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Thor! My 93 ZJ. 8 in Long Arm

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Discussion starter · #201 · (Edited)
Started on my rear door bars today. Pretty satisfied with the way they came out. Didnt get to see the final product cuz the welder wasnt hear, but you'll get the general idea.

They are pretty practical. I can removed them if needed, and run the doors, still havent ruled out the idea, and if the army sends me to alaska or whatever, im covered. They can also be welded if I wanna make them permanent.

I started with the rear, where the striker would have gone..

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and made these nifty little guys out of 3/16 plate.

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and then for the front, I am using the remander of the factory door hinge mount. I figure if they can hold a door, it'll be a good mount.

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It will be welded to the bracket, but the bracket is bolted through the body with 2 bolts. So I could removed them if wanted.

Heres how it will look. It gives you a general idea, but they arent sitting exactly where they will be welded. They will be 100% level, and match the lines of the front tube doors.

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In this pic they are sitting on top of the brackets. So its ~2 inches higher than it will be. I am going to grind as little as possible off them, and make it a FORCE fit so I have to hammer them in. I want them tight for as much strength as I can get before making the weldes. It will be a pain to get them in and out, but stronger.

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Im totally stoked. Overall cost me ~20 bucks in metal and an hour or two. I got some roll bar padding to put over them and the front tube doors for a little bling bling and cushion.

They should offer plenty of strength where the missing door is, and is still very easy to access the back seat. If someone wants to ride back there they still can. I dig it. Once more of the exo gets going, they will probably get tied in.
 
Discussion starter · #209 ·
well, small progress, but progess. I got every peice of tubing and body re coated with bedliner and paint. They were showing some serious rock rash from the past few trips. And since its sitting so much these days, I figured it would get some love.

Then I stretched the wheelbase an inch. (all rear arms). Luckily I had a lift to use. So I pulled it in on it, supported the rear end, and did the bottom two first. Theres still 1 - 1.5 inches of thread engagement so I could go further, but feel happy where its at. The uppers took a bit of trial and error to get the pinion angle right again. I had to sit it on the ground a few times, and readjust.

Im trying to get it ready for the 36" Iroks going on it. (they measure 36.8) I may add threaded tube inserts and 1.25 johnny joints to the front arms as well if I need to push the wheelbase out any more. The front are fixed length now. I'll know more when I fit the tires.

Then I FINALLY got around to welding the rear tube doors in place. They are nice and solid. =)

Heres how shes sitting these days

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Discussion starter · #210 ·
Oh and I forgot to add, I got my orders for after flight school, I will going back to TEXAS! Good old fort hood again. Cant wait! Oh and if i didnt say it already, Im flying Chinooks (CH47F). Its a bad beast!

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and the cockpit. Its a beauty, all glass, moving maps, ect

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Discussion starter · #211 · (Edited)
Did some work today. Got around to putting a steering box brace on it. I broke the mounting ears off of two stock boxes before putting in my PSC. And i really dont ever wanna break the ears off this one. So this is what I came up with. (since a store bought costs over $100.... WTF? )

I used 2x2 3/16 for the brackets, and 3/4 tube for the cross brace. The brackets use the old stock sway bar mounting holes. I used two bolts per side, most braces ive seen only used one, but I figure why put all that stress on one bolt per side.

Brackets....

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Here's the tube mocked into place. It fits perfect, right over the hump in the lower radiator hose.

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For the clamp around the sector shaft/ steering box snout, I used a 2 inch exhaust clamp.

Mock up

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and a 3/16th plate will fill in the gap and tie the cross tube in with the clamp....

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heres what it looks like pre'welding laying out.

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Not bad for an hours work. (including running to the store). All in all, it cost me $30. Thats a steal for the added peice of mind that my steering box bolts arent the sole support any more. Im pretty happy with it.
 
#212 ·
That looks good, and much less than others I have seen for sale online.
 
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Discussion starter · #214 ·
Well, got some more time today. Also got a new toy!!!

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So heres the progress on the steering box brace.

Got the outter brackets bolted in, the measured the center tube. Tacked it in and removed for final welding. Then bolted it back in the measure and cut the clamp tie in plates. once I had them cut I removed it AGAIN, and did the finish welding.

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I went back and forth over using one peice of 1/8 inch and calling it good, or using two. After thinking I went with two. Figured i'd feel better about it down the road.

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looks like this now...

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Heres how it clears the passenger side, and radiator hose

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and heres a close up of how it all mounted together.

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I ran it through a few steering cycles, and that things not going ANYWHERE. And the pitman arm clears through the whole range of movement.

Not bad at all for 35$. It was my first project on the new welder, so the welds with keep getting better and better.
 
Discussion starter · #215 ·
long over due update...Well the cage is 95% finished. Brought it back down to fort hood to finish up the LED tail light boxes and get the window nets tacked in. Heres how shes sitting right now. Let me know what you think. I am in love with it. My two goals were #1 it had to be close to the body. I hate gaps on exo's, and #2 it had to follow the body lines. I love ZJs because they look so good, its not boxy like the XJ. Well, my brother in law was pissed because theres hardly a straight piece of tube anywhere, but boy does it look good. You almost cant even notice the cage unless you study it.











There you have it! We are also going to add one more bar down the a-pillar. At first we were just going to run two connectors between the wheel well and hood bar, but we want more strength, and will find a way to come straight down the A-pillar. Thanks Again "TrendSetters Offroad" in Weatherford tx. Kevin you are the man.
 
Discussion starter · #216 ·
And heres the next steps... I am going to push the rear axle back about 2-3 inches when the 14 bolt goes in, and we used a 40 inch tire to make the front and rear wheel wells. Its a very funny angle in this picture (and my tire is still mounted behind this), but a 40 will fit all the way to full stuff, and hit the top and sides at the same time. And im only going for 38.5s.



And what the hell, to help spin those big old meats,



 
Discussion starter · #218 ·
Utah_ZJ said:
Loving the speaker location!
Click to expand...
Thanks. I did a write up on em somewhere. Eh, if you click on the link in my sig its covered in that build.

It works out great with my dash speakers and those two, now I can rock out on the trail with no doors.
 
Discussion starter · #219 ·
And heres where my heads at with the rest of it....

The window nets are RJS SFI approved from summit, and have quick release mounts. Should look a little like this...



and the tail lights and turn indicators are both super bright LED water proof deals from optronix. They will be in a plate off the cage like this...

 
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ZJGrandMaster
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