A VERY humble jeepspeed build

[skullver]

started with these about a year ago, the brown one is a 1985 XJ pioneer 4wd, had a 2.5L, the one behind it is a 1991 that was t-boned on the psnger side used for the motor/tranny/xfer case donor:


preliminary cage that has changed add some tube here, remove some tube there etc. 1.75" x .120" DOM


35-spline Ford 9" with spool and deaver leaf packs:

MORE bombproof block mounts, motor mounts have a tendency to shear off the block hardware, these add quite a few more mounts using existing tapped bosses in the block:


the dana30 front end, built by Curt LeDuc:

Shocks, 2.5" x10" travel SAW piggybacks, SAW 2.0 x 4" stroke hydro bumps:

a bit of bracing for the bump cans:

rear bumps and shock mounts, 3.0" x 14" travel SAWs remote resi:

[skullver]

starting on the 2wd beam:

trackbar mount:

almost done

some plating for the front end:


start of the engine cage and suspension tie-ins

start of the cab area:

[skullver]

full traction longarms getting tied into the mix:

got some maxxis bighorns 33/12.50

and the start of our "horn"

and finally the seat mounts tacked and ready for plating/gusseting:


Feel free to ask any questions you may have, I have tons more pictures available and would be happy to help anybody that asks about the build, it has been fun and we should be racing it for the first time this coming August for the night race in Lucerne Valley
Cheers
Chris(soon to be 1735)

[TJP]

Keep up the good work. Post up those pics and give us the lowdown on the tech set-up.

[PureFunction]

Awesome build, I am drawn to Jeep Speed for some really weird reason. I only have a few questions for no other reason than to ask them.

What thickness of plate did you use to plate the front and why not plate the portion below the doors?

What springs are you using in the front?

Can you show a pic of the upper shock mounts in the rear?

[skullver]

Originally Posted by PureFunction

Awesome build, I am drawn to Jeep Speed for some really weird reason. I only have a few questions for no other reason than to ask them.

What thickness of plate did you use to plate the front and why not plate the portion below the doors?

What springs are you using in the front?

Can you show a pic of the upper shock mounts in the rear?

thanks much
the plating is .120" CR steel, got them from a jeepspeed guy, no matter how clean you get that metal right there, the glue that holds all those panels together was killing me, it was like getting sprayed with hot shrapnel when I was welding it all up, and I was bundled up pretty good. Got lots of little scars from that.

I currently have a set of Deaver progressive rate coils for the front, they are coiled a bit tighter towards the bottom of the spring.

The "frame" rails are plated with 3/16, TNT unibody stiffener

well the rear upper shock mounts used to look like this but they were built for a 2.5" 3-tube bypass, well we have now decided to go with a 3.0 shock which has a longer compressed/extended length, bigger body, and those mounts would not work, took the plasma to them and now it is back to the drawing board, I am going to do something a bit different than previous, same double shear but more tubing based, if that makes any sense:
R.I.P.

[sharpie1k]

I'll see you in a month and a half

[jpnbren]

Excuse the possible stupid question but did you mount the rear shocks to the spring plates? And is that a jeepspeed thing or is this a common setup, cause I have never seen this? By the way it is a very nice build, i like your modesty in saying its a humble build.

[Beat95YJ]

Doesn't Jeepspeed require BFG tires?

[skullver]

Originally Posted by jpnbren

Excuse the possible stupid question but did you mount the rear shocks to the spring plates? And is that a jeepspeed thing or is this a common setup, cause I have never seen this? By the way it is a very nice build, i like your modesty in saying its a humble build.

yes they are, I have seen some jeepspeeds with them and others inboard a bit on the tube, it is a natural spot for them if you are going through the floor with your shocks but really it depends on how/where you do your upper mounts

Originally Posted by Beat95YJ

Doesn't Jeepspeed require BFG tires?

They are the most common but other jeepspeed approved tires are Maxxis, Goodyear, and Mickey Thompson, you must use American racing rims though.

[pipehitter155]

that shit looks fawking sick dude...lots of talent there bro....keep up the good work...

[skullver]

Originally Posted by pipehitter155

that shit looks fawking sick dude...lots of talent there bro....keep up the good work...

Thanks a whole bunch, for everything, I would really like to buy you a beer sometime mang, tons of respect for Vets!!

[chris demartini]

In one picture you show a braced D30, and in the other a 2WD beam. Is the beam a spare in case you break the D30 out in the middle of nowhere, or is it required/desireable for certain races?

[skullver]

Originally Posted by chris demartini

In one picture you show a braced D30, and in the other a 2WD beam. Is the beam a spare in case you break the D30 out in the middle of nowhere, or is it required/desireable for certain races?

most of the time we will be running in 2wd, but some courses 4wd is beneficial, so we will remove the front shaft and swap the front ends, we will also have a spare 3rd for the rear so we can have lowest for D30, 4.88 while in 4wd, and have a 5.xx third for running 2wd, still haven't gotten to the dialing stages yet but that is the plan.
Chris

[TJP]

Which springs are you running in the rear. I'm ordering up the Denver JeepSpeed coils like you have and am looking for a good match. I'm thinking about Denvers or maybe National springs. I figure a soft spring rate in the rear will help at speed with the proper shock valving and bumpstops. I don't like most of the springs I have used and like the military wrap and some of the other features. Mine won't be a race XJ but I want the handling like a JeepSpeed set-up has. I still need to figure out shocks and valving yet also.

Any input would be great.

[skullver]

Originally Posted by TJP

Which springs are you running in the rear. I'm ordering up the Denver JeepSpeed coils like you have and am looking for a good match. I'm thinking about Denvers or maybe National springs. I figure a soft spring rate in the rear will help at speed with the proper shock valving and bumpstops. I don't like most of the springs I have used and like the military wrap and some of the other features. Mine won't be a race XJ but I want the handling like a JeepSpeed set-up has. I still need to figure out shocks and valving yet also.

Any input would be great.

We have the Deaver 1654G9 packs and our rear shocks are set up with .010 compression, .012 rebound, haven't tested them yet so can't input, I believe the national springs are custom so you will need your wheel weights, good luck.

[Po' riggity]

Lookin SWEEEET!
Scott

[skullver]

thanks
after a lot of thinking I decided to shine going to C.O.R.R race and locked myself in the shop, got one half of a shock mount almost done, no helpers so everything took twice as long, not to mention a whole bunch of head scratching and ideas that didn't pan out, I'm pretty happy with how they are turning out, gotta go make sure I am still married

[TJP]

I like this design better. Nice work. You can come fab on my XJ anytime.

[sharpie1k]

Nice work Chris. If you will be in the shop July1-3, I can be your helper. I am going to be in the area june 30 until july 5.

[skullver]

Originally Posted by TJP

I like this design better. Nice work. You can come fab on my XJ anytime.

Me too, thanks much. It was a lot of work. You are a bit far but if you are ever in the area........

Originally Posted by sharpie1k

Nice work Chris. If you will be in the shop July1-3, I can be your helper. I am going to be in the area june 30 until july 5.

I'll be EXPECTING you, heheheh, just kidding, I can always use some help though, one man operations bring the suckage

[blackcloud]

just a quick question, if the compressed and extended lengths of your shocks are longer now, why did you move the mounts down? or is the picture just decieving?

[skullver]

Originally Posted by blackcloud

just a quick question, if the compressed and extended lengths of your shocks are longer now, why did you move the mounts down? or is the picture just decieving?

nope it is down about 1.5" but the shock bodies are much bigger also so it wouldn't fit mainly because of that, we have been messing with the compression/rebound travel and finally decided to try and get more droop, as it is now we can vary/play-with the compression from 4" to 10" depending on lower bump striker pad location so we will be finalizing the location after testing/experimentation, we are limited to 12" of rear wheel travel so I am still kind of trying to figure out what travel ratio I want, any input would be appreciated

edit: forgot to mention the previous shock was a 18" travel 2.5 shock, the new is 3.0/14" travel.

[sharpie1k]

chris: were I to have cash in hand down there, wanna help me build a cage?

[GoodTimes]

Hey Skulver, if you have the engine out, it would be a really good time to strengthen the frame area where the engine mounts bolt down. hat area dosn't last long. It starts to crack all over the place. Ther're are a bunch of Jeepspeed racers that have had the engine mounts break right off the "frame".