YJ winter work

looking good. It might just be the angle of the pics but it looks like the front drive shaft is going to hit the sub frame.

rockdw72 wrote:

looking good. It might just be the angle of the pics but it looks like the front drive shaft is going to hit the sub frame.

Good call I was thinking the same thing. But I bet its the angle of the shot. The stock belly pan is stops right in front of the control arm mount and the new one should clear the same. If it does he could check clearances and then notch the sub frame. Still looks really good.

Bill, can I steal you stock belly skid to use as a template.

Eric you can borrow the belly pan any time.
Finished the belly pan installation and installed the front driveshaft. Its going to be close but I think it will clear. I'll check clearances on thursday. Still have to bleed the clutch, install the shifter and install the rear driveshaft.
I decided to cut reliefs in the skid steel to allow the frame to be installed wihtout the belly pan. Also finished the new bracket for the PSC steering pump. now it has front and rear brackets and no bend.

yeah that back plate should take care of any issue with the PSC pump. I like the design of the of the belly pan. That thing looks to be able to take hell for years to come.

makitupthehardway wrote:

yeah that back plate should take care of any issue with the PSC pump. I like the design of the of the belly pan. That thing looks to be able to take hell for years to come.

I'm sure we will find out. I still need to get a longer bolt on the middle of the bracket. there is room for another half inch and I'll put the proper spacer in there and put a nut on it. as far as belly pan durablity, we will see. If all goes well with the cage work and 5 point harness/seat installation then I may go ahead and do the comp if you are still up for spotting. Don't really care if it rolls, thats what I'm building it for.

The the word. I'm all for it this time we need some wireless head sets so we dont have to yell.

Didn't have much time to work on it today. I checked the rear driveshaft for clearance and checked to see if it would bind with the tcase sitting so high now. At full travel I still have another inch or two of drop to the driveshaft. Thats cutting it close but I can't imagine it being a problem. Also installed the shifter, it was a major bitch as I couldn't get my big hands in the little hole to get the bolts on. the two front ones were easy but the two in the back I just couldn't get an angle on. Had to reach from under the jeep behind and over the top of the transfer case to reach it and put it in by feel. barely room for a ratchet wrench but was able to work it in there with a single click back and forth and a lot of patience. (dumbass should have put the shifter on before tucking it up there and installing the crossmember). Also bled the clutch and had no issues there. Then took it for a test drive without the top (doesn't fit in the garage with the top on) and froze my ass off. Jeep is running great again, no belt squeal! Also no longer thumps when letting out on the clutch. The belly pan needs trimming before I can install it. I'll probalbly do that sunday and maybe work on the ARB switches.

[quote="Rockn93YJ"]Also it was a major bitch as I couldn't get my big hands in the little hole [quote]

ahhh so many comments, so little time

Updated list:

1. 9" currie rear axle tube leaking.
I took it apart, used some copper silicone and its not leaking currently. we'll see after the first trail ride.

2. Thump in drivetrain and clutch not working properly.
No more thump, clutch not bleeding. going to replace the master cyl.

3. going to install the MORE motor lift, tuck the drivetrain up into the body a little better. There is a lot more room there since installing the 2" body lift. Also going to replace the belly pan with a piece of ballistic steel courtesy of Dave Leasure. I'll trace the old pan onto the steel and cut it out. the atlas may need a relief cut out and then I'll build a skid for that.
Done.

4. Front shocks bottom out and they are at risk for breakage, also the crank pully can contact the steering hardware at full compression. going to install bump stops in the front to solve that.

5. rear locker ARB line needs a new O ring at the axle. simple fix.
- repairs done

6. soft top is half destroyed at mounting locations. gonna have to fix that so I can wheel in all weather.
Done.

7. ARB switches are going to be rewired so that I can engage and disengage the front and rear lockers independently.

8. Rear suspension winch will be installed. I'm going to just run the one from the front back through some strategically placed pulleys to make it work. eventually I may install a rear one independent from the front if needed. I will have to see how it functions on the trail.
- not gonna do this, waste of time.

9. Need to install a 5 point racing harness.
- low priority until cage is upgraded

10. Cage work!

Tried to bleed the clutch again, worked for 5 miles to the clinic. on the way home it progressively lost function. Thinking the master cyl might be bad. Emergency brake was adjusted so they will activate evenly. oil pan skid was modified and installed. I moved it up closer to the oil pan since the drivetrain was moved up with the tummy tuck and motor lift. Soft top has been installed but is in real poor shape, not gonna replace it for as little as I use it. Put together my tube bender only to find they forgot to include the 1" center pin that holds the whole thing together.

replaced the clutch master cyl and bled the clutch. now it works just fine. also got the final piece in for the tube bender so this weekend I'll be bending some tube for the YJ cage.

not much done, had to move my son into his own room. gonna go down and check out a clunk in the rear I heard while on a test drive yesterday.

Updated list:

4. Front shocks bottom out and they are at risk for breakage, also the crank pully can contact the steering hardware at full compression. going to install bump stops in the front to solve that.
- The motor lift actually took care of the crank pulley clearance issues, still could use bump stops but not a priority.

7. ARB switches are going to be rewired so that I can engage and disengage the front and rear lockers independently.
- DONE

9. Need to install a 5 point racing harness.
- low priority until cage is upgraded

10. Cage work! - got the metal today to build the stand for the bender and bought the concrete anchors. I'm going to anchor a hitch receiver onto the floor and weld one to the trailer so I can just slip the bender in when I need to and use it in my garage or if more room is needed use the one on the trailer. plus having it on the trailer makes it mobile.

Also put my front license plate back on today.

I was thinking today about how to build the cage. I was going to build it out of cheap electric conduit first so as not to waste good tubing. this way i know the exact way to bend the tube when I put it in the bender.

md4wheelin wrote:

I was thinking today about how to build the cage. I was going to build it out of cheap electric conduit first so as not to waste good tubing. this way i know the exact way to bend the tube when I put it in the bender.

A better way is to read this tube bending 101 article from pirate. I know it's boring reading but there is no calculations and it demonstrates a simple way to do it right the first time using simple measurements and chalk diagrams on the floor. I highly recommend doing it this way. I'll be starting in the next week or so using this same method. Problem with using conduit is you don't figure where the tube bender starts and ends the bend and how tight the radius is etc.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

All makes good sense

any recomendations on seats and 5 point racing harness? need two of each(driver and passenger).

Rockn93YJ wrote:

Problem with using conduit is you don't figure where the tube bender starts and ends the bend and how tight the radius is etc.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

hows that when your using the bender to bend it? I'll check out that artical on pirate though.

md4wheelin wrote:

Rockn93YJ wrote:

Problem with using conduit is you don't figure where the tube bender starts and ends the bend and how tight the radius is etc.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bendin_tube/index.html

hows that when your using the bender to bend it? I'll check out that artical on pirate though.

It would work it the cheap conduit is the same diameter and doesn't crumple when you bend it.

As it turns out I have a lot of bolts (damn torx head piece of crap) that refuse to leave the jeep. I had to weld nuts to 3 of the 4 overhead bar bolts to the windshield to remove them due to stripped torx head bolts. I'm now looking at using the main and rear portions of the original roll cage and building off of that. It looks to be the same thickness material but won't be in the design I wanted. I'll still be able to make use of most of the plan and make it strong, eliminate the windshield bars and replace it as planned etc. Made my first bend today for practice. Tomorrow I bend my first piece of cage.

NEVER give up. Finally got all the stock hardware out...Damn torx head bolts.


Cage is finally out


Finally a pic of my receiver mount tube bender stand. I'll be welding one on the trailer as well.


Bender fully assembled. Yes it is mounted into the concrete on the wifes side of the garage.


tube bender fully assembled and first piece of tube bent.


I was able to bend the main hoop today as well, pics to come later.

looking good

main hoop is done, first overhead bar is done but my notching sucks. Even with a template it takes way too long to do this. time for a notcher. I'm thinking TN-100

got some more tube bent

looks right on your marks.