Snowballing projects

[rockdawg]

I got to start somewhere with the next step of mods. So I go outside, crawl under the jeep To look at how I'm going to raise the gas tank. I have a 2" body lift so I should be able to raise the tank at least 2" right? WRONG.
There's a crossmember on the frame near the front of the tank. No big deal, I'll just cut it out, move it forward a couple of inches,weld it back on, drill new holes in the floor for the body mounts. Only problem is - its also the upper shock mounts. No big deal. I wanted to relocate them any way, so now I have to cut the shock mounts off of the axle too and reweld them where I want em. If I'm already welding on the back I might as well reinforce the reciever hitch. Hell, It would be stupid to have it this far apart and not make the adjustable long arms and mounts I've been meaning to do for a while. Shit, I'm going to have to fab up the new trackbar mount too!
So...you know what I did?................I went back inside, grabbed a beer and watched Dukes of hazzard reruns.

[Lagooz00xj]

So...you know what I did?................I went back inside, grabbed a beer and watched Dukes of hazzard reruns.

My kinda guy :lol:

[ROCKREADYXJ]

I do not know yyour skill level or how good you weld but it all sounds like a good plan. for the rear ditch the rear track bar and make a triangulated four link. it will flex alot better and track straighter through all of the rear axle motion. Do not forget to factor in the rear anti-squat. Let me know if you need some simple ideas for relocating the rear shocks.

Joe

[rockdawg]

Thanks, Joe. I'm a pretty good welder and I have a good amount of experience with suspensions from my drag racing days. The first time I built a four link for a drag car(and I started with a kit) I thought my head was going to explode while researching anti-squat, instant center, roll center, cog, etc,.
As a side note: You want to talk about nervous? try pulling the trigger on 650 horse power for the first time knowing you just welded the entire back half of the car together.

I agree with you about loosing the track bar. That just means one more thing- rerouting the exhaust.(More snowballing) I just crawled back undernieth and that should be pretty easy. I'll triangulate the uppers. I'm still in the planning stages on this one but i'm getting closer. I enjoy fabbing up all of this stuff because I learn a lot each time I try something. It seems that setting up a suspension for rockcrawling is different in some ways to a drag car but the same in a lot of others.

[dmxjg35]

haha this is so funny al, i keep doing the same thing, i go out and look at the jeep and i stare at it then im like nahhhhhhh lol

Im waiting to see some pics of this drag your always talking about, it sounds sweet as hell i useto drag my car, it had no where near 650hp but it was still a rush none the less.

[rockdawg]

I've had a bunch of different ones over the years. All bracket racing cars.
2 camaro's, 1 gto, 1 chevelle, 1 montecarlo. The 650hp one I was talking about was a 68 camaro I built for a guy. I tubbed the back half and built a 4 link with a narrowed ford 9" because he saw how mine launched with the front wheels slightly in the air and went straight. He was too scared to launch it at full throttle when we were testing at Island dragway, So I said let me give it a try. I got in and said what am I worried about it's got a rollcage. As I held the throttle to the rev limiter I realized "holy shit I welded that in too! :shock:

Daryl used to own a shop that built racing mustangs. He has some great stories.
And Jay(of plumcrazy) still races 2 camaro's.

[njedgexj]

tempted to bring the tractor to island...its almost done...ha...

[XEON]

tempted to bring the tractor to island...its almost done...ha...

I have a trailer we can tow it :D. That will be great, race some bikes or something :).

[ROCKREADYXJ]

Thanks, Joe. I'm a pretty good welder and I have a good amount of experience with suspensions from my drag racing days. The first time I built a four link for a drag car(and I started with a kit) I thought my head was going to explode while researching anti-squat, instant center, roll center, cog, etc,.
As a side note: You want to talk about nervous? try pulling the trigger on 650 horse power for the first time knowing you just welded the entire back half of the car together.

I agree with you about loosing the track bar. That just means one more thing- rerouting the exhaust.(More snowballing) I just crawled back undernieth and that should be pretty easy. I'll triangulate the uppers. I'm still in the planning stages on this one but i'm getting closer. I enjoy fabbing up all of this stuff because I learn a lot each time I try something. It seems that setting up a suspension for rockcrawling is different in some ways to a drag car but the same in a lot of others.

The RockKrawler 4 link rear kit does not need exhaust mods. The upper arms are bent and will clear the exhaust.

[matt6669]

al you are to much, you just never stop tinkering, but loved the comment about going back inside and drinking and watching tv

yes daryl has some REALLY good stories i never laughed so hard around that camp fire on friday night, that definitely was awesome. Plus daryl can just tells stories, puts the sound effects and everything LOL

hey al, ya know if you don't feel like working on your own truck, you could always come to my house i still don't have my long arms on yet.

Matt

[speedracer983]

HAHAHA Matt ... your the sound master ... nice quiet river in a valley in Paragon .... Beautiful sunny afternoon ... a small deer drinks from the stream .... a butterfly lands on my shoulder .... and here comes Matt smashing through the woods yelling .... HOLY S**T .... THOSE ARE SOME BIG ROCKS ..... I believe we should give him more sugar and wash it down with a Mt.Dew and a pot of coffee ... lol ... your too much fun Matt ... Camp fire BS is the best ... by the way ... I broke both shafts on Sunday ... 1/3 twist in the rear and cracked the front yoke ... I need more power :lol:

[XEON]

I broke both shafts on Sunday ... 1/3 twist in the rear and cracked the front yoke ... I need more power :lol:

Wow... you did that on our trail?

[speedracer983]

I really don't know when I did it ... when AL and I got separated from you guys we got stuck behind some trucks from Virginia who were broken ... trying to get around them we hit a rough trail ( so fun )... dogging it in granny low 1st with the terra low 4.3 really brings the torque up ... I think it might have been then ... didn't realize it until you and I got off on 206 north and it got quiet .. I heard a funny ( not so funny ) noise reflecting off the divider wall ... by the time I got home it was real bad ... turns out that I twisted the rear shaft and it burned up the rear joint ... noticed the front one on the lift ... I'm lucky that my driveshaft guy Mike rocks ( American Driveshaft ) he stayed late on Monday and we built new front and rear shafts along with a bigger CV joint bigger Univ joints and larger diameter thicker wall tubing ... along with the biggest slipjoint I have ever seen on the front , it overlaps around 14 "... thats a lot of travel so now I'm going to see if I can break them :lol:

[XEON]

I wish I had your bank account... hahah :)

Well sounds like we will have to work hard to bust some shafts :D

[matt6669]

hahah yeahhhh me and mt dew are best friends, my boss at the architect calls it the miracle drink, cause after i drink it i start drafting really fast he's like you actually DO work after you had that, he's like i should buy you a lifetime supply im like MMMM

or better yet, we'll take that story you just told and here comes matt running down a hill "WAAAAAHHHHHHHH HOOOOOOOOO" sneaking through woods. It was either you or al goes "what the hell are you doing"? well ya see i was trying to sneak up on you like a ninja, and before i even finish my sentence al goes "you have got to be the worst ninja ever, usually they don't scream waaaahhh hooooo when trying to sneak up on someone HAHAHAHAHA

daryl i can't believe you bent both shafts THATS CRAZY!! you and i should switch trucks, mine won't do that!!

yeah im gonna skip the august wheeling trip, i've got to many things to fix on the jeep. Theres more rattles and creaks and things bent on that truck now its crazy. me and my ego i kinda sounded like you when you went through that big ole puddle. Except mine went, im gonna show daryl that you don't need no 8 inches of lift and 36's to make it through this trail!!

Matt