'91 4.0 build

[xj9140]

Re: cheapy welder build

Thanks for the progress report all is looking great. What rear diff are you running?

Its a xj44 4.88's spicer trac loc, I would like to sell it to fund my unfinished hp dana 50 rear

 

[x2elite]

Re: cheapy welder build

If you were local I'd buy that 44 in a heartbeat, and you could be on your way on that D50 build.

 

[xj9140]

Re: cheapy welder build

Why do people move the battery back there?

If you do, I'd make a nice little spot for it. Part of your cover for the tank. Just to make it aesthetically pleasing for myself.

Hows this for aesthetically pleasing?

 

[90 waggy]

Re: cheapy welder build

its all about function not form, right? :greensmok

 

[$700later]

Re: cheapy welder build

love the pinions for bump stop action

 

[xjnuttier]

Re: cheapy welder build

Thanks, I would have it sold for you if you were closer.. Nice looking work again..

 

[praetorian]

Re: cheapy welder build

What cheapy welder u be using?

 

[xj9140]

Re: cheapy welder build

What cheapy welder u be using?

Some of the more important stuff I build at work where we have a 3 phase miller, but at home, for now, I'm using this 220 volt Harbor Freight SKU# 97503

 

[$700later]

i thought that "cheapy welder" = you weld for a living and you are cheap? i subscribed because those 2 reasons sounded like a guy that would do a lot of his own fab work, and you have done that. so in the end i'm still happy.

 

[90 waggy]

thats what i was thinking also. i weld for a living and im a cheap SOB also.

 

[xj9140]

My welder is a cheap one for sure, but not because I am cheap, its just what I could afford. It works good for what I am using it for. I changed the title because I felt it was unprofessional. I have plans to become a vendor, and sell a few innovative parts and services.
I ordered some ball joints and will be installing them later this week.
In the next couple of months I'll be:

remounting my rear shocks through the floor
work on the floor behind the back seat
building new shackles
more uni-body plating
re-mounting pan hard frame bracket
and either building a new front bumper or modifying the one I have for a winch

 

[xj9140]

WJ ball joints arrived today

 

[xj9140]

Got some work done this morning
this pigs getting heavy

this is how I unscrew my lower bump stops

before installing the new ball joints I wanted to burn in the inner C gussets better, with a second welding pass

I welded these on a few months back and was conservative not to toast the joints. First I tried using some nickle rod, I didn't like the way it was flowing, I switched to 7018. the final pass was done with flux core.
first I heated everything up, real hot, how hot? I don't know. I heated the entire c, A rose bud would have bean better but, I don't have one

here's the end result of my second pass,

letting it cool down, and hopefully it wont be to difficult to get my bj press in there

 

[xj9140]

pressing in the ball joint's

I was having some issues with my bump stops missing the pad. I ordered up some larger bump pads from Currie

I removed the upper bumps and tapped the holes for 1/2 inch

here's everything finished up with my new bump configuration

 

[xj9140]

I decided against cutting up my bumper to mount the winch. I am going to build a new one instead.
I got the bumper brackets cut, the square tubing I'll be using for my rear anti-wrap shock mounts.

 

[xj9140]

Dropped the front end tonight and started working on the front frame plaiting. I'm hoping to have my winch mounted up by Monday.

 

[xj9140]

I got the inner steering brace welded on. One if the nicer features of the RocDogFab kit.

 

[xj9140]

The fitment of the front plate sucked. The plate basically ended half way into the stock bumper bolt holes and mostly covered up the others. I'll have to drill some new ones, but its probably better not to use the stock hole locations anyway. Perhaps its why they designed it this way and most bumpers wouldn't fit after welding these on.

 

[xj9140]

My steering shaft was sloppy and bugging me. Since it was off the Jeep I went ahead and fixed it. The rubber yoke bushing was the culprit. I burned it out with a torch and replaced it with some key stock.

 

[xj9140]

my shop hand

progress report