Gladys

[jeeeep]

nice work! looks strong enough to air dropped.

 

[Bizcuit]

nice work! looks strong enough to air dropped.

Thank you. My last Jeep was a Wrangler, which I was very proud of. Had a lot of money and time in it. The mistake I made was not going to 60s the first time. Cry once

 

[Bizcuit]

Question to the people that have been exposed to welded on towers for coils or struts. How much flex is there between loaded and unloaded suspension? It’s time to commit by welding on the lower strut brackets. Thanks

 

[Bizcuit]

We made a little more progress today. Committed on the lower strut brackets and welded them on with 1/4 of clearance when stuffed both sides. Loaded the suspension and it moved a great deal less than I thought, about a 1/16. So I cut them off and set the clearance to zero. This would be a scenario when both tires are bottomed out at the same time. Never. When only one tire is up or flexed out, there’s a mile of room on everything. When the right tire is hung, the axle is moved as far to the left as it will ever be. There’s about 3/8 of clearance between the RH strut and the frame. The left strut is 90 to the axle. I think it looks good, but I’m interested in your thoughts.

 

[JHaus]

What does the geometry look like with it flexed in the other direction (passenger stuffed)? Really enjoying watching your build!

 

[Bizcuit]

What does the geometry look like with it flexed in the other direction (passenger stuffed)? Really enjoying watching your build!

Thanks. I’m enjoying it, and feeling crunched at the same time. We have a Sand Hollow trip in May.
In the second picture it shows 2 in of clearance while flexed. The track bar mount was built for this amount of lift. I set the struts at track bar strike and axle level, feeling confident this will never happen. The third link is about 1/8 of an inch from the motor mount at this point so everything nested awesome. There’s slightly more clearance on the LH strut/frame when flexed this direction. About 1.6 degree out at the bottom, whereas the RH strut is straight while flexed the other direction.

 

[Bizcuit]

Got everything back today. The LCAs from powder, and the axle from paint. Looking forward to tomorrow. I used Metalcloak ends this time instead of Synergy because they have a LH, and RH threaded joints.

 

[Bizcuit]

Today was a good day. Got the front 75% done, and removed the rear axle. I didn’t want to take both axles out at the same time just because. The pictures are set at ride height using 5 1/2 of uptravel. After setting these two axles next to each other, it’s amazing how big the 80 is.

 

[Bizcuit]

Sun started shining here in Oregon, so outside jobs are keeping the project time limited. I was able to make a little progress on the frame and bumper today though. The frame on this Jeep is amazingly thin. I thought the 10K Warn on the JK was quite ambitious for a frame that’s only .120 thick, so a 12K on a frame that’s .083 has me a bit worried. The winch wouldn’t fit between the pads on the end of the frame without affecting the bolt pattern so I removed them. Bent a couple of L-serts out of .120 because I didn’t want to manhandle the frame, just add strength to it. I drilled the frame in a crisscross pattern for plug welds on the side, and then every 4in on the bottom. You can also see in the pics how I trimmed the frame to expose the L-sert 3/16, so that when I weld it to the frame endplate, everything gets tied in. Here’s how that turned out.

 

[Bizcuit]

Here’s the frame end plates made out of 1/4 in. My original plan was to run a 1/2 bolt inside the frame, to the tubular cross member under the engine to help share the pull of the winch, that’s why the hole in the center. After I cut the factory plates off it looked like the L-sert was a better option.
My last bumper was your typical Rubicon style, so it was big enough to clear all the sway bar and brackets. This one is just big enough to house the winch. This is as close as I could comfortably get the winch to the grill. I’ll later build a small skid to protect the sway bar that bolts to the bottom of the bumper.

 

[Bizcuit]

Here’s what today produced. Not a fan of the grill guards, but I’m going to run a Level-It with the ORI’s. It needs to be 2in. higher than the shocks so with no room under the hood, it has to be showing. I could have put it on the hood where some people mount their jacks, or up on the light bar but, neither of which were very serviceable. Curious as to your thoughts.

 

[Disciple Off Road]

Not my style but nicely done! Definitely some clean fab work

 

[jeeeep]

Here’s what today produced. Not a fan of the grill guards, but I’m going to run a Level-It with the ORI’s. It needs to be 2in. higher than the shocks so with no room under the hood, it has to be showing. I could have put it on the hood where some people mount their jacks, or up on the light bar but, neither of which were very serviceable. Curious as to your thoughts.

The grill guard took a sudden turn, does the level-it require that much space? is it in addition to ORI struts?

Can't route and mount them in the bed on a tube made to fit the front of the bed?

 

[Bizcuit]

Not my style but nicely done! Definitely some clean fab work

Not my style either, thank you. It’s something I enjoy.

 

[Bizcuit]

The grill guard took a sudden turn, does the level-it require that much space? is it in addition to ORI struts?

Can't route and mount them in the bed on a tube made to fit the front of the bed?

Ok, I laughed when I read that. That probably was the nicest way you could have worded it.
The Level-it is not big, maybe 4in. in diameter and a foot long. But it need be higher than the Schrader on the top of the strut by a couple inches to rid the oil. To have built the push bar tall enough, then mount it on top of that, the height was nearly the same as this, but even uglier. In the bed was something we discussed and it’s a good option and it still might happen. I’m not at all set on this look, but i’m going to let this soak for a week and see if it grows on me. If by next weekend it doesn’t, I’ll move it.

 

[jeeeep]

Ok, I laughed when I read that. That probably was the nicest way you could have worded it.
The Level-it is not big, maybe 4in. in diameter and a foot long. But it need be higher than the Schrader on the top of the strut by a couple inches to rid the oil. To have built the push bar tall enough, then mount it on top of that, the height was nearly the same as this, but even uglier. In the bed was something we discussed and it’s a good option and it still might happen. I’m not at all set on this look, but i’m going to let this soak for a week and see if it grows on me. If by next weekend it doesn’t, I’ll move it.

umm.. if it grows on you, better have an emergency contact to reach out to

 

[Launch]

This has really turned into one bad ass build. Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[Bizcuit]

This has really turned into one bad ass build. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Thanks, I do appreciate. Working on it as time allows and it’s not much.
A little bit of progress on the trailing arms, and I was told this fairlead would take some of the ugly out of the grill guard. Hoping? Maybe?