Project "Constructive Deconstruction"

[VAhasnoWAVES]

sooooo.... what are you saying exactly?

that because clayton already made something similar i should have just gave them my money instead?

 

[dan1977p]

sooooo.... what are you saying exactly?

that because clayton already made something similar i should have just gave them my money instead?

Yeah, it would be a great argument if the cost of prefab'd kits weren't usually 3x what it would cost us to do the same thing ourselves. Now, if we were building these things based off another design and selling them, different story. Assuming, of course, the originator of the design patented it. If not, it was either not worth it for the author to protect that design or so generic that it's not patent-able. In this case, I'd go with the latter. There are only so many ways someone notch 2x6 box tube, weld on some brackets to hold control arms and mount it under a car that's been out of production for over a decade.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

dont have argon this weekend... so i have just been prepping the rear for stiffeners and the rear axle. but i got some parts in the mail today, so i decided to do a little mock up.

i think this is going to work pretty good. the other end of the limit strap is bolted to the lower control arm bolt. right now im at about 10" of travel, split 50/50. ive been looking at getting 7100s to be tunable... i could probably squeeze some more droop with a 14" short body and relocating the axle side shock mount. a 12" short body gets me nothing, as these 11" 5125s have the same extended length. that extra inch of travel would be past full bump. but as it sits the coil just barely unseats at full droop.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

rear stiffeners are all prepped. even prepped the shackle relocation brackets to be permanently welded on as well. alas... no argon. maybe tomorrow, probably not.

also pulled the axle. chopped off the ram skid.

started mocking up the ram in a new spot. i think this is where it is going to have to live. i didnt chop off the old ram mount because im going to have to weld to it.

extended:

shouldnt have a problem interfering with the coil:

collapsed:

clears the diff:

lines end up in a good spot:

axle side mount.... i can get the bolt out with the wheels strait:

now i just need that damn argon...

 

[Smash Hole]

sooooo.... what are you saying exactly?

that because clayton already made something similar i should have just gave them my money instead?

You literally spent 2 months reinventing a crossmember that you can buy for $200 when looking at a simple picture would of given you all the information you needed.

But go ahead and tell everyone it's your own design and get a cookie

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

You literally spent 2 months reinventing a crossmember that you can buy for $200 when looking at a simple picture would of given you all the information you needed.

But go ahead and tell everyone it's your own design and get a cookie

when did i ever say it was my design? pretty sure i blatantly said i was going to copy the clayton design. all i can say is that i built it myself, sure. the automotive industry does it all the time, "steal shamelessly." i also wanted to put the upper on the other side, that didnt work out. and i can say i did make a couple improvements after talking to someone with the clayton kit... biggest one being the fact that i drafted the flanges to make removing the crossmember easier.

 

[POLAR_JEEP_04]

where can you get the 3 link cross member for $200? clayton has it listed at $340
building your own is pretty awesome though. I bought a standard clayton cross member that ill be adding my own upper mount to even though I wish I had their upper mount to modify to work on a ZJ anyways

 

[Smash Hole]

where can you get the 3 link cross member for $200? clayton has it listed at $340
building your own is pretty awesome though. I bought a standard clayton cross member that ill be adding my own upper mount to even though I wish I had their upper mount to modify to work on a ZJ anyways

I know a guy

 

[POLAR_JEEP_04]

I know a guy

well can you get me just the drivers side end piece that has the 3 link upper mount on it for my cross member or do they not sell the individual pieces by themselves?

 

[Smash Hole]

well can you get me just the drivers side end piece that has the 3 link upper mount on it for my cross member or do they not sell the individual pieces by themselves?

There is no 3 link ZJ crossmember that I am aware of

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

I know a guy

odd... i dont recall you ever speaking up.

but i guess because i built something myself in my free time i am somehow in the wrong, eh? sorry to get you worked up. hope you can still sleep at night.

 

[Smash Hole]

odd... i dont recall you ever speaking up.



but i guess because i built something myself in my free time i am somehow in the wrong, eh? sorry to get you worked up. hope you can still sleep at night.

Well I did loose some sleep after never getting my money for shipping those springs

But I let that go

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

lol... here we go.

werent you supposed to tell me what shipping cost? its not like i am hard to get hold of.

i guess this is the adult way to do things though.

 

[POLAR_JEEP_04]

There is no 3 link ZJ crossmember that I am aware of

I just need the one far drivers side part of the 3 piece XJ 3 link cross member.

 

[Smash Hole]

lol... here we go.

werent you supposed to tell me what shipping cost? its not like i am hard to get hold of.

i guess this is the adult way to do things though.

I did, with the tracking number... After much fuss of when I was going to go east with your parts.

Originally you said before the holiday so you could get them installed before you left. I couldn't pin down a time I was going to be your direction so I boxed them up and sent them your way, per your request. After dropping them off at Fed Ex, I texted you with a tracking number and the cost.

Even if you claimed you never received that text, any other person would of asked what the damage was. It's not like I am hard to get a hold of.

 

[Fore Wheeler]

opcorn:

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

actually... you were.

which is the first of many differences in our accounts. but i guess that is to be expected. like i said, not the place.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

shakedown run happened last Saturday at the mounds. started out slow and worked my way up:

by the end of the day I had worked up the courage (with a little bit of encouragement) to tackle the big rock pile:

jeep went everywhere I pointed it with zero complaints. a couple bugs, but no major failures or issues. beyond happy for the time being.

 

[VAhasnoWAVES]

been pretty busy and havent updated in a while... long story short...

disregard the rake. it levels out when i throw the bumper, spare tire, and a few tools in the back.

also... reason i have been busy. closed on a new house.

 

[banderso]

beyond happy for the time being.

You should be. Everything worked really well.

And thanks for letting me have a couple minutes in the driver's seat.