Expedition Build: Yellow Jeep XJ

themauler said:

Looks like those welds could use a do over. That position is not ideal at all and that looks like flux wire which can make an extremely messy weld. As much force radius arms put on the brackets i would pull it out and weld again in a better position.

Also, were you out on the trail with your sway bar still attached???

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Thanks for the feedback. The welds seem to hold up fine. The position is good, exactly where the stock ones were, same angle. These are brackets made for the Dana 35. We measured and compared, so position wise these are good. Ill be getting new axles in the future, and these should be fine until then.

And yes, sometimes I'll go off road with the sway bar attached, if I don't feel I need the extra articulation.

Heavyopp said:

Photobucket killed the beginning of this thread -- no more pictures

I'm liking the build, thinking I want to use my xj the same as you -- set up similar

I'm a serious hobby welder -- I have to agree on what the previous poster mentioned about those welds for the lca brackets -- those welds are important -- they should be redone properly

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Yeah Photobucket is killing me right now. Definitely need to switch all my photos over, its on my "to do" list.

We are not welders by trade, but they seem to hold up fine for the time being. They'll hold me over until I can get my new axles. Did a few shake down runs, no issues. Thanks for the feedback.

Chop Top

So this is the first phase of the chop top. I stripped the interior from the rear seat back to the cargo area. Carpet, head liner, plastic trim panels, seat belts, seats etc.

Then we removed the rear hatch. Then the two rear cargo windows. We then decided where to make or cuts, and have at it with the cutting wheel. Definitely helpful to have to people for this project. I had a good friend help me out. We are now calling the make a Cheromanche, and it's name is Kickflip.

This is just Phase 1 of the chop top.
We are in the process of deciding what kind of interior roll cage and exterior Wrangler style rear roll bar to fabricate. Basically a roll cage for the A, B, and C Pillars, with a rear roll bar, tired together on top as a kind of roof rack/roll cage. It will be completely caged, yet completely open, with canvas cover with snaps to protect from the rain.

Tail Gunner

Trail tested our makeshift "Tail Gunner" seat. (basically we just threw the rear seat backrest down in the back and sat on in 3 wide) If we can make it work with a removable seat and backrest on the tail gate, we can seat 6 comfortably, 8 maximum capacity.

P.s. I have notice that I'm having some issues with my photo hosting site. Looking to get it sorted out. In the meantime, most of my previous pics are temporarily disabled.

What are you going to use to seal the back? There is a guy around here who mated a pickup truck rear cab to his XJ -- work was crappy but looked great from a distance

What zip you in in NH? -- I get up there fairly regularly, Have land in Warner that I go camping on.

Heavyopp said:

What are you going to use to seal the back? There is a guy around here who mated a pickup truck rear cab to his XJ -- work was crappy but looked great from a distance

What zip you in in NH? -- I get up there fairly regularly, Have land in Warner that I go camping on.

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I am going to finish cutting out the rest of the roof and put a full roll cage in, with a Wrangler style roll bar in the back. Gut the interior and Rhino-Line it, have the drain holes so I can hose her out, then I'm going to make a canvas snap on soft top for it.

F.N.G. said:

I am going to finish cutting out the rest of the roof and put a full roll cage in, with a Wrangler style roll bar in the back. Gut the interior and Rhino-Line it, have the drain holes so I can hose her out, then I'm going to make a canvas snap on soft top for it.

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You just listed my dream build.

Definitely can't wait to see this turn out.

Mine has a Jeep Comanche back end on it. The only problem is that the back seat is a little tight now.

Here is what I think is cleanest way that I have seen someone finish off the back end. The guy that did mine cut up the old lift-gate, enclosed the parts and then put the caps back in place.




and here is how he did the back window even though you are going a different route.

F.N.G. said:

Gut the interior and Rhino-Line it,

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Have you ever seen Line X? -- Do you even have Line X up in NH?

Here in NJ Line X is fairly new, The weren't allowed due to some sort of environmental issues I believe

Anyway, I think the finish on Line X is way better than the finish on Rhino -- they both are comparable products, and they do the same thing, Just that Line X leaves a better, more uniform, finished surface

looking good!
I went a completly different route on my rolled xj (just finished this week), but I really like the direction you're going.

There's a guy running around with a chopped XJ in Charleston SC. I have to say, it looks pretty tempting

Any updates?