Project #2, PEPECA the be-trail :)

[geberhard]

The axles are pretty pimped out. Front and rear are Black Max shafts, front CTM's; rear is a hybrid 60/14. 5.13 and ARB's cutting brakes should be arriving soon

I need to make some sissy rear flares of some kind to make the rig a bit less of a cop magnet

[malsxj]

lookin good Gui!!!!! My front axle is almost done. Gettin the locker installed at Erics Saturday then it should be ready to go under the Cherokee. Then I just need to decide on a rear.

[TJDale]

Wheelbase please?

[geberhard]

Originally Posted by malsxj

lookin good Gui!!!!! My front axle is almost done. Gettin the locker installed at Erics Saturday then it should be ready to go under the Cherokee. Then I just need to decide on a rear.

Jeff, thanks, has been a lot of freaking work, I think the white TJ with little flower stickers would have been easier. The rework has taken more time than if I had done from scratch on a lot of stuff, lol

I am stoked you got the axle! Are you going to change the pattern to 5 lug? I will keep an eye on a rear for you (that sounds naughty)...

Gui

[geberhard]

Originally Posted by TJDale

Wheelbase please?

Dale I will double check, I made some changes recently, and may end up pushing the front axle forward a bit more. I am trying to stay within the same WB I had on the previous rig.

I have been driving the Jeep on the road, but really sticks like a sore thumb on the 44's, so need to get a set of smaller 40" rollers.

[malsxj]

Gui
Its allready 5 lug which makes finding a rear a little more challenging. Ya I know what you mean about having to do more than expected. I ended up replacing the shafts and joints and one spindle. But hey, now I have cromoly shafts and 300M joints

[geberhard]

Not much time lately at all for the Jeep with Baby 2.0 here Amid diaper changes and playing with our little girl, I am being able to get a bit of wrenching time here and there and getting my garage fix

I put more time on the rig, and she is not more road friendly. I have been daily driving the Jeep and it sticks out a bit with comp cut and 44's on the freeway. I was being lucky so far with the popo, but did not want to keep pushing my luck.


I went to the hardware store, and bought some hollow thin tube and some angle. The pieces were bent on the bench to give enough clearance, then just drilled holes and welded the angle to the tube. Cut a piece of heavy duty rubber floor mat, and made some quick disconnect mudflaps.





They are fugly as heck, but maybe adding some chrome mudlfap girls will do the trick

This is how she sits now, a bit tall, but seems pretty good with the current width.



I cycled the supension and everything is fitting nice and tight. I am planning to lower the Jeep some, but will give it a shot on the trail first and go from there.


Starting on the cage work hopefully next week

[VB CJ 5.7]

Thank god we dont have mudflap laws in my area... Otherwise it is a great looking rig Gui.

[Tripod]

Originally Posted by VB CJ 5.7

Thank god we dont have mudflap laws in my area... Otherwise it is a great looking rig Gui.

ditto! (knocking on wood)

[geberhard]

So, going in the low-rider route with the rig. The plan is to lower the

COG while keeping good on and off-road manners and flexibility. I

swapped the RE springs (think they were at least 5-7" range).

For the time being, I swapped in Rubicon LJ coil springs, with 2" poly

spacers.

Frame height by the side of the skidplate was previously 27", now down

to 23ish, skidplate possibly in the 20ish range.

pic shows contrast, pass side done:








I should have taken better before and after shots...



things are a bit tight, so I will need to either move the axle a bit

Lots of the stuff on the to-do list:

-redo steering setup, at a minimum flatter pitman arm as hydro assist is

currently too close. Re-do trackbar setup.

-44 vs front fenders, tight and slightly rubbing when flexing\ful turn

-redo sway bar setup\design

-rear fender trimming\rocker guard trimming

Plan is to have the rig DDing during summer, so will need to make some fugglier flares\mudflaps...

[bardenk1]

damn its like looking in the mirror whats your wheelbase? i'd be interested to know how it handle with the big meats and "shorter" wheelbase (not 111" on 44's)

[MR. HOGG]

Originally Posted by geberhard

Now we're talking, this rig is looking great love the stance!!! Few more inches of WB and it's time to take it to wheelin town!

[geberhard]

Thanks guys, still lots to do. I need to double check WB, but trying to keep around the same range. Will measure where I am at and report back

at a minimum need to work on steering this week, and get the rig on decent driveable condition so I cna cycle the suspension a bit better.

[geberhard]

Hogg, thanks, definitely dig the stance on your rig, could not go that far as my RE links are on the way right now, so until I stretch further will keep in this range.

Axles are 60's 35 splines chromo and black max shafts, CTM's, ARB, on 5.13's. 4 speed Atlas so the
Barden, hehe they definitely look alike!

[geberhard]

So some progress yesterday. Got the waggy pitman arm in what helped clear up some of thge steering issues, and need now to redo the trac bar mount. Very tight tolerances all around, I am debating lifting the engine a few inches, and crap... possibly high fendering the rig to clear up the fenders 9will be easier than moving the axle forward further....

pic before waggy pitman arm - had the stock TJ pitman arm mocked up.



Also started working on some removable hot rod style sissy fenders. The raw material, but gives an idea on coverage Yes it will probably still look ridiculous in the end

[the freeak]

Roll some beads in the fenders, it will look pimp!

[geberhard]

hehe thought about that, but who knows, maybe some pinstripping

[snowdemon]

Originally Posted by geberhard

Also started working on some removable hot rod style sissy fenders. The raw material, but gives an idea on coverage Yes it will probably still look ridiculous in the end

I will be interested to see how this works out for you. I'm running rockjocks f/r with 42's and I'm eliminating the fenders. I might drive it until I get pulled over but I really just don't want to start something with the local police. 42's+ on any TJ is just going to get attention.

[xxxjeep jake]

Killer rig bro. Hey man I'am going to install some brake cutters in the next month or so. can you post some pics of how you routed your brake lines when you do yours

[d.k.v]

i like the hot rod fenders. pic of how there mounted?

[geberhard]

they were just mocked up loosely in position. I need to finish up some tabs and paint them up, etc. Trying to make them less fugly

The brake lines are routed very similar to stock. I am adding the cutters sometime soon as well, they are just sitting in the garage ready to go in. I will run a mix of hard and soft lines.

As far as updates on the rig, waggy pitman arm in, flatter and cleared things up. I realigned the radiator up a bit to provide more clearance so the TRE end nut will not interfere.

Re-finished up the H1's, and mounting some DD 39.5 TSl's sometime this week. Funny how the TSL's look way smaller than the 44's and also smaller than the Irok's. For comparison, the Iroks measure about 39" and the TSL's about 37"!!! Kicking myself, shoudl have gone with some MTR's for DD purposes, oh well...

[hurleygo3]

I like the fender idea. But I bet they rip off the the first time you get up to any speed. Unless you plan on building in some major reinforcement.
Good luck and nice build.

[geberhard]

Still need to put some time on them. They will be reinforced underneath. Basically just want something light and easy to remove. I am still dialing the rig in, may need to either highline the fenders and hood on the front or move axle forward a bit, it is currently way too close for comfort to the 44's.

[d.k.v]

Update

[geberhard]

Working on pushing the front axle forward a few inches to clear the fenders (the 44's like to rub and auto-sip themselves

I am trying to keep the links as is for now, so will probably just modify the bung mounts with the RE longer ones and housing to gain an inch and see if that does the trick.

Need to notch frame, redo trac bar and mount, and possibly need to re-think high steer and the hydro mounts.

The Jeep needs to go up a few inches on the front, bumper and winch basically have the rig sitting about an inch from the bumpstops in the front.

Frame height to ground on the front of crossmember is 22", on the rear of crossmember is 23: without winch and bumper.


I need to