High5
10-09-2002, 06:03 PM
ok i am working on my fj40/buggy project and i have the frame completed and the little bit of sheet metal that i will be using in place. i built my own custom frame and the front end will be moved further forward than the stock setup would be. my question is for nolen and others who have moved thier front ends forward. is the front tires hitting the grill when the front end is flexed and the wheels are turned a problem? i run 42" tires on a 62" wide front end (will be 64 because i plan on adding 1" wheel spacers to it to keep the 42's out of the sprigs when turned) and it looks like i may hit. now i do not have the front end even under it yet. i just have the front springs hung and my spare 42 rolled up to where it looks like it should be. i don't even know if it is going to hit. i am just asking if anyone else has run into this problem.
i posted a while back that i would be working on this project. for those interested here is my progress so far. i built the frame using 2x4 and 2x5" 1/8" thick rectangular tubing. after alot of thought and going back and forth i finally decided on a suspension. i will be running leaves. i decided bent links, broken hiems, and setup trial and error were not for me. my last trip out in the jeep i installed a front traction bar built off the same design as my rear one and it did wonders for my bouncing when on steep loose climbs. this is the other reason i decided to stick with leaves. simple, reliable, and relatively cheap. i have 4 new rancho 44044 packs in the garage right now. i have read quite a bit about these springs here on por and they seem to be a sweet setup. they are a 2.5" lift spring for a wagoneer and offer alot of flex. i have noticed that alot of the rigs running them sit higher that i want to sit but i mounted my spring hangers high on/in the frame for clearance reasons and this also takes away lift so i hope they end up about right. if they are too tall i'll just sell them and get a new set of stock waggy springs. the waggy springs are set up with an offset center pin. on both the front and back i have the short side of he spring facing outboard. this is done not to add wheelbase (i built my own frame i could build as much or as little wb as i wanted) but rather the short side of the spring will not hurt appraoch and departure angles. my jeep (which will be the donor for pretty much everything motor, tranny, t-case, axles, tires, etc) is still running and in order so this isn't really a hurried project. i do try and get as much done as i can every week. i have the sheet metal in place now so my project for this week is to get the mounts for the sheet metal fabbed and in place and the other is to get the shackle mounts built into the frame. i bought bushing kits from spidertrax and they are nothing more than a piece of dom tubing that has a correct sized bushing with them. i will use a hole saw to cut into the frame and install them and weld them in. once i get this done and the sheet metal mounted in place it will be time for me to start bending tube. i want to get as much done as i can before i start tearing the jeep down. i also want to have one more good hard weekend of wheeling so i can officially call it the retirement run for the jeep. it was my first vehicle and i have had it for over 12 years so it is kinda hard to tear it appart even though it is time. anyway that is where my project is right now. once i get the sheet metal mounts made and in place i will get out the camera and take a pic of the frame with out the sheet metal and then one with and i'll post them. oh and for those that don't know the only sheet metal is going to be fromt the dash forward. the rear is all going to be tubed out and it is setup for a 105" wheelbase.
i posted a while back that i would be working on this project. for those interested here is my progress so far. i built the frame using 2x4 and 2x5" 1/8" thick rectangular tubing. after alot of thought and going back and forth i finally decided on a suspension. i will be running leaves. i decided bent links, broken hiems, and setup trial and error were not for me. my last trip out in the jeep i installed a front traction bar built off the same design as my rear one and it did wonders for my bouncing when on steep loose climbs. this is the other reason i decided to stick with leaves. simple, reliable, and relatively cheap. i have 4 new rancho 44044 packs in the garage right now. i have read quite a bit about these springs here on por and they seem to be a sweet setup. they are a 2.5" lift spring for a wagoneer and offer alot of flex. i have noticed that alot of the rigs running them sit higher that i want to sit but i mounted my spring hangers high on/in the frame for clearance reasons and this also takes away lift so i hope they end up about right. if they are too tall i'll just sell them and get a new set of stock waggy springs. the waggy springs are set up with an offset center pin. on both the front and back i have the short side of he spring facing outboard. this is done not to add wheelbase (i built my own frame i could build as much or as little wb as i wanted) but rather the short side of the spring will not hurt appraoch and departure angles. my jeep (which will be the donor for pretty much everything motor, tranny, t-case, axles, tires, etc) is still running and in order so this isn't really a hurried project. i do try and get as much done as i can every week. i have the sheet metal in place now so my project for this week is to get the mounts for the sheet metal fabbed and in place and the other is to get the shackle mounts built into the frame. i bought bushing kits from spidertrax and they are nothing more than a piece of dom tubing that has a correct sized bushing with them. i will use a hole saw to cut into the frame and install them and weld them in. once i get this done and the sheet metal mounted in place it will be time for me to start bending tube. i want to get as much done as i can before i start tearing the jeep down. i also want to have one more good hard weekend of wheeling so i can officially call it the retirement run for the jeep. it was my first vehicle and i have had it for over 12 years so it is kinda hard to tear it appart even though it is time. anyway that is where my project is right now. once i get the sheet metal mounts made and in place i will get out the camera and take a pic of the frame with out the sheet metal and then one with and i'll post them. oh and for those that don't know the only sheet metal is going to be fromt the dash forward. the rear is all going to be tubed out and it is setup for a 105" wheelbase.