Project Downward Spiral

[RCman]

Well it may be 3 years but you have given us some great tech and what looks to be a really nice rig. THose of us that butcher them together thank you for your hard work and dedication. :thumbup:

It looks better in the pictures. :eyes:

I guess I've been out of my own wheeling rig for three years, but really I've only been building this for about a year and a half (started in May '08). It did sit for awhile while I collected funds/axles/ideas.

Thanks for the props though!

 

[kastein]

I also have to finish re-cutting/clearing our snowshoeing/skiing trails in our backyard due to last years ice-storm. I was making some headway in the last week in evenings on that before daylight savings time kicked in and now it is dark before I get home. :banghead:The good news is that is all that is left of the cleanup.

Travis and I both have chainsaws now

Also - I just realized, candycanes have spirals (downward ones, I guess) on them. It's only fitting that the downward spiral now looks like a candycane!

 

[5spd_xj]

I also have to finish re-cutting/clearing our snowshoeing/skiing trails in our backyard due to last years ice-storm. I was making some headway in the last week in evenings on that before daylight savings time kicked in and now it is dark before I get home. :banghead:The good news is that is all that is left of the cleanup.

ok, gameplan. Next Saturday I'll show up with my saw. You point me in the direction of the trail, then get yer arse back in that garage and finish the Jeep. Deal? :rof::thumbup:

 

[Ghost]

ok, gameplan. Next Saturday I'll show up with my saw. You point me in the direction of the trail, then get yer arse back in that garage and finish the Jeep. Deal? :rof::thumbup:

Wish I were closer I'd come help too! I've only skied once in my life. Never done anything else in the snow except pee in it! Don't eat the yellow snow!

 

[RCman]

Also - I just realized, candycanes have spirals (downward ones, I guess) on them. It's only fitting that the downward spiral now looks like a candycane!

Haha... I didn't think of it that way, maybe Rob did?

ok, gameplan. Next Saturday I'll show up with my saw. You point me in the direction of the trail, then get yer arse back in that garage and finish the Jeep. Deal? :rof::thumbup:

We got most of it cleaned up this weekend, but thanks anyway! Just one more ~14" down'd pine and some minor stuff left in the way.

Wish I were closer I'd come help too! I've only skied once in my life. Never done anything else in the snow except pee in it! Don't eat the yellow snow!

Its fun, a ton of fun really. I like it better than downhill stuff, plus no need to pay lift fees. Oh, agreed on the yellow snow!

On a progress note, the A-Pillars and bar over the top of the windshield are in place. The bars that finish the roof "X" are kinked and notched, I should be able to tack them in and lift the whole thing for final welding and paint tonight.

 

[RCman]

On a progress note, the A-Pillars and bar over the top of the windshield are in place. The bars that finish the roof "X" are kinked and notched, I should be able to tack them in and lift the whole thing for final welding and paint tonight.

Didn't end up getting that done 2 days ago, I had to rush my dog to the vet for emergency surgery. :tears: He's doing much much better now, but he'll be out of commission for playing ball for a week or two. :tear:

Part of the day today he hung out in the garage with me and we got some work done.
I finished the main section of the cage. Got it hoisted up off the Jeep high enough for me to contort myself to weld the underside of the joints. I also smoothed the intersection of the front and rear portions of the cage and once I've thrown some paint on it you'll never notice where they join. The intersection themselves have 4"x1.5"x.250"wall DOM slugs inside, the 1.75" is butt welded, with 2 plug welds to the 1.5". I could have got away with a thinner wall, but that's all I had in 1.5".

Not much interesting to show for pictures, but here it is up in the air. I'll put some primer and paint on it tomorrow night let it set for a day then drop it all back down for the last time.

There are definitely some things I would change if I was going to build it again. For starters the cross bars over the roof would have less of an angle at the end. It looks ok as it is, but I think it would look even better if the bends were ~15-20 degrees less. I'd also add a little more to the middle bend of the front and rearmost bars. Right now they each have a 4 degree bend, I'd like something more along the lines of ~6-7 degrees.
It'll have to stay how it is, I'm not doing to re-do it.

 

[5spd_xj]

I also smoothed the intersection of the front and rear portions of the cage and once I've thrown some paint on it you'll never notice where they join.

good call, it looked like crap before :laugh:



Glad to hear you're making progress (also glad to hear the pooch is doin better)

See ya this weekend! I'll bring those liftgate things Jim gave me to pass onto you for Angel's jeep.

 

[Ghost]

Holy nopost Batman! THis thing has been dead for a week!

 

[RCman]

Holy nopost Batman! THis thing has been dead for a week!

I went wheeling last weekend and have had late nights at work.
Don't worry, progress is being made, the cage is painted and now in place. I need to finish welding it down, then I will work on the fuel cell mounts. I hope to get a few things done tonight.

 

[MoparManiac]

Yeah he was busy helping with a minor trail fix...

Whoops...

Thanks for coming out man! Now post up some pics of the cage finished!

 

[Ghost]

Yeah he was busy helping with a minor trail fix...

Whoops...

Thanks for coming out man! Now post up some pics of the cage finished!

Hmm I saw one just like that at Morris Mountain this summer! OldBlue blew up a front joint and took out the DS lower ball joint! Nice!

 

[RCman]

Yeah he was busy helping with a minor trail fix...
[pic removed]
Whoops...
Thanks for coming out man! Now post up some pics of the cage finished!

Haha! I had a blast despite the rain.
Cage isn't finished, I still need two more bars on the inside to connect the B-Pillar back diagonally to the 2x4 that replaced the unirail. I also need to do something from the A-Pillar forward and do something for a bumper. I'll snap a picture or two tonight and post 'em up.

Hmm I saw one just like that at Morris Mountain this summer! OldBlue blew up a front joint and took out the DS lower ball joint! Nice!

It wasn't a good day for shafts or ball joints, D44 or D30.

 

[5spd_xj]

I went wheeling last weekend.

EXHIBIT A.

 

[RCman]

EXHIBIT A.
[pic removed]

Thanks.

I guess I should have worded it "I rode along wheeling last weekend". I can't really use the "I went wheeling"... yet.

 

[kastein]

I can stick around tonight if you need an extra set of hands - I am pretty bad at welding and such, but I can hold stuff up and provide brute force (not Ross-grade) if you need it.

 

[5spd_xj]

Thanks.

I guess I should have worded it "I rode along wheeling last weekend". I can't really use the "I went wheeling"... yet.

haha. I didn't mean it in a negative way. I was showing "exhibit A" in order to demonstrate/verify that you were indeed out wheeling with us!! But yeah...I can't wait until you can literally say, without question "I went wheeling" It's gonna be awesome!!

 

[RCman]

I can stick around tonight if you need an extra set of hands - I am pretty bad at welding and such, but I can hold stuff up and provide brute force (not Ross-grade) if you need it.

Ha! I almost forgot you were coming to get those seats. Did I give you my address yet?
Call me later or I'll PM it to you. I think I should be ok, I'll probably end up welding the cage down most of the night tonight.

haha. I didn't mean it in a negative way. I was showing "exhibit A" in order to demonstrate/verify that you were indeed out wheeling with us!! But yeah...I can't wait until you can literally say, without question "I went wheeling" It's gonna be awesome!!

I can't either. I can't either.

 

[5spd_xj]

Dude...I don't know why you don't just get a white-board, and make two columns: One with things that can be done now, that you have everything on hand for, and Two with things that need to be done and you need to buy stuff for. Then, invite a few people over for a Saturday and/or Sunday, and I'd be willing to bet we'll take care of Column #1 with relative ease. Everyone keeps offering help...you'll get out wheeling sooner if you let us come over and actually lend a hand!!


*Brought to you by the Wheelers who want to wheel with Bill ASAP Foundation*

 

[kastein]

Ha! I almost forgot you were coming to get those seats. Did I give you my address yet?
Call me later or I'll PM it to you. I think I should be ok, I'll probably end up welding the cage down most of the night tonight.

Not yet - I have your cell number, I was planning on asking for the address later today, or just driving to Westminster and wandering around until I saw a driveway full of Jeeps...

(that worked when I went to pick the spring perches up from Rob, I nearly drove by the place and then went "wait a minute there were five XJs in the driveway there")

 

[MoparManiac]

"NAC: The people who bring people's thread to the ground with off-topic hijacking."