Project: BOUGHT NOT BUILT

[LouisianaZJ]

thanks. up next is chopping off the doors and putting cage in

[DJJordache]

cage kit? or building your own?

[LouisianaZJ]

D&C kit

[LouisianaZJ]

doors off
now I needs a cage

I thinks I am going to "install" a sunroof as well
this is a crappy pic of the D&C kit

gonna add a couple more spreaders

[LouisianaZJ]

my buddys XJ on 60's


curb crawlin

[LouisianaZJ]

went crazy with the cage paint, masked off the first 2" at joints (had not pulled tape yet) . Waiting on one last cage piece then weld time.

[LouisianaZJ]

some pics of the cage, still in the works

going to eventually add an x or k brace on the c pillar, ran out of tube

[ELLLLLIOTTTTT]

Turn the heat up on that welder booby.

Cage looks good!

[LouisianaZJ]

yeah, turned out pretty good I think. We added alot to the stock D&C cage which only had single spreaders overhead at the A B & D pillars .

Suggestions on the lateral bracing? im thinking K brace off the c pillar center node.

[LouisianaZJ]

http://www.thexota.org/d/8632-1/100_5404.jpg
http://www.thexota.org/d/8635-1/100_5405.jpg

pics of how I want to do the tieins
I had to buy a metric assload of channel (sell in 20 ft pieces) & I need about 6 ft so if someone wants todo something similar I can cut up pieces & ship UPS

[Jeeptech01]

some pics from today. i replaced the leaking SS with an OMD SD40, i bought from dirk about 6 months ago

also pics of the 35's on 15x8 aluminum wheels. the mud kings will be replaced with 36" irok's or BFG MT's, have not decided yet.

This is at 6" on 35's? Still rustys 4" + bb? Thanks Nice rig BTW

[LouisianaZJ]

yup, somewhere around there, probably closer to 5.5" with alot of trimming

got some pics with the interior back together
http://img85.imageshack.us/slideshow...080721juq.smil

[Jeeptech01]

Looks good. Tks.

[LouisianaZJ]

thoughts on this additional bracing? for lateral roll & c pillar support



also progress on the unitbody tieins

[LouisianaZJ]

Bump. Going to start notching later this wknd

[zjeepin]

thoughts on this additional bracing? for lateral roll & c pillar support



also progress on the unitbody tieins

my recommendation is plate the unibody with some 3/16 or similar where you are going to tie the cage into it to spread out the load as much as possible, it will buckle the unibody over time and very quickly in a nice roll

i like the cage though, it really takes alot of planning for interior cages.

the only thing i would change about your c pillar bracing would be to make it an x instead of a single bar, the x will be exponentially stronger and add alot of strength to the unibody. i know zj's are prone to cracking the unibody near the back hatch if they are wheeled much ...

my .02

[LouisianaZJ]

Yeah will rake that into consideration. Main reason I have it as a diagonal is so a 36 in spare would still fit. May layout a k brace & see if that would work

[zjeepin]

Yeah will rake that into consideration. Main reason I have it as a diagonal is so a 36 in spare would still fit. May layout a k brace & see if that would work

k would still be alot stronger than the single diagonal bar. could you fit a Y and your spare?

[Jeeptech01]

I lke that cage but it just seems to take up alot of room inside and the dash cant come out. Have you looked on pirate for ideas? Tons of xj's there.

[LouisianaZJ]

most I have seen are exo. on pirate

really, I have tons of space in the front seats, hardly any loss due to the cage; the rear passengers & cago are screwed though

kinda limited on what i can add as I dont have acces to a bender w/o paying a shop.

[Jeeptech01]

Thats pretty much what I figured. I still have to use the back seat. There was a commanche build over on pirate where the guy ran the main hoop throught the b pillars. That is the one I was thinking of. Keep goin it looks good.

[LouisianaZJ]

Going to just add a rear seatbelt bar to the c pillars, boxing in that frame should give enough ridgidity for what I am doing. If I cut the roof off I will x brace it up more.

Also looking for alloy suggestions for a full width ford hp44, brands, vendors, etc. Probably go with ctms , slugs, and full Detroit in it

[LouisianaZJ]

Ending up doing the mini comp cut on the rear quarter since the 36's were rubbing there, now im thinking trimming the bumper, lol. Also repainted the bumper & lights in fine texture bedliner.



Cut up some tubing fro C pillar framing & rear crossmember.



Next project the HP44

[Jeeptech01]

Is that a ford hp44 without the wedges?

[LouisianaZJ]

Yup. Only drawback is it supposedly has thinner tubes, but I am trussing the whole thing probably