The black jeep - 1 ton XJ

[chaplinfj60]

the steps will work good keeping trees and such from getting wedged between rear tire and body

 

[fl0w3n]

That’s some impressively clean work man.

 

[Swayzeexpress]

Wow looks amazing! You selling the MJ?:)

 

[Mike Honcho]

I wish i was as dedicated, motivated, and skilled as you. This is some seriously impressive stuff you’ve put together.

Loving the rear seats. I was thinking of doin the same thing for my kids who have car seats currently.

Thanks, glad I ditched the rear bench and did the racing seats.

the steps will work good keeping trees and such from getting wedged between rear tire and body

We are local to each other, we should get together and wheel here shortly

That’s some impressively clean work man.

Thanks!

Wow looks amazing! You selling the MJ?:)

Thanks. Hard no! Love that truck

 

[chaplinfj60]

the steps will work good keeping trees and such from getting wedged between rear tire and body

We are local to each other, we should get together and wheel here shortly

for sure

we are planning more MO trips in 2024. flat nasty and moon light are on our radar... so hell ya...

 

[Mike Honcho]

we are planning more MO trips in 2024. flat nasty and moon light are on our radar... so hell ya..

Flat Nasty was okay not great IMO. I'd be down for moonlight racing. Hoping to hit somewhere for a shakedown run soon as the cage/paint is done.

 

[chaplinfj60]

very cool. only reason for flat nasty is its park we have not been back too in 5 years. its kinda close 6 hours or so.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Put new engine mount poly bushing in and my cross bar now hits the engine. Just a little re work when im almost done

 

[RunningProblem]

Did you order the taller brown dog ones or just the stock replacement?

 

[Mike Honcho]

Stock height mounts. I used ruffstuff replacement bushings (cheaper). I guess the originals were sagging just enough to fuck me

 

[chaplinfj60]

Stock height mounts. I used ruffstuff replacement bushings (cheaper). I guess the originals were sagging just enough to fuck me

this i perfect spot i would would love to try a 3d printed bushing. just to see how these would work.

i made a bushing.... 3d printed

good am all, i have been hearing about people making leaf spring bushing and sway bar bushing out of TPU filament and having good success doin that, so i decided to put my thoughts of a spring bushing to fusion 360, this is a fairly easy program to use, but i am super slow at it, last...

irate4x4.com

 

[Mike Honcho]

Rear bumps are set and coilover are in. Welded limit strap tabs on both axles and measured for those. Hoping Wide open design does a black friday deal, I need 4 more springs and limit straps.

Got the front cut up and got a good idea for the tube work. Gonna start the exo cage next.

 

[RunningProblem]

T case mount is in. Needed to be removable(obviously) and notched for exhaust. It warped pretty good after welding the exhaust cutout. A couple cranks in the press and it is perfectly straight now

No more jack stand!

How do you not have fuel lines or brake lines going down the inside of your Cherokee? I can’t figure out how you welded the crossmember to the unibody. I’m assuming the first photo was welded to the unibody, then the crossmember was bolted to it.

Also, how did you fill in the tube for support? Flip the cut piece over and weld it in?

 

[fl0w3n]

His shit runs on pixie dust man, come on

 

[Mike Honcho]

How do you not have fuel lines or brake lines going down the inside of your Cherokee? I can’t figure out how you welded the crossmember to the unibody. I’m assuming the first photo was welded to the unibody, then the crossmember was bolted to it.

Also, how did you fill in the tube for support? Flip the cut piece over and weld it in?

Working on brake/fuel lines now, I removed them for the build.

I cut the tube then used a piece of cardboard to make a template, then cut and shaped a piece of 1/8" flat bar and welded that in.

 

[Mike Honcho]

How do you not have fuel lines or brake lines going down the inside of your Cherokee? I can’t figure out how you welded the crossmember to the unibody. I’m assuming the first photo was welded to the unibody, then the crossmember was bolted to it.

Also, how did you fill in the tube for support? Flip the cut piece over and weld it in?

Re read your post. The little standoffs with flanges are welded to the frame stffeners.

 

[RunningProblem]

Did you plate the entire inside of the unibody?

 

[Mike Honcho]

Did you plate the entire inside of the unibody?

Mid section yes, front and rear are outside and lower only.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Drove it around today. First time out of the garage in about a yearThe gearing is awesome! This will be fun with technical crawling. The brakes are okay but weak. I ordered a 2500 dodge van master cylinder to hopefully address that issue.

Custom 2.5" exhaust tucked up high to clear the flat belly.

 

[gt1guy]

Well done Sir

 

[fl0w3n]

gosh dang, you almost polished all of the XJ out of that thing

Have you read through the iBooster thread? Wondering if you considered that option or your thoughts on why not

 

[Mike Honcho]

gosh dang, you almost polished all of the XJ out of that thing

Have you read through the iBooster thread? Wondering if you considered that option or your thoughts on why not

I haven’t. I know the van master cylinder does well with pushing more volume of fluid to the calipers. The brakes are okay now, the pedal travel is just excessive and I think I can make it better with a $40 master cylinder. I was hoping the 3/4 ton Chevy calipers would work with the oem master cylinder

 

[Mike Honcho]

Dodge Van master cylinder bolts right in. Pedal feels better than stock brakes feel great now. Rear locks right up with my swagelok line lock.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Need some help with coil over tuning.

I have zero preload on the springs and without nitrogen my ride height is at 4”.

I then fully extend the shocks and service with 200psi of nitrogen. Once sitting back on the ground my ride height increases to 7.5”, gaining 3.5”

I called wide open design, they told me it shouldn’t do that, I should drive it and it should settle. After driving it’s still the same. Not sure what I am doing wrong here? Per wide open design’s instruction I measured spring sag and ordered my springs with no nitrogen in the shocks. Should I have measured with nitrogen in them? Can I run less than 200 psi in the shocks?

 

[chaplinfj60]

if i recall i ran 200 psi in mine, but it did not increase ride height that i remember. and i you watched their vid on picking the correct spring. nt a perfect system but it will get you close for sure.
pics of how it sits

 

[chaplinfj60]

the front ones zoomed in better i mean

 

[Mike Honcho]

Rear with 200psi sitting at 7.5” of shock shaft.

Front with ZERO nitrogen sitting at 4” shock shaft.

 

[Mike Honcho]

if i recall i ran 200 psi in mine, but it did not increase ride height that i remember. and i you watched their vid on picking the correct spring. nt a perfect system but it will get you close for sure.
pics of how it sits

I figured adding nitrogen would increase dampening not push the shock out and increase height.

 

[Mike Honcho]

Also I am running 125/150lb X16” springs in the front and 85/150lb X 16” in the rear.

 

[chaplinfj60]

so this guy needs to be about 2 or 3 inches from the black slider. i cant remember what direction the slider goes unless i look at mine

how much preload did you stat with?