The official Xota build thread

[87xjco]

I guess I'm guilty of not thinking this detail through very good. Sort of like my mistake with the front UCA's. I mounted them like they were on the XJ and didn't really consider how easy it may be to make them function better and I've done the same with the rear shocks. Well let's hope that's all I do wrong.

 

[87xjco]

the problem isn't shaving off the axle mounts and positioning new mounts higher on the axle tube, but unless someone is manufacturing a shock that can travel about 10" and is only 12-14" long total, then those upper mount (like the stock XJ mounts) will be a waste.

my lower mounts (weld-on mounts with 2 holes and a bolt-thru design) are positioned so the shock eye is about the center of the axle tube (and to the rear) and the shock body is pitched forward about 45* and the upper mount is on the inside of the ~frame-rail~ (the original stud from the lower mount welded onto a piece of plate and then stitched onto the uni-frame..

the longer the lower mounts are the better to a degree they help nuetralize axle wrap, acting as a lever in combination with the shock.

yeah the effectiveness of the shock to dampen bumps is reduced when pitched at an angle but most shocks advertise that at 45* degrees they're still 90% effective
>>and if you shave off the lower mounts and flex the rear and get under there with a tape measure you'll find that there aren't many options for mounting the upper shock eyes that'll be more effective, without going through the body, BUT in your case you don't have to worry about that, and i suppose you can always worry about that MINOR detail later and fab a new x-member..

I guess I'm guilty of not thinking this detail through very good. Sort of like my mistake with the front UCA's. I mounted them like they were on the XJ and didn't really consider how easy it may be to make them function better and I've done the same with the rear shocks. Well let's hope that's all I do wrong.

 

[JLane99XJ]

I guess I'm guilty of not thinking this detail through very good. Sort of like my mistake with the front UCA's. I mounted them like they were on the XJ and didn't really consider how easy it may be to make them function better and I've done the same with the rear shocks. Well let's hope that's all I do wrong.

well...
that's why you /we all, post topics on the forum,, to get feed back to make our rigs better, right.
don't be hard on yourself, just learn from it and make it work.

what you're doing overall is awesome and you have very nice fab skills, and i'm not just blowin smoke up yer azz..

 

[Bronco]

How are you going to get the spare out? With the bed on top and the bumper to the rear… A hole in the bed maybe?

 

[87xjco]

How are you going to get the spare out? With the bed on top and the bumper to the rear… A hole in the bed maybe?

I'll either hinge the back half of the wooden bed with a piano hinge(probably use 1x oak since I have some) Or maybe make the planks slide out.

 

[Bronco]

[font=&quot]Slid out would be cool If it was one piece.[/font]

 

[87xjco]

The frame for the flat bed is built and tacked into place

 

[trainwrexj]

NEEDS MORE TRIANGULATION!!!! oops i forgot we weren't on parrot4x4.

totally kidding - i love this project, and can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[87xjco]

Finished the frame fab. and cleaned it up and painted it. Added a couple more supports to the exo-cage.

This is probably all of the cage I will build for now. I am going to move on to the body work and paint before the rest of the cage gets built.

 

[AREYOULIVING]

Great project dude. Major MAJOR huevos for taking this on. Love the front sheet metal combo. I hope we see this rig out here on the Con this summer.

 

[trashedxj]

SOOOOOOO....where can i order one, i'd like all leather w/ power options, and can i get it in blue?

 

[87xjco]

I'll be very glad to have this project done. Don't want to build another. Besides, even if I charged only $5 an hour for my labor, it would still cost more than most houses.

 

[87xjco]

I have started the bondo work on the fenders. Even though I run a body shop, body work is not something I have much experience in. But here is what I did. I first laid on a coat of fiberglass filler. This is better than plastic filler for filling large voids. I have some that will be about an 1/8" thick (unfortunately). I didn't photo that step but I spread it on in an area a little smaller than the plastic filler you see here, and then used a long flat board with 36 grit paper to begin leveling out the surface.

Some tools of the trade. Long board for large flat areas, medium board for smaller areas, dollie, body hammer, small wrench used as a straight edge for matching the fender contour to the door contour.

After sanding with mostly the long board. Now it will get one more coat of plastic filler and I'll sand that with 80 grit. I probably should of welded the holes shut where the flares used to mount before now. But I'll definately do it before the next coat of plastic filler.

 

[HTeK]

are you gonna cry when your fenders take their first rock?

because i am.

-jm

 

[Matt S.]

haha.. cant just go to the local junk yard and get replacements now!!

thats ok...i would be willing to build 10 sets of those if i had that.

GREAT WORK.

 

[87xjco]

are you gonna cry when your fenders take their first rock?

because i am.

-jm

Well I hope the exo-cage protects them well enough. They'll have to be pretty bad for me to go thru the trouble of building another pair.

 

[87xjco]

One more coat of plastic filler

Now a coat of glaze compound spread to cover all the filler

Glaze coat is sanded and fender is ready for primer

Fit the hood and it need 1 1/2" narrowed on each side

I will need to first cut out some of the understructure

After cutting out the inner structure

I then fit and welded in some light gauge angle iron. Using a body hammer and holding the metal down firmly I folded the edge over onto the sheet metal.

Installed on the vehicle. Kind of wide gaps and a little uneven but good enough for the trail.

 

[tealcherokee]

Lookin sharp!!! i love it

 

[Char-Broil]

can we see some profile shots and some facing the front corners? i've been dying to see this with the hood on. =D incredible...

 

[IslanderXJ]

Great job! Looks like this project is going to end well, unlike so many others....