in front of the front hoop mounting point.
This would alleviate all steering issues with hydro assist or full hydro. Probably will also have to space my motor mount up a little but to make a little more clearance between the front truss and the harmonic balancer.
I'm thinking that if I go this route, which I probably will, I'll more than likely fab the new front rails out of 1.75 x .188 DOM. Would have to source .188 wall, as I only currently have 1.75 x .120 and 2 x .250 DOM in hand. I would just make it out of .120 wall, but I think I'd be more comfortable with the heavier wall upfront. Grafting the steering gear to round tube will be interesting, but it doable. I know that I would have to switch out my genright twisted pitman arm, as you can't clock the gearbox flat and still use it. Hmmmm . . . all the junk to ponder . . .
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On the passenger side the cut would be right in front of the front hoop mounting point.
This would alleviate all steering issues with hydro assist or full hydro. Probably will also have to space my motor mount up a little but to make a little more clearance between the front truss and the harmonic balancer.
I'm thinking that if I go this route, which I probably will, I'll more than likely fab the new front rails out of 1.75 x .188 DOM. Would have to source .188 wall, as I only currently have 1.75 x .120 and 2 x .250 DOM in hand. I would just make it out of .120 wall, but I think I'd be more comfortable with the heavier wall upfront. Grafting the steering gear to round tube will be interesting, but it doable. I know that I would have to switch out my genright twisted pitman arm, as you can't clock the gearbox flat and still use it. Hmmmm . . . all the junk to ponder . . .
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Totally agree on the comment about working on your rig(s) gets old and expensive. I go through spats of a love hate relationship with my jeeps, i love them . . . they hate me and don't want to work right, and vice versa . . .
I would wheel it as is, but then it would end up like the first (and only time) I took the TJ out. Took it to gulches for a shake down run, got pissed off at the sound that was being made by the rear springs almost unseating, and then making a loud popping sounds when they would seat back onto the ACOS after "bouncing" over the poly snubber on the bumpstop cup. This lead to the coilover conversion for the rear, which in turn lead to the coilover conversion for the front. Granted, I could have stopped here but then got the idea to go ahead and stretch the rear some more after picking up a fuel cell and selling my genright tank . . . blah, blah, blah . . . . the rest is history, but you get the thought process.
I think JR and I need to start a running bet on who's rig will get finished first, as this way the competition might actually drive us to get our rigs finished before 2013. I'm shooting for being done before Uwharrie closes for the season, just not 100% sure if thats going to happen or not.
I would wheel it as is, but then it would end up like the first (and only time) I took the TJ out. Took it to gulches for a shake down run, got pissed off at the sound that was being made by the rear springs almost unseating, and then making a loud popping sounds when they would seat back onto the ACOS after "bouncing" over the poly snubber on the bumpstop cup. This lead to the coilover conversion for the rear, which in turn lead to the coilover conversion for the front. Granted, I could have stopped here but then got the idea to go ahead and stretch the rear some more after picking up a fuel cell and selling my genright tank . . . blah, blah, blah . . . . the rest is history, but you get the thought process.
I think JR and I need to start a running bet on who's rig will get finished first, as this way the competition might actually drive us to get our rigs finished before 2013. I'm shooting for being done before Uwharrie closes for the season, just not 100% sure if thats going to happen or not.
Ok it's on! The $$ is whats holding me back.
The other contender, a buddy of mine from NC is about 95% done with his XJ and thinking about swapping to a YJ buggy chassis. (4.6, AW4, 300, 60/14, 5.13s, 42s, tri 4 front, full hydro...)
This could get interesting. :la:
The other contender, a buddy of mine from NC is about 95% done with his XJ and thinking about swapping to a YJ buggy chassis. (4.6, AW4, 300, 60/14, 5.13s, 42s, tri 4 front, full hydro...)
This could get interesting. :la:
:
Ok it's on! The $$ is whats holding me back.
The other contender, a buddy of mine from NC is about 95% done with his XJ and thinking about swapping to a YJ buggy chassis. (4.6, AW4, 300, 60/14, 5.13s, 42s, tri 4 front, full hydro...)
This could get interesting. :la:
The other contender, a buddy of mine from NC is about 95% done with his XJ and thinking about swapping to a YJ buggy chassis. (4.6, AW4, 300, 60/14, 5.13s, 42s, tri 4 front, full hydro...)
This could get interesting. :la:
Well it appears that plans will be changing yet once again, as the trigger is about to be pulled on a full hydro kit to replace my assist set up. Luckily I don't have to replace my PSC TC pump or high volume resi, even though a CB or P pump would be nicer than the TC style but wont mount/jive with my ZJ 5.2 serp belt system. Will also be trying to graft an artec "ram only" mount (https://artecindustries.3dcartstores.com/Dana-60-Full-Hydro-RAM-MOUNT-ONLY_p_272.html) to my already installed artec front truss. At least this way I can definitely loose the front 18"s of the frame and not having to worry about getting the steering gearbox properly grafted onto a tube set up.
So there will be a PSC ported steering gear, 8" 1.75 bore PSC assist ram, rokmen steering gearbox skid, genright twisted pitman arm and tool, and a full width 1.5 x .250 wall DOM tierod with offset 1 ton TREs and a 1.5 x .250 wall DOM drag link with a heim on one end and 1 ton TRE on the other up for grabs in the near future.
Mote to follow . . .
So there will be a PSC ported steering gear, 8" 1.75 bore PSC assist ram, rokmen steering gearbox skid, genright twisted pitman arm and tool, and a full width 1.5 x .250 wall DOM tierod with offset 1 ton TREs and a 1.5 x .250 wall DOM drag link with a heim on one end and 1 ton TRE on the other up for grabs in the near future.
Mote to follow . . .
Well the first load of new stuff came in today and more shows up tomorrow.
Also scored an ATX customs back half kit to keep on hand for whenever the rear frame decides to give up a ghost or I get bored after finishing up all of the other unfinished stuff and actually get to wheel the rig.
So current updated plan includes:
PSC full hydro kit
Artec ram mount add on to front truss
Chop at least the front 18"s of frame off and replace with tube work
Reconfigure front UCA mount to make room for two piece driveshaft
Ideas I'm still toying with:
Replace body mounts and body lift with raised mounts
Boatsides
New cage, which is going to happen anyway but just not sure when yet.
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Also scored an ATX customs back half kit to keep on hand for whenever the rear frame decides to give up a ghost or I get bored after finishing up all of the other unfinished stuff and actually get to wheel the rig.
So current updated plan includes:
PSC full hydro kit
Artec ram mount add on to front truss
Chop at least the front 18"s of frame off and replace with tube work
Reconfigure front UCA mount to make room for two piece driveshaft
Ideas I'm still toying with:
Replace body mounts and body lift with raised mounts
Boatsides
New cage, which is going to happen anyway but just not sure when yet.
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Well I did manage to get an hour or so of work done on the TJ today. Mainly focused on get the old power steering and trans coolers drained and out of the front clip. Also took the grinder and sawzall to the front of the frame.
Guess it's a little late to turn back now. The next challenge is going to be figuring out how to raise the radiator about an inch or so in order to get the bottom tank out of the way. I know I could just buy a griffin universal aluminum radiator and make it work, but I sank a little more $ than I wanted to in the backwoods Offroad custom set up that I currently have.
More to follow.
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Guess it's a little late to turn back now. The next challenge is going to be figuring out how to raise the radiator about an inch or so in order to get the bottom tank out of the way. I know I could just buy a griffin universal aluminum radiator and make it work, but I sank a little more $ than I wanted to in the backwoods Offroad custom set up that I currently have.
More to follow.
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Ok, couldn't resist the urge to pull out the bender and bend up some tube to replace the front end of the frame. This is what I've got thus far. It's just mocked up and clamped to the inside top of the frame.
Still have to cut and drill the plate to cap the frame, cut and notch another piece of tube to run under the front clip to tie in the front body mount and to also weld the back of the winch plate to. Will also be adding a radiator hoop and winch hoop since I already had them bent up.
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Still have to cut and drill the plate to cap the frame, cut and notch another piece of tube to run under the front clip to tie in the front body mount and to also weld the back of the winch plate to. Will also be adding a radiator hoop and winch hoop since I already had them bent up.
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