Art's One Ton XJuggy

[Art101]

My buddy picked up this xj for $300 bucks threw a couple bucks at it and ended up with this...

When I got my plasma cutter, my buddy got excited and wanted to boatside the xj... well we cut off the sides and a few months later and $150 later the jeep was mine.

This is whats been done so far...

• Plated the unibody
• Cut up and waiting on me to finish the boatsides and cage
• Gas tank relocated
• Swapped in a 79 Ford dana 60 front w/ chromoly 35 spine inner/outers w/ rock and roll offroad drive flanges
• Clayton Offroad Pro-series 3 link front with coils
• Swapped in a ff14 bolt and converted it to disk brakes
• Rear springs flipped for stretch, and relocated shackles
• Installed a fixed yoke in the little baby np231
• Put some 42" TSL SX2 on beadlocks on it...
• Custom built built by me panhard brackets, panhard bar, and tie rod using .250 wall 1.50 OD DOM and ruffstuff 7/8 heims
• Got some full hydraulic steering for it with a single ended ram but still need to install it
• Got some brand new corbeau seats out of my neighbors garage still need to install those

I plan on copying this cage pretty closely...

and now for the actual pictures of my project since its been mine...

and as it sits today...

 

[Lowrange2]

Don't too much care for the cage you plan to copy but other than that I like the last picture!

How many times are you going to change out the beadlock rings. Looks like you painted them then sanded it back off.

 

[Art101]

i just need to pick up that last ring from a guy in town... 3 have the rings on em... that one on the rear driver side is missing the ring so its just mounted like a regular tire right now

 

[Lowrange2]

Ah, that makes sense now. I'm old and my eyes don't work well.

I guess the main thing I don't like about that cage is the funny looking V shape where the door would be.

 

[Art101]

The arm bars will be built with two thing in mind
1.) safety
2.) having a comfortable armrest

 

[aintright]

granted i'm no expert but that cage you showed looks like it has about 20+ feet of unnecessary tubing. with a little better planning and some 1/8th gussests i think you could make a cooler looking cage that weighs alot less and will be plenty strong.

 

[drcomanche]

Yeah, That cage is a bit overbuilt for my taste. It has twice as many tube bends as it probably needs, and aintright pretty much said it all. That last pic is looking pretty awesome, though. Can't wait to see how it ends up.

 

[sunburned]

LOL you guys need to go find the build thread on Pirate for that cage. It looks awesome and I'd put as much tube in there as possible to protect my two little kids as well.

Good luck with this build, off to a great start!

 

[drcomanche]

You have a link to it?

 

[aintright]

i've seen the build. it is a cool build no doubt.

sure more tubing means more protection, but if engineered properly less tubing doesn't mean less protection. it's the same concept as building a bumper out or 3/8's steel when you can build it with 3/16 and be just as strong with much less weight, if thought out enough.

 

[Wiser]

http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=424394
Here's rok-jeeps build (the green xj that's posted in your pic up top). I think there's a second part to this thread though...

Edit..found the second part of the thread
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=953563&highlight=

 

[XJRunner]

I see lots of dead tubes and weak tubes in that cage. You realize you want to keep the amount of bends needed down because a bent tube is a weaker tube...

 

[sunburned]

You guys are still way over thinking this. The main structure of the cage is just like any normal cage and will be strong. The 'dead tubes' you guys are talking about were most likely either to add style or protection. Yeah, the door bars might not keep the cage from collapsing, but it'll keep a rock from impaling you if the Jeep happens to flop onto the side. Plus it looks like lots of the supporting tube was added to connect spots of bent tube and strengthen everything.

Funny how all the big names on Pirate love the cage and everyone on here is bashing it...

 

[Lowrange2]

I'm not bashing the design. Looks strong as hell to me. I just don't like the way it looks. Straighten out the V's at the door and I'd rock it.

 

[userbmx1315]

andy the v's are to help get in it lol.
i like the cage. if i didnt just get my hybrid cage built id be doing a chop and a cage like yours.
props to you.

 

[Art101]

rok-jeep did his homework on that cage. its legit. just gonna be a little tough to get in and out of... and i am totally willing to add a little weight for extra protection, and .120 wall tubing doesnt weigh that much at all

 

[drcomanche]

I'm not saying the thing looks bad, I like it a lot actually, but after looking at the build thread, I still think there are just too many bends where a straight tie in would suffice and still keep the overall style going.

Although, if he's using strong enough tubing, it wouldn't matter either way. At least he has it welded into that monster of a rock rail, and that's going to add a lot of support.

 

[DeftwillP]

rok-jeep did his homework on that cage. its legit. just gonna be a little tough to get in and out of... and i am totally willing to add a little weight for extra protection, and .120 wall tubing doesnt weigh that much at all

If you're going to be climbing into that thing, might wanna lay off the 7&7's :greensmok

 

[XJRunner]

i dont get rock crawlers lol that cage is ugly and un functional to me, maybe its cause I'm from the go fast scene where everything has straight clean lines instead on angled windshield bars and such

 

[Art101]

If you're going to be climbing into that thing, might wanna lay off the 7&7's :greensmok

Liquid courage!