Jeep Nathan and Tanja's 99 XJ Build up

[Badger]

Those tabs are known for bending. Put a gusset on them and call it a day.

 

[thenag]

Those tabs are known for bending. Put a gusset on them and call it a day.

Good to know, I am new to sway bars, leaf springs are anti-roll by nature so I didn't have them on the bronco.

nathan

 

[thenag]

Not sure if you've seen this already, but here's the write-up that T&T Customs did on their XJ, with body mods to accommodate 37's.

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1032532

Yeah I have seen it, a lot more sheet metal skill than I have for sure.

Also I can't do any of what they did to the front since I have 2 batteries and a york shoved in there...

nathan

 

[Badger]

The real thing is to make sure to remove them before ever hitting dirt. If I were you I would look into doing a real swaybar the stock one sucks.

Currie has an Anti-Rock kit for the Cherokee front end. The real thing is making another one for the back. That helps the most now that you have coils back there instead of the leafs.

 

[thenag]

Currie has an Anti-Rock kit for the Cherokee front end. The real thing is making another one for the back. That helps the most now that you have coils back there instead of the leafs.

The plan is to rig at least one anti-rock at some point. The over priced lift kit came with JKS disconnects so I thought I would run them for the time being.

Badger, in your opinion are there any other things I should address with the xj since you have so much experience?

Nathan

 

[Badger]

You have already taken the steps to making it last as long as you don't punish the outside to bad. Plating the frame is everything. The stock sheet metal frame just can't handle the repeated abuse of twisting and turning through the rocks. Since I never planned on using my chassis for long it was never plated and with in a 2 year period it began to show signs of breaking apart at the seams literally. The whole front section under the fender was beginning to crack in two.

click to enlarge and look under the A pillar


That crack was on both sides and went from under the cowl area around to the door seams.

In the back under the hatch there is a vertical seam that began to have issues towards the end.


I would look into making some front plates for the frame rails that extend from the current plates to the bumper mounts up front. Putting a cage in is key to keeping them together. The more rigid you can make it the better chance it won't bend like a coat hanger some where and begin to crack.

 

[Badger]

You want true inspiration look at RockMonkeys last build.

Cheap Cherokee Build

 

[Gravy]

Cut those rockers out like we did on Cory's

 

[X1994J]

My A-pillars have had cracks like that for three years now... The frame is plated and it's still going strong. If you want to see an un-plated uni body that has really been pushed to the limits you need to check out Derek's...:greg: Although uni bodies suck, i think they can with stand more than a lot of people give them credit for.

 

[thenag]

You want true inspiration look at RockMonkeys last build.

Cheap Cherokee Build

I have, his work is amazing, he went low $ with high skill, I went high $ with not much skill. (and I am sure his rig is more capable than ours, lighter and lower)

Cut those rockers out like we did on Cory's

Thought about doing it that way, I think I want something that sticks out a bit more. I Didn't feel like doing it myself so we are going with Ridgidco's sliders.

If you want to see an un-plated uni body that has really been pushed to the limits you need to check out Derek's...:greg: Although uni bodies suck, i think they can with stand more than a lot of people give them credit for.

Link to pics?

I do want to carry the plating to the bumpers but haven't figured out how to tie them in, there is something in my head that I don't want to weld the bumper on for some reason...

I need to get an inner steering box plate and we do plan on some kind of cage.

Thanks for the input guys

Nathan

 

[Badger]

I have a Rigidco front bumper that is currently bolted to my ZJ. I have the front crossmember plate as well. I do have the tie in plates but they have been modified to work with the ZJ.


The gallery

I could be talked into selling it.

 

[X1994J]

If you need steering box/bumper plates Carl (screen name I Lean) made a couple sets of these for me on his kick ass plasma table thingy. They catch the steering box bolts, a few other bolts along the way, work for both sides, and have bumper tie-in's. We even cut one up and used it to make the inner box brace. Worked great.

 

[thenag]

I have a Rigidco front bumper that is currently bolted to my ZJ. I have the front crossmember plate as well. I do have the tie in plates but they have been modified to work with the ZJ.

I could be talked into selling it.

I knew you had a Ridgidco bumper, I couldn't remember front or rear. Actually I seem to remember you being pretty impressed with it when you got it.

I need one with a winch mount and have already given Terry my deposit, Thanks though...

If you need steering box/bumper plates Carl (screen name I Lean) made a couple sets of these for me on his kick ass plasma table thingy. They catch the steering box bolts, a few other bolts along the way, work for both sides, and have bumper tie-in's. We even cut one up and used it to make the inner box brace. Worked great.

Carl has already PM'd me

Thanks!

Nathan

 

[Badger]

Terry is the man when it comes to a well built bumper. If you request changes he'll be happy to do them. With mine I needed the little return wings on the ends shorter then normal since I had moved my axle forward. Just expect to wait a bit for it since he is always backed up with work and is technically retired.

 

[Bart]

I was going to come over to meet you after I finished airing down, but you were able to air up faster than I aired down. Rig looks good.

 

[sixstringsteve]

I love this bumper; less is more. Simple and stylish. When I build my bumper I'll be copying that style.

 

[thenag]

I haven't updated for a while, hasn't been much to update. We have been wheeling it, not hard due to the lack of bumpers. That is in the process of changing and we will make our first Moab trip on 10/14/11.

First thing was I added a couple gussets to the sway bar link tabs.

Second was modified the OEM gas tank skid plate. I had miss-read the directions etc from RigidCo and thought that when I put on that bumper the gas tank skid plate would drop down 1/4 inch. So I thought it would be a good idea to put 1/4 plate on the inside of the OEM skid plate. Since I built the skid plate before I got the bumper it is staying that way. I like it since it looks OEM-ish.

I had to cut the ribs out so the plate would sit flush. I did it a little at a time trying to keep from distorting the OEM plate.

Most of my rear bumper parts;

I couldn't believe how many bolts the bumper came with.

I then couldn't believe how many places this bumper mounted to the uni-body

decent shot of the main bumper and skid plate

Nathan
-99 xj, build thread here...

 

[Badger]

His bumpers are the bomb...!!!!! You will never regret the purchase. And ya you have to love the he includes all hardware. Hell I know when I got my front bumper he even includes setup bolts that get replaced with grade 8 bolts one it was inplace.

 

[thenag]

His bumpers are the bomb...!!!!! You will never regret the purchase. And ya you have to love the he includes all hardware. Hell I know when I got my front bumper he even includes setup bolts that get replaced with grade 8 bolts one it was inplace.

Yeah the bag of "temporary" nuts is interesting. I was super impressed with the Clayton suspension kit but I had to request a couple extra nuts and bolts.

Really for what you get his prices are pretty good too, throw in that he is local and I don't have to pay shipping it is awesome.

nathan

 

[RockChucker]

are you going down to moab with the teraflex run this weekend? if you do, that will be a good time to meet up so i can look your 60 over...school doesn't keep me busy or anything. haha