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Some unplanned modifications, how does it look?

Capt. Nemo

Capt. Nemo

NAXJA Member #904
Location
Southwest, US
There are some other photos in the Sierra Chapter , but thought you all might enjoy a good underside shot of the rig. This was after attempting a different line called the "Soup Kitchen" on the Rubicon. The mods include a broken windshield, broken rear glass, dented roof, bent A pillar, dented passenger doors, crunched fender, bent hood, broken mirror and probably a bunch of other stuff I'll find once I clean it all off... All on its first trip out :laugh3:

underside.jpg


on_side.jpg


You can see the damage in this pic a little bit. I'll have to take more later that can show it a little clearer...

Big_Sluice.jpg
 
Who's longarm setup you runnin?

Wouldn't think you had to go to all that trouble to show us your flowmaster :)

I guess your rig is now

"Rubicon Grated"
 
Get yourself a HF portapower and start to it. That is nothing more than a ding. :repair:

Before

XJ_roll_1.jpg


after
XJFront.jpg
 
I'm running FT's long arm with modified rear spring hangers.

Wow! old-man your rig looks great after that roll. I assume everyone was okay???!!! You'll have to tell me more about this HF portapower thingy...
 
So........who was spotting you?


:)
 
Goatman said:
So........who was spotting you?


:)
Click to expand...


I'll let him (ah, hem - Denis :laugh3: ) chime in when he sees this post... BUT, in his defense, it was a very strange flop. I've been on my side two other times in my CJ, and this roll was quick. It was like I hit the rocks and rolled. No warning or indication that I was going over. The only thing we can think is that because the suspension is so new, it's still pretty stiff and just unloaded when I started to climb. I had a decent approach, and Denis is experienced, so I'm blaming the rock...
 
Ya know those damned rocks just seem to jump out and get you every once in a while. If you need the measurements on the body to get it back square, I have the factory unibody diagram with all the measurements. My wife thinks we are all crazy to put so much blood, sweat, and tears into a rig and them FUBAR it, but what would she know, she's only been married to me for 29 years. LOL on straightening it. The hardest thing is to get the windshield opening straight so the new glass fits. When you have them replace the glass, make them use the adhesive and make them do a thick bed. That will allow for any errors. The problem is that once you start tweaking the unibody it gets a lot more limber. With a stroker I can actually see the body flex when I torque it up and the cracks at the rain gutter line in the back are starting to grow.
 
Capt. Nemo said:
I'll let him (ah, hem - Denis :laugh3: ) chime in when he sees this post... BUT, in his defense, it was a very strange flop. I've been on my side two other times in my CJ, and this roll was quick. It was like I hit the rocks and rolled. No warning or indication that I was going over. The only thing we can think is that because the suspension is so new, it's still pretty stiff and just unloaded when I started to climb. I had a decent approach, and Denis is experienced, so I'm blaming the rock...
Click to expand...

yeah, yeah, blame Denis. :D:D:D the roll was very fast, i couldn't even open my mouth to say stop. i think Eric did this on purpose. LOL
the line was not bad though, if he were to take it more perpendicular the front bumper would have hit before the driver side tire started climbing.
 
old_man said:
Ya know those damned rocks just seem to jump out and get you every once in a while. If you need the measurements on the body to get it back square, I have the factory unibody diagram with all the measurements. My wife thinks we are all crazy to put so much blood, sweat, and tears into a rig and them FUBAR it, but what would she know, she's only been married to me for 29 years. LOL on straightening it. The hardest thing is to get the windshield opening straight so the new glass fits. When you have them replace the glass, make them use the adhesive and make them do a thick bed. That will allow for any errors. The problem is that once you start tweaking the unibody it gets a lot more limber. With a stroker I can actually see the body flex when I torque it up and the cracks at the rain gutter line in the back are starting to grow.
Click to expand...
i'd like a copy of that diagram, you could email it to me [email protected], or post it for everyone in the uploads section at www.XJDB.com
 
Just a warning on the long arms: Once you get into a vertical climb like the Kitchen, you will onload like crazy (yes Goat, I AM ADMITTING IT). On the Big Off Road site there is(was?) a wild video of me exiting Mickeys Hot Tub. I got vertical and my whole front suspension just unloaded. You should have heard Joe Daro scream like a little girl in my passenger seat ;)

On my new D60, I welded a hoop to the axle and will run my winch cable to it to limit this unloading.

SeanP
 
first time out eh?? this was this rigs first run too, I went 1 1/2 times tho, it was a good time.


forget the portapower, get out the sawzall...

815danangskid-med.jpg


after, not yet finished tho...

815cage5-med.jpg
 
Last edited:
I had a few comments about chopping the top, but this is my daily, and the damage really isn't that bad... Your rig looks good though! I think I'll just admire your handiwork...
 
my is a dd and i cant afford a roll cage, nor do i have the expertise to weld one in. is there anything short of a cage that can be done to help stiffen the roof and pillars to keep them from collapsing on top of me if i roll it?
 
Ramsey said:
my is a dd and i cant afford a roll cage, nor do i have the expertise to weld one in. is there anything short of a cage that can be done to help stiffen the roof and pillars to keep them from collapsing on top of me if i roll it?
Click to expand...

Just bolt on angle iron in various and random directions across the windshield.

You'll know you've done enough when you are peeking out a slit like a WWII tanker.

:rolleyes:

CRASH
 
CRASH said:
Just bolt on angle iron in various and random directions across the windshield.

You'll know you've done enough when you are peeking out a slit like a WWII tanker.

:rolleyes:

CRASH
Click to expand...

This seems a little sketchy for even URF racing to approve! Oh wait, I know, it's the "vision while driving eliminator kit" :D
 
SeanP said:
Just a warning on the long arms: Once you get into a vertical climb like the Kitchen, you will onload like crazy (yes Goat, I AM ADMITTING IT). On the Big Off Road site there is(was?) a wild video of me exiting Mickeys Hot Tub. I got vertical and my whole front suspension just unloaded. You should have heard Joe Daro scream like a little girl in my passenger seat ;)

On my new D60, I welded a hoop to the axle and will run my winch cable to it to limit this unloading.

SeanP
Click to expand...


so is this a flaw in the FT design or a general side-effect of long-arm suspension in the front? sorta like anti-squat, etc in the rear? is there a cure besides running a winch cable to the axle and suck it in on the climbs?
 
dennisuello said:
so is this a flaw in the FT design or a general side-effect of long-arm suspension in the front? sorta like anti-squat, etc in the rear? is there a cure besides running a winch cable to the axle and suck it in on the climbs?
Click to expand...
Limiting straps.
 
Okie Terry said:
Limiting straps.
Click to expand...
Yup. I had problems with my front suspension unloading on climbs. I actually laid my rig over on my first trip out with them too. I climbed up on a rock with the drivers side front, the suspension unloaded and tossed me off.

I got a RE track bar brace and welded a tab to that and one on my axle. Then I put in a centered limiting strap that is about 3" longer than the distance between the tabs. it's like night and day on hill climbs now and the suspension seems much more controlled.

You can see the tabs in this picture, minus the strap:
trackbarbrace.jpg
 
Capt. Nemo,

I commend you for your ability to laugh off this "minor" damage.

Thank you for sharing these great pictures.

Let's give thanks that there were no injuries.

Jeff-97XJ
 
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