Project Downward Spiral

[billyjp2]

if you had a bluetooth headset you could work and talk at the same time

or a welder with a built in speaker phone

 

[Dundy]

or you could weld the phone to your head!

 

[RCman]

Alright already! :confused1




I got home late from work so I didn’t get as much done as I had hoped but I still got something accomplished.
In case you’ve missed my plan for the rear bump stops, here it is again. I want air bumps. I can’t afford air bumps. So I figured if I made mounts and mocked up everything like I had them, at a later date all I have to do is undo 2 bolts on each side and slide the new ones in.

So here’s what I started with. Two bump cans, a pair of Energy Suspension bumps, 2 external c-clips (not pictured), and an old school Fox shock body that no longer had a use.

Then after a date with the chop saw, welder, flap wheel and some primer I had these. I still need to throw them into the lathe and machine the snap ring groves in the end.

Then I started on the axle side mounts. Because of the way I have my coilovers mounted and the way I rebuilt the “frame” rails (which I would do different had I start again) I’m forced to run the bump stop pads slightly offset forward of the axle. I don’t think it’ll be to much of an issue as it will hit even with the front edge of the tube, but I’d still prefer it centered if I had the option. On the plus side the way I’m building the mounts will reinforce the rear LCA mounts. I’ve still got to make the sides to box them in, add an internal support, and weld up the bend reliefs, but here is the progress so far.

 

[MoparManiac]

Alright so start skipping all the dumb crap and hurry up on the important stuff. You need to wheel this POS.

 

[cmelo]

Alright so start skipping all the dumb crap and hurry up on the important stuff. You need to wheel this POS.

:scottm:

 

[Dundy]

i think you need an espresso machine along with those pretend air bumps. <--that was a little bit of a burn though it looks cool and it's a great idea

 

[cmelo]

i think you need an espresso machine along with those pretend air bumps.

You making fun of someone else's Jeep Dunzabar in the golden cherokee?

 

[RCman]

You making fun of someone else's Jeep Dunzabar in the golden cherokee?

I think he was trying too? :sure:





Either way they aren't "pretend air bumps". I never claimed they would act nor function like them. They are just a simple poly bumpstop that will allow me to swap the air bumps in later.

On that note, I got the pass side lower mount completed last night, still got a little work on the driver's side then I will work on the upper mounts.

 

[vetteboy]

If you end up wanting something a little more 'comfortable' than the solid poly bumps, but don't feel like buckin up for the full air bumps, you could do something like what I just did in the back of mine...

I made this out of a piece of 2" round UHMW and a threaded stud:

Got a pair of the single-convoluted Timbren progressive bumps:

At ride height:

That model Timbren compresses to 7/8" thick, with a linear increase in spring rate. Feels really good and I've never felt the back end bottom once since putting them back there.

You'll be better off than I was if you set up your dual-rate stuff correctly, but even as a third level of rate progression I think you'd like it better than the solid stops.

 

[RCman]

That looks good! I think you just gave me my setup for the front. I wasn't keen on using hockey pucks up there. Did you use model A180-65 (nominal capacity 1600lbs, bump load capacity 7500lbs, 2-3/8" x 2-7/8" uncompressed)? I called the vendor on the PBB awhile back and they never got back to either of my VMs. I'll have to try again or source them someplace else.

For the back, it'll have to stay the way it is for now. I finished up the mounts last night so I'm not going to rework them now, I want to wheel sometime in the next decade. Plus it'll give me something to change later right?

I have yet to work out the dual rate setup yet as I need to know the final weight in the back. When the time comes want to swing up by? I'll pay for your beer/dinner. :laugh3:

 

[vetteboy]

That looks good! I think you just gave me my setup for the front. I wasn't keen on using hockey pucks up there. Did you use model A180-65 (nominal capacity 1600lbs, bump load capacity 7500lbs, 2-3/8" x 2-7/8" uncompressed)? I called the vendor on the PBB awhile back and they never got back to either of my VMs. I'll have to try again or source them someplace else.

For the back, it'll have to stay the way it is for now. I finished up the mounts last night so I'm not going to rework them now, I want to wheel sometime in the next decade. Plus it'll give me something to change later right?

I have yet to work out the dual rate setup yet as I need to know the final weight in the back. When the time comes want to swing up by? I'll pay for your beer/dinner. :laugh3:

Yeah, that's the one. The metal insert in the bottom (well, top actually) comes tapped for either a 3/8-24 or 10mm fine-thread metric bolt (I forget which), but there was enough material there to drill out and re-tap for a 1/2"-13 bolt. I already had a threaded hole in the middle of the spring seat so I just got a 1/2" stud and screwed the bump down on top of the hockey puck.

What I've found is that you get a much better impact on the bump pad if you 'split the difference' between the upper and lower pieces...as in, don't have a foot-long top bumpstop tower that hits the axle directly, but rather have a stack of something on the axle that a medium length bump tower hits.

If the vendor you're talking about is Burke Spring, he can get any of 'em, but his markup is insane. Find a truck place by you that does snow plow installations, utility body swaps, etc and they should be able to order just the springs.

I might be up for a new england trip, when you get to it next year let me know and I'll see what's going on.

 

[RCman]

Yeah, that's the one. The metal insert in the bottom (well, top actually) comes tapped for either a 3/8-24 or 10mm fine-thread metric bolt (I forget which), but there was enough material there to drill out and re-tap for a 1/2"-13 bolt. I already had a threaded hole in the middle of the spring seat so I just got a 1/2" stud and screwed the bump down on top of the hockey puck.

Sweet. That's the ones I'll use up front then. Thanks for the info on the metal insert I was researching that this very moment.

What I've found is that you get a much better impact on the bump pad if you 'split the difference' between the upper and lower pieces...as in, don't have a foot-long top bumpstop tower that hits the axle directly, but rather have a stack of something on the axle that a medium length bump tower hits.

That's the plan for the front. The ACOS come down a fair bit and I'll build the rest up from the bottom. The rear mounts are built just over 2" above the top center of the tube and they have a slight angle built in to help with the off angle hits. I think they should work ok, other than them possibly being harsh until I can rework them later.

If the vendor you're talking about is Burke Spring, he can get any of 'em, but his markup is insane. Find a truck place by you that does snow plow installations, utility body swaps, etc and they should be able to order just the springs.

It was. Now that you mention it, my uncle deals that kinda stuff, I'll have to give him a call.

I might be up for a new england trip, when you get to it next year let me know and I'll see what's going on.

:moon: It better be sooner than next year in my case, but we'll see!

 

[5spd_xj]

but we'll see!

if it isn't wheelable a year from now we'll have some tension between us, let me tell you!!!

 

[RCman]

I now totally understand why many people just cut everything off at the firewall and start over. I should have; I am so very sick of bodywork.

I didn't get as much done over the weekend as I had hoped with my buddy stopping by to fix his power steering and having the back pond finally dry enough to finally start finishing off cutting the trees that came down over the ice storm last winter.
I did get the rear bump stops 95% complete (need to finish welding). I also got the driver's side rear quarter/wheel well all cut and figured out. Reworking the inner fender well back there turned out to be much more of a pain than I had planned. I've got a few more minutes getting the lower tube fitted just right, then I'll make the pass side match. I'll try and get some pictures up tonight.

Oh, my Timbren bumps for the front came in today so I'll pick those up this evening.

 

[Begster]

Bill, I think your Jeep will look far more bad ass with all the sheet metal and bodywork.

 

[RCman]

Bill, I think your Jeep will look far more bad ass with all the sheet metal and bodywork.

It better, sheet metal work is annoying.

OK, I know I’ve been slacking with the pictures and updates. I’ve just been using time after work to actually work in the garage rather than post updates.

Anyway, my Timbren bumps came in for the front. I did a 2sec check fitting them up there and it looks like they’ll work like a charm.

Finished the lower bumpstop pads for the rear axle and began mocking up the upper mounts. I know they will compress some, I did take that into account.

Got the upper mounts almost complete, all tacked in place, ready for welding. The axle is about 1.5" bumped.

Then I began working on finishing off the rear. I’ve got a TON of body work to go, but I’m making some headway. I got some trick tabs and I’ll be using those to attach the rear quarter to the tubes. You can see them on the upper in the next few pictures. Then I bent up the rear fender lower tubes.

Then cut the sheet metal away so that they could go in the correct place.

After a few minutes with the welder, a flap wheel and some primer.

Then to make sure everything was placing nice with each other I threw everything back together and a tire on. Then flexed it out to the worse case scenario of full compression/full droop. I was glad everything played nicely with each other.

Sometime in between all the above I whipped up a quick adjustable mount for my bead roller. It mounts in the 2” receiver and has about 12” of vertical height adjustment and I can rotate the roller end 90degrees if I need to.

The next order of business is the floor, so I blew everything all apart.

Made up a template, and transferred it to some 18guage.

End of the pictures, but I did get the beads rolled into the floor, the hole left over from the gas filler door patched, and the rear bumper finished.

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

Sweet

 

[5spd_xj]

stupendous!!

 

[Justpunchit]

Outstanding! love seeing progress on this rig Bill!

 

[billyjp2]

see, when i think "body work" bondo and grate stuff comes to mind.