It has officially begun...UPDATED 5/6/11...

Wow that looks awesome!

JeeperX wrote:

Wow that looks awesome!

Thanks Chris! Is it what you were expecting?!?!

I have off on Friday, so Jayelee and I are gonna take a ride to pick up the leaf springs and hydro-assist...and some other small stuff now gone from the truck. She can't wait to see it all chopped up in person! So I will have some NEW pics on here by Friday night and should have a better idea of it's completion date.

Greg
TOYMN8R

No it looks WAY better, I am off on Friday also and will be getting a new diff cover from the junk yard. WHoo Hoo

So, Jayelee and I go to the shop today with camera in-hand and get there to take a zillion pics and...dead batteries. UGH. I did take 2 pics with Pete's camera and he'll e-mail them to me later tonight. So for right now, here are a few with my cell phone...



I am SO happy with how the cage is coming out. The extra tape lines will be more tube triangulating the entire cage and tying it into the frame. VERY strong. Still needs the overhead bars...



Rear coilover mounts tied into the cage...



And the subframe extension to tie the back of the cage in...



More to come!!

Greg
TOYMN8R

Here is what Dennis is doing to his Jeep.

OMG, Greg! Your rollbars are wicked!!! That's gonna look amazing! Can't wait to see it all done!

Dennis and Sam's Jeep looked HYSTERICAL with the tiny tires....and once the rollbar came out, it looked like a Scrambler.

XterraXtian wrote:

OMG, Greg! Your rollbars are wicked!!! That's gonna look amazing! Can't wait to see it all done!

Dennis and Sam's Jeep looked HYSTERICAL with the tiny tires....and once the rollbar came out, it looked like a Scrambler.

Thanks, the cage is turning out really nice...I'm very happy with it. I can't wait to see it all done either, you have no idea!!

So what was up with the little tires and rollbar out??!?!! Are they getting a new cage or something?

Here are some more with Jayelee in HER very own seat (that she LOVES by the way)...



You can see how she is completely surrounded by the cage, and the cage is fully welded and tied directly into the frame. The horizontal crossbar behind her seat will have the 5-point harness (that I got out of a helicopter from an old job, don't ask) tied into that...



The ps pulley came in on Friday, so once the ps pump bracket is fabbed up and in, the truck will have steering again! Still trying to figure out the panhard bar bracket placement since there really isn't any frame past the gas tank. Front upper link bracket needs to be fabbed, horsecollar crossmember needs to be notched some more because of the 2" drop in ride height combined with the 2" rear axle stretch, and the winch plate needs to be fabbed as well...a lot to do this week.

Greg
TOYMN8R

She's got the Queen Seat!!! Nice!!!

i love how you did the rear roll cage and shock mount if its ok id like to borrow some of that idea and put it to mine its sooooooo beautiful looking im jealous .........for now......

4thehardway wrote:

So what was up with the little tires and rollbar out??!?!! Are they getting a new cage or something?

Yeah all new cage and lift. I think they are going with 40's

Anyway it looks awesome. I am hoping to have some money in the fall to get mine fixed up some. I will be asking you for advice on what works well on your. Is the cage a "kit" or did you design it?

scouticon350 wrote:

i love how you did the rear roll cage and shock mount if its ok id like to borrow some of that idea and put it to mine its sooooooo beautiful looking im jealous .........for now......

Borrow whatever you want from Pete's design. And IF you need brackets fabbed, let me know. My guy, Pete @ Hillside Customs, is who is doing all of this work and is a genius with the CNC Plasma!

JeeperX wrote:

Yeah all new cage and lift. I think they are going with 40's

Anyway it looks awesome. I am hoping to have some money in the fall to get mine fixed up some. I will be asking you for advice on what works well on your. Is the cage a "kit" or did you design it?

40's? Yikes, hope they are also stepping up to Dana 60's or those axles will never survive. I'm nervous about my front D44 even with the chromoly shafts and ARB and I only have 38.5" Creepys. And with the old 38" SX's, I've already broken 3 axle shafts = 2 Dynatrac's and 1 Moser Max44 which was a chromoly!

Thanks, I couldn't be happier with how it's coming out. Ask away, I'll give whatever advice I can give! It will be like wheeling the truck for the first time when mine is all done. It will be completely different and I will have to learn how to wheel it and what it's new limitations are. The cage along with ever single piece of suspension is all custom...from design, to layout, to brackets...complete one-off. Pete might even start selling some of the link brackets on the axle side as a "kit" when mine is all wrapped up.

I should (hopefully) have some new pics on Monday...

Greg
TOYMN8R

Been a couple of days and I want a update darn it!

JeeperX wrote:

Been a couple of days and I want a update darn it!

So do I my friend, so do I... It's looking like maybe (BIG MAYBE) the truck will be done on Sunday, but I seriously doubt it. Still some issues with the front hoops. Can't reuse what I have there now, ugh. And the rear panhard bracket is causing some issues with the lack of frame now behind the rear axle. Hopefully it will all work out and I will be on the trail on the 17th, but right now, looking more like Steve's run on the 24th.

Greg
TOYMN8R

Updates from TODAY...finally.

I seriously doubt I'll be at the 17th run. There's still quite a bit for Pete to do to wrap this thing up.

New PSC pump and reservoir IN (old shock hoop and crossbar in pic)...



NEW front coilover hoops coming along...the old hoops just weren't going to work out right...



Rear cage just about done...



Rear panhard bracket DONE (funky huh?!)...



Side view of the rear panhard bracket...



That's it for now. Later gators.

Greg
TOYMN8R

NICE

Some more from today. I know they kinda look like the last pics, but it should be sitting completely on it's own coilovers (front AND rear) on Sunday...

New hoop with crossbar in...



Pete was able to re-use the crossbar, but there's not much room for anything else under the hood!



There is just enough room to remove the master cylinder if need be...



More pics hopefully Sunday night/Monday. Still IFFY about wheeling on Saturday the 17th, but Sunday the 17th OR Sunday the 25th might work out better.

Greg
TOYMN8R

if you remove the fancy 2x4 it might give you a little more room.

Mudslinger wrote:

if you remove the fancy 2x4 it might give you a little more room.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Or is that the smartest thing I have ever heard...

You guys just think you are SO funny don't you!?!

Anyway, picked up a new seat for Jayelee after some of my friends told me that the molded plastic one I had wasn't safe for her for off-road since it was so rigid. So I lucked out and found a brand new Mastercraft suspension seat on eBay and the guy was about 70 miles from my house in PA. So we all took a road trip today and I got it for $200! Bringing it to the shop tomorrow...and I will take some new pics when I am there!




Greg
TOYMN8R

Wow! great stuff going on there. It's gonna be sick watchin you go.

Okay, so there are some minor issues to work out...rear sitting high, front still a little high, front driveshaft (CV joint) binding, rear driveshaft slip yoke frozen and too short, but it's getting there.

Here are some pics from Sunday...

Front hoop, DONE.


Rear at current ride height...(4" too high)


Front at current ride height...(1.5" too high)


Chain flex...Driver rear still has 5.5" more uptravel to go...




Passenger rear at full droop...


Front still has another 1" of uptravel...fender needs to be clearanced...


Driver front still has 3" more droop...




And the rest of the pics are some random pics I took on Monday after work...

Rear...








Front...








New Mastercraft suspension seat mocked up...




That's it for now. Hopefully I will get good news from Pete tomorrow about the driveshafts??

Greg
TOYMN8R

Wow

That is some sick travel. I cannot wait to see this on the trails. Not gonna make the 25th though...

Here is how a true redneck makes things fit






take that you high tech 2x4 person you

VERY redneck...is he cutting out rust, OR making the tires fit!? Hahahahaha.

Anyway, after beating the rear shaft (with heat added) it came apart. So the rear driveshaft is good now...



And Pete found a Toyota u-joint in the shop, so he cut out the CV and welded up his own fix for the front...so the front is now good too!



AND...now she's sitting on her own and the first pic outside. He drove it around the block today but had to keep it low key since he was running open headers and said it was wicked LOUD!!! Still has WAAAAY too much rake in the rear and hopefully will settle in once the rest of the back supports are added along with the tailgate and all my gear, but at least you get an idea of the finished product...



Greg
TOYMN8R

really nice job , that thing is going to be a beast

OMIGOODNESS THAT IS AAAAWWWWESOME!!!!