New guy build-The Family Truckster

[SByota]

Finished up the steering box support brace today. Front end is done, minus a front bumper. I'll build the bumper once it's on the road. I'm super excited to get this thing out of the garage. Started tearing apart the rear suspension too. Some pictures from today's garage session.

 

[SByota]

Started working on the rear suspension. Got the axle out and all the old brackets off. My $300 amazon Lotos plasma cutter just keeps impressing me. It made quick work of the original shock mounts and leaf spring pads. Hung the new springs, pulled them apart and made some quick spacers out of wood to start cycling the rear suspension. All new spring perches, plates and u-bolts from Ruffstuff.

 

[trippled]

Interested what you end up doing for rear shocks. I'd really like to mount mine thru the floor.

 

[SByota]

Interested what you end up doing for rear shocks. I'd really like to mount mine thru the floor.

14” King 2.5” through the floor mounted just behind the rear seat. The upper mounts will be a crossbar that attaches to the interior roll cage.

 

[SByota]

I had to remake the shackles because the first set I made hit the body at bump and droop. Got the springs all set up, a solid 11" of travel, just need to pull the axle, add the bump pads, re gear and build the truss.

Old vs. New

Dimple die everything

 

[SByota]

Started the air bump mounts for the rear. I am so jealous of guys with plasma tables that can slice out parts like this in seconds, its takes so much time to layout and make this kind of stuff. I also scored 200 feet of DOM tubing for $100!! Some of it has some surface rust, but there was no way I could pass it up. Had to ghetto rig from supports from some old 4x6 beams, but it worked.

 

[SByota]

It has air bumps. Welding on the XJ "frame" continues to kick my ass, I just can't seem to get it dialed in. I'm sure it is glued on there good, I just wish it looked better. Yes, I'll trim the retaining bolt down during final assembly.

 

[smokeyyank]

Welding on the XJ "frame" continues to kick my ass, I just can't seem to get it dialed in. I'm sure it is glued on there good, I just wish it looked better.

Says the guys who's welds look better than 99% of anything else! Seriously though sweet build.

 

[denverd1]

Ha! Yea I wouldn't complain about those either. Nice to see some good fab work on here, really like the sector shaft support. Would do something similar, but think I've finally got my gear mount strong enough for now and will be assisted when I go for round 2 of upgrades.

Good review on the plasma, been eyeing that one trying to figure out why other brands are 3-5x the price.

 

[SByota]

Thank you guys. I try my best to do good work and am very critical of myself. This project is getting close to where I can actually drive it. Hopefully by the end of summer it will see the desert.

 

[Rockwood]

My welds on clean raw steel look great. My welds on Nissans, Dodge, Ford and other frames/sheetmetal look great. My welds on oil-impregnated (automatic rust-proofing from the ever leaking 4.0) and galvanized Chrysler sheetmetal... Not great. Yours look better than mine... We all feel your pain.

 

[SByota]

Cage install started and is moving along slowly. The cage started as a kit from T&J Performance in Orange, CA. I did this to save time and the cost wasn't horrible, $800. They designed it to fit with the stock headliner in place. I'm 6'04" so head room is a major concern for me. I pushed the whole cage as close to the sheet metal as I could. I had to re-make a few of the roof crossbars to gain some headroom. I'm still pretty impressed with the kit.

Failed on making a radius corner gusset, so I cut in half and practiced some out of position welding. Step by step this garage anchor is getting closer.

 

[chasdb]

Looking good! For gussets I ordered them from AA-Mfg. They worked really well and price was right.

I cut, sleeved and rotated out the a pillar legs just below the dash vents for a-little more foot room and access to the glove compartment.

https://www.aa-mfg.com/saddle-gusset-1984

 

[sandfreestyle]

I thought T&J went under a few years ago when their site got all corrupted.... Did they revamp or something?

 

[SByota]

Looking good! For gussets I ordered them from AA-Mfg. They worked really well and price was right.

I cut, sleeved and rotated out the a pillar legs just below the dash vents for a-little more foot room and access to the glove compartment.

https://www.aa-mfg.com/saddle-gusset-1984

Thanks! I appreciate the info on those formed gussets. My A pillar tubes landed right where I wanted them, but the angle of the cut is off. It doesn’t matter for me since I’m using 2” tube to make up th distance I raised the cage up. I can still open my glovebox too.

 

[SByota]

I thought T&J went under a few years ago when their site got all corrupted.... Did they revamp or something?

I picked up the cage about 18 months ago, shop was busy and packed with work. Tom spent about 30 min talking to me about cage design. They post on IG once and a while. The website is a mess though.

 

[SByota]

Got the rear shocks mounted and cycled today. I would have liked to made them straight up. but I was limited by the rear seat. This build is a series of compromises to keep it safe and passenger/ road trip friendly. I will build some sheet metal boxes over the socks to seal the cab back up. A few tubes and lots of tube corner gussets to go on the cage, but the main structure is done. I'll drill the floor and drop the cage down to fully weld it.

 

[SByota]

Back from the dead. Life has been busy, two bathroom remodels, family stuff etc. I got a new daily driver, 2003 1500HD, that got some fresh parts. Texas Speed cam, headers, tune, 5160 shocks, wheels tires and tons of new steering suspension parts. Feels good to be back into a full size again.



The XJ saw daylight for the first time in two years. The only thing left to get it in the dirt is to re-gear/truss the rear end and finish the roll cage. Hoping to get it ready for KOH in February.

 

[DutchVDub]

Jeep is looking good. And nice truck

 

[SByota]

Made a little gas filler neck piece for a buddy's C10 project. 18GA cold rolled and some silicon bronze. Also worked on the cage in the family truckster. I'm almost ready to drop it down so I can weld the top and put in the rest of the tubes.