Willys Crawler 2.0 aka The Bastard
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
The seats needed to go back around 6" and down 2-3" for head to roll cage clearance. Unfortunately this meant the roll cage B pillar was in the way. It would have been less work to keep the current cage, but there were a lot of things I didn't like about it. So I'll be building a new cage now, too.
Here's how the seats look now, its blocked up a bit, has a little lean back to it and sits quite low. It may come up a little more, but the legroom and cushion support feel pretty good.
Here's how the seats look now, its blocked up a bit, has a little lean back to it and sits quite low. It may come up a little more, but the legroom and cushion support feel pretty good.
- Location
- West Haven, UT
What are you using to bend tube?
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
JD2 Model 3 ... need to convert it to air over hydro before I get to work. I have the parts, just need to do it.
Once you do it, you'll love bending again. Game changer.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I hate sheetmetal work, but its a requirement at this point... started bending up the floor extension.
zgfiredude
Old Fart in Training...
- Location
- Silt, CO
This seating position will be good for that Flat Fender Gangsta Lean!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I have a very cheap HF manual brake, it does the job but it's far from fancy. That is the biggest piece and the start to the patch panels for extending the floor, there will end up being 2-3 more filler pieces to patch up each side. It's going to take some time to make it look decent, but it's what needed to happen to get enough room for the PRP seats.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
So I need some opinions on building the front axle, mostly u-joint selection. I'm planning to upgrade to 35 spline outer shafts, 4340 of course. Same material for the inner shafts. I'm also planning to run drive flanges, rather than hubs. I'm considering running a standard Spicer SPL55-3X, I think it would be OK? These are the strongest stock replacement Spicer u-joints available.... built with a forged cross and no zerk fitting.
The only reasons I'd have against a standard front u-joint is that I'd like to be able to do front digs without worrying and that someday, this thing might end up on sticky 39" Krawlers. Is there another u-joint option I should consider, that isn't silly money?
For comparison, the Spicer SPL55-3X can be found for around $40/ea. - https://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/p7...__front_axle_universal_joint_replaces_5_.html
Longfield 300M joints are around $235/ea. - https://trail-gear.com/drivetrain/longfield-dana-30-40-60-u-joint-300m.html
CTM's are around $390/ea. - https://www.polyperformance.com/ctm...Z_4jbpc4t9yUMGZbqggV_yOrRBor_msRoCErwQAvD_BwE
The only reasons I'd have against a standard front u-joint is that I'd like to be able to do front digs without worrying and that someday, this thing might end up on sticky 39" Krawlers. Is there another u-joint option I should consider, that isn't silly money?
For comparison, the Spicer SPL55-3X can be found for around $40/ea. - https://www.dennysdriveshaft.com/p7...__front_axle_universal_joint_replaces_5_.html
Longfield 300M joints are around $235/ea. - https://trail-gear.com/drivetrain/longfield-dana-30-40-60-u-joint-300m.html
CTM's are around $390/ea. - https://www.polyperformance.com/ctm...Z_4jbpc4t9yUMGZbqggV_yOrRBor_msRoCErwQAvD_BwE
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I think that's also what I ran in my TJ on 40's as well, but don't quite remember. I'll have to look at the build thread and see if I can find out.
Speaking of the TJ, I've decided that this Willys is basically a 3/4 scale replica of my old TJ. It had a V8, Auto, Atlas, 60's, 40's and was cut and stretched. This will have a V6, auto, Dana 300, Tons, 37's and also is cut and stretched!
- Location
- West Haven, UT
That's the combo in the front of my TJ on 40s. I've run that for 9 years with no failures
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
That TJ was ahead of its time for a trail rig.I think that's also what I ran in my TJ on 40's as well, but don't quite remember. I'll have to look at the build thread and see if I can find out.
Speaking of the TJ, I've decided that this Willys is basically a 3/4 scale replica of my old TJ. It had a V8, Auto, Atlas, 60's, 40's and was cut and stretched. This will have a V6, auto, Dana 300, Tons, 37's and also is cut and stretched!
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
It worked so well, considering it was on TJ coils and cheap shocks. It would have been a totally different monster on coilovers and air bumps, with 4-5" of up travel. The low COG of the TJ was amazing in Moab, but it made the Jeep almost handicapped on my local trails like 21 Road with it's massive boulders. The TJ would slide off the tops of rocks and get hung up on the belly way too often, making for a frustrating driving experience.
I'm hoping the Willys will end up with a good compromise of height, belly clearance and axle width to tire clearance. I'm really hoping to get a set of 39" Krawlers in the future to help get those diffs even higher off the ground. It would be awesome to have this thing on 39's, I think the wheelbase and planned height would all be perfect for big boulders & rocky trails.
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Is the Willys body narrower than a CJ/YJ/TJ?
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Well, it IS a CJ....
I'm sure the Flat Fender / Willys CJ tub is narrower than the late model CJ/YJ/TJ, but don't recall the exact measurements.
RockChucker
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland
If I remember right, a Willy’s tub is only about 2” narrower than a tj at the back of the tub.