50/50, 50% XJ and 50% Tube
- Thread starter FiFo
- Start date
KarlVP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hardcoreville, WA
I'm sure he will have some up.
I had the pleasure of taking it on it's maiden street voyage with him. I got to ride in the winch bitch seat and we cruized the neighborhood.
It's one bad mofo now.
I had the pleasure of taking it on it's maiden street voyage with him. I got to ride in the winch bitch seat and we cruized the neighborhood.
It's one bad mofo now.
Gojeep said:
Here it is after me and Karl took it for a spin around the block, I’ve done so many little projects to it this week to get it ready for this weekend that I don’t know what to say, the winch in front was hooked up this morning and works fine, I got the seats and seat belts in last night. My wife decided that it needed to be blue, so that is the color I painted it, just cheap rattle can paint from home depot. The CB antenna was moved to the back from its original location on the front fender, assuming I can find a new CB cable tonight before I head out I will have that up and running for this weekend.
Finally here is a shot from the drivers seat
Now I got to get back to packing, I have to round up all the crap (spare parts and tools) I took out of the jeep so that I can put it all back, as well as get my camping gear together. Hopefully I will have pictures later this week of it in action.
Chili Palmer
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Idaho
Just thought I'd give you a big :thumbup:
I've got a question for you...
I just bought my first XJ (I've had a TJ for the last couple of years, it's an '05 that I bought new, and it's still my DD) and since I've got my TJ for a DD I'm looking at having some fun with XJ.
What size of metal are you using to brace up the uniframe and are there any good threads about this?
I've got a question for you...
I just bought my first XJ (I've had a TJ for the last couple of years, it's an '05 that I bought new, and it's still my DD) and since I've got my TJ for a DD I'm looking at having some fun with XJ.
What size of metal are you using to brace up the uniframe and are there any good threads about this?
- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
FiFo said:
Kudo's on a well thought out and nicely done project. It has nice lines for a 4 seater, and should be plenty strong enough to handle a few rollovers. I like it. :thumbup:
If I was going to add anything, it would be this. You might think about another tube to get a little triangulation in the front tube work, along the side of the hood (you might already have plans for this). The area just forward of the firewall is important to strengthen, the cowl itself is pretty strong, especially since you've left the stock sheetmetal in that area, but just forward of that always needs help....where the frame meets the firewall.
For a rig that has kept the entire original floor, yours has very nice lines and is very utilitarian as well as strong and narrow. Nice work........have fun with it!
KarlVP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hardcoreville, WA
Chili Palmer said:
We used 1/4" mild steel flatbar to brace up the frame.
Well, I lost the cable that connects my camera to my computer, and was to busy to track down a new one, so the pictures are WAY late. But here they are at last.
Tom was nice enough to tow my XJ out to Buck Meadows along with his girlfriends TJ (2 car trailer). Here I am putting gas in it, didn’t think 1/8 of a tank was really enough to go wheeling on.
First day was easy stuff; my wife took this picture of us going across the bridge.
We had to do some trail maintenance while we where up there, a couple of trees where across the trail so we cut them up with the chainsaw and used our winches to get them out of the way. This gave me my first opportunity to use my new winch.
As you can see we have two winches on this tree, it was quite substantial. The picture doesn’t really do it justice, it was pretty big.
Naturally as usually happens most of the pictures I have are of other people, but here is a show of the whole group at the end of the day.
I count 3 TJs, 3 YJs, 1 CJ, 1 Toy, 1 XJ, and 1 what ever you call Dirtballs giant orange monstrosity.
A couple people took off during the night, so with a smaller group we set off to find some harder trails on Sunday.
Everything was going well, until we hit this off camber section covered in what turned out to be slick snow.
Problem is everyone who started across it would start to slip and head toward the stream at the bottom. The stream isn’t that big, but there was some concern that if you went over that ledge you where going to end up in the stream on your side, which would kind of suck. A few made it a cross no problem, but about half had to winch across. In my case my skinny tires dug in fairly quickly and I had opportunity numbers 2 and 3 to use my winch. Terry in the pic above was a fairly typical example, she got about ¾ of the way across but slid down far enough where the tree was in her way, but couldn’t get any traction to go above it.
Here’s the XJ waiting for everyone to get across.
A little further on we came to a downhill section with a small bridge at the bottom. Not really a big deal in the summer, but with the slick conditions that existed caused some pucker factor.
As you can see in the pic, the problem was if you went strait down the hill you would end up in the stream, which meant you had to scoot over a little to the left. To give you a better idea here is a shot from the other side after I crossed.
Again this is Terry in her YJ, first time she tried it her front tires slide to the passenger side until both passenger side tires slide off the bridge and where hanging over the edge, Dirtball in the orange jeep behind her had to winch her back onto solid ground for another attempt.
We didn’t make it much further before running into two separate groups having problems. Basically they couldn’t get over the next set of hills because of the snow, and couldn’t get up the one we just came down, making them SOL. We got them up the hill before the bridge and then headed back ourselves. However going up that hill presented me with opportunity to use my new winch numbers 4 and 5.
Problem came when we hit that snow covered side hill again. I was determined not to winch across again so I tried everything humanly imaginable to get across. I tried the wheels to the left, and when I got stuck I tried them to the right, I tried going high, I tried low, and when I got stuck I tried rocking it. The one thing I hadn’t tried was 2 wheel drive, which is what I had after my front ring and pinion decided that it was done for the weekend.
And not surprisingly this lead to opportunity to use my new winch number 6.
Naturally that ended my weekend, but we where on the way back anyways so not that big a loss. Next weekend is the father’s day run to Elbe, which my father and bother are planning on attending. I have a new set of Precision gears to go in the D30, and am hoping to have some lights and rear flares on by then. But for the moment I need to get back to the garage. I have a 74 J-20 that I have to get the engine back in so that I can tow the XJ to Elbe, assuming the motor doesn’t explode when I try and start it up for the first time.
Tom was nice enough to tow my XJ out to Buck Meadows along with his girlfriends TJ (2 car trailer). Here I am putting gas in it, didn’t think 1/8 of a tank was really enough to go wheeling on.
First day was easy stuff; my wife took this picture of us going across the bridge.
We had to do some trail maintenance while we where up there, a couple of trees where across the trail so we cut them up with the chainsaw and used our winches to get them out of the way. This gave me my first opportunity to use my new winch.
As you can see we have two winches on this tree, it was quite substantial. The picture doesn’t really do it justice, it was pretty big.
Naturally as usually happens most of the pictures I have are of other people, but here is a show of the whole group at the end of the day.
I count 3 TJs, 3 YJs, 1 CJ, 1 Toy, 1 XJ, and 1 what ever you call Dirtballs giant orange monstrosity.
A couple people took off during the night, so with a smaller group we set off to find some harder trails on Sunday.
Everything was going well, until we hit this off camber section covered in what turned out to be slick snow.
Problem is everyone who started across it would start to slip and head toward the stream at the bottom. The stream isn’t that big, but there was some concern that if you went over that ledge you where going to end up in the stream on your side, which would kind of suck. A few made it a cross no problem, but about half had to winch across. In my case my skinny tires dug in fairly quickly and I had opportunity numbers 2 and 3 to use my winch. Terry in the pic above was a fairly typical example, she got about ¾ of the way across but slid down far enough where the tree was in her way, but couldn’t get any traction to go above it.
Here’s the XJ waiting for everyone to get across.
A little further on we came to a downhill section with a small bridge at the bottom. Not really a big deal in the summer, but with the slick conditions that existed caused some pucker factor.
As you can see in the pic, the problem was if you went strait down the hill you would end up in the stream, which meant you had to scoot over a little to the left. To give you a better idea here is a shot from the other side after I crossed.
Again this is Terry in her YJ, first time she tried it her front tires slide to the passenger side until both passenger side tires slide off the bridge and where hanging over the edge, Dirtball in the orange jeep behind her had to winch her back onto solid ground for another attempt.
We didn’t make it much further before running into two separate groups having problems. Basically they couldn’t get over the next set of hills because of the snow, and couldn’t get up the one we just came down, making them SOL. We got them up the hill before the bridge and then headed back ourselves. However going up that hill presented me with opportunity to use my new winch numbers 4 and 5.
Problem came when we hit that snow covered side hill again. I was determined not to winch across again so I tried everything humanly imaginable to get across. I tried the wheels to the left, and when I got stuck I tried them to the right, I tried going high, I tried low, and when I got stuck I tried rocking it. The one thing I hadn’t tried was 2 wheel drive, which is what I had after my front ring and pinion decided that it was done for the weekend.
And not surprisingly this lead to opportunity to use my new winch number 6.
Naturally that ended my weekend, but we where on the way back anyways so not that big a loss. Next weekend is the father’s day run to Elbe, which my father and bother are planning on attending. I have a new set of Precision gears to go in the D30, and am hoping to have some lights and rear flares on by then. But for the moment I need to get back to the garage. I have a 74 J-20 that I have to get the engine back in so that I can tow the XJ to Elbe, assuming the motor doesn’t explode when I try and start it up for the first time.
KarlVP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hardcoreville, WA
You need bigger tires.
It looks kinda goofy with those tiny little 33's on there.
It looks kinda goofy with those tiny little 33's on there.
KarlVP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hardcoreville, WA
FiFo said:I know this guy with a brand new set of 35" creepy crawlers on his rig. I could probably sneak over to his apartment some night and swap my 33" tires with his 35".
You already break D30 parts with 33's with 35's you could launch D30 parts to the moon!!!!
Jump This
Just another minion!
- Location
- Borrego Springs Ca.
Its June isn't it?
SNOW??
Crazy stuff you mountain folk deal with.......
Rick
SNOW??
Crazy stuff you mountain folk deal with.......
Rick
Jump This
Just another minion!
- Location
- Borrego Springs Ca.
FiFo said:
:roflmao:
Okay, so I remember camping in Utah in August and having some snow around....I guess that is why I don't live in the mountains.
Gojeep said:Great to see you out there using it. Looks like better axles might be in order now and bigger tyres.
I'd like to do a new pair of axles, and then some IROK's. But that is going to have to wait a while.
Jump This said::roflmao:
Okay, so I remember camping in Utah in August and having some snow around....I guess that is why I don't live in the mountains.
Ya, but think of all the different types of wheeling you can do in one day. That's the great thing about the North West, we have a little bit of everything.
Well, while I franticly try and get the 401 in my J-20 up and running again Tom has been working on the XJ in his shop. Here are a few pics he took.
Tom: “front and rear fenders attached, hood side bar/ windshield pivot mount”
Tom: “the new width with these fenders is the same as the outside of the old fender flares.”
Where keeping these from sticking out any more then we have too, and angled them to help slip past trees and what not, so hopefully they wont get In the way to much. I just want something to keep the mud off me, I don’t find getting mud thrown on my particularly fun, and since I’m out there to have fun I figure I need fender flares. Plus their part of my attempt to keep it street legal enough that the sheriff won’t give me any problems when I’m driving down forest service roads.
Tom should have the headlights on before this weekend since I’m taking my father and brother to Elbe WA for fathers’ day, and it gets dark at time on the Busy Wild trail since it’s under all those trees. Plus it’s muddy, hence the fender flares.
Note: for those not from WA, the Busy Wild is a nice little trail in Elbe WA which winds it’s way through a thickly forested area which is also something of a swamp. Basically imagine twisting your way around trees while sitting in piles of mud of various depths (little trickle, to swallow your tires) then throw in a few nice hill climbs and one nasty decent for good measure. Full size and/or stock vehicles need not apply, lockers and a winch HIGHLY recommended.
Ok, back to the garage for me, I’ve got to get the J-20 running or I won’t have a tow vehicle to tow the XJ to Elbe with.
Tom: “front and rear fenders attached, hood side bar/ windshield pivot mount”
Tom: “the new width with these fenders is the same as the outside of the old fender flares.”
Where keeping these from sticking out any more then we have too, and angled them to help slip past trees and what not, so hopefully they wont get In the way to much. I just want something to keep the mud off me, I don’t find getting mud thrown on my particularly fun, and since I’m out there to have fun I figure I need fender flares. Plus their part of my attempt to keep it street legal enough that the sheriff won’t give me any problems when I’m driving down forest service roads.
Tom should have the headlights on before this weekend since I’m taking my father and brother to Elbe WA for fathers’ day, and it gets dark at time on the Busy Wild trail since it’s under all those trees. Plus it’s muddy, hence the fender flares.
Note: for those not from WA, the Busy Wild is a nice little trail in Elbe WA which winds it’s way through a thickly forested area which is also something of a swamp. Basically imagine twisting your way around trees while sitting in piles of mud of various depths (little trickle, to swallow your tires) then throw in a few nice hill climbs and one nasty decent for good measure. Full size and/or stock vehicles need not apply, lockers and a winch HIGHLY recommended.
Ok, back to the garage for me, I’ve got to get the J-20 running or I won’t have a tow vehicle to tow the XJ to Elbe with.
jdogg4
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Evans Colorado.
At first I was going to say don't do the fende flair thing, but with new bigger axles and tires Thats going to look sharp. Plans on painting the rest of it all blue right.
KarlVP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Hardcoreville, WA
He's wheeled it since too. And it works pretty well.
jdogg4
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Evans Colorado.
This and the yellow CAT one are my top two cagged converted rigs around.
