Narrowed/Shortened MJ bed

[RedHeep]

Starting hacking away at 87manche's MJ this week.

Took the bed off Monday night. It is so much easier to cut the bedsides out of the way to get to the bolts.

Some junk we had left over. Anybody need tail light sockets?

Everything on an MJ bolts to the bed. Exhaust, gas tank and e-brake cables. Total pain in the ass.

Factory rollbar mounts gave us the most trouble, they have 6 bolts total each side to the frame and 4 bolts through the bed. Saved them because the MJ guys pay good money for them.

Dad putting a carbide in the circular saw. Starting hacking the frame and the bed up about 3 yesterday.

The X crossmember.

What we cut off. Snapped a chalk line to keep it straight for the new crossmember/bumper.

Dad cutting the frame. He's a woodworker and I think he got a new addiction. Wouldn't let anyone else cut anything. I think he likes the sparks.

Couple action shots.

 

[RedHeep]

Started on the other side. That burning metal smell makes everyone smile.

Nate was stuck at work putting a network in for a business, so he missed most of the fun. Couple more sparks shots.

What's left.

Fitted the crossmember and welded it in. My lincoln won't plug into Nate's garage outlet, so I was using his HF special. That thing brings the suck. I'm a lousy welder anyway, so using lousy equipment makes it really bad. It's stuck on there though. Nate's going to make some frame brackets and another crossmember to tie it all together with a 2" receiver later on.

Didn't get any pictures of hacking the bed up, but it went pretty much as planned. Kept the header panel at the front and hacked the sides and the wheel wells out. The bed is going to end up about 78" long. I figure we hacked off about 12-15 inches off the back of the truck, so Nate won't be dragging his ass around the trail too much anymore.

Dad finished up the side cuts after we put it back on the frame to figure out the cut lines.

You can see how the bed is in really good shape, that factory mat saved the rust. We reused the bed floor so Nate can mount all that stuff back under the truck and we saved a ton of fab time and material.

It's going to end up just a touch narrower than the frame and we're finishing off the edges with 1x1 angle so we can weld the vertical side pieces to it. That will hold up the 1x3 tube framerails and we'll finish it off at the back end with some 1x2.

I'm headed over after lunch to cut steel and tack weld some pieces in, we should have the sides built tonight, maybe even welded in. I have to go to the hardware store and make a conversion cord for my lincoln so I don't have to use Nate's welder.

 

[Jeff 98XJ WI]

Looks like fun. Tell your dad to get some ear protection on!!!!!!!!!! I know that kind of procedure is LOUD. Jeff

 

[lesslimited]

Looks like fun. Tell your dad to get some ear protection on!!!!!!!!!! I know that kind of procedure is LOUD. Jeff

Ehhh? What did you say?

 

[Prepmech]

Where was Nate while you were molesting his truck?

Looks good, what are the plans for bedsides? Flatbed?

 

[RedHeep]

Where was Nate while you were molesting his truck?

Looks good, what are the plans for bedsides? Flatbed?

Got stuck at work putting a network in for a local business. One of those "it has to be done so we can do business tomorrow" type deals. I think he got back at like 8:30 that night.

We fabbed bedsides last night. The passenger side is done, the driver's side is in pieces, but just needs welded. Ran out of wire at about 10:30.

The rails are wide at the cab for Nate's truck toolbox (made out of 1x3) and turn inboard right after the toolbox with a couple of mitered corners, then run the framerail to the end of the bed.

I didn't get any pictures last night, it was raining and we were stuffed in the garage trying to get it done. Nate has to finish up because I'm headed home to NC tomorrow, but it's mostly just welding. The cutting and fitting is all done. Then it's just grinding and paint.

 

[1999mj]

looks good so far

 

[Mr.OverKill]

up date????

 

[RedHeep]

I have some more pictures but haven't had a chance to post them. When I left on saturday, it still needed the driver's side rail welded and the back of the bed finished up.

We spent a lot of time on the rails because he wanted to fit a regular size bed toolbox up front, so it's wide around the toolbox and narrows to the frame.

 

[Ramsey]

Man you guys suck.