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PROJECT ~~ ODTJ I (Renamed!)
- Thread starter O.D.
- Start date
Probably not.....
I HAVE ABSOLUTELY pushed the limits with my discretionary spending
I will be lying low for a bit now to let the dust settle
lol... I know what thats like...lol
Pappa keeps a spending and Momma keeps complainin' !!! I am thinking Valentine's day is a good day to break the news to the Fam, that we will have to eat Ramen Noodles and Weiners for another 6 months to offset pappa's spending indescretions :lmao::lmao:
Had a nice visit to the UPS store yesterday ....
Had a nice visit to the UPS store yesterday ....
R
Root Moose
Guest
Sweet. I like that you said "screw it" and bought what you wanted. Man after my own heart. LOL
Well.... I figured i'd post up an update on the build... OD's had been neglected for some time however over the past 2 weeks or so, have been working on it every chance i got.
Adrian came down last weekend to give me some welding tips and lend a hand, which made a big difference in what can and cannot do now with a welder !!! Thanks for your help Adrian... Much appreciated.
We tacked in the front CA mounts on the frame and got the axle in and the arms... As well, because of the issue I have with the bolt holding the track bar on the axle, a washer was welded to the outside of the bracket for the time being... I will have to permanently address this before i get it out on the road...
I ended up picking up a bracket kit from Rusty's for the rear axle and i tacked them in place. Only downside was that they sent me two PS rear shock brackets . I called them and they are going to send me a DS bracket ASAP. I marked it out and will tack it in once i get it. Then, i tackled the rear CA frame mounts... I fawked this part up twice!!!! First on the DS, i mis-measured by about 1.5"... I caught it early though, so i cut the tacks off and measured it out again.... Then, when i did the PS side, i did the exact mistake again!!! This one though i only found out after i connected up the rear axle... Suffice it to say, i finally got it all set up, pinion set at 16 degrees.
I then tackled the belly up. I knew that it would not fit due to the new CA brackets from Clayton, so i made some cardboard mock ups of the new skid and then cut them to fit the frame rails... I then transposed it onto the skid and then cut out the areas that needed to go. Bolted it up and it fit perfectly!!
I finally was able to throw on the IROKs! I grabbed a set of used steelies for now, but i am not a big fan of the 8" width, so will be keeping my eye out for some 10's. I ended up sanding them down and painted them flat black and OD. I then rolled her out of the garage for the first time since October.....:
I then gave it a go to get the cage into the tub with an engine hoist. My first attempt failed and she fell over, but the 2nd attempt was a success.. Thank god for the rattle can paint job!!!
I ended up cutting out the harness bar between the B pillars 'cuz it was just too far back for me to still be able to use the back seat.... I did however leave the suspension seat mounts in and hope to find a set in the next few months....
Once i get my pitman arm back (Had to get it reamed out to accept the HD TRE's), i can then start cycling the lift. I do have to shift the front over about and 1" or so towards the DS as the coils are sitting wrong. I also think i might have to push the front forward a bit.. The back from what i can tell so far is sitting just right. I do however have a slight variance in the rear of about 5/8" from one corner to the other. I think it might be lower coil buckets. Not sure yet how i am going to address that. I also have new upper coil buckets so that i can straighten the coils out. Haven't decided yet whether I am going to weld them in or not.... Time will tell.....
Adrian came down last weekend to give me some welding tips and lend a hand, which made a big difference in what can and cannot do now with a welder !!! Thanks for your help Adrian... Much appreciated.
We tacked in the front CA mounts on the frame and got the axle in and the arms... As well, because of the issue I have with the bolt holding the track bar on the axle, a washer was welded to the outside of the bracket for the time being... I will have to permanently address this before i get it out on the road...
I ended up picking up a bracket kit from Rusty's for the rear axle and i tacked them in place. Only downside was that they sent me two PS rear shock brackets . I called them and they are going to send me a DS bracket ASAP. I marked it out and will tack it in once i get it. Then, i tackled the rear CA frame mounts... I fawked this part up twice!!!! First on the DS, i mis-measured by about 1.5"... I caught it early though, so i cut the tacks off and measured it out again.... Then, when i did the PS side, i did the exact mistake again!!! This one though i only found out after i connected up the rear axle... Suffice it to say, i finally got it all set up, pinion set at 16 degrees.
I then tackled the belly up. I knew that it would not fit due to the new CA brackets from Clayton, so i made some cardboard mock ups of the new skid and then cut them to fit the frame rails... I then transposed it onto the skid and then cut out the areas that needed to go. Bolted it up and it fit perfectly!!
I finally was able to throw on the IROKs! I grabbed a set of used steelies for now, but i am not a big fan of the 8" width, so will be keeping my eye out for some 10's. I ended up sanding them down and painted them flat black and OD. I then rolled her out of the garage for the first time since October.....:
I then gave it a go to get the cage into the tub with an engine hoist. My first attempt failed and she fell over, but the 2nd attempt was a success.. Thank god for the rattle can paint job!!!
I ended up cutting out the harness bar between the B pillars 'cuz it was just too far back for me to still be able to use the back seat.... I did however leave the suspension seat mounts in and hope to find a set in the next few months....
Once i get my pitman arm back (Had to get it reamed out to accept the HD TRE's), i can then start cycling the lift. I do have to shift the front over about and 1" or so towards the DS as the coils are sitting wrong. I also think i might have to push the front forward a bit.. The back from what i can tell so far is sitting just right. I do however have a slight variance in the rear of about 5/8" from one corner to the other. I think it might be lower coil buckets. Not sure yet how i am going to address that. I also have new upper coil buckets so that i can straighten the coils out. Haven't decided yet whether I am going to weld them in or not.... Time will tell.....
-Drools- i love it Tim. Can't wait to see it in action.
Wow, nice work Tim.
dj
dj
Looking good Tim, nice to see it off the jackstands!
I had some time today to work some more on the TJ and tackled the cage tie-ins. I never liked the way some installs sandwiched the C channel that runs the length of the tub so i cut it out where the B pillar plate mate to the sheet metal:
I first cut it wide enough for the underside mount plate but then once i was getting ready to bolt in the bushing, i realize i had to cut it wider to accommodate the bushing bolt, so i had to undo it all and cut some more....
Once in place, i cut some pipe to fit and welded it up to the frame:
I only was able to get the one B pillar done today... Fawk it takes time... I wanted to get away from being down on my back, so i decided to weld in my front loop that i had bent some time ago....
My welds are getting there (I think.....
I first cut it wide enough for the underside mount plate but then once i was getting ready to bolt in the bushing, i realize i had to cut it wider to accommodate the bushing bolt, so i had to undo it all and cut some more....
Once in place, i cut some pipe to fit and welded it up to the frame:
I only was able to get the one B pillar done today... Fawk it takes time... I wanted to get away from being down on my back, so i decided to weld in my front loop that i had bent some time ago....
My welds are getting there (I think
.....That looks really sweet! I know you said you where going to possible lower it but I say leave it
yeah, i agree.... It's a little high in the back and i do have about 5/8" of a difference from left to right in the back, but i am thinking once i get my spare back on and whatnot, it should level out with the front....
Looks great, going to try for the April 2010 TJ of the Month on JF?
:stir::stir:
lol
I doubt it very much
N
Nimmer
Guest
Very nice build!
I did a bit of cycling of the suspension tonight to see what it could take... Holy fawkkkkkk... It just kept going and going. It's unreal the difference between this and my RE 4.5 lift i had on the jeep.
I was very happy with how well centered the rear turned out once it started to compress. For the front as well, i was convinced i would have to move it all forward a bit, but as it compressed, it moved right into the center of the wheel well.... Bonus!!!
Granted, i did not have the driveshafts, shocks and brake lines connected... But you get the idea
I was very happy with how well centered the rear turned out once it started to compress. For the front as well, i was convinced i would have to move it all forward a bit, but as it compressed, it moved right into the center of the wheel well.... Bonus!!!
Granted, i did not have the driveshafts, shocks and brake lines connected... But you get the idea
Do the same, but lift the tire and see what she can really do! And make sure you carry some type of strap option so you can strap the suspension down if you need to lift a tire so it can be changed. Been there, done that, have to lift the Sami really, really high to change the tire if the droop isn't limited.