Project Downward Spiral

[cmelo]

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*

Official member #2

So when's this happening?

 

[5spd_xj]

dude, with us taking care of it his jeep is gonna be SICK!

 

[Ghost]

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

D30 on 31's! Renix era with pukegoat. Hows that for fun!?

 

[RCman]

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*

1) I enjoy working on it, so I'm being selfish and keeping it to myself.
2) I'm to cheap to buy a whiteboard

When it comes time for the plumbing of all new brake/fuel/trans lines I'll give you a ring.

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...

There won't be any Jeeps in my driveway when you show up, so that plan isn't the greatest.

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

I know, huh?

Official member #2

So when's this happening?

I'll keep ya'll posted. Soon, I hope.

dude, with us taking care of it his jeep is gonna be SICK!

:moon:

D30 on 31's! Renix era with pukegoat. Hows that for fun!?

uke:

 

[cmelo]

dude, with us taking care of it his jeep is gonna be SICK!

With my hammers and your adjustable wrenches... we can build ANYTHING!






Bill step aside, me and Travis are coming, we got this..

:scottm:

 

[RCman]

Bill step aside, me and Travis are coming, we got this..

:scottm:

:scared: :scared:


:shiver: :shiver: :shiver:

 

[5spd_xj]

With my hammers and your adjustable wrenches... we can build ANYTHING!






Bill step aside, me and Travis are coming, we got this..

:scottm:

Thor's hammer and the Mandible are en route!!!

:cheers: arty: :cheers:

 

[RCman]

Back on topic (at least for now), I didn't get to much done on my XJ tonight as I was replacing the u-joints in the rear driveshaft of my truck. I did get some figuring done for the fuel cell mount though.

Then Ken (kastein) came by to grab the seats and as usual I ended up chatting rather than working. I was good to see ya again Ken, good luck with all that work you got ahead of you on your XJ.

I did remember to snap a shot or two for those of you who keep reminding (pestering) me. As Ken probably noticed it isn't easy to get around my garage at the moment with everything spread out, so it was hard to get a decent shot. As you also might note, my garage ceiling is now a nice shade of light pink from the red overspray. Oh well, the whole thing needs to get painted anyway once I can move the XJ out.

In place, finally put down for the last time.

Roof shot. The bare spots on the middle cross bar are there because I still need to weld in the little peices that will join the inner B-Pillar hoop with the rest of the cage. I'll spot touch that up with some paint after I do that. Don't mind the wires coming down from the ceiling, those are for the garage door opener that came down so I could paint. It's going back up.

 

[5spd_xj]

looks good, but I don't know why you quit so early...? Is it time for me and Carmelo to go finish up, is that what you're implying?

 

[Ghost]

You missed a spot!

 

[RCman]

looks good, but I don't know why you quit so early...? Is it time for me and Carmelo to go finish up, is that what you're implying?

I'm wide awake anyway, so I'll head back down now that I'm done eating anyway.

You missed a spot!

:eye: I don't see it.

 

[kastein]

Thanks again for the seats - they're now in my closet, at least till I pull the old ones out. Also, I'd like to note this project looks a hell of a lot more impressive in person than it does in the pictures.

Garage looked pretty easy to get around in to me, but then again the garage I work on my XJ in is so small that my air horn clears the door by about a half inch, and the side doors don't open more than a foot... the whole place seems built for midgets.

Can't wait to see this thing finished! Hope you can get it street legal, but like you were saying, that seems likely to be difficult.

 

[ROBZ95Xj]

(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")

there were 3 and 1 in the garage, also keep up the superb work bill

 

[RCman]

I haven’t got as much work done in this last week as I had hoped. Between honing the cylinders of my buddies sled, cleaning the gutters from the Fall foliage, to chasing parts for the vacuum cleaner the XJ has just been on the last of the list.
I did get the cage full welded in place (minus the inside B-Pillar hoop) and I got the fuel cell mounted. I trimmed the plastic that was originally on the hatch and fit it back into place for a more finished look. It didn’t take long and I think it looks better. Mounting the fuel cell took longer than I had thought as I wanted to make sure it wasn’t relying on the thin sheet metal floor for support. No pictures of the cage, it looks just like it goes above.

I also finally got my dimple dies back from heat treat. I had ordered these from BWOR awhile back. While they are 4140, they just didn’t seem hard enough to me for repeated use. So I sent them out for heat treat, came back with a certified 46HRC, much better than the 24HRC I tested before they went out. With these I have a full set from 3/4" to 2" in 1/4" increments. :clap:

Now that I had my dimple dies back I had to use them. I made a plate to finish boxing in the bumpstop can mounts in the rear. Those aren't going anywhere now. Sorry, I forgot to snap a picture of those.

 

[Begster]

Bill, how come you decided to mount the fuel cell inside? Where am I going to sit on wheeling trips if you bring Angel now that you don't have a back seat?

I also just wanted to double check that your attention to detail will not fail, and that the rear wiper and 3rd brake light will work after you are done.

 

[5spd_xj]

I also just wanted to double check that your attention to detail will not fail, and that the rear wiper and 3rd brake light will work after you are done.

I already asked him...They will work. Silly Billy.

 

[RCman]

Bill, how come you decided to mount the fuel cell inside? Where am I going to sit on wheeling trips if you bring Angel now that you don't have a back seat?

I also just wanted to double check that your attention to detail will not fail, and that the rear wiper and 3rd brake light will work after you are done.

Fuel cell didn't really fit quite right when I had it placed out back so in came inside. There was never going to be a rear seat anyway.
You can sit in the driver's seat of your own XJ.

I already asked him...They will work. Silly Billy.

Of course, why would he expect less?

 

[5spd_xj]

There was never going to be a rear seat anyway.
You can sit in the driver's seat of your own XJ.

That'll be the day...:wierd:

 

[vetteboy]

I'm lazy.

What spring rates are you using on your coilovers?

 

[RCman]

I'm lazy.
What spring rates are you using on your coilovers?

:roflmao:Haha! Did you see me reading the “lets talk frequency” thread on Pirate last night?

Honestly, I don’t know for sure yet. I was reading up on it last night several places and it seems like a frequency (for the rear) of 1.3-1.4 and a step up ratio of 250% would be a good start.
So this morning I took the 14” 250lb/in springs I bought for mockup and threw them under the rear of the Jeep. I added 120lbs where the fuel cell sits (to account for ¾ tank of fuel and some spare parts) and then 45lbs on that back area for a cooler and junk. I also placed the rockers, additional B-Pillar support bars, and windshield wiper ( ) on the XJ.
Then because I was scared they might go shooting out and become part of me I tacked in a scrap piece of tubing on each side to make sure they couldn’t move. Once the full weight was on the springs this is what I got:

In case that is hard to read, the compressed spring length is 11-15/16”. Thus giving me a deflection of 2-1/16” and a corner weight ~515lbs.
Based on that, I used BV’s calculator inputting:
CSW (lbs) : 515
WT (in): 14
d1 (in): 38
d2 (in): 38
alpha (˚): 3
SUR (%): 250
Fn (Hz): 1.3
This gave me target springs of 149lbs over 223lbs. With this I can go two ways:
1)150lbs (need to buy) over 250lbs (I’ve got these), gives me an initial frequency 1.332Hz of and a final of 2.176Hz
2)150lbs (need to buy) over 225lbs (need to buy), gives me an initial frequency 1.306Hz of and a final of 2.064Hz

Now I just need to figure out that and if I want a 12” 150lb spring with a 14" main spring and helper coil, or just stick with two 14” springs.

How does that look to you?