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Varg In Jeep's Clothing

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by ITLKSEZ, Aug 20, 2015.

  1. Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    Maybe that's the Focker gun...
     
    Twin2, bigbendhiker and ITLKSEZ like this.
  2. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    I spent about 3 hours today with a torch to the frame horns. All the welding I did around them had left them less than straight. I knew this would need to be addressed eventually, but with nothing but a bumper and winch in that real estate, it wasn't critical for operation until now.

    When I started, using the grill as a guide, the PS frame rail hooked hard to the right 3/8” and up 1/4”, and the DS rail hooked right 1/4” but was flat. (I had the clamp holding the rails parallel for reference and for expansion resistance.)

    [​IMG]

    Torchy torchy...

    [​IMG]

    I also roughed out the parts for the winch plate/front crossmember. More on this tomorrow.

    [​IMG]

    Also, the insulation, application roller, and 3-pin headlight sockets I ordered yesterday already arrived today. o_O
     
    tymbom, Rich M., Fireball and 3 others like this.
  3. Focker

    Focker That's a terrible idea...What time? Staff Member

    That's what I almost posted... I thought I saw my name for a split second. :whistle:
     
  4. 45es

    45es Active Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    You know it will bug you ever day if you don't fix it now. It will be the only thing you see when walking near the jeep. Easy fix now. Do it.
     
  5. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    I’m gonna have a whole lot more to fix by the time I’m done. If I fix every mistake as it happens, I’ll just be chasing my tail. Getting the cage in is going to require extensive paint fixes. :oops:
     
  6. Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Eh - about the 4th trip offroad something will happen to the paint where that run wont be such a huge issue anymore...;)
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  7. Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    This prototype is going off road?... :confused:
     
  8. sterlclan

    sterlclan Member 2024 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    That’s not a run it’s a sag sheesh wait till it’s cured and plane the high spots off with a razor blade at a 90to the paint and buff it out.
     
    ojgrsoi and ITLKSEZ like this.
  9. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    :twist:
     
  10. whatroad

    whatroad New Member


    Hey Rookie,.... that’s not a run. It’s called a flow check.
     
    ITLKSEZ likes this.
  11. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Winch mount/crossmember is 90% done. It still needs drain and mount holes.

    [​IMG]

    The section on the right is capped off and will get another section of 2 x 4 x 1/8” tubing welded under it. They will be connected internally, and it will act as the vacuum reservoir. I offset the winch for this purpose, and also, the bumper will be the air tank, and I allowed the area next to the winch for room for the air fitting, and hand space to operate it.

    [​IMG]

    The asymmetry is going to kill my wife. :rofl:
     
    blalp!, fhoehle, Twin2 and 8 others like this.
  12. FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    yea - that asymmetry is a bit unnerving - the REP 8000 I run is asymmetrical, so even with a centered winch plate and mount, its longer on the motor side than the clutch side by about 1.5 inches. Good thing is I can't see it when i am driving. Heck, even the asymmetrical nature of the radiator behind the grill in the wagon bothers me....as do the seats in an intermediate cj5....
     
    fhoehle and ITLKSEZ like this.
  13. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    My entire drivetrain is offset pretty severely to the driver’s side to allow the exhaust to pass the clocked-flat T-case. Without a sway bar, this thing has some serious Jeep lean. Reason #3 for the offset.
     
  14. FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    I think it is/was OME that set-up their aftermarket lift, TJ coil springs a bit different on driver vs passenger side to compensate for some sort of lean. Don't remember the details, but it rode quite a bit higher on the driver side than the passenger (So we flipped the rear spring left to right to help balance it out - think it was a trick we found on the internet and its still running that way 10 years later with no issues). Anyway - I may have missed it 500 posts back - but do you have any designed differences in springs based on the drivetrain offset?
     
  15. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    No, once everything is in this thing, it’s fairly level. But when the body and cage are out and the springs are still up in their “soft” range, it’s definitely noticeable. It doesn’t take much effort to get the sway bar to line up when in final form.

    That being said, the front springs are squashing down pretty far, and the spring adjustments are maxed out. I was guessing when I built around these springs, and I guessed a little light. I might end up getting some heavier front springs. That would help the situation even more.

    I was hoping I’d have enough money left at the end for some airbag helpers in the back. I’d love if I could put a dirt bike carrier on the back, but it would be riding on the bump stops, and heavier rear springs aren’t an option. It would be great to just pump up the rear and go.
     
    FinoCJ likes this.
  16. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    The lug nuts, CV rebuild kit, and the wiring harness arrived today. I officially have enough to keep me busy for months. :waiting:
     
    Rich M., tymbom and Fireball like this.
  17. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    I don’t know if anyone is interested, but I shot a video of a weld today. It’s 1/4” thick material, fully beveled on the top side. It’s a single pass with .030” wire. It’s hard to see, but in order to not blow through, I had to spread the heat around with a weave that was about 1 1/4” long. The resulting weld made bottom of the seam convex; over 100% penetration. I’m not showing off, just showing how, for anyone interested in technique. The weave pattern is hard to see, but it basically looks like a sideways pointy teardrop, with the point reaching further into the bevel with each weave, then backing up into the puddle to backfill. So the point of the teardrop penetrates through the seam, but then it is backed off before it blows through.

     
    ojgrsoi, Twin2, Desert Runner and 5 others like this.
  18. Admiral Cray

    Admiral Cray I want to do this again.. Staff Member

    My eyes, my eyes...
     
    Muzikp and Twin2 like this.
  19. 47v6

    47v6 junk wrecker! 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Mine too! I am blinded!!
     
    Twin2 likes this.
  20. ITLKSEZ

    ITLKSEZ Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

    Don’t encourage him. :crazy:

    :rofl:
     
    dozerjim, Twin2, Focker and 1 other person like this.