Cage construction

[Jump This]

It can get pretty darn frustraiting to deal with the gremlins when you live out here.
I need a fuel rail (with return) AN fittings, a breather (or two.)
The only real work I am doing is a rebuild of the front upper control arm.
Just driving around it would rock 1/2" or so. I believe I have a solution for that (short of changing the entire cross member design.)
I promised the wife to take her on a nice romantic drive in Ocotillo Wells for Valentines day (and let her drive the buggy.)
Better get back into the garage.

 

[Jump This]

This is one of the issues I had with the rig. The upper control arm on the front three link would flex just driving it around.

I thought about just building an entire new cross member since that will need to be done eventually anyway. But it would take too long. I'd like to drive the thing soon. So.... I decided to support it from the top. I didn't like the idea of just plating the stock 'frame' rail, so I cut the top tin off and plated the rail from inside and the top, then built a support that should eliminate any flex.

It will bolt to the upper control arm mount in three places and bolt to the base in five.

And it all still will sit inside the tin I already cut.

All I need now is some grade 8 hardware along with a F9 bolt for the hiem.

 

[RedHeep]

I like that solution.

Better to spend the last few days getting it right after working on it for so long.

 

[MoparManiac]

Beefatronic

 

[Jump This]

I like that solution.

Better to spend the last few days getting it right after working on it for so long.

Only a couple of *known* problems left to deal with. Even if I don't get them all done, I'm still taking it out to the dunes for President's Weekend.
If nothing else, I'll have time to work on it there!

 

[Jump This]

She made her maiden voyage!

The sand dunes were a perfect place for its first run. Mostly just driving it around, making adjustments, driving some more, more work, then letting the girls take it up to the sand drags.
You should have seen the reaction from the crowd when they would take it down the drags.
Yeah, girls in big Jeeps are HOT!

 

[Fullsizexj]

cool deal, glad to see you got it out and are getting the little stuff worked out, you are gonna have alot of fun once you get it all dialed in

 

[RedHeep]

Post #1 on May 15th, 2007.

I hope it feels good Rick, you deserve it. It looks awesome.

 

[Jump This]

Thanks guys!
TDS in two weeks. By then most all of the details should be worked out and I'll be able to do some crawlin'.

 

[Jump This]

I need to convince someone to take pictures while I'm wheelin'.
Did TDS over the weekend and she performned far better than I could have hoped for. I do have a full page of detail work to do, but nothing major.
Nothing came loose or fell off (a minor miracle for me.) Kept her on the rubber side and found no overheating issues.
However....that neat cutter brake system isn't working. Not enough power behind it. It WILL need a sway bar system and more storage.
All things I did anticipate.
Back to the garage!

BTW In the picture, those tires have only 8psi. After that I aired them down to 1~2psi and drove around for a while to try to brake them in.

 

[David Taylor]

I need to convince someone to take pictures while I'm wheelin'.

I might know a guy.:moon:
When will it be hammer's ready ?

 

[Jump This]

I think it will need the sway bar before I hit any big rocks.
It would also be helpful if the damn winch worked (Smittybilt POS, but they said they will either repair or replace it.)

Give me a couple more weeks.

 

[David Taylor]

It looks really tall. How much shaft is showing at ride hight ? What is the belly hight ?

 

[GSequoia]

It looks really tall. How much shaft is showing at ride hight ? What is the belly hight ?

TMI

 

[Jump This]

It looks really tall. How much shaft is showing at ride hight ? What is the belly hight ?

I am having trouble with the regulator on my nitrogen tank. The picture you see there is a result of not being able to get uniform pressure on each pair of shocks (f&r.) I said screw it and pumped enough into each shock to level it out with about 80% up travel.
The plan is 35%. I'm hoping to find a better quality gauge today so I can get started on the set up.

 

[Jump This]

Ride height set (for now.)
I've been spending time on detail work, things like tool storage and a cooler mount. I still have not figured out why the winch won't work, but I'll get to work on that again soon.
Also working on a sway bar system for the back. I'm trying to find just some stock sway bar that I can graft onto the rig to see if I like it at all. All the stock Cherokee stuff is too wide.
Anyway, it will be back out for the SoCalXJ event on the 14th. After that I'll drag it out to Johnson Valley for some real wheelin'.

 

[cracker]

Your rear links look to be at crazy angles.

where is your instant center and what is your anti squat?

 

[scottmcneal]

Rick i'll be out on the 14th too.I want to see this thing on the dirt. Looks good

 

[David Taylor]

Ride height set (for now.)
I've been spending time on detail work, things like tool storage and a cooler mount. I still have not figured out why the winch won't work, but I'll get to work on that again soon.
Also working on a sway bar system for the back. I'm trying to find just some stock sway bar that I can graft onto the rig to see if I like it at all. All the stock Cherokee stuff is too wide.
Anyway, it will be back out for the SoCalXJ event on the 14th. After that I'll drag it out to Johnson Valley for some real wheelin'.

Most of us will be at the tin bender jambo April 28th.

With some shock work you shouldn't need a sway bar. Can you lower it more ?
Your rear lower link angle looks steep. Get some shock oil and shims so we can do some tuning

 

[shortxjdoug]

Ride height set (for now.)
I've been spending time on detail work, things like tool storage and a cooler mount. I still have not figured out why the winch won't work, but I'll get to work on that again soon.
Also working on a sway bar system for the back. I'm trying to find just some stock sway bar that I can graft onto the rig to see if I like it at all. All the stock Cherokee stuff is too wide.
Anyway, it will be back out for the SoCalXJ event on the 14th. After that I'll drag it out to Johnson Valley for some real wheelin'.

IIRC theres a few write ups on making an anti-rock style swaybar using toyota/nissan torsion bars.... however proper shock tuning and ride height should eliminate the need