Project Downward Spiral

[MoparManiac]

Sah-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!

 

[RCman]

Sah-weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!!!

I think it should also be pointed out that is some particular person didn't call me every day I'd get more work done.















Just kidding buddy, call me anytime day or night, I enjoy the chat!

 

[MoparManiac]

I think it should also be pointed out that is some particular person didn't call me every day I'd get more work done.














Just kidding buddy, call me anytime day or night, I enjoy the chat!

:gee:

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

and helper "coilovers" in the rear (which actually net about a 1" lift in it). I'm not sure I like those helper coilover things, but they work for now and it's not getting any suspension work done until the woman who drives it 95% of the time lets me.

i had those, they came on the blue jeep when i bought it, they lasted 2 wheelin trips then lost the lift hieght, i also thought they rode like crap

 

[Dundy]

I bet those shafts were made by 11 year olds.

 

[RCman]

i had those, they came on the blue jeep when i bought it, they lasted 2 wheelin trips then lost the lift hieght, i also thought they rode like crap

Oh yeah, they don't ride very well at all, then again it is a Jeep. They'll be the first to go when things start changing on it.

I bet those shafts were made by 11 year olds.

:laugh: I don't know. I just know that they're 4340, and after I cut them to the right length and finally get to use them to propel something they should hold up to my abuse.

 

[billyjp2]

I bet those shafts were made by 11 year olds.

yeah, just after they make sneakers for Nike and just before they go and work customer service for Dell

 

[OverlandZJ]

Damn Bill... i hadnt checked in on your build in quite some time. Very sweet rig... get it done already.

 

[RCman]

Damn Bill... i hadnt checked in on your build in quite some time. Very sweet rig... get it done already.

Thanks John! Believe me, I want to wheel it bad! Working on it is still very enjoyable though.

 

[Ghost]

Thanks John! Believe me, I want to wheel it bad! Working on it is still very enjoyable though.

Mines not nearly as nice but I have wheeled it! :shhh: :yelclap:

 

[RCman]

Mines not nearly as nice but I have wheeled it! :shhh: :yelclap:

I know, I know, I've got to get my act together. Your's sure is nice thought!



Anyway, I got some more work done on the 'X' for the B-Pillar tonight. Darn do I wish I had one of those fancy tube notchers! Took me about 30min with the angle grinder for each upper part of the 'X' to get them to fit just right. I think it was well work the time though, nice snug fits, no gaps.

I got a question about the Beard Ultra seats and how hard they were to get in and out of. To be honest, a little bit of a pain and thats just in the garage. I sure wouldn't want these for a DD, but for trail use they'll be excellent. Once I'm sitting in them and snug those harnesses down, I can't move at all.

I snapped some pictures to help describe what I'm talking about. Sorry, no harnesses I had them out so I didn't burn them tack welding the B-Pillar together and I just threw the seat in there quick to snap the pictures.

Quick half shot showing the cross bar and the upper part of the 'X' in relation to the seat. Plenty of head clearance (I can't hit any part of it sitting in the seat trying) and I think it looks pretty good to boot.

Keep in mind for the following comparison that my seats are mounted much lower than stock (I'm a tall guy). Also the side bolster at the hip sitting in the seat is 11" on the Ultra's. Stock, well it's zero, maybe a 1/2" on some sagged ones.

Shot from the door sill to the side of the seat, were the hip would be. With my Beard Ultra's this is about 13 1/2".

Comparison from the wife's stock XJ, about 9 1/4".

 

[Ghost]

I know, I know, I've got to get my act together. Your's sure is nice thought!



Darn do I wish I had one of those fancy tube notchers!

How much more tube do you have to notch? I have the pro-tools one that I'm not using atm. You pay shipping and get it back to me when you are done adn I'll send it to you. I need to make a base for it.

 

[RCman]

How much more tube do you have to notch? I have the pro-tools one that I'm not using atm. You pay shipping and get it back to me when you are done adn I'll send it to you. I need to make a base for it.

The rest of the cage! :laugh:
Thanks for the offer, I really appreciate it! I think I'll pass though, I'd hate to hang on to it from you for a month or so and have you need it for some reason. I'll just suck it up and use the angle grinder, no biggie. It isn't all that bad and it sure is better than killing brain cells watching TV or sitting in front of a computer monitor!

 

[5spd_xj]

it sure is better than killing brain cells sitting in front of a computer monitor!

this wouldn't happen to be directed at anyone in particular would it? :eyes:


It's looking very nice. Now if all this duck weather would just knock it off maybe I could get somewhere on mine :laugh3: ...lucky garage owner!!

 

[Starboard M]

Two things:


One, watch your nuts on those side bolsters. When I first got mine I would catch the family jewels on them every once in awhile, and friends that ride with me do it all the time.

Two, are you going to be running shoulder harnesses, or the stock seat belt? Reason I ask is that "harness bar" seems a bit high if you will be attaching belts to it.

 

[RCman]

One, watch your nuts on those side bolsters. When I first got mine I would catch the family jewels on them every once in awhile, and friends that ride with me do it all the time.

Done that already, I'm much more careful getting out now! :laugh2:

Two, are you going to be running shoulder harnesses, or the stock seat belt? Reason I ask is that "harness bar" seems a bit high if you will be attaching belts to it.

Crow 5-points.
From the picture is hard to tell because I shot it at almost a downward angle, but the center line of the tube is just below directly in line with the slot on the seat. I'm a tall dude so it needs to be as high as possible to get the correct angles on the belts. When I am sitting in the seat with the belts on they are in a straight line and head right for the tube. I can snap a picture if you'd like from the side.
I think it is alright, mounting it any lower would put a wicked angle on the shoulder belts and I wouldn't be able to get close to the 0 to 10 degree spec. Unless I'm missing something?

 

[Starboard M]

Crow 5-points.
From the picture is hard to tell because I shot it at almost a downward angle, but the center line of the tube is just below directly in line with the slot on the seat. I'm a tall dude so it needs to be as high as possible to get the correct angles on the belts. When I am sitting in the seat with the belts on they are in a straight line and head right for the tube. I can snap a picture if you'd like from the side.
I think it is alright, mounting it any lower would put a wicked angle on the shoulder belts and I wouldn't be able to get close to the 0 to 10 degree spec. Unless I'm missing something?

Im sure you are doing it right, the picture just made it look like it was impossible to get the harnesses in there.


How are you going to be doing the tabs for the belts? Or are you just going to wrap the belts around the tube? Im looking for ideas for mine, and hoping to copy you since its pretty close to what I will be doing.:sad1:

 

[5spd_xj]

first things first, Bill: Sweet new avatar

and Starboard, I think he mentioned something about wrapping the belts around the tube and avoiding the need for tabs...

 

[RCman]

Im sure you are doing it right, the picture just made it look like it was impossible to get the harnesses in there.

You might be, I'm always second guessing myself... haha!
Anyway, I measured the distance this morning and there is 3 1/4" from the forward most part of the bar to the back side of the seat. Plenty of room for either mounting setup.

How are you going to be doing the tabs for the belts? Or are you just going to wrap the belts around the tube? Im looking for ideas for mine, and hoping to copy you since its pretty close to what I will be doing.:sad1:

The sub belt and the lap belts are mounted in double shear with tabs. You can see one of these tab setups in the lower part of this picture. As you can see the lap belts are tied directly into the structure that mounts the seats. The sub belt mounts to the floor area. It was plated with 1/8" prior to welding them home. I really was hoping to tie these into the seat structure I built as well, but there really was no good way. I think the way I've got it will be plenty fine. If I rip out a 6" x 6" stitch welded and rosetted patch, I've done something very wrong! :helpme:
The shoulder belts I'm still up in the air about. I think I'm going to do as Travis (5spd_xj) mentioned and wrap them around the bar. I'll still need small locator tabs to make sure they don't slide side to side but it should be a much cleaner look. If I don't like it it isn't much to weld on a pair of tabs for each seat later one down the road.

first things first, Bill: Sweet new avatar

Thanks!
Kind of funny because Angel asked if I was ever going to tan this summer one day while I was welding the seat brackets down. I said "Are you kidding? Of course!" I then preceded to roll up my sleeves on my welding jacket and burned a few welds home (normally this isn't my character, I almost never weld without my jacket and gloves fully in place). She laughed, told me I was nuts and went out to tan in the sun for herself. :laugh3:

 

[MoparManiac]

We need to wheel.

And Angel is jealous of our late night phone calls.