Joel's multipurpose XJ build (rocks/boulevard)

[frijolee]

I'm taking my kids to school every day so still driving the Jeep. Figure my ticket should give me a few weeks of immunity. Nope, I get flagged down at a traffic stop and given ANOTHER ticket. Another $288. Same cop. The guy wouldn't cut me a break even thought it had only been 28 days (not the 30 I thought I'd have).

His take: "28 days is enough." My take, "Here's the pics of what I'm working on, it wasn't long enough for me!"

He reminds me of the garden trim thing... I don't WANT to run garden trim. I'll just be taking it on and off a hundred times to continue progress. Super frustrating, but I can't exactly pick a fight with a cop. Even a complaint to his Sergeant could easily go bad as and I sure don't want to be targeted in a small town...

Nothing to do but stay the course. We're down to the last week of school so at least my wife can drive the kids in and I have my RX7 to fall back on... So now the Jeep is sitting in my driveway not moving.

The wind is unrelenting though. I finally decided to pull the Jeep most of the way into the garage (partly shielded) and MIG weld weld the rear interfaces.

It's burned in but you can tell where the breeze caught me on the left side of the circle. Whatever, it'll hold.

Back to tube work, it's a game of fractions of inches but I'm winning.

You know things like cutting off the tacked brackets shimming tube with some weld filler rod and re tacking with 1 degree different clicking.

Then naturally it's starts raining on all my raw steel.

I need a bigger garage... This is some bullshit.
-Joel

 

[PhotoJared]

This might help you if you havent seen these before. Make yourself some cheater bends so you know how much pipe you need and how much distance should be between each bend.

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n_lf2RHIPs

Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta_c3hMqpgA

 

[nathanael]

You are an inspiration

 

[frijolee]

This might help you if you havent seen these before. Make yourself some cheater bends so you know how much pipe you need and how much distance should be between each bend.

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3n_lf2RHIPs

Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta_c3hMqpgA

Thanks. I need to finish those. I was bending on a 3.5 CLR and had some sample bits lying around that we're 7" OD. Figured I should be able to eyeball the bed start position by locating tangency on each straight I cared about. Theory seemed ok but still missed a few by the better part of an inch.

Then when you're bending in multiple planes I had a few that were crashing into the bender stand... Maybe I could have done a middle bend at the end but then you really need to be precise with the location and clocking of every other step.

It was just hard. Ended up ok but damn...

You are an inspiration

For the ability to get stubborn and borderline OCD? Hahaha. Well thanks.

I once came up with the theory that being an effective car guy is all about the ability to overcome the hurdles... That bolt you snapped off, the part that didn't fit as intended, the brake line you smoked welding, etc etc etc. We've all been there.

 

[frijolee]

Each tube ended up having a 5th bend to hit the frame where I need to hit it. Half bevel groove on these showing the full thickness bevel (and damn near CJP on the splice inboard which is cool).

I tacked these on the rig (one evening with minimal wind) then burned in the plates on the bench.

Capped the ends because I could. Used a hole saw in wood to guide the steel hole saw cut on the OD without needing a pilot drill.

That was some time intensive tube.

I also bought a couple big rivet nut drivers. To date m6 was a big as I could set. These go to m12 and by getting two I have a fall back if I failed one.

Two very different companies (or so it looks online) that seem to be made in the exact same factory.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073VK3B7S

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07MBWXLR4

Kinda stoked on the speed release feature of the 14" version and the power available by the 16" handles.

Finally getting into the skins for these things. Kind proud of how this worked out. By making a tight fitting paper doll I could then do a crayon rubbing to get an ideal fit vs the tubes.

This is how you transfer to metal when each template is 50-51" long and your steel is only 48" wide. Much cleaning with a stripper disc prior to this to get the major rust off this 16 guage plate.

When you're stuck working on something you'd rather not (and twice over bitter for a pair of tickets that locals don't seem to get) it's good to pause and admire a sunset or two.

I'm now rocking both Milwaukee's metal cutting circular saws. The battery version is my go to when I need something quick that doesn't fit on my band saw. Nothing moves metal like the big dog corded guy when needed.

 

[frijolee]

By the way, the metal circ saws just roughed out the shapes. Once they were in strips I could do the fine cutting on my bad saw and finally shave to fit (a bunch with sanders and files). I think I have 300+ test fits into this project. Between tube and skins, 75 test fits per corner is probably a decent guess.

But hot damn... That almost looks like something!

Bends were done by hand massaging over the motor on my bad saw since it was about the right diameter.

Once they fit decently, I needed to figure out edge trim. Some folks making tube fenders put a vertical leg on the skins where they meet fenders. Since I want the ability to take these on and off, I skipped that and used a plastic edge trim. Something I had lying around so no specs on these ones unfortunately.

That said there are some kinks and bends that get interesting. A lighter and some heat forming to the rescue.

So the next challenge I could see coming was welding the skins to tube. By putting a lot of heat to the upper surface of the tube only I was inviting this to turn into a rainbow (and loose all that perfect fitment I'd been fighting for).

Decided to stitch weld them down so laid out a pattern of 3/4" on 3" I roughed out positions then adjusted to optimize how the welds landed where the skins ended. What say you?Overkill or just OCD enough?

Rust from the rain. Sigh...

Scotch Brite makes them happy again.

Tacking the ends of each stitch on vehicle. Lots of clamps to keep the skin tight (hand bending isn't perfect.)

 

[trippled]

Looking good!

 

[Nimrod]

Looking good!

X2!

 

[SByota]

Awesome work as usual. Definitely going to steal your idea.

 

[frijolee]

Random shout out to my old college roommate and awesome guitarist Jack Roan. Jack was the one who taught me how to wind extension cords over-hand/under-hand. Given how many times I had to roll my welding cart back and forth that was pretty handy.

Just with the tack welding the skins on car these "popped" a little bit when I pulled them off. I actually debated whether to just leave them tacked and not risk even a proper stitch weld.

Instead I decided to get creative in how I was fixturing each tube. Weld deformation functions by molten metal shrinking as it cools. Since all welding is along the tube topside having this shrink would tend to rainbow the tube open. Fixturing helps to resist motion but I decided to experiment, went further, and actually preloaded my tubes in an attempt that the relaxed welds should end up closer to where the tube started.

Sharpie mark on the weld table showing the ~2" compression I put these under vs original spacing.

It worked out unbelievably well. Pretty much nailed it dead on what I hoped. Overall length changed by maybe 1/8" whereas just tacking on vehicle had been more than that.

My TIG welding is doing better too. By the way, the point of tack welding the end of each stitch is that it gives you a very obvious mark to stop at when you're welding up to a tack instead of starting from one.

Backsides of tube where you can see the slight angle I put in the one.

Given the stitch welding, I used seam sealer on full length of the inside and between welds on the upper surface.

Turns out angle grinder stripper discs work great for cleaning up the extra seam sealer as well.

 

[frijolee]

Not shown: undercoating the bottom sides. Rust-Oleum engine enamel semi flat black on the uppers. (I finally standardized my touch up paint.)

Results:

Not bad if I do say so myself. All in I have something like 105 hours work into these.

My advise: Rocking sans flares is always best, looks clean and keeps it simple. If you don't have a choice, buy the Bushwackers before you mod anything. If you've already modded, find some less common option (there are a few others) and buy that. Do this job as last resort only.

PITA, but at least it turned out nice.

-Joel

PS pics in the dark because I had to have finished shots to prove to the judge my vehicle was now compliant. Fighting tickets...

 

[Nimrod]

Random shout out to my old college roommate and awesome guitarist Jack Roan. Jack was the one who taught me how to wind extension cords over-hand/under-hand. Given how many times I had to roll my welding cart back and forth that was pretty handy.

I learned to sail from a teacher in high school and learned to coil lines over/under from him. Been doing it ever since. Its an especially good technique for garden hoses. (Thanks, and RIP, Jim Gladson. Obit here: https://www.dailybreeze.com/2018/06/19/obituary-san-pedros-jim-gladson-introduced-thousands-of-young-people-to-ocean-adventure/)

Excellent job on the fenders!

 

[Nimrod]

Funny, but one thought leads to another and now I’m feeling nostalgic. In that vein, here’s a picture circa none of your beeswax of me on Jim’s boat back in the day. If I recall correctly, that was a Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comic that I was reading.

OK. Nostalgic moment over. Back to the thread.

 

[frijolee]

Way cool. I love history like that...

 

[frijolee]

So what's the big deal says the voice in my head? You knew the law and you got ticketed... You knew what you were doing...

Well yes and no. I knew the law, I just thought it was a formality and much like CA no one really cared. Given some of the vehicles I see around town this seemed like a reasonable position. Hawaii has a pretty distinct wheel style, particularly with trucks. It's a lot of big offsets with wide smallish tires (contact patch via width rather than diameter) on even wider wheels. I'd say the majority of lifted trucks have a least a couple inches of tire poke.

After I got tagged I started tacking pictures of vehicles around town. A few of my favorites:

So what happened? When you fight a ticket in Hawaii you have three options. 1) Plead guilty, 2) plead guilty with mitigating circumstances, 3) plead not guilty and ask for a trial. I did the middle option when I was first ticketed and wrote a letter noting the local style, how my tires tore the garden trim loose/how I care about not littering (true), and how it felt weird getting tagged in a mainlander dress shirt when I see more extreme "local" vehicles driving by officers nearly every day.

Then on the second ticket, I plead not guilty (given the less than 30 day thing), and asked to appear before a judge to discuss both tickets since I hadn't heard anything on the first one.

Got my installed pictures the night before court as it got down to the wire and then spent a full morning at the courthouse waiting for what seemed like dozens of no-insurance and excessive speed tickets (note to self: avoid +30 mph and >81 mph). Good news what that anyone who brought in proof of insurance was getting cases dismissed. First question the judge asked me was whether my vehicle was brought back into compliance (yes). I brought pictures. She seemed a touch confused what she was looking at so I offered my second set of photos: a stack from the build process and my receipt on the bushwackers. I explained the "before" picture up front and she quickly grasped the effort associated. It was neat to see her sit up a bit straighter when she asked who built these ("I did your honor, it was quite an intensive process as you can see"). She informs the bailiff that they can dismiss the infractions.

Woot woot! I was expecting to get stuck on the first ones and let off of the second ticket's worth.

She then goes on to inform me that she read my letter (first ticket), gives me a serious stare down over her glasses and informs me that "Yes, you should know that we do apply the law equally." I was damn tempted to reply that this had not been my experience... I had a third set of pictures with me, of about 70 something vehicles not in compliance, some of which are above... I also could have also pointed out that there were 3 vehicles with extended tires in the courthouse parking lot that morning.

BUT, discretion won the fight over valor, and there are few things worse than "stealing defeat from the jaws of victory" so I simply said "Yes your honor" and let it go. To be fair, I don't actually know whether locals are exempt (some of this occurs but how systemic it is, I don't know). It could be that the fender law is enforced only sporadically and I happened to get unlucky. Hell, maybe some police chief's mother-in-law had a windshield broken by a thrown rock so the local police started enforcing again.

I do know, I'm stoked that I didn't have to pay $576. I'll try damn hard not to be bitter admiring the local rigs, and what the heck, I had some good practice on tube fenders that I can apply to my FJ40 when the time comes.

And I really am thinking hard about lexan fender skins for round 2.

 

[Anak]

Last night I saw a bumper sticker on a truck and thought of you:

Only gay cops
give me tickets

 

[Nimrod]

I . . . wrote a letter noting . . . how it felt weird getting tagged in a mainlander dress shirt when I see more extreme "local" vehicles driving by officers nearly every day. . . .

She then goes on to inform me that she read my letter . . . , gives me a serious stare down over her glasses and informs me that "Yes, you should know that we do apply the law equally." I was damn tempted to reply that this had not been my experience... . BUT, discretion won the fight over valor, and there are few things worse than "stealing defeat from the jaws of victory" so I simply said "Yes your honor" and let it go.

Any lawyer worth his or her salt would have strongly counselled against playing the "local v. mainlander" card at all. As a lawyer myself with over 30 years of law practice under my belt, I can say from experience that that sort of argument never helps. Good exercise of self-restrain in court. And congrats on the victory.

 

[frijolee]

Any lawyer worth his or her salt would have strongly counselled against playing the "local v. mainlander" card at all. As a lawyer myself with over 30 years of law practice under my belt, I can say from experience that that sort of argument never helps. Good exercise of self-restrain in court. And congrats on the victory.

I debated that exact point for my letter as well, but at the end of the day it DID feel odd, and if no one ever says anything then the system never changes. Brass tacks, I decided to speak my mind even though it might have lessened my chances of winning. When it went egregious (2nd ticket), I bit my tongue having made my point and at that stage being quite thankful to not be on the hook for the fines.

Figured you guys would like the story regardless.

 

[macgyver_7_6]

Nice work!!
I am the same...gotta speak up if it's not fair.
I root for the under dog.
I choose right over wrong...even if it ends up costing me(monetarily or otherwise).
Atleast I will be able to sleep better.

 

[frijolee]

Macgyver, same here...

Off chance does anyone have handy part number for some extended wheel studs F/R? Front is WJ if that matters. I want to flush up my tires as far as I can.

Save me some searching if you knew, but that's the next step.