Rubicon "buggy" build...

[_Auzzy_]

dang definently changed sense I saw it at the 2007 Richfield 4X4 Rodeo. totally a change for the good! jeep looks awesome bro!!!

 

[Bart]

Love the new look and it sounds like it wheels like mad. Looking forward to your next visit down this way. I remember thinking on the Snakes that you looked way too tall.

 

[Gravy]

looks much better lower with those fenders and hood mods!

nice job Wayne!

 

[Herzog]

Mucho better Wayne! Looks good!

 

[waynehartwig]

Looks real good Wayne, nice mods!

Thanks Greg! Your hoodline was real inspiring

Here's some pictures of the blending of the rocker/corner guards...

Here is a side and front shot overall...

 

[waynehartwig]

Sorry to everyone else, I had posted that last one before I saw these..

It really hasn't changed much since Richfield - lower is all I guess? But thanks!

I've really gotta get back down that way and go play - I miss the rocks!

Thanks again!

 

[jonsegue]

Nice Ride Wayne!

 

[GOAT]

MUCH better stance

 

[waynehartwig]

Thanks! I need to lower it more according to officer Bell

 

[GOAT]

Thanks! I need to lower it more according to officer Bell

@ 102" you'll definitely notice a big improvement on climbs with a lower CG

Looks good!

 

[waynehartwig]

@ 102" you'll definitely notice a big improvement on climbs with a lower CG

Looks good!

I'm still at ~100", but I do need to move the rear axle back 2-3"? and do the flat tummy. When I do that, I also want to hoop the front shocks and 'maybe' cut/tube the frame so I can lower it even more. I still dream (literally) of hacking the tub to drop it even lower - you know, like your buddy did to his. Then box in the cuts with sheet metal to cover it all up again. Right now my goal is ~17" under the pan with 39" tires. I think the last time I measured it at 21? but that's with the RE crossmember that hangs about 3" below the frame rails.

Even how it was, it was stable, but didn't 'feel' stable. Now it feels stable. There's been a couple of times that I really thought it should have gone over, but my tires were still squashed showing there was still weight on them.

If I was still in Utah, I would have more motivation. Up here I'm on forest service roads and the occasional rock out cropping like Little Moab. So not much motivation. I think I've put 30k miles on my Jeep since I left UT and look how many times I've been back and I've also gone to CA several times. It just doesn't get driven much anymore. In the two years I had it in UT, I put over 70k miles on it with few trips to CA and WA.

 

[Greg]

I'm still at ~100", but I do need to move the rear axle back 2-3"? and do the flat tummy. When I do that, I also want to hoop the front shocks and 'maybe' cut/tube the frame so I can lower it even more. I still dream (literally) of hacking the tub to drop it even lower - you know, like your buddy did to his. Then box in the cuts with sheet metal to cover it all up again. Right now my goal is ~17" under the pan with 39" tires. I think the last time I measured it at 21? but that's with the RE crossmember that hangs about 3" below the frame rails.

Even how it was, it was stable, but didn't 'feel' stable. Now it feels stable. There's been a couple of times that I really thought it should have gone over, but my tires were still squashed showing there was still weight on them.

I'm 18" at my skidplate on 40's and it's very stable. On Coyote Canyon I took this optional line, my pass rear tire looks like it's on the rock but it's actually mid-air, probably 6' off the ground. The driver front tire is in a deep hole... it was kind of sketchy, but still driveable.

IMO there is such a thing as being too low. I'm getting hung up on my belly, frame and rockers. Trails like my local 21 Road are a real challenge because its constant, large boulders. Going up Helldorado and over Breakover Rock required lots of throttle to scrape my way across. Just a thought.

 

[waynehartwig]

Food for thought and something to consider...

What I would really like to do is run air bags For what I have invested in SAW CO's and springs, I could have

For our wheelin' up here, I think low would be better. We have a lot of off camber stuff and steep hill climbs and no boulders. This is why I've got this for sale, so I can go to a JK with 35" tires and 3-4" of lift. Then I would have an extremely capable rig for this area, a very streetable rig to pull the camp trailer around and a much more family freindly vehicle.

You've seen that buggy I built for my buddy haven't you? 112" wheelbase, 90'some inches wide and only 17" to the belly. He's extremely stable and yes he does drag his belly occasionally, but so far it's not often that I've seen. Some of that high density plastic would suit both of you well

I figure if I make it lower, I can always adjust it if needed for the week or so I spend in Moab a each year...:-\

 

[GOAT]

Greg's rig is a great example of low COG done right!

I'm going for super low/big tires (43s-44s) this time around. My tub is so thrashed, I've pretty much given up on it. The last flop during NPLD bent the last straight panel

This spring, somebody will be cutting everything from the seats back off and tubing it out.


come on economy (fingers crossed)

 

[LT.]

How do you like your Mickey Thompson Baja Claws? I was also curious as to why you are still running them forwards. Most of the folks that I have talked to said that the traction was better if you mount the tires backwards. Have you played with that at all? I really like how much effort you have put into keeping your rig low. I think that is the way to go. Nice looking ride and keep the updates coming.

LT.

 

[waynehartwig]

I'm lovin' Greg's rig!

I didn't run them backwards, because I still drive my rig on the streets for long distances. Running them backwards on the roads will cause them to wear funky, vibrations and a lot more noise. I know people that run the front backwards and the rear correct with great success. Suicide Sally is just one popular example. But any rig with 46" tires will go a lot of places, regardless of tires

 

[blacktj1997]

this is a sweet jeep! i saw your v8 post and followed it here! i'm very impressed. i have a couple of questions for you. which tank did you end up using? the comp model? how did you know where to 'french' the rear coilover mounts into the frame? did you push the front axle forward over stock? very cool jeep and i hope that mine can be as awesome when it grows up! haha

 

[waynehartwig]

this is a sweet jeep! i saw your v8 post and followed it here! i'm very impressed. i have a couple of questions for you. which tank did you end up using? the comp model? how did you know where to 'french' the rear coilover mounts into the frame? did you push the front axle forward over stock? very cool jeep and i hope that mine can be as awesome when it grows up! haha

Thanks!

I used the EXT tank, because the 20 gallons were more important to me than 2" of stretch - since it's driven and not trailered.

The coilover mounts, once put in place, can really only go in one way. The top fit into a little 'nook'. Then I just matched up both sides so they were in the same place.

The front is pushed out probably 4". I say probably, because the lower control arms are about 40" long and mount in the same place as RE's 36" arms. The rear is probably only moved back maybe 3" right now, but with room for another ~2". When I do the flat belly, I'll relocate the control arms to the frame and move the rear back more then. I will also most likely cut the long arms down to about 25-30", and make it more of a midarm setup.