hjeepxj's build thread

[Evan03]

Hmmm I'm looking at your rear hooligan looks like I could ad plate to get it down to 1/4 fold line then gusset it to extend the flat line all the way die. Maybe also extend the front down the same.

There used to be a company that makes dig tube flares but they are gone now.

Looking forward to seeing your cut fenders

 

[hjeepxj]

Hmmm I'm looking at your rear hooligan looks like I could ad plate to get it down to 1/4 fold line then gusset it to extend the flat line all the way die. Maybe also extend the front down the same.

There used to be a company that makes dig tube flares but they are gone now.

Looking forward to seeing your cut fenders

FWIW - I have the JCR lower quarter guards - they but right up to the Hooligans.

:cheers:

________________

Hoping to get some work done this weekend!!! :guitar:

 

[hjeepxj]

$%^& !!

Hit a few sh!t snags today: the front pass side nut strip "broke" so it was just spinning. Had to cut it out because the bolt was stuck in it enough to not let the strip come out. Just emailed JCR hopefully they warranty it.

It's a challenge to get welded in Hooligan stiffners, a hooligan fuel tank skid, and Liquid Iron shackle relocation brackets lined up. So much so that I'm scraping the entire shackle relocation and just running the lift shackle. Eventually, I'll take it in somewhere and have them install some Synergy relocators as those don't need to tie in that way to the frame.

I'm also wondering about the fitment of everything with the JCR vanguard rear bumper - stay tuned for that.

I am putting the rocker replacement on hold - one of the bolts to take the rear drivers side door out is all but stripped so I would need to cut the pin on the door (like the door less guys do) and I'm not 100% sure I want to do it, plus with my delay I had today I'm now behind schedule and I'm not even done on the rear yet. I have a set of rocker guards from my old XJ I'll just bolt up and go.

The only successes we had today were the rear BPE's mounted (had to break all 4 shock bolts when removing so I used a 1" 1/4" grade 8 bolt sticking down through the holes), the drivers side Hooligan door stiffener welded in.

Also, does anyone know what tool to get to remove the antenna on the pass side fender? We couldn't get the thing out and it looks like a special spanner wrench.

And now for some pics:

https://flic.kr/p/VvigRi

 

[burntkat]

Why do you need to remove the door to do the rocker replacement? I'm looking to do this on my son's vehicle soon. I assume you mean you're going to weld tube in after you cut the rockers open, right?

 

[trippled]

Why do you need to remove the door to do the rocker replacement? I'm looking to do this on my son's vehicle soon. I assume you mean you're going to weld tube in after you cut the rockers open, right?

It would really just depend on how high you want the rockers. You can go low enough to not have to cut the doors

 

[hjeepxj]

Why do you need to remove the door to do the rocker replacement? I'm looking to do this on my son's vehicle soon. I assume you mean you're going to weld tube in after you cut the rockers open, right?

No the reason I was originally intending to remove the doors is due to the fact that they are in the way when making the welds. I'm an inexperienced welder and need all the help I can get to make this weld look good.

You may be able to get away with it especially if you're used to difficult welds.

 

[burntkat]

No the reason I was originally intending to remove the doors is due to the fact that they are in the way when making the welds. I'm an inexperienced welder and need all the help I can get to make this weld look good.

You may be able to get away with it especially if you're used to difficult welds.

Oh ok, I was wondering.

I am a little concerned about the welding myself- but only due to the fact I'll be welding thick to thin. I've done it before (when I installed the Clayton longarms on the other jeep) but that was years ago and I had some troubles with blow-through at the time.

This will be done on my son's Jeep, as it has a rust hole in the driver's side rocker. It's a perfect candidate. My plan is to cut open to that body line just under the doors, clean and shoot Ospho and zinc-prime everything I won't be able to get to after I'm done, grind what I have to down to make it presentable, and use seam sealer liberally to make it pretty. Then bedline it and not worry about it.

 

[hjeepxj]

Oh ok, I was wondering.

I am a little concerned about the welding myself- but only due to the fact I'll be welding thick to thin. I've done it before (when I installed the Clayton longarms on the other jeep) but that was years ago and I had some troubles with blow-through at the time.

This will be done on my son's Jeep, as it has a rust hole in the driver's side rocker. It's a perfect candidate. My plan is to cut open to that body line just under the doors, clean and shoot Ospho and zinc-prime everything I won't be able to get to after I'm done, grind what I have to down to make it presentable, and use seam sealer liberally to make it pretty. Then bedline it and not worry about it.

Cool! Can't wait to see the finished product!

If you've done it before, just lay some practice beads and you'll pick it back up.

:cheers:

 

[hjeepxj]

IT'S ON TIRES!

On the back at least. Also still a bit of work to do but now at least I can get rolling on the mid stiffeners and then the front. :thumbup:

Couple things I need input on from the braniacs at .

1. The mounting of the rear brake line to the caliper; it needs to be a right angle by the way the lines are routed (like normal, FWIW), the right angle is too big to thread in, it runs in to the caliper it self. I found a 1 1/2" NPT thread "Spacer" - would there be any issues with this? I am also going to pose this question to Wilwood.

2. The Iron Rock Truss would not let the brake line junction box mount forward facing. The lines run in to the truss. I remember a brief conversation on this when we welded the truss on and I know we enlarged the hole pretty good but it still won't fit. I soft mounted my extended lines and *looks* like it will work. What say ?

3. Is this too much bolt sticking out? It bugs me so I'll probably change it either way but is there a potential issue running them like this?

______________

Overall it was a productive day. Couple other little snags along the way but hey it's a Jeep thing. The TNT hardware on the ubolt eliminator kit is to small for Deaver springs, the packs are too tall - I'll have to get 8 bolts and nuts - the kit didn't come with lock washers but I think I should run them - what say ?

Here's this "finished" product:

Final specs: XJ 44, TNT Ubolt Eliminators and raised shock mounts, Iron Rock truss, Wilwood big brake kit w/drilled and slotted rotors, ARB locker, 4.88's, 35 spline alloy shafts, Lube Locker gasket, Barmes diff cover bolts, Crane diff cover, custom braided stainless brake lines, all topped off with Top Secret coatings primer and black satin paint.

I "borrowed" Kittrell's 35's, this will be the identical tire I will be running. I'm so f'ng excited.

 

[trippled]

Whoo! Looking good! For the bolts, I'd just trim them down. The brake line, mine has been running backwards for a long time. As long as there's enough slack I don't​see a problem. The caliper looks like an interesting situation tho.

 

[Kittrell]

I remember you talking about that but forgot to ask when you got the lines back. A whole bunch of yokels at that shop. See the black sticker on the back of your caliper? Peel it back, that's where your brake line connects.

P.S. You mounted your JKS shackles backwards.

 

[hjeepxj]

Whoo! Looking good! For the bolts, I'd just trim them down. The brake line, mine has been running backwards for a long time. As long as there's enough slack I don't​see a problem. The caliper looks like an interesting situation tho.

Sweet! I'll trim those bolts down. The caliper situation ended up being easier than originally thought (see kittrells post below)

I remember you talking about that but forgot to ask when you got the lines back. A whole bunch of yokels at that shop. See the black sticker on the back of your caliper? Peel it back, that's where your brake line connects.

P.S. You mounted your JKS shackles backwards.

Gawd dangit. Well whenever the JKS nut strip gets here I'll just pull the shackles down, do that and replace the shackle bolts.

 

[burntkat]

Whoo! Looking good! For the bolts, I'd just trim them down..

Concur.

IIRC, by ASE spec, there should be an amount of threaded area equal to the diameter of the fastener out past the face of the nut. So, chop it there.

IE: if it's a 1/2" bolt, chop it 1/2" away from the nut. Forget about it.

For the axle nuts, I'd run either nylocks or interference nuts. (There's a name for them but I forget it. The last few threads are purposefully munged in order to provide a fouling action to prevent the nut turning loose). Another thing to do would be to use Loctite. Either way, I'd take a paint pen and make witness marks after you've torqued everything down. Literally draw a line down the side of the nut and onto the item it's holding down. This way at a glance you can see if anything is loosening up. REALLY darn good idea on leaf spring plates and steering parts.

 

[burntkat]

See the black sticker on the back of your caliper? Peel it back, that's where your brake line connects.

LOL. I was wondering what the heck he was trying to do with the bleeder valve.

 

[SByota]

Concur.

IIRC, by ASE spec, there should be an amount of threaded area equal to the diameter of the fastener out past the face of the nut. So, chop it there.

IE: if it's a 1/2" bolt, chop it 1/2" away from the nut. Forget about it.

For the axle nuts, I'd run either nylocks or interference nuts. (There's a name for them but I forget it. The last few threads are purposefully munged in order to provide a fouling action to prevent the nut turning loose). Another thing to do would be to use Loctite. Either way, I'd take a paint pen and make witness marks after you've torqued everything down. Literally draw a line down the side of the nut and onto the item it's holding down. This way at a glance you can see if anything is loosening up. REALLY darn good idea on leaf spring plates and steering parts.

Stover lock nuts... which I much prefer to nylocks. Also red locktite is your friend. Good work!

 

[hjeepxj]

Thanks for the input dudes! I freakin love

 

[burntkat]

Stover lock nuts... which I much prefer to nylocks. Also red locktite is your friend. Good work!

Yessir, that's the ones.

Definitely use Red loctite on the big stuff, but not the little stuff. Plan on having to roast it with a torch to loosen it.

Safety wire is also a great way to go.

 

[hjeepxj]

Yessir, that's the ones.

Definitely use Red loctite on the big stuff, but not the little stuff. Plan on having to roast it with a torch to loosen it.

Safety wire is also a great way to go.

Copy. Consider it done!



ALSO folks, I need to start thinking about plumbing in my front and rear ARB's, is this the line I want to use or is there a better option?

https://www.quadratec.com/products/...QWH-JGaQy6E5nzFVIMpjKFdbLE_sNEXuBAaAr3z8P8HAQ

 

[hjeepxj]

Another question - this Monday I'm hoping to get the mid stiffeners welded in and the front end out and possibly the front end in/mocked up.

What all should I connect to ensure I'm tacking the track bar and sway bar brackets in the right places? I'd love to be able to get away with just the steering/coils to make sure there isn't any interference.

 

[Kittrell]

What all should I connect to ensure I'm tacking the track bar and sway bar brackets in the right places? I'd love to be able to get away with just the steering/coils to make sure there isn't any interference.

Everything. You will undoubtably be rotating the pinion up and you want to make sure you are welding the TB and sway links level as it were.