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Ross's Jeep that will take longer than Rob's to build thread...

Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

And I noticed you pointing out the grade 8 nuts every time you use them. Just remember any time you weld on/near a fastener you weaken it. That's why in those in progress pics from when I did Johnny's 3 link it was all cheap bolts. I swap in the grade 8's when the welding is done so I don't compromise them. :thumbup:

Good point!! When I'm welding the nuts themselves, I try to just do a couple of strong tacks across it and keep heat down on the nut. For each size thread, I have some sacarfical bolts I usually like to use. By now, a couple of them have been well "heat treated" :D




On the same topic.....Remember folks, be sure to use a tap and/or die after welding too!!!
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

Good point!! When I'm welding the nuts themselves, I try to just do a couple of strong tacks across it and keep heat down on the nut. For each size thread, I have some sacarfical bolts I usually like to use. By now, a couple of them have been well "heat treated" :D

On the same topic.....Remember folks, be sure to use a tap and/or die after welding too!!!
I actually use the cheap bolts to avoid doing that as well. Every time you run a tap/die over a fastener, especially one that's been heated, you have the potential to take off material, lessening the percentage of thread engagement. And even worse, the potential for cross threading. Just leave a junk bolt in the nut in this case, and it will keep material from getting into the threads.
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

On the same topic.....Remember folks, be sure to use a tap and/or die after welding too!!!
at least you've learned from your mistakes :shhh:
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

Looking good Ross. Pretty much the same idea I've been wanting to do with my fuel cell for years to gain some room back inside. You just have this way of actually making "progress". :D

And I noticed you pointing out the grade 8 nuts every time you use them. Just remember any time you weld on/near a fastener you weaken it. That's why in those in progress pics from when I did Johnny's 3 link it was all cheap bolts. I swap in the grade 8's when the welding is done so I don't compromise them. :thumbup:
It's a pretty big change in strength, too. I welded a 5/8" grade-8 nut onto the head of a hub bolt last week to remove it, and it softened it to the point that my socket left imprints on the flats. I was only using a breaker bar.
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

Got a little distracted lately with my dad and we're trying to finish up an old project that we've had for 7+ years. This is the second time the engine's been dropped back in (freshly rebuilt with 4hrs of run time and it took a dump the first time after some crappy workmenship from a now shaddy and failing local engine builder).

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Got some work done on the Jeep though and stripped some more stuff. I think I'll put the header panel, fenders, and mirrors on the DD 95. I plan on doing some tube fenders and a custom grill kinda like what EricXJ did. The nose will also get chopped and narrowed a little bit, I wanna go from a 7 slot grill to a 5 slot grill.

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Chopped out the pinch seam on the DS and welded it all back up, I left the UCA cup since it shouldn't be a clearence issue. Started working on the tranny crossmember, I cut and boxed the center section for the tranny mount to recess into the 2x5x.250. I want the entire bellypan to be flush with the bottom of the framerails, the only thing that will be sticking out will be the nuts for the tranny mount. When I skin the entire bottom, I'll weld some slugs around the nuts to protect them.

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Anybody know what time it is? I need a clock!!! :D

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Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

Anybody know what time it is? I need a clock!!! :D

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My watch says it's time to get rid of the 231.
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

My watch says it's time to get rid of the 231.

:thumbup:

Quiet!!! after its driving, or maybe even later in the build, ill do some bling t-case stuff. although, now i should remember where i saw that flipped and twin sticked D300 for $400......
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

A good holiday weekend, I labored all day long :thumbup:


A used a 5 foot piece of 3x3x3/16" angle iron on each side as the main middle frame stiffeners. I cut some slots in the middle area to allow the metal to bend a little bit and compensate for that small step on the factory rails just behind the tranny crossmember. I then pulled the drill press out and proceeded to drill a ton of 3/8" holes for plug welds all over the place. I also drilled out a couple 1/2" holes and welded some nuts on the backside, these will be for the mounts for the rear crossmember at the output of the t-case. This crossmember will give me my structure for the bellypan and a mount for the frameside of the traction bar to come.

I went to town welding these things in. I did the entire perimeter, came out real nice. I started the day with like ~700 PSI in the MIG's tank so I didn't think I was gunna get to far. Outta like 30 feet of welding and like 100 plug welds, I ran outta gas with less then a foot left and like 5 plug welds :doh:



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Next up is I'll flap wheel the sides smooth and shot some paint over everything. Then, I'll start cutting up some 1/8" plate and start on the rear stiffeners.
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

Hey... those look familiar.....
I was lazy and just cut out a section for the xmember instead of remounting the xmember.

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Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

Hey... those look familiar.....
I was lazy and just cut out a section for the xmember instead of remounting the xmember.]

3x3 angle works great for stiffeners. My crossmember doesnt hang below so I didnt have to cut anything out or drill any holes. My tranny crossmember will bolt to the inside on the framerails :D
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

I love getting work done!!



Posterboard templates

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Transfered it to some 1/8" plate and cut them out, followed by a date with the drill press and the same 3/8" bit thats been kicking a bunch of ass for me. I decided to split the side piece into 2 seperate pieces since my sheet of 1/8" plate was only 1'x10' and I didn't wanna end up with a bunch of odd, big drops. I got a little idea for a cool gusset piece over the seams.

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Flap wheeled and ready for paint.

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That should just about finish all the stiffening in the rear of the jeep. I gotta find some long Grade 8 bolts around here somewhere some I can start building the leaf spring hangers. The plan is push the front hanger mount back 3" from stock. I'm gunna use some 3x6x5/16" rect tubing as UBE mounts on the 14b. I'll be drilling the center pin holes with some adjustability to probably push the rear axle another inch or so backwards too.


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Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

:party: Brown Santa showed up with some goodies today!!!



Pro Comp/Rock Crawler black steelies, soft-8 style, 17x9's with 3.5" of backspacing. I'll take a little trip over to the garage I used to work at and mount up the Treps tomorrow afternoon. I'm gunna pull the axles out and setup the up out in the yard and give the housings a good wire wheeling/cleaning, followed by some paint. Then I'll assemble the outers and get the wheels/tires mounted up and roll the stuff under the jeep.




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Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

hahahaha, they put fragile stickers on the rims for shipping.

IF THEY ONLY KNEW
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

hahahaha, they put fragile stickers on the rims for shipping.

IF THEY ONLY KNEW


The UPS dude was like "They should wrap these with some padding around the edges or something." I replied that I doubt anything he can dish out will have a chance at hurting these.




The plan is to run some InnerAirLocks and possibly weld on some outer rings to keep the other lip happy incase it wants to give some rocks High-5's.
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

pro comp wheels are gay
 
Re: The Life, Death, & Rebirth of a Black Jeep

all wheels are ghey, the rubber goes on the front and the studs come through the back

sorry, terrible pun, had to
 
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