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Woodstock

With the transfer case out, and waiting for gaskets this week, I turned to the tire rack. I had this 1-1/4" spindle from Ruffstuff, I got before they tanked. I like it, have used it before, and not sure who is going to replace them. It will weld in, after I trim the bottom off. The top tubing rotates on 2 tapered bearings.
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I cut off about an inch so it's flush with the bottom of the mount.
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Spotted on, with a little spacer for the tube to rotate.
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On the latch side, it will rest in a 45 degree cradle. This facilitates a down-and-in latching action. The 2-1/2 box in the middle is just a fixture for welding.
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The bottom main box tube needs a little offset to get away from the pintle hitch, so here I am marking the cutting required.
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The cuts on the bottom main rail are done. This allows good access to the pintle.
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Spotted on the spindle, and parallel with the crossmember.
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For the 45 degree twist for the clamp, I cut and turned the end of the main rail, sleeved and plug welded with a 1" round bar.
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Sitting in the cradle, this will clamp down tight.
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The big clamp is adjustable, so I can really reef down on it. The cradle gives a positive support, and this thing will not move. I am adding hundreds of pounds, 37" tire, fuel, hi-lift, and the weight of the rack. It needs to be solid. None of it is supported by the body. I also drilled the main tube at the cradle, so if the clamp ever failed, or broke, or got smashed, a bolt could be installed in its absence.
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The bottom main rail is spotted and in place. I earlier moved the right tail light to miss the spindle, so the tailgate can open when the rack is open. Now to add on.
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I cut all the upper box tubing, clamped to the table, and spotted it all.
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And a test fit back on the spindle. This will work, so far.
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I dug out the old rack and recovered the old spare tire block. I figured out the spacing needed for the 37" BFG to fit, then spaced out with some angle.
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Then a test fit of the tire. This is almost comical, I hope I have a buddy nearby if I ever need to change a tire. All clearances are good, now I can move on to the can mount, which sits tight to the tire.
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The bottom main rail is spotted and in place. I earlier moved the right tail light to miss the spindle, so the tailgate can open when the rack is open. Now to add on.
IMG_9117.jpeg

I cut all the upper box tubing, clamped to the table, and spotted it all.
IMG_9127.jpeg

And a test fit back on the spindle. This will work, so far.
IMG_9128.jpeg

I dug out the old rack and recovered the old spare tire block. I figured out the spacing needed for the 37" BFG to fit, then spaced out with some angle.
IMG_9129.jpeg

Then a test fit of the tire. This is almost comical, I hope I have a buddy nearby if I ever need to change a tire. All clearances are good, now I can move on to the can mount, which sits tight to the tire.
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I picked up my 37” tire to mount on my full spare hub/ spindle and it was really difficult to man handle. It’s also surprisingly difficult to mount a tire this size on an axle.
 
Then a test fit of the tire. This is almost comical, I hope I have a buddy nearby if I ever need to change a tire. All clearances are good, now I can move on to the can mount, which sits tight to the tire.
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You just need to pack the engine hoist along. It might be useful for other stuff on the trail too. :D
 
Hi-Lift jack mounting will be a little to the driver side, to allow a slot for longer tent or chair bags to hang out the back.
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The left side is even with the body, I hope I don't snag it on something. There is a can there too, I think it will be ok. The space on the right has been needed for a while, for longer items.
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The can mount is on a piece of plate welded to the main frame.
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It's in from the body edge a little, tight to the tire.
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The hold-open latch is a pull pin, spring loaded. This holds the rack 90 degrees open.
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This is my patented can hold down. No tools needed, and it holds very tight. Re-used from old Woodstock.
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I have been hitting this every afternoon after work, it is officially crunch time. The spindle end is done and painted.
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Latch end done.
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Rack done, ready for stainless blast. This is a chunk of work, I had forgotten. Same thing, this would be way more fun of a fabrication project if I had all summer. But summer is for drinking beer on the Rubicon, and we are almost there.
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And look what arrived today. My good friend John does military canvas, and made me a very high quality OD canvas sun shade for the cage. I had one on old Woodstock, (now too short with the stretch), and Nick has one on the tux. Very needed for the best windshield-down- shaded -wheeling on the Rubicon trail. And it stinks like military canvas, so all is right in the world.
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This is my patented can hold down. No tools needed, and it holds very tight. Re-used from old Woodstock.
IMG_9141.jpeg

I have been hitting this every afternoon after work, it is officially crunch time. The spindle end is done and painted.
IMG_9145.jpeg

Latch end done.
IMG_9146.jpeg

Rack done, ready for stainless blast. This is a chunk of work, I had forgotten. Same thing, this would be way more fun of a fabrication project if I had all summer. But summer is for drinking beer on the Rubicon, and we are almost there.
IMG_9148.jpeg

And look what arrived today. My good friend John does military canvas, and made me a very high quality OD canvas sun shade for the cage. I had one on old Woodstock, (now too short with the stretch), and Nick has one on the tux. Very needed for the best windshield-down- shaded -wheeling on the Rubicon trail. And it stinks like military canvas, so all is right in the world.
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The smell of the military canvas is like perfume. I'm not kidding.. I will want one similar to that for mine when I get done with my cage.
 
I have a few yards of canvas i bought in gallon ziploc bags at the antique shop. They had odd batts of fabric to fix all your grandmother's furniture but Apparently the canvas had to be sealed away.
 
Look what followed me home. SM465 with adapter to D300 and Chevy hydro bellhousing. Don't worry, this is a future project. I figure my new weak link is the D18 output shaft. A D300 can be built with a strong 32 spline output, would be a straight -through drive, centered, so would be quiet. And already has 2.62 low range, so probably wouldn't need to put a 4:1 kit in it. I would have to re-tube my HP60 rear end to center it, but what the hell, why not?
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After work project getting the canvas on. This is a bunch of drill and tapping the cage for snaps, then match the canvas with my Hoover snap tool.
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The rack is done and on. Here is where the slot for longer bags will work out. I have a slightly bigger tent that fits there nicely.
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License plate mounting, this needs to be out of harm's way, out of my way, and look good. Here?
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Or here? Not sure what CHP thinks about vertical
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Back to the transfer case. This needs to get resolved. So, since I have Tera 3.15 gears, and an overdrive, I do not have an output gear that would work in the case of the overdrive going south. Turns out, our favorite guy HTOG, is the exclusive supplier of these gears. I would like to have the output gear, in case of emergency, but time is short. So, I removed the 3.15 gears, since it was on the table anyway, and will go without an overdrive. This still leaves me at 93:1, which was fine for many years. I will sort this all out later, and who knows, maybe a D300 goes in and overdrive becomes moot.
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I improvised a unistrut transfer case jack. Yeah, I know. But it sure beat bench pressing it.
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With the case in, I rolled the jeep out for what might be, could be, maybe, the last day of welding, on DDay, no less. I need to move the other rear shock mount, and install the bump stops. Yes, I am that guy in my neighborhood. Welding, air compressor, cutting torch, oil stains, who knows what all the walkers going by think? A few ask questions, but no one has any concept of what this takes. When I get to the part of cutting it in half is where I lose them..
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The rack is finished. I am really disapointed from you guys that I have not gotten a "nice rack" yet. I decided on horizontal license plate, added the '53 topper, found my new tags, and hung the trash bag. This does not look like much, but I have wanted a swing out rack for a while, and can't wait to try this out, soon.
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A jeep tailgate was always meant as a kitchen, work bench, chair, cocktail bar, etc, and I am finally back with a tailgate, baby. I started loading, just to see how the ARB and main box fit. Beer time. I can finally feel the Rubicon coming, and tomorrow, I am going to stress test on the big rock pile at Twin Peaks. I can't put that off any longer.
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