Practical Truck for the Over Prepared Woman

[kevman65]

I cut and re-welded. It was really easy to pop them off, they were just tack welded on there.

This time around it will be a little different since I'm going to be changing the bumper approach a little. The plan is to convert over to clevis holes.

I'll take photos as I go. It will take a few weeks though, lots of work coming up the next couple weeks :/

? End of year, everyone needs to spend budget money so they can get a bigger budget next year. Live through it every year and things never change.

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[Kindafearless]

Your build thought process is why I Rock Crawl a 2Dr Wrangler TJR


I am amazed at how much weaker some aspects of the newer jeeps are compared to the older ones. On a TJ, the rear upper sway bar mounts are a Box welded to the frame.

Ya, the old stuff is built well. To give Jeep credit though, the only "Jeep" bracket that has actually failed is the front axle-side track bar. The other stuff I've broken has all been aftermarket components, which is why I stopped buying bolt on parts.

Regarding the track bar, I was wheeling with an employee of Rock-Jock at our last run in KY. I had the rear sway bar bracket fail on me on the trail with him and he said they were having the same problem and had to re-design their bracket. He offered to replace it with the new design, but I'm opting to reduce the failure potential since it gave me so much trouble this year.

 

[Kindafearless]

? End of year, everyone needs to spend budget money so they can get a bigger budget next year. Live through it every year and things never change.

Haha, true. Though to be honest, I'm putting most of my Jeep budget for next year into the "when things break and gas money" savings account. My post-thanksgiving Jeep list this year was less than $200. Gotta love fabricator parts!

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

Haha, true. Though to be honest, I'm putting most of my Jeep budget for next year into the "when things break and gas money" savings account. My post-thanksgiving Jeep list this year was less than $200. Gotta love fabricator parts!

Really interested to see how you are going to go about strengthening the cross member and frame Chanel’s.- not questioning or doubting just curious. In previous builds I have always wanted to maintain some sort of “weak link”- usually what’s going to cost me the least time and $$ when it does fail….. looking at the gladiator I really dislike the rear shock angles…. When we get to the phases you are starting to enter- we are going to go with through bed 90* mounts…. Biggest driver is the cantilever mounting angle currently set…. That factory bend…. I’d like to enforce it…. But when you Bob I really want to enforce from that point Rear…. Which means twist enforcement is needed as well….

great job so far- ??

 

[Elff]

great job so far- ??

One of the threads I always get excited to see new posts on.
Second only to the O thread.

 

[Kindafearless]

Really interested to see how you are going to go about strengthening the cross member and frame Chanel’s.- not questioning or doubting just curious. In previous builds I have always wanted to maintain some sort of “weak link”- usually what’s going to cost me the least time and $$ when it does fail….. looking at the gladiator I really dislike the rear shock angles…. When we get to the phases you are starting to enter- we are going to go with through bed 90* mounts…. Biggest driver is the cantilever mounting angle currently set…. That factory bend…. I’d like to enforce it…. But when you Bob I really want to enforce from that point Rear…. Which means twist enforcement is needed as well….

great job so far- ??

I 100% agree with you about the rear shock angles. Not to mention the shock mounts on the axle, which are my real heart ache!

The current round of changes are intended as a part of a two year plan:
* This year (tree-bars and pre-coilover experimentation)
* Next year (long arms + Coilovers)

I guess I might as well share the rest of my Black Friday shopping list while I'm at it!

The plan is to move the rear shock lower mounts up (I'll be drilling a channel in the bracket where the parking brake line is) and resting them right over the parking brake line at a slight angle.

The shock towers will sit at a slightly higher angle (but not a full 90 deg) between the current mount and the spring seats, basically changing the geometry just enough to bring those lower shock mounts up and try out a slightly steeper angle.

I hope this will give me the experience to shape the before mentioned plan for next year: long arms, coilovers, moving/shortening the gas tank, and moving the frame side LCAs to the side of the frame.

For this year, frame/body reinforcement will look like this:
* An x pattern of cross bars to reinforce the shock hoops and my "tree bars" to the frame.
* Dropping a reinforced bar directly into the end of the frame to replace the draw bar where the hitch currently is. The clevis will be welded into this bar so they sit inside the frame
* Moving the sway bar into tubes in the frame with reinforcement plates/washers (see sway bar convo a page or so ago).

In theory all of this will be a nice incremental change to see how the truck reacts without going big immediately.

 

[Escape.idiocracy]

the control arm brackets on the side of the frame will be phenomenal.
I’m really surprised to see that evo hasn’t put out a bracket yet for the JT…. They had them for the JK and that was the best control arm mount on the market- hands down!!!

Good Times ahead. ???

Do you primarily wheel slow?

I personally crawl slow…. But enjoy driving like a putts through the desert and open dirt roads…..

Reason I ask- if you drive reasonable and not fast- ORI would be the way to go…. Coilovers are sweet…. But ORI are outstanding- adjustments are way simpler- just get a nitro kit and Guage from power tank and life is easy going.

Might be worth a look.

 

[Klutch]

There are mods and there are MODS! Just wow...

 

[Kindafearless]

Unfortunately, I had a couple projects that were higher priority so it took a month to get back to my truck :/. Made progress last weekend though!

The manual locker switches (no longer computer controlled) are working.

I cleared back some of the old wiring for stuff I’m not using anymore, like fog lamps, power steering, towing wiring, etc.

The bed is cut and test fitted. A little more metal work is required, but I hope to have the bed reassembled in February.

 

[KX L]

Unfortunately, I had a couple projects that were higher priority so it took a month to get back to my truck :/. Made progress last weekend though!

The manual locker switches (no longer computer controlled) are working.

I cleared back some of the old wiring for stuff I’m not using anymore, like fog lamps, power steering, towing wiring, etc.

The bed is cut and test fitted. A little more metal work is required, but I hope to have the bed reassembled in February.

I spent 30+ years in the Marine Corps in the ground combat arms---in all sorts of shit holes like Kuwait, Somalia, Afghanistan etc..., my balls aren't half as big as yours!

Amazing talent.

 

[Klutch]

Factory warranty still in full affect, right?

 

[Kindafearless]

Factory warranty still in full affect, right?

Absolutely!

 

[Chunky White]

Awesome build and great work!! I am a new guy here and enjoyed reading the whole thread which has some good information

 

[Kindafearless]

Some more progress was made last weekend.

Got the spot welds in on reassembling the bed. Hopefully the silicon bronze filler tonight.

I also welded in the replacement for the draw bar and tow hooks. With the Aluminum bumper in place, the truck is still legal according to Virginia lift laws!

Lots of finish work to do boxing in the frame, patching the holes in the bumper, and cleaning up those d ring points. The new sway bar mounts are next, but still on track to have the truck on the road again next month.

Probably won't re-paint until after my first offroad weekend though.

 

[Jaxmax]

I always follow your builds, and as others, am impressed with your talent and nerve. I always thought your rear bumper was cool and lightweight, but now think it needs your touch, perhaps even sell it and fab your own rear bumper with as much clearance as possible, unless the bumper rules dictate that height of bumper, just saying.....Jack

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