What's new

Blue Jeep build

Can't wait to find the sneaky hidden fitment issue that's just waiting to yell "I'm here".:shaking:

Found it:mad3:

Can't get away without using misalignment spacers in the joints. The 1.5" mounting width has joined the game.

I know the sweet spot is there, and I'm close. But it's making me want to put my in the press brake and start pumping.:flipoff2:
 
Last edited:
Well, at least I don't want to put my head in the press brake anymore. So I guess that's progress.


Knowing everything has to fit under the tire bulge, I had to trim some length off the arm.

IMG_20240315_154246.jpg



Made a quick heim mount that I can tack on and move around if needed. I did try it like it is in the below pick, but it ended up into the coilover when drooped. Way too short.

IMG_20240315_155111.jpg




So I tacked a ~3" piece of 1/2" between the two and started installing,cycling, breaking apart, trimming, over and over and over.

Technically, I can cycle the suspension and nothing touches, but it isn't right yet, still have more fiddling to do.


Drv side drooped, pass side stuffed. Tons of room as would be expected.

IMG_20240317_190511.jpg


IMG_20240317_190628.jpg



Hanging off both limit straps.

IMG_20240317_190832.jpg


IMG_20240317_190857.jpg



Ride height.

IMG_20240317_191312.jpg



2 Wheel full bump.

IMG_20240317_191926.jpg



Here's where I still need to fuck with it. This is still on both bump stops. I never actually touched, but that was both wheels coming up at the same time.

IMG_20240317_192000.jpg




Stuffing this side with the other hanging on the limit strap. It will kiss the shock. But I believe I have a fix.

IMG_20240317_192347.jpg
 
Putting the tire on and stuffing it until the tire just touched the tub, it appears I could rotate the heim clockwise and get the space for the bolt not to make contact. The top left corner of the square that makes the heim mount is about 1/4" from the tire. There's a finger and a half~two fingers at the bottom left corner.



IMG_20240317_193222.jpg



This is what the tire is doing at the tub in the above picture.

IMG_20240317_193459.jpg


IMG_20240317_193525.jpg


IMG_20240317_193534.jpg




Where the tire is making contact is a flat area with no sharp edges. With the fenders on, it's a wider flat area.

I lost a little wheelbase when I built the cage for the fuel cell, but probably not enough to really make much difference. Hopefully, the swaybar and using up a couple inches of the bumpstop will be enough to keep the contact down to shinny metal.
 
The fun never stops!!

It's so fun designing cars sometimes.

I thought the swaybars would go quick. I don't know why, but that was my thinking going in. That's on me.:homer:

Baby steps seems to be the way to go on these. I started out making big changes and that was biting me in the ass.
 
Five baby steps today and finally got it.:grinpimp:

IMG_20240318_173622.jpg


IMG_20240318_174543.jpg




And just to make sure I was good, I stuffed the tire until it started lifting the jeep off the jack stands.

IMG_20240318_172937.jpg


IMG_20240318_172956.jpg



Then to make sure that I was sure. I pulled the tire off and stuffed the axle until the tire would have been smushed 2" above the wheel opening. At that point gap at the bypass had already started to open up.


So the arm always has a gap to the tire, always has a gap to the bypass and I can spin the coil spring by hand throughout full travel.


You what would be NOT funny? If I find I don't need to run a swaybar in the rear.:lmao:
 
With the 10k pounds of sprung weight that shouldn't be an issue. :flipoff2:

Yabut, those are lean pounds.:flipoff2:Fast twitch.........Or are you saying when sprung and unsprung collide.:eek:


There was one other thing I received today.

I have the 2 battery cutoffs hooked up with a pneumatic ram tied into the fire system in the back of the Jeep where the batteries are. But that meant if I wanted to shut off the batteries without being soaked in AFFF, I had to get out, open the tail gate, fish my arm between the fuel cell and expanded metal shelf, find the levers and rotate them to off.

Not ideal, and has been in the back of my mind.

IMG_20231014_174907.jpg


So I ordered a 10' push/pull cable with a t-handle. Turned out to be the perfect length. I'll be able to have the t-handle tucked away on the dash and the other end tied into the bigger arm that the pneumatic ram hits.

IMG_20240315_153651.jpg
 
She's beautiful...............all eight of her.:smokin:

Thank you so much............you da man.

Now my engine wont flop around when the poly bushings melt away from the header tubes a 1/2" from them, and the 2 engine cage tie-ins that are also right there.

I had AutoFab make me bushings out of their "hard" material for the other 14 cage tie-in locations. The things are like rock. Figured if the cage is going to act like its solid in one spot, it might as well act like it everywhere. Even the 8 body mounts are a pretty stiff poly. The only soft bushings left are where the fenders tie into the sliders and I figure those are best left soft.
 
I had said:
Started on the rear arms first cause I figured it'd be the easiest end.

Oh I was certainly wrong about that.

Or I figured out a way to prototype the shape that made it seem easier. Pretty sure it's a bit of both. But overall the front certainly has much less interference. The front tire only comes close to the side of the grill at full stuff and full lock, but it's only a inch away , so have to go above it. Luckily there's a big hole to go through. And because the front narrows so fast there's always a ton of room between the shocks and the tire.

But this time I used a piece of angle iron to get the shape. Put a slit in it if I needed to bend it one way and a pie cut of it needed to go the other way. And being angle iron I'm able bend it up, down, left and right. Made life so much easier.

I'll get pictures later.
 
Ok, got the shape of the arms somewhat figured out.


Both sides hanging on the limit straps.

IMG_20240326_185712.jpg


IMG_20240326_185736.jpg




This is at ride height. Damn things will never be not visible and will always look goofy.

IMG_20240326_191707.jpg


IMG_20240326_191723.jpg



Full stuff. That's where it looks the goofiest.


IMG_20240326_194018.jpg



It looks like I should able to just run it like the red line, but it doesn't even come close to working.

IMG_20240326_190146.jpg




Oh well, that's where it sits now and will sit for the next month or so. I need to pull the wheel off and get the axle on jack stands so I can go to work.
 
Last edited:
Rear swaybar = 50" between bushings and 22" arms. The link angle isn't doing me any favors.

Front swaybar = 33" between bushings and 26"arms. Link angle is fine.
 
Damn dude. That is goofy. I'm glad yours are worse than mine in the front

Not gonna lie. It does look stupid.

This is a better pic of what's bringing the goofy. With the angle of the grill going up, it has to be nearly as wide at the bottom of the grill as it is at the top so it clears when it gets to the top. But in this picture, which looks to be at ride height, the arm has to be up by the little hole for the marker/turn signal light just to clear the tire. Which is leading to all the goofy.

IMG_20220208_145645.jpg



I was thinking about this ugly mess last night and something hit me. Ackermann. I have very close to 100% ackermann built into the steering. So the outside tire isn't going to turn as sharp as the inside. In dicking with the angle iron to find the shape that fits, I've been turning the tire inboard as far as it could go.

That said, when I turn that driver side tire outboard it does go a lot farther out board. So that may be where the Ackermann falls. I think I'm going to leave the arms as they sit and wait until I get the front axle welded out and the brackets for the steering welded on the knuckles. Then I can cycle the steering and see where it all falls and "maybe" I get some love for the swaybar arms.

I think that's the smart move.
 
I knew why it was goofy. You have a lot crammed in there, but definitely a good idea to finish up steering and it should definitely help the shape of the arms. But this is what we do. Make stuff, then cut it up, remake stuff, realize it's still a problem and repeat.
 
Damn, another month?

That is nuts. Have fun and stay safe over there.
Thanks for reminding me.:flipoff2:

I did get to see Iran's "fuck you" platform to Saudi.
Iran put this platform right on the border between Iranian and Saudi waters. Apparently it caused a giant stink between the two countries and as a fuck you from Iran, they leave a flare stack blowing 24/7 so everyone can see it.

This is the platform. It was 3km away from where we were working.

IMG_20240420_023811.jpg


Can see on the nav screen where they had to re-adjust where the border was between the two countries. Left side is Saudi, right side is Iran. Where it says Swordfish in yellow is the boat I'm working on.


IMG_20240420_030951.jpg
 
Top Back Refresh