Well shoot, guess who's back

[xj-grin]

Watch those struts! The Amazon ones I got were so stiff they damn near broke the WJ rear window they opened so hard. Smacked me right in the chin...

 

[DutchVDub]

Less likely to damage to hatch when it hits my chin than falls on my forehead. Have you seen that thing? Neanderthals are jealous of this brow ridge.

 

[xj-grin]

Yeah, you should have your DNA mapped :eyes:

 

[DutchVDub]

No need, just watch Encino Man to see a fictionalized accounting of my discovery.

Bonus discovered as I was looking over the XJ on break. Bullhide did the lift for the guy and I had looked at the BOS for it. They listed a BDS 3" lift kit and a JKS 1-3.5" lift adjustable track bar. Well the lift kit is BDS as listed from what I can tell. The track bar though is actually a RE one with the heim joint that is rated for 3.5" to 4.5" of lift. Now I shouldn't have to worry about replacing my track bar when I install the 4.5" long arm kit on it later this month. I was a bit worried about that as I'd sold off the one from the kits planning on having to make a custom one for the D44 swap anyways. I already had to make a deal to buy back the leaf springs and shackles I'd sold off, and didn't really want to buy another track bar to hold me over until fall/winter when I start on the axle swap and coil conversion.

 

[DutchVDub]

Just putting this here for future reference.

 

[time2getdirty]

You wanna be mini 1 tonxj?

 

[DutchVDub]

No, I like the tire carrier on that one.

I'm going back and forth on how I want to run the cage and spare tire. Originally I was going to keep most of it internal and run the spare on the floor and through the hatch kind of like this.

However, with the 98 having a nice and clean interior I'm contemplating running it outside so that I can keep the extra room.

 

[1-tonxj]

Would never hang 300lbs of tire and steel 5 feet past rear axle centerline . The exo cage is a compromise but serves a useful purpose and still puts less weight in a bad place than that tire carrier location ...lol...Reminds me of an XJ Penny Racer ...lol

 

[DutchVDub]

Well the tire laying flat on the floor and poking through the hatch keeps the weight lower and more over the axle than having it vertical behind the hatch like all traditional tire carriers do. You also maintain better visibility out the rear. The obvious drawback of course is losing cargo area.

 

[time2getdirty]

Spares are over rated.

 

[1-tonxj]

Spares are over rated.

I keep all spares on.the trailer .

 

[freerider15]

I keep all spares on.the trailer .

X2

But mine is also not a street rig :laugh:

 

[time2getdirty]

Plugs and on board air of some kind.

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Would never hang 300lbs of tire and steel 5 feet past rear axle centerline . The exo cage is a compromise but serves a useful purpose and still puts less weight in a bad place than that tire carrier location ...lol...Reminds me of an XJ Penny Racer ...lol

But it's ok to hang a winch bumper, winch and the weight bias of the engine over and ahead of the front axle? How is having 300 lbs at the rear of the jeep a "bad place"?

Of course I'm speaking in terms of what Dutch is wanting to do, not hanging a 44" Swamper and associated tubing to hold such tire out back........

Seems to me a rear mounted spare and carrier helps balance things out.

 

[freerider15]

The biggest problem I've seen with rear tire carriers, is weight bias (though not super high), and dragging on every ****ing thing.

Hell, I've seen tires nearly destroyed from being dragged.

We tend to go "up" far more things than "down".

A couple hundred pounds hanging off the rear could make the difference in being too light on the front, and staying level (but maybe 5% of cases at that).

Me, I dislike losing vision out of the rear window as well.

If I were going that big of tire again, I'd build an interior mount. If your on something like Chinamans, then on board air and plugs would be sufficient to get you back to camp (where you might leave said spare).

Once you get above a 35, spares almost do more harm than good being on the vehicle :laugh:

 

[time2getdirty]

I'd even say, if you are on tires smaller than 37s, you could probably just have your husband bring you a spare if needed.

 

[1-tonxj]

But it's ok to hang a winch bumper, winch and the weight bias of the engine over and ahead of the front axle? How is having 300 lbs at the rear of the jeep a "bad place"?

Of course I'm speaking in terms of what Dutch is wanting to do, not hanging a 44" Swamper and associated tubing to hold such tire out back........

Seems to me a rear mounted spare and carrier helps balance things out.

It is a poor place to put weight , but not the end of the world for a daily driver with need to have free space inside for people and gear . I have never owned a non dedicated trail rig so I have no need for utility in the build . I have seen a handful of these set ups eat the rear big when trying a steep climb they drug and ate going up and when the climb failed that rear went right Into the rocks...hard...rig stuck and everything hanging off beat up . But if you need the interior space and drive to the trail it beats a roof mounted spare .

 

[YELLAHEEP]

I'd even say, if you are on tires smaller than 37s, you could probably just have your husband bring you a spare if needed.

Gawd you're becoming a dick as you get older.......... :laugh:

 

[YELLAHEEP]

Yeah they can be tail-draggers.....

but they can be a double-edged-sword life saver too......

The rear bumper/carrier/35" tire combo on the back and the enormous box in the back with all my trail gear and spares definitely added major weight and certainly contributed to the 3 years of failed attempts to climb out of Micky's Hot Tub........ but in this case, that rear tire carrier also saved my bacon....... :looney:

 

[proracedriver616]

Do it Dutch!

thats a 37, the back seat still worked and it barely sat above the top of the back seat and barely poked out of the hatch