making some changes

up here it's not easy to find a Cherokee without a bit of rust here n there... this one is no different.
while adding TNT stiffiners last year I found the frame rails had some cancer in more places than I had thought... so this year I am cutting out some of the worst spots, and beefing things up a bit.

I'll skip the pre pics, it looked like a Cherokee on 33's with about 4.5"-5.5" of lift, a bit of trimming and some home made bumpers.

a year ago I added some tube from rear wheel well to wheel well to attach some 14" travel 5150's to. wheeled it like that a few times, was very happy with the setup, but knew it wouldn't last long (figured the wheel wells were not exactly load bearing)

so past spring I made a major cut

(excuse the poor pics, I suck at photography and my cell while being 5mp still has me at the helm, not using it properly)




in the summer I put the fuel tank in the floor


my plan was to then plate the rear frame rails... but I found the 'frame' around where the fuel filler hoses go through the rails was... well missing in a few places... so out came the plasma and sawzall


granted now would be a good time to build a proper linked rear suspension... but that's not what I am looking for right now so I am sticking with the leafs.

2x4" was a little to short to fit into the 'frame' where I cut, so I went with 2x5"x 3/16th I slotted the very bottom of the tubing so it would go under the current rails, while the same amount of tubing was inside the rails.
this area will get rosette welds, and then some fish plates extending down the rails down to the front leaf mount.


a little more added to the rear, will end up being a little shorter then stock since the bumper can attach directly to the 2x5 making for a little better departure angle




that was yesterdays tasking
today was about getting the leafs attached again. the stock frame angles out a bit, where as the way I did it meant I'd have to build out a bit to attach the leafs.
this is how I did it


from another angle


and one more



that was all the progress I made this weekend. everything turned out nicely as measurements were simple. where I cut the 2x5 was 36" inside to inside, so with just the 2x2 added to the rear, the mounting width was bang on.

still to come is to actually attach this new frame to the old rails, and re-enforce that area and tie it into the front leaf mount along the sides.
underneath I'll plate it up to the TNT stiffiners.
also planning on dove tailing the back a bit. I have a Commanche tailgate I want to put in, so the rear quarters should end up being about 4" outside of that... all in good time for that tho.
a new bumper is also in the works, but that too will be a little while down the road.
after all that... comes a hybrid cage.


not sure how often I'll get to update this, it's at my buddies and finding time to work on it isn't always easy.

thanks for looking, and providing any ideas/criticism/feedback... it's all welcome and appreciated.

Looks pretty sweet and definitely a great start. Mine had the same problem with a lack of frame rail where the gas tank filler hoses go through. I took a similar approach as you. Rust sucks.

And your pics are fine. I've seen much worse on a forum. But even bad pics are better than no pics!

Looks pretty nice to me, good luck!

That's about what I would end up doing if I was trying to save my 96. Instead I decided to buy a new shell.

Mine had a problem with a general lack of frame rail in several spots, though the section under the fuel fill tube opening was, well, mostly intact... I hope... at least long enough to avoid me looking at it.

thanks, I am pretty happy with how things are going thus far, and have a few "ideas" to put into play down the road.

I just purchased;
Ford High Pinion center section re-tubed for the rear
63" WMS to WMS
8 bolt on 6.5"
5:38 gears
14 Bolt spindles and hubs
Disc brakes and calipers ( dual lines run for cutting brakes)
Full detroit Locker
35 spline Moser 4340 Chromoly axle shafts
Currently set up for YJ leaf springs SOA
Anti wrap bar and axle brackets included
Super heavy duty diff cover guard
Smoothed bottom
1310 Yoke

anyway, I am wondering if there are any ideas from those seeing what is done so far, as to what I can add/fab to add something unique?
I figure a tool box kind of area between the rear frame since the tank will be pushed forward (or may go with a fuel cell)
I will be adding a tailgate, but not sure if I want it stock style hinge, or fab something stronger...

any ideas?

A truss would be a good addition to that axle.
You gonna run the cutting brakes?

mcantar18c said:

A truss would be a good addition to that axle.
You gonna run the cutting brakes?

Click to expand...

hadn't planned on it... hadn't given it much thought really.

made a bit of progress over the last few months.
frame is much the same as I got the rear axle set up to go under it.

HP D60 re-tubed for the rear, ruffstuff leaf perches, shock mounts... just waiting on dif covers to finish it off.

the axle sitting at the angle it should be installed at.


shock mounts are mounted on top of the leaf perches, same way I had them on the previous 8.8, truss is simple, but is attached to the ladder bar mount, both tubes, and will get burnt into the stock cast perch also.


really anxious to get the RuffStuff covers. the rear will be attached to the truss via angled plate and bolts, to stiffen things up a bit more.


I have the front HP60 sitting in the driveway, now to get this rear bolted in and finish the rear frame/body work so I can move onto the front.

Please tell me you're going to dovetail the back. It'd be so easy to do from that point. I wanna do mine like that I just don't have a REASON to cut it yet.


Edit: so, yeah I just read what you said rather than just looked at the pictures... lol

yes dovetailing will occur... I didn't really have a reason other then it made working in that area a little easier without as much sheet metal getting in the way.

got the rear bumper built, forgot to get pics... just about ready to start on the front D60.

for anyone reading a few questions;

1. on the axle, the LCA mounts is it preferred to have the mounts angle towards the frame mounts
OR
2. LCA mounts mount perpendicular to the axle and have the links angled on the arms?


I was thinking of grabbing some 10* arm mounts for the axle, then got stuck over thinking if I should just use straight ones.


thoughts?

I would angle the mounts personally.

well it took a while to do anything worth posting about.

rear bumper got done a wile ago;






got the pass side cleaned up on the front 60, today worked on getting the driver side cleaned up, and the chunk of cast cut off to fit the control arms. cut about 1" of the cast off, turned out to be very easy with less then one zip disc used.







still to go on the 60;
- cut pass side knuckle off to move it in for a wms of 65"
- decide on whether to keep TNT y-link or build 3 link w/panhard
- get the lower arm mounts tacked on
- coilover mounts tacked on, I got a deal on some 14"travel FOA's 2.0" that will be used on the front.

got a package, been waiting on this for a while...

a few of these, and I know everyone has seen them before... but you can't understand how beef they are until you see them in person.


along with this, and that (RuffStuff 3 link kit)



coupled with something along these lines (rough numbers, +/- an inch or two here n there)


should result in a finished 3 link front end on coil overs.

lower links = 2" 3/8wall DOM
upper link =1.75" 1/4wall DOM

after helping my buddy build his buggy while waiting on parts for mine I am stoked to get to work on it... just waiting on 1 more box from RuffStuff and I can get at it.

beakie said:

lower links = 2" 3/8wall DOM
upper link =1.75" 1/4wall DOM

Click to expand...

Those RS tube adapters are meant for 1.5" ID tubing, how do you plan on making the tubing sizes you listed work with their 1.25" ID?

foxwar71 said:

Those RS tube adapters are meant for 1.5" ID tubing, how do you plan on making the tubing sizes you listed work with their 1.25" ID?

Click to expand...

I plan to figure out what my final lengths are going to be, then get the required material machined out to fit the adapters.
I don't expect that to weaken the arms at all.

well after getting my buddies buggy up and moving I finally have time to start working on mine instead of his.

so today I got the crossmember, links, and the link mounts all mocked up in place. tacked things where I wanted them, and where the upper would fit, then brought it out get things matched up angles, distances wise.

I got the arms machined out to receive the 1 1/4" bungs, fit perfectly, should be plenty of beef.

I'll end up with either 4" or 5" of separation at the frame and about 8" at the axle.

didn't get any pictures of it under the heep today, but this is what it looks like mocked up in the garage.






now, just when we get my buddies rig up and moving, and I can concentrate in my rig... I am on the crap shift for work this week... 1 1/2 days off until next Monday.

before anything gets attached up front I figured now's as good a time as any to plate the front
cardboard template > 1/8" plate add some holes here n there, and another piece of 1/8" to tie into the TNT frame stiff'ners.





turned out much easier then I thought it would be, even the welding was cleaner than I expected.


before I can put the D60 back together I need to remove this spacer... it's a D60 from DRW truck... but I am not sure how to get this spacer off.

any ideas?

Do the studs press through the whole deal...? Never seen one before.

that's the only way I can see it happening.
I gave one a few whacks with a sledge to see if there was any movement... nada

I'll get it on the press and see if that can persuade things.

turns out those studs were actually "extensions" of the stock studs. so I had to drill out the stock studs from behind.

anyway, I'm setting the front end up and have run into a problem, see pics.

angles are off.



steering box has been moved forward and slightly down to provide room for the front stretch.

I know I have to match up the angles, my MAIN question is;
move the axle side tracbar mount up
or
move the frame side mount down?

I think I will also move the steering box up a bit, and possibly use a different pitman arm (currently WJ reamed for 1ton TRE's)


anyone have thoughts on what they see?

Is this at ride height?

I'd set it down at full bump and see what you have room for before you do anything.