ZJ Build

wheelNC94GC

wheelNC94GC

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 19, 2007
Location
Chesnee SC
Well I'm finally getting ready to start my ZJ build. Going to be doing a 4 link rear, 3 link front, 14b rear, d44 front, 5:13's, welded rear, some kind of lunch box locker up front, Hydro assist, full roll cage, 37's or 38's...can't make up my mind, comp cut rear fenders, lots of front trimming...those are the basics. The build will hopefully done by the start of summer or somewhere in the middle. I'm fabbing most of my brackets my self, building the 3 & 4 link, and cage myself. Right now i just got the 14 bolt cleaned up, made all my rear CA brackets, bought steel to start on the rear links and truss, ordered 100ft of 1 3/4 DOM for the cage. We are starting on the roll cage on the 1st or 2nd of jan. Heres a few pics of "progress"...not much but hey I'm finally getting started after months of seraching and planning. I'm still not 100% sure about everything:flipoff2: ....anyways....
14B
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00006.jpg


Lower, upper, truss material Lowers-2x2x.25 sleeved with 1.5x1.5x3/16 Uppers-1.5x1.5x3/16 Truss-3x2x.25
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00009.jpg

3/4 Heims, hardware, brackets
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00018.jpg

ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00020.jpg

Heres a solid works drawing of the cage i drew...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_Roll_Cage_2.jpg

The 3/4 heims are for the uppers and I've got four 2.5" johnny joints in the mail and 8-3/4 to 5/8 misalignment spacers. Not sure what im going to do for lower link tube inserts yet. Thinking about the square inserts off of ballistic fab but they are damn 17$ a peice and only come in right hand thread. We'll see....
 
cas22

you think the upper-rear five tubes are necessary? seems like the passengers are well protected without those extra arches in back

edit: unless this is an interior cage, then nevermind. thought maybe you had the back chopped.
 
Heres some work I did on the truss today...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00029.jpg

There will be 1/4" plate on top of the two peices not that square tubing in the picture. I was just using that to see if it was level.
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00031.jpg
 
No most of it was done by creating new planes and using the nromal 2d sketch and sweeps....allthough there was some 3d sketching inolved.
 
Roll Cage

Well we finished up the roll cage tonight after about 2 1/2 days of working on it. Here it is.
What we started with...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00059.jpg

Then these ran all the way back to the first pillar we made.
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00064.jpg

We just started filling things in from there.
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00072.jpg

My favorite part ...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00079.jpg


ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00084.jpg


Now on to the 4 link and 14b swap in the rear!:rolleyes:
 
Ya it was a bitch to put together and try to keep it so tight to things, but i think it turned out pretty good for my first cage. Novacane just shoot me a pm anytime you wanna check it out.
 
We knew youd say something about that... He ended up movin them under the rockers but still on the blocks... Not much to work with but we have to do a wood run to make a work table tommorow or sumtime soon anyways..

We cut the coil buckets tonight and his design is lookin sweet.
 
novacayne75 said:
looks good. how bout finding a safer way of supporting those stands (your using the week side of the blocks stack 2 with holes facing up and use some wood under stands ) u cant wheel with us if your 6 feet under!
Click to expand...
Haha alright i knew you guys would say something...i'm changin it cause i wanna go wheeeeelin:driver:
 
Updates...should be finishing the rear 4 link in the next couple of days! woo whoo then on to the front.
LCA brackets
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00266.jpg

Burned on...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00287.jpg

Lower Arm
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00292.jpg

Lower and upper arm
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00298.jpg
 
more...
Unibody sleeve's for the mounts...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00304.jpg

The rest of the sleeve will just be angle iron.
and mocked up the passenger side under the jeep...
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00308.jpg



Should be done with this 4 link hopefully this weekend or early into next week.

And yes all of the mounts/brackets you see will be box'd in and/or gusset'd, just so everyone knows.
 
I've been thinking...I'll let you beat on this for a while and see how you're work holds up, then depending on how it goes, get you to help build me some LA's ;) How much $$ you think you've got into the suspension alone?
 
1badzj in nc said:
Killer!!! Good work. When can you start on my ZJ??? HAHA
Dedicated worker doing work outside at night in the mountains in the winter...
Click to expand...
Haha the only thing keepin me goin in the 30-40 deg. weather is....wheelin in th spring/summer will be so much fun!
RRADFORD9ER said:
I've been thinking...I'll let you beat on this for a while and see how you're work holds up, then depending on how it goes, get you to help build me some LA's ;) How much $$ you think you've got into the suspension alone?
Click to expand...
Well a claytons kit is about 1800, so far in the rear axle i've got about 300$ in joints, 150-200 in steel for brackets and arm material, so about 500 in just the 4 link stuff, plus looots of time haha. I think front might end up being alittle more expensive. But its def. fun to do, let me know how long i gotta beat on it and we'll start the Dubya!

Oh and heres some updated pics of it sittin on its own, with the 4 link in
-still have to make coil retainers, gusset numerous things, shave the 14B, put my gears in and weld it, tie the truss into the diff cover, brake lines, discs, then paint everything, then off to the front! . But heres some updated pics.
ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00404.jpg

ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00400.jpg

ai215.photobucket.com_albums_cc27_fmtndrummer_DSC00406.jpg

So, still alot to do on the rear axle but at least it will sit on its own!
 
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