Scooby

[BenE]

Originally Posted by mallard15

Where are you getting your coilover mourning info from?

PBB

[alehandro3]

Originally Posted by mallard15

Wow this is an amazing build. I can't believe it does not have any more attention/comments on it.

Originally Posted by BenE

As far as the lack of comments, well this is pirate and as long as no one is telling me how horrible my fab skills are, then I must be doing OK, LOL.
Ben

I hate to say it but I think, on here, Bling is more popular than garage fab skills. A few people still appreciate it but, the masses seem to enjoy $ rather than hours in the shop

[BenE]

Originally Posted by alehandro3

I hate to say it but I think, on here, Bling is more popular than garage fab skills. A few people still appreciate it but, the masses seem to enjoy $ rather than hours in the shop

It’s a matter of eye candy, expensive/shiny stuff is food for the eyes, it’s why buy magazines and watch TV.
But there are plenty of folks here who really build and will build and like to see real building (by real, I mean; just 1 guy with limited funds and even more limited skills, figuring shit out).

[mallard15]

Originally Posted by BenE

It’s a matter of eye candy, expensive/shiny stuff is food for the eyes, it’s why buy magazines and watch TV.
But there are plenty of folks here who really build and will build and like to see real building (by real, I mean; just 1 guy with limited funds and even more limited skills, figuring shit out).

Thats me haha. Keep it up man I promise I'll always look at ur build. It has been an inspiration to me and I hope to build a mini scooby one day. Being that I am 16 it is difficult to find funds.

[BenE]

finally got back on my heap after taking a while off.
went right to cutting some stuff off.

it went from this



To this



I cut out this.



Now I need to clean up this



And redo it and the lowers.

[mallard15]

Originally Posted by BenE

finally got back on my heap after taking a while off.
went right to cutting some stuff off.

it went from this



To this



I cut out this.



Now I need to clean up this



And redo it and the lowers.

Stupid question but why would you cut that out. Just cause you didn't like it. I personally like it without it but I would think it would strengthen the cage (not much but some I guess).

[BenE]

Originally Posted by mallard15

Stupid question but why would you cut that out. Just cause you didn't like it. I personally like it without it but I would think it would strengthen the cage (not much but some I guess).

it was the upper mounts for the coil overs, but since i built them 90 deg to the axle at rest, i have to redo them.
the coil overs should be mounted 90 deg to the axle at full stuff, while the other tire is fully dropped out. i didnt know that when i built them. if i would have left them like that, the rig would be less stable.
ben

[mallard15]

Originally Posted by BenE

it was the upper mounts for the coil overs, but since i built them 90 deg to the axle at rest, i have to redo them.
the coil overs should be mounted 90 deg to the axle at full stuff, while the other tire is fully dropped out. i didnt know that when i built them. if i would have left them like that, the rig would be less stable.
ben

I gotcha man.

[BenE]

I got started on the lower CO brackets for the rear.
I designed this. I put the mounting point as far out as I could, and as far down as I felt comfortable with, this will help angle the CO and help keep most of the shock out of the cab.



Tomorrow I will turn this cardboard into steel (one for each side), drill them, and assemble them.

[sleepsontoilet]

Man I need better tools. That should work great. Gonna redo the front as well, or it's fine?

[BenE]

Originally Posted by sleepsontoilet

Man I need better tools. That should work great. Gonna redo the front as well, or it's fine?

going to redo them too
it's how i learn all my lessons... the hard way

[BenE]

More done on the brackets.
Traced them onto .25” plate.



Cut ‘em out.



Drilled all the holes.



Cleaned ‘em up.



Started fitting them to the axle but ran out of time.

[BenE]

Started by finish fitting the pieces and tacking them together.





Then pulled it off and finish welded it.
I was afraid it would twist so I put lots of tack welds all over it before I started burning it in.



When I went to test fit it, it just fell into place and all 5 bolt holes lined right up.



I tried the shock in it (the sheet metal up top still needs to be trimmed to get the right angle), and I have plenty of room.
I think they will give me a lot more control and a much more stable rig where they mount now.



Then I realized I drilled the shock mounting hole 90 deg to the axle, and since I didn’t want to make 4 wedged spacers LOL I filled the holes in and re-drilled them 90 deg to the plate.





Then slathered it in flat black and mounted it up.



Here is a low shot you can see I have plenty of clearance around the mounting heim.



Now I gotta do the other side.

[tjjared413]

cool i think you will like the out come when your all done moving the shocks out.

[BenE]

Originally Posted by tjjared413

cool i think you will like the out come when your all done moving the shocks out.

thanks, i hope so.


I finish fit, assembled and tacked the other side together.



Then I welded it up solid.



The outside hole was in the wrong place on this one too, so I filled it in, and ground it smooth.
The top profile was I tiny bit short too so I raised it a bit, to add some material above the bolt hole. I don’t jump so this should be good, plus it matches the other side.



Then I put the hole where it should have been.



I got it painted and installed when I realized I forgot the misalignment spacers, so I pulled it back off, cleaned the paint off, made some spacers, and tacked them in. then I repainted it.



Then I installed it and made sure the CO fit, it did.
The upper attachment point on the CO is not where it will be is why the spring looks so close to the tire.



I added my JOTM sticker next to my JNT sticker.

[BenE]

Cleaned up the rear of the cage.
Turned this.



Into this, on both sides.



Here is a shot from the back. Still need to mount the upper part is why its so close to the tire, it will have a little more breathing room.

[BenE]

Cut the holes bigger.
They still need to be cut lower.





Designed new mounts in my head and started.
Here is what I came up with.

[BenE]

^cont.







I made these this morning to give some added lift to my newly acquired bumper jack (thank you Mike Green)



They go in like this.
Will work good for testing flex, I can now put my jeep right into the ceiling.

[mallard15]

Look really nice man.

[tjjared413]

looking good!

[BenE]

Originally Posted by mallard15

Look really nice man.

Originally Posted by tjjared413

looking good!

Thanks, I don’t want to half ass anything so it is taking me way longer than I thought it would, but I have also stopped working for months at a time and that didn’t help any.

[alehandro3]

lookin good man

[BenE]

Tried to test the clearances and my darn long frame floor jacks master cylinder stopped working.
So after changing the way I was going about it, I was able to make sure everything clears.
I had already tested both sides all the way up and all the way down, so I needed to test one up and one down and I am happy to say everything clears.

Here is the final angle at just above ride height. They are about 19 deg.



On the bump, on the up side.





Seems to still be pointing forward.



Inside of the tire.

[BenE]

This is the droop side, looking at the clearance to the tube frame.
I couldn’t get full droop, there was about 4 inches left on the shock shaft, but I have some room left and some more sheet metal I can cut before getting into the tube.







Looks like I will easily be able to fit 42”s.



From the back.

[BenE]

Since the CO’s fit, I welded the mounting brackets up solid.



Then I painted the tube to match, the black part will be under the lid of my rear enclosure.



Then mounted the shocks.



Testing stuff out.
Now I need to get the right springs.





I removed the rear tailgate because I am going to make it open down, and broke my only two T40 drivers before I decided to drill the heads of the bolts.