The Griz Build UP

[The Griz]

As some of you may already know i rolled my jeep on moab rim last weekend and it caused ao body damage.

So i decided to chop off the top and take out some of the carpet.

Next i will be putting a D and C internal roll cage in it and fabing it to fit how i want it and adding some tubing to make it stronger. than i will make a set of half doors and a set of walls to fill in the rear door cavities cause i have permanatly removed the rear doors and rear seat. Finally i will build a rear pickup style tailgate for it.

 

[87xjco]

Wow Justin, you're really going for it!!

Should be fun to watch :cheers:

 

[Twicepardoned]

WHOA!
I guess sometimes God has different plans than we do! It looks like it was a nice XJ to start with and now it's gnna be a trail only vehicle! hahaha

Very cool. I'll be watching closely!

 

[Mr.OverKill]

when i roll mine, ( and i know i will LOL..... ) i would be removing more sheet than you did. may i ask, why you left so much on the rig now that it is all tweaked???? i feel ( as do many others ) that when you reach that level of sheet removal that it is easier to cut down to the pan and cage it all then add panels as needed to the new cage in what ever placement you want.

just my .02

 

[xjeepers2]

well ill be up to help u soon hope u get the cage in this weekend. post pics i wanna c how it fans out.

 

[The Griz]

when i roll mine, ( and i know i will LOL..... ) i would be removing more sheet than you did. may i ask, why you left so much on the rig now that it is all tweaked???? i feel ( as do many others ) that when you reach that level of sheet removal that it is easier to cut down to the pan and cage it all then add panels as needed to the new cage in what ever placement you want.

just my .02

i will be replacing the front driver side door altogether or will be making 2 new doors the reason i chose not to cut more off (and i still might cut more) is because i dont have another vehicle yet so i will have to drive it around town a little befor i can make it a trail rig only vehicle and with some of the body the way it is i really dont have to worry about body damage on the trail anymore.:clap:

 

[The Griz]

got a little bit more done today im still just waiting for my cage to come in this weekend:exclamati so i can start that but here is what i did today

i will also start the replacement of the lower control arm mounts with heavy duty LCA mounts this weekend hopefully i am waithing for most of my tools to get here from my house in colo springs but as soon as they get here i will be working non stop till i get it done:yelclap:


I also have a rear seat that is for sale if anyone is interested just send me a pm and i can give you the details it is a tan colored seat

 

[The Griz]

so i cut off the lower control arm mounts today and tac welded them in place i have someone coming out to weld them in place tom

i will be starting the skeliton of cage tonight and tom and hope to have it finnished by sunday afternoon and will put triangulation in in the next couple weeks

 

[Twicepardoned]

Dang this is moving fast... much faster than mine.

How much is the tubing costing you, just for the cage?

 

[xjeepers2]

make sure that your lca mounts r i the same spot. so messure and make sure. other wise that could suck later.

 

[The Griz]

Dang this is moving fast... much faster than mine.

How much is the tubing costing you, just for the cage?

well i bought a D and C cage for $550 and than will be adding about 30 feet of extra tubing to it. i havent bought the extra tubing yet i will post when i do

 

[The Griz]

make sure that your lca mounts r i the same spot. so messure and make sure. other wise that could suck later.

yep measured and already tacked it up tom a mobile welder is gonna come and arc weld it to the axle for me

 

[xjeepers2]

good well im glad to c this thing goin so fast when i get up there to help lets plan on working for like two days. i think adding to the cage and working on the doors sounds like fun.

 

[The Griz]

so alot got done today i got my cage in and got the lower control arm mounts put in my jeep is now driveable again here are pics for the update

the guy helping put on the lca mounts

ney lca mounts

the front of the cage tacked together

this is a view of how beatiful it was today

me welding up the front of the cage

i hope these welds are gonna be strong enough

primed and ready for paint

the back added

the new gear for under the hood

so tomarrow i plan on putting back in the seats and installing the 4 point harnesses as well as finishing up painting the cage
and maybe a little bit more body work

 

[87xjco]

You got alot done Justin

Have you thought about some triangulated supports from the top of the hoop back and/or at least some corner gussets?

I think that cage could really benefit from some of that!

 

[The Griz]

You got alot done Justin

Have you thought about some triangulated supports from the top of the hoop back and/or at least some corner gussets?

I think that cage could really benefit from some of that!

yeah i plan on doing a couple of triangulated supports and some gussets i will be doing gussets sometime this week and than triangulation when i get the extra tubing to do it i want to do a couple pieces from the top corners of the back part of the front going to the middle back on the floor welded and bolted to the bed and than a couple from the seatbelt bar to the main hoop thanks for the imput.



any ideas would be taken from any one let me know what you think of the cage build and any other thing about the build

Justin

 

[xjeepers2]

You got alot done Justin

Have you thought about some triangulated supports from the top of the hoop back and/or at least some corner gussets?

I think that cage could really benefit from some of that!

x2 hey it looks good i like it.

 

[Smittty9785]

was that a D&C cage originally?

 

[The Griz]

was that a D&C cage originally?

yeah it was orignally a d&c but i modified it to fit how i wanted it to

 

[The Griz]

so i took it out for a test drive today. it was all good till i filled up the air cuz i hadent filled up since coming down the trail after rolling it. i was driving fine i could go the average speed i can normally go about 20 -25 mph on aried down tires. than i filled the tires up and when i hit any size bump in the road the vehicle would start to jump and the front tires would come off the ground and jump back and forth.the only way for the wooble to stop is to come to a compleat stop and than start moving again. i am not sure why this is, any ideas would be greatly accepted. i should note that the rear drive shaft is out and i am driving in front wheel drive right now i dont plan on driving offten enough for it to be to an issue unless that is part of the problem. the rear leaf springs feel very stiff could that be part of the problem as well. and could the weight issue of not having very much as far as in the rear end with no top and no rear seat or rear doors be part of the problem any and all help accepted