92 XJ Mild Build Thread

[themauler]

You bringing that thing to the Crawl?

Ahhh. I have never felt better about my jeep tackling some bigger trails this year however I don't think I can make it this time around. Maybe if I used to live in NC where the trip wasn't so long. Having only worked for 9 months after college I don't have a ton of vacation time to use so it would be a hustle getting there and back

 

[Ghost]

Ahhh. I have never felt better about my jeep tackling some bigger trails this year however I don't think I can make it this time around. Maybe if I used to live in NC where the trip wasn't so long. Having only worked for 9 months after college I don't have a ton of vacation time to use so it would be a hustle getting there and back

Bummer. How far is URE for you now?

 

[themauler]

Bummer. How far is URE for you now?

Eh 5 hours. Definitely a weekend trip now instead of the day trips I was used to. It almost feels like wheeling in WV, MD, and PA are just as close as wheeling in NC and SC :dunno:

 

[Ghost]

Eh 5 hours. Definitely a weekend trip now instead of the day trips I was used to. It almost feels like wheeling in WV, MD, and PA are just as close as wheeling in NC and SC :dunno:

Being on the coast it might be.

 

[themauler]

Being on the coast it might be.

Yeah. I plan to come to the crawl again for sure. Just too much stuff happening right now to make it. Next year for sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ghost]

Yeah. I plan to come to the crawl again for sure. Just too much stuff happening right now to make it. Next year for sure.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Maybe this fall we need to look at a weekend trip to URE for !

 

[043500]

Carmine and I keep saying we want to do that but then never have the $$ or time.

We just live too damn far away from any decent wheeling.

 

[Ghost]

Carmine and I keep saying we want to do that but then never have the $$ or time.

We just live too damn far away from any decent wheeling.

Find a long weekend or a Friday you guys are off. You cannot be more then 7 or 8 hours from my house. Lets discuss this @ Harlan.

 

[themauler]

Find a long weekend or a Friday you guys are off. You cannot be more then 7 or 8 hours from my house. Lets discuss this @ Harlan.

Something in October would be great. Fall rides at URE are actually enjoyable :us:

 

[themauler]

I have put the final welds on the winch bumper, amen. My last wish was to put some protection for the winch in case I laid the front bumper on some rocks or such. I used some more of the gussets that I got from Barnes to keep it nice and rigid.

Notched out an area where the winch engagement lever is and I was good to go. Adjusted the welding amps a little bit with these 7018 rods and the welds came out very smooth for me.

A bit of slag droppings but that’s what I get for still not buying 1/8” and using 3/32” at the top of their amp range.










​

 

[PacificEd]

Very nice!

 

[iluv83vettes]

That's with a stick? Very nice.

 

[themauler]

That's with a stick? Very nice.

Yeah all stick. It is actually a POWCON 220v multiprocess machine. It has some pretty impressive inverter "stuff" packed inside the tiny suitcase. I have had it for some time now but with my Lincoln MIG I preferred using that even though it was only 110v.

I was pretty inspired by a build on NC4x4 where a guy is fabbing a YJ with in a barn out on his property and all he has to use is a 220v ESAB stick welder. Some of his welds basically look like TIG because of his steady hand.

I figure some more stick welding in my fab experience will only benefit me and the strength of my welds. Plus rods are cheap and don't have to pay for stinken gas. Grab some nickel rods and I should never have to worry about welding on anything jeep/offroad related.

Thanks for the props atriot:

 

[Ghost]

Yeah all stick. It is actually a POWCON 220v multiprocess machine. It has some pretty impressive inverter "stuff" packed inside the tiny suitcase. I have had it for some time now but with my Lincoln MIG I preferred using that even though it was only 110v.

I was pretty inspired by a build on NC4x4 where a guy is fabbing a YJ with in a barn out on his property and all he has to use is a 220v ESAB stick welder. Some of his welds basically look like TIG because of his steady hand.

I figure some more stick welding in my fab experience will only benefit me and the strength of my welds. Plus rods are cheap and don't have to pay for stinken gas. Grab some nickel rods and I should never have to worry about welding on anything jeep/offroad related.

Thanks for the props atriot:

You talking about xjsavage?

 

[themauler]

You talking about xjsavage?

I am indeed. He has great talent going on in under that barn. But overall stick welding has made me actually give a hoot about any sort of fab prep work. It is easy with MIG to weld stuff together that doesn't fit all that great but with stick you can't hide that very well.

With stick I try to have perfect fitment between the pieces I am welding together and bevel the edges for good penetration. It sucks banging off slag but it has helped teach me to be patient when welding/fabricating.

 

[Ghost]

I am indeed. He has great talent going on in under that barn. But overall stick welding has made me actually give a hoot about any sort of fab prep work. It is easy with MIG to weld stuff together that doesn't fit all that great but with stick you can't hide that very well.

With stick I try to have perfect fitment between the pieces I am welding together and bevel the edges for good penetration. It sucks banging off slag but it has helped teach me to be patient when welding/fabricating.

Yea I've been trying to find a Saturday to go visit him and catch up. I've never stick welded anything. I'd love to learn proper welding some day. Especially TIG. I watched my friend Justin TIG my steering ram mount on and was shocked at how clean it was.

 

[themauler]

I'd love to learn proper welding some day. Especially TIG. I watched my friend Justin TIG my steering ram mount on and was shocked at how clean it was.

TIG would be a dream except all the consumables and the machine alone costs a mountain of money :bawl:

After some coats of paint I take a sigh of relief when I slide the bumper on and bolt everything back together back to readiness condition. The winch and bumper is pretty hefty. Mind that I have not wound it back up with cable yet. Before cable I believe it is around 110#-125#. Just light enough for me to man handle and get it onto the body.

Really wish I had a tube bender by now. I don’t mind wheeling without some protection under the head lights but one bad kiss from a tree and I will be hunting in the junkyard for some new body parts :scottm:








​

 

[themauler]

Ahhh Time to sit back and relax a little....:yingyang:

I completed all of my crap before a trip to Potts Mountain for a nice afternoon of testing my skills behind the wheel and not behind the :compwork:

New ordinance style battery lugs


How I wired the new #2awg welding cable from alternator to PDC box.


Solenoid box relocation was a must. The engine bay is tight and I wanted a good mount so sorry washer bottle but you're out of here.


Just enough room to get the plug into the box under the AC lines.

Now take your #1awg welding cable and connect the dots. Took about 24' from the front fender to the firewall. Still need to get some of that plastic protective cover and run it all the way back to keep any oil off of the lines.








My old trac bar brace was getting smacked by the trac bar on up travel so the old one got scrapped and the new one was made inspired by IronMan4x4Fab and their trac bar brace. This actually works very well in the tight space I have. More Barnes4wd gusset brackets.

I think I need a variety of these shapes and sizes at all times. So useful. atriot:





​

 

[themauler]

After another round of Harlan I tackled some bigger trails and paid the price with some body damage. Got really hung up on killin time and got stuck between two rocks front and rear. Banged up my rear hatch pretty badly but it absorbed the impact and didn't crack.


On lower rock garden I charge on up the trail and got in another tight situation and found my front driver's side fender and turning lights getting mangled on a large rock about half way up the garden. Really need to get some tube bent and welded on up there.



Got home and decided I should begin tearing down the Dana 300. I want to do a simple rebuild of all of the gaskets. I will pull it all apart shortly then order the flip ring for it. The gears all look to be in great shape and there was only a tiny bit of metal shavings on the magnet of the plug.

 

[themauler]

Bringing this back. It's been a while since I have played with this any. I recently inherited a sail boat to use on the Elizabeth and James River near my house. I think we all know boats are bigger money pits than cars. I am trying to keep that on a budget of course.

Because Thanksgiving is awesome and sales are plenty I ordered a JD2 model 3 bender and a 1.75-5.5CLR die. I hope to bend some tube for the front bumper. After that I will begin some sort of plan for establishing a interior cage with a few exo bits to protect the body in spots prone to contact.

For anyone that doesn't know DOM is incredibly expensive so patience and saving money is ahead. A rebuild kit for the dana 300 will be in order shortly. Until then I will continue bashing the XJ one trail at a time :gee: