Mira's '93 XJ 2-dr. build (11-year-old's first Jeep)

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

looks great. are you adopting? lol.

how was the fitment of the truss? looks superb from the pics.

Thanks, but no. :roll:


The fit of the T&T truss was pretty good overall (and saved me a TON of time scratch-building one), but I still had to do a fair share of grinding on the back "opening" cut-out, as well as the lower edges that bridge the casting. That being said, it is an '05 TJ/LJ axle, and I bought the XJ D44 truss, so there may be subtle differences between the shape of the two castings. Overall, I'm very happy with the way it turned out, though.

I strongly suspect that Mira won't outgrow the strength of this axle, which was my original intent when going with the truss.

Craig

 

[Mitchen]

favorite thread on ::

 

[brianglawson]

favorite thread on ::

Agreed!

 

[REVROK]

Great thread! As a Dad with three daughters and a son I really identify with what you are teaching Mira and... way to go Mira! Keep up the good work.

 

[GreenMachine1]

Mira is a celebrity now. I saw her and her Jeep in the latest issue of JP magazine.

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

favorite thread on ::

Agreed!

Thanks guys!

Great thread! As a Dad with three daughters and a son I really identify with what you are teaching Mira and... way to go Mira! Keep up the good work.

Thanks REVROK. I'm hoping she appreciates it even more when she's older.

Mira is a celebrity now. I saw her and her Jeep in the latest issue of JP magazine.

Thanks GreenMachine1. I actually scanned the article and posted it on Page 5 of this thread. Mira is quite the cheese with her response, too.

Craig

 

[Tacedaddy]

I just read the justin beiber post and realized i probably could have traded you some nick jonas autographs for those parts....


(for clarification im in the recording business)

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

I started on Mira's "poor kid's (and dad's) heavy-duty control arms" tonight (stock LCA on the bottom, newly-plated LCA on top). I bought $4 worth of 1 3/4" x 3/16" plate today, and welded one piece to the bottom of the stock LJ control arms. I stitch-welded them a little at a time to minimize warping. The grinding is just the initial pass...it'll look better once I'm done.

 

[DeftwillP]

Not too shabby. Why didn't you go ahead lengthen them while you were at it?

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Not too shabby. Why didn't you go ahead lengthen them while you were at it?

Thanks. Well, because they wouldn't fit then. We're sticking with a stock-ish suspension set-up, although my plated OEM control arms idea has probably died as quickly as it started. I already installed a set of JKS Mini Skids on Mira's Dana 30 axle, and just realized that they have clearance issues with the stock LCAs (plated or not). Drat. Back to the drawing board.

Craig

 

[Mitchen]

Thanks. Well, because they wouldn't fit then. We're sticking with a stock-ish suspension set-up, although my plated OEM control arms idea has probably died as quickly as it started. I already installed a set of JKS Mini Skids on Mira's Dana 30 axle, and just realized that they have clearance issues with the stock LCAs (plated or not). Drat. Back to the drawing board.

Craig

why not just purchase some aftermarket control arms that are close to stock length if not stock length? then you will not have clearance issues and a much stronger control arm/grease-able. I have just seen bad things come out of modified OEM control arms. but maybe my friends are just terrible welders :jester:

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

why not just purchase some aftermarket control arms that are close to stock length if not stock length? then you will not have clearance issues and a much stronger control arm/grease-able. I have just seen bad things come out of modified OEM control arms. but maybe my friends are just terrible welders :jester:

That'll probably have to be the plan. We are trying to stick to a (net) low-buck budget, and the control arms I had were 53K-mile ones from my '05 LJ. I'm more than confident enough in my welds, but it' kind of a non-issue now that I have found they won't clear. :tear:

Craig

 

[dasbulliwagen]

That'll probably have to be the plan. We are trying to stick to a (net) low-buck budget, and the control arms I had were 53K-mile ones from my '05 LJ. I'm more than confident enough in my welds, but it' kind of a non-issue now that I have found they won't clear. :tear:

Craig

Some uppers and lowers from a WJ will be a huge improvement is strength. It only takes a little grinding here and there to get them to work correctly. Might be an option for you.

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Some uppers and lowers from a WJ will be a huge improvement is strength. It only takes a little grinding here and there to get them to work correctly. Might be an option for you.

Thanks for the heads-up, dasbulliwagen. I wasn't familiar with that swap, but after looking through the details, I still think the WJ lowers would interefere with the JKS mini skids I already welded on Mira's Dana 30.

Craig

 

[REVROK]

Thanks for the heads-up, dasbulliwagen. I wasn't familiar with that swap, but after looking through the details, I still think the WJ lowers would interefere with the JKS mini skids I already welded on Mira's Dana 30.

Craig

There are lots of options to build your own arms to save money and nice set of adjustables would give Mira more future options. I traded parts for some fixed RE arms and plan on taking a chop saw and my mig to them with some nice shiny new forged rod ends. In your case there may be a club member in your area with some arms that could use some fab work done... voila! Free adjustable lowers!

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Trussed Dana 44 almost done...currently in primer. I hope to have paint finished this week (the Eastwood primer/paint requires 24 hours between coats). My perfectionist ways are killing me...I have a couple blemishes on top of the truss that I'll probably re-sand & re-prime. Nobody will ever see it when it's installed, but it'll bug me if I don't fix them.

 

[brianglawson]

Mira, Time to go beat on that axle a bit!!! Test your old man's fab work out!!

Truss looks GREAT!

 

[Rammin97]

Awesome Thread!!! My daughter, Jorji, and I are working on her first car as well. has a soft spot for future wheelers.. Jorji girl won a Gift Cert to Ballistic Fab which has gone towards her build. Yes dads, the first thing she looked at was the clothes!! go figure? Keep up the work on the future ROTM Winner!!:cheers:

 

[1x1_Speed_Craig]

Mira, Time to go beat on that axle a bit!!! Test your old man's fab work out!!

Truss looks GREAT!

Awesome Thread!!! My daughter, Jorji, and I are working on her first car as well. has a soft spot for future wheelers.. Jorji girl won a Gift Cert to Ballistic Fab which has gone towards her build. Yes dads, the first thing she looked at was the clothes!! go figure? Keep up the work on the future ROTM Winner!!:cheers:

Thanks guys. I'll have Mira read your posts/updates in this thread this weekend.


Parts update!

Here in Michigan, Mira must be excited about sledding season, as her idea for a photo with her new JCR Offroad transfer case skid was to sit on it like a sled. Crazy kid. I took advantage of a Black Friday sale at JCR to pick up this, and a couple other items for Mira as an early Christmas(ish) gift.

Another shot of Mira with the JCR Offroad skid, and also a set of their new front Unibody Tie-In brackets that wrap underneath the frame, and tie into the sway bar mounts. These are nice pieces to beef up the front sheet metal where the stock bumper mounts.

Speaking of front bumpers, JCR Offroad unveiled an economically-priced “DIY” front bumper on Black Friday, as well. It’s all CNC-cut, and comes in a tidy little (literally…approximately 12” x 30” x 1”) package. I picked one of these up for Mira, as well.

Here’s what the assembled JCR Offroad DIY bumper kit looks like assembled & installed. It should look very nice on her XJ.

 

[Egodfrey]

Really is coming together great. Congrats to both of you!