My XJ Build...

[Chili Palmer]

From there I started working on the shackle angle and finishing up the armor. Since the beginning I've planned on having some 3/16" on the bottom of the rear rocker but not until I started working on it did I decide to remove the entire factory hanger and build my own. I did this because everyone that builds off teh factory hanger ends up with about 1" or 2" of lift and I didn't want to go up any more. I think I ended up about 1/2" higher than I was?

Removing the factory stuff...


I'm also "adjusting" the light holders. Since I put the 1/4 panels on I figured I'd build some 3/16" panels for the lights also. They will be tied into the cage.


Fitting the new piece...


Bench testing my brackets...the two holes on the right will tie into the front 2 bolts for the rear bumper brackets that extend about 18" into the "frame" rails. The big hole is for plug welding it to the "frame"...


Test fitting some supports...I have the bottom piece on but I haven't decided if I'm going to finish the little upper tube?




Starting to put everything together. This is a good time to point out that all the bolts are grade 8 and are somewhat irrelevant because they're all going to be welded into place since none of this is ever going to come off anyways...


Starting to weld it up...


Not too bad, I really hate welding upside down...!




Almost done and a much better shackle angle!


For reference...


I'm pretty happy how they turned out but I wouldn't mind having a bit more angle but this will be fine.


Next steps are...

Make my bed rails - I'm going to be cutting the tops of the rails off and using some 1.75" x .095 wall tubing for bed rails. That .095 should be fine for that and it's 1/3 the cost of .120 wall!

Finish up the tail-light panel on PS. Once that's done I'm turn the Jeep around and work on the DS!

Finish up the cage. I've got a line on a couple of pieces of 1.75" x .120 wall HREW and I'll be buying my 1.5" tube die in the next month so I can finish up the cage!

Once that stuff is done I can get this thing back on the dirt! I really doubt it would pass emissions so I'm going to hold off on making it street legal until I can afford a new engine...probably 4.3 but would mind a 350/350 combo? We'll see...


EDIT: All the brackets were made by me with a 4.5" grinder and a sawsall! I bent the brackets using my handy-dandy home-made press brake - found here - Clicky

And ALL the pics can be found here - Clicky! The 1/4 panel stuff begins on page 8.

[bamajeepjunkie]

Looks good, I really like detailed builds like this.

[Nate]

That is awesome. I need to learn to weld. I want one!