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Gary's 95 ZJ limited...

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Discussion starter · #181 ·
Looks good. Is that homemade or something bought? I'm really thinking I might just try to make my own. I have the plasma cutter and MIG welder so why not? It can't look too much worse than some I've seen and it sure would be cheaper than the $600-800 I usually see them selling for.
 
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#182 ·
Go for it, you can always make it the way you want and add to it
 
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Discussion starter · #183 ·
swoop95 said:
Go for it, you can always make it the way you want and add to it
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Think I will. I need to pull that "cover" off the back and see what's under it. I sort of remember seeing a picture somewhere that showed the "real" bumper under the cover and it looked like a good basis to build on.
 
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Discussion starter · #185 · (Edited)
magnumcherokee said:
If you pull the rear cover off, would you post up some pics?? Be nice to know whats there and workable!! :)
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As soon as I read this, I went out and pulled the cover off (just a few clips and that black tread, trim, whatever piece on top. Nothing underneath but a very flimsy piece of sheet metal for the cover to clip to. It would seem the "5 mph bumper" has evolved into something that will only survive 5 mph impacts and nothing more. Certainly nothing there to build on. I can bend it by hand! :eek:

Back to the old drawing board!
 
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Discussion starter · #187 ·
Yeah, I was really hoping for something better. I wish I could find that picture I saw. Apparently, what I saw was someone's custom rear bumper and not what was really under the cover.

After seeing that flimsy piece of sheet metal, I just hope I don't get rear ended. Nothing back there to stop them, other than my class III hitch.
 
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Discussion starter · #191 ·
RockZJ said:
Looks killer! Did you do all the work yourself, gears and all?

RockZJ
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As much as I'd love to take the credit, all I did was write a really big check. The work was done by a local 4x4 shop. I've never setup gears before (they did the front also) and as for my welding ability, it's pretty much non-existent. I didn't feel like trusting my life to my welding inability.

I was amazed at how well it drives with the Detroit locker in back. I've read all kinds of stories about the banging, ticking, jerking, and all the rest of the supposed bad behavior the Detroit locker is supposed to be famous for but I can hardly tell mine has one. As long as I'm light on the throttle going around a corner, it's virtually invisible and all I hear is a faint ticking sound. It's only when I give it more throttle and it locks that it shows by chirping the tires around the turn.

I like it! Can't wait to hit the trails this season and see how it all does. I have a TrueTrac in front and can't tell it's there.
 
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#192 ·
sounds about like my aussie in my 8.8

cant tell its there if you coast through a turn, but you give it the gas and the jeep tilts hard and the tires are chirping. you'll love it offroad being locked f/r now
 
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Discussion starter · #195 ·
Preppi12 said:
Did they just use the stock brackets?

And where is Nokesville? Never heard of it.
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Yeah, they had to reuse the stock mounts but they did a lot of gusseting and reinforcing of them. Shouldn't be any problems. They were going to use the RE mount kit but apparently it's no longer available.

Oh, Nokesville is this little teeny "blip" on the map about 5 miles southwest of Manassas Virginia.

jeeperoni91 said:
sounds about like my aussie in my 8.8

cant tell its there if you coast through a turn, but you give it the gas and the jeep tilts hard and the tires are chirping. you'll love it offroad being locked f/r now
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It also tried to go straight when locked. Gets even more interesting when I have it in full time 4wd (242 t-case). That's the only time I can tell that TrueTrac is there because it gets noticeably harder to steer under heavier throttle.

RockZJ said:
Well regardless you def have come a long way! The ZJ is progressing very, very nicely!

RockZJ
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Thanks Rock! It has come a long way since last Spring when it was still stock. Now I just have to knuckle down and pay off all the bills! Any more mods are going to have to wait for quite a while. Really, the only thing I can think of that's left to do is get a t-case skid for it. Don't ask how I let that one slip for so long - should have been a first mod. That and put the sliders on that have been sitting in the middle of my garage for over 6 months now.
 
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Discussion starter · #197 ·
RockZJ said:
You said no more mods two mods ago :D. So when are you planning on taking it out on the trail?

RocKZJ
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Actually, the wife said no more mods but I convinced her that upgrading the front and rear axles was a necessity that had to be done. She reluctantly agreed but made me promise that this was the end of it. Fair enough since she really paid for the last round of mods.

I'm hoping to try it out soon. I may have to take it back to the shop first though. The left front axle seal left a nice puddle on the garage floor last night. Thankfully, it's all warrantied.
 
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RockZJ
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