Fun with plasma (and some welding, too)

[JLane99XJ]

I figure I shaved about 25 pounds per side doing this. 1/4" would have saved me nada.

I'm glad I went with 3/16".

Dented steel is cool.

Rick

although i Do agree dented Steel is cool,
why worry with 25 lbs burn on some 3/8" plate add 50lbs per side and DROP your COG ?? right??

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Rick, can you tell me what size tubing you used for your supports? BTW, I am working on this with my MJ and I plan to keep the floor in tact, but run the supports through it so the bottom edge of the supports just clears the floor corner. Once in place, I'll weld the notchs in the floor to the supports and have a nice full floor again. The carpet can probably even be layed back over the slightly protruding supports if one wanted to. Jeff

 

[AzRick]

Rick, can you tell me what size tubing you used for your supports? BTW, I am working on this with my MJ and I plan to keep the floor in tact, but run the supports through it so the bottom edge of the supports just clears the floor corner. Once in place, I'll weld the notchs in the floor to the supports and have a nice full floor again. The carpet can probably even be layed back over the slightly protruding supports if one wanted to. Jeff

Jeff, those are 1.5", 1/8" wall square. I ended up with 6 total per side. They seem to be plenty strong enough.

I should have used 3/16" for the long piece that runs front to rear. I've slammed them real hard a few times and the passenger side is getting pretty bent.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

So the piece running from front to rear was 1/8" thick as well? Is it 2x2 or the same 1.5x1.5 that you used for the supports? Paul mentioned someplace in this thread or another that he had switched from 1/8" 2x4 to 3/16" 2x2 as well. I'm planning on using 3/16 2x4 with a piece of tube beyond that similar to what a number of bolt on rocker guards use. I'll be keeping the doors though (with the bottom cut so they're flat.) Jeff

 

[xj92]

I am working on this with my MJ and I plan to keep the floor in tact, but run the supports through it so the bottom edge of the supports just clears the floor corner. Once in place, I'll weld the notchs in the floor to the supports and have a nice full floor again. The carpet can probably even be layed back over the slightly protruding supports if one wanted to. Jeff

I have done all this to my passenger side (currently working on the driver side). It works great. I've even come down on it off of 2-3 foot drops and all it does is make noise. I cut the lip that hangs down on the door, folded the outer skin over and welded it back in place so I have full functionality of the window. I then cut all the way up to the door sill sort of like mad xj and ran 2x4" tubing (2x6 would work also, but I had 2" angle I used in conjunction with the 2x4), so I gained about 1"+ of clearance vs. the stock rockers. I ran 4 supports back down to the frame that I had previously plated to make it all really strong. I ran them just through the corner of the floorpan and welded it all back up. I used seam sealer to make sure it was all water tight and when I was done I made small relief cuts in the carpet so it would go back over it.

I prefer to have a square corner at some point so that if you do slide off something, it doesn't slide all the way to your body. If I did boatsides, I'd do it just like I did and then just add in the boatside but leave a lip at the top. Pics of mine here:

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

That looks pretty sharp! I think your floor is a bit exposed, but not too bad. The rockers have some pretty nice supports that are tucked up pretty well. I'll be doing something quite similar, but using square for the supports and covering it with a sheet skin so the supports don't provide anything to get hung on. Jeff

 

[xj92]

Yeah, the floor is a tiny bit exposed, but it has 1/8" angle along the vertical plane next to it. I've only hit the floor once there and it held, but it could be reinforced some. I've never hung up on the supports yet though because they're tucked so close, and they're round so they wouldn't hang up bad if they did.

 

[AzRick]

So the piece running from front to rear was 1/8" thick as well? Is it 2x2 or the same 1.5x1.5 that you used for the supports? Paul mentioned someplace in this thread or another that he had switched from 1/8" 2x4 to 3/16" 2x2 as well. I'm planning on using 3/16 2x4 with a piece of tube beyond that similar to what a number of bolt on rocker guards use. I'll be keeping the doors though (with the bottom cut so they're flat.) Jeff

Thats 1.5x1.5x1/8" square running front to rear. I should have used 3/16". It's a little hard to see, but it's starting to get pretty tweaked.

Jeff, you've seen me drive, and you know that I have no problem beating up my junk. It only has started to bend on the pass. side after lots and lots of smaller hits and a few teeth shattering shots.

 

[twisted_ed]

Polyurethane.
Hmmmm

Not just Polyurethane, you want to use UHMW, we use that stuff in our conveyors at work as a abrasive resistance product, its slick as greased snot and is alot tougher than just poly.

 

[Dirk Pitt]

Not just Polyurethane, you want to use UHMW, we use that stuff in our conveyors at work as a abrasive resistance product, its slick as greased snot and is alot tougher than just poly.

Yet still not as tough at steel.

We spec it a lot for slides for stuff here at work also and for light duty stuff that needs soft handling, it's a lot better than steel, but for heavy duty stuff (i.e. rocks) I would never put UHMW in place as sharp stuff will kill it. Unless you want to replace it every year.

 

[twisted_ed]

yup, thats why I am just gonna use thick steel on mine. If I were skinning them with poly it would be UHMW just cause its slicker.

 

[Jump This]

Yet still not as tough at steel.

We spec it a lot for slides for stuff here at work also and for light duty stuff that needs soft handling, it's a lot better than steel, but for heavy duty stuff (i.e. rocks) I would never put UHMW in place as sharp stuff will kill it. Unless you want to replace it every year.

Is there any reason NOT to replace it every year?
I have this bug to loose some weight but still retain most of what makes
the junk look like a Cherokee, although, at this point its not looking too much like a nice Cherokee...

 

[Dirk Pitt]

Is there any reason NOT to replace it every year?
I have this bug to loose some weight but still retain most of what makes
the junk look like a Cherokee, although, at this point its not looking too much like a nice Cherokee...

IMO, it would be a pain in the ass.

If you want to lose weight though you will want thinner sheet metal anyway which would also need replaced every year.

 

[Jump This]

IMO, it would be a pain in the ass.

If you want to lose weight though you will want thinner sheet metal anyway which would also need replaced every year.

Lets say you use some 3/8" Teflon sheets (or like material) with recessed screw mounts. I wonder how much lighter that would be anyway...
More deep thaught.......