#iwannagofast ZJ build
- Thread starter Johnny Quest
- Start date
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
yea i'll have to go back in and throw some tube in here and there to keep things happy
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Hard to stay motivated with this thing, but here’s an update.
Axles are finished up for now. Got the Artec trusses welded up, and pushed them under the Jeep for final mock-up. Front half of the Clayton crossmember is also in for mock-up. Next step is to finalize the front upper frame side brackets, and then the crossmember side brackets can be welded in, which means the Clayton frame stiffeners and rear mounts can all be welded in as well. Then it’s time to get some PVC for test fitting, before I commit to DOM; going to be going with 2x.025 wall. Then it’s onto steering. I also picked up a Teraflex SYE and a 2low for the 231, so that will have to get swapped in at some point as well.
Axles are finished up for now. Got the Artec trusses welded up, and pushed them under the Jeep for final mock-up. Front half of the Clayton crossmember is also in for mock-up. Next step is to finalize the front upper frame side brackets, and then the crossmember side brackets can be welded in, which means the Clayton frame stiffeners and rear mounts can all be welded in as well. Then it’s time to get some PVC for test fitting, before I commit to DOM; going to be going with 2x.025 wall. Then it’s onto steering. I also picked up a Teraflex SYE and a 2low for the 231, so that will have to get swapped in at some point as well.
Attachments
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Keep pushing on it while the cold weather is here. If you can get it rolling before the first spring day, you'll stay more motivated from then on.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Now that I have axles physically under it and it looks like a Jeep, it has definitely given me some motivation. And now that I have most of the parts to move forward, I can start crossing things off my ‘to-do’ list.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Other than blowing through the unibody a couple times, and having red hot slag land on the inside of my elbow, this didn’t go as terribly as I was expecting. Gotta drop the skid tomorrow and finish welding the inside of the stiffeners, then hopefully get the rear control arm brackets welded in.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Did some “weight savings” last night; I was told there were some horses trapped in there.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
Welcome to the club. I have scars on the tops and sides of both of my feet where cherries have gotten stuck in my boots or burned through the laces/tongue of my boots. My favorite scar in from a cherry that went down the back of my shirt. It's a faint scar line running down my back then a large round mark where the cherry got stuck at my belt line. I was dancing pretty good with that one. Nothing I could do.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Got the joints and arms yesterday. Went with all Teraflex parts; IR bushings, TJ clevite housings with a machined conversion sleeve, and TJ arms. This will be the same set up for front lowers, rear lowers, and rear uppers; less spares to carry. Still have to figure out the front uppers.
more info on the IR bushings for anyone who is interested:
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Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Well the rear end is tacked in, and is unofficially sitting on its on weight. Both sets of axle side brackets were located on the axle just kinda where they fell. I’m going to run the numbers on the 4 link calculator to see how it looks before burning them in for good, but I don’t see any major changes being needed. I don’t have a ton of wiggle room to make adjustments, but it should be fine.
The uppers are spaced out a little bit more than in this pic; maybe an inch wider for hardware clearance. And the pinion was brought down a few degrees.
The uppers are spaced out a little bit more than in this pic; maybe an inch wider for hardware clearance. And the pinion was brought down a few degrees.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
I guess its time to brush the dust off of this one.
The ZJ been sitting, almost entirely undisturbed since May. There was a mad rush to try and get it done for the Delta Classic on Memorial Day Weekend, and when it became apparent that that wasn't going to happen, all forward motion stopped. Our summer weekends are often occupied by a lot of camping, so free time is usually spent working on the truck and or trailer, either before, or after a trip. With camping season coming to an end, its time to get back to work on this.
First thing first- I know that I need to re-visit my upper control arms, as they are currently hitting the floor (front and rear), and not allowing uptravel. No, I will not be cutting the floor, so I need to bend them for clearance.
second order of business is going to be the steering/front trackbar. The plan is going to be a center mounted "full hydro" double-ended ram, but utilizing a drag link as well. I have no idea what the steering box and PS pump is going to look like, so im sure that will be fun to figure out. I currently have TMR high steer arms and hydro cylinder mount, but there are some other things in the works.
After that, its the tcase swap, measure for shocks and drive shafts, and figure out the brakes. At that point, it *should* be street-driveable. Then, its gears and lockers, frame stiffeners, fuel cell, and armor before its wheelable. Sounds easy, right?
The ZJ been sitting, almost entirely undisturbed since May. There was a mad rush to try and get it done for the Delta Classic on Memorial Day Weekend, and when it became apparent that that wasn't going to happen, all forward motion stopped. Our summer weekends are often occupied by a lot of camping, so free time is usually spent working on the truck and or trailer, either before, or after a trip. With camping season coming to an end, its time to get back to work on this.
First thing first- I know that I need to re-visit my upper control arms, as they are currently hitting the floor (front and rear), and not allowing uptravel. No, I will not be cutting the floor, so I need to bend them for clearance.
second order of business is going to be the steering/front trackbar. The plan is going to be a center mounted "full hydro" double-ended ram, but utilizing a drag link as well. I have no idea what the steering box and PS pump is going to look like, so im sure that will be fun to figure out. I currently have TMR high steer arms and hydro cylinder mount, but there are some other things in the works.
After that, its the tcase swap, measure for shocks and drive shafts, and figure out the brakes. At that point, it *should* be street-driveable. Then, its gears and lockers, frame stiffeners, fuel cell, and armor before its wheelable. Sounds easy, right?
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Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
oh, and a current pic sitting on 37s and 3” coils
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
You're further along than me and Britney. Does that help?
RockChucker
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland
Double ended cylinders and drag links don't work. 
I kid, I kid. They actually work great.
I kid, I kid. They actually work great.
Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
ended up picking up a 10" PSC hydro assist ram. the double ended ram wouldve been sweet, but there were a bunch of expensive moving parts that i didnt want to figure out, and honestly the assist ram will be more than enough to push 37s. went with 10" so i can use the full 50* range of movement of the ujoints ill be using, although im sure i'll run into the body or something first. so ive gotta start putting the steering system together.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like the order of install needs to be:
-weld on high-steer knuckles,
-build drag link
-measure drag link, and build trackbar to same length
-weld on frame side track bar bracket so TB and DL are parallel at ride height
-find room for PSC ram, and run lines to box
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like the order of install needs to be:
-weld on high-steer knuckles,
-build drag link
-measure drag link, and build trackbar to same length
-weld on frame side track bar bracket so TB and DL are parallel at ride height
-find room for PSC ram, and run lines to box
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Johnny Quest
Web Wheeler
- Location
- West Jordan
Well, looks like it’s time to put my money where my mouth is. I’ve got my work cut out for me. 6 months til the green flag drops in Tooele.
