I've deciding to move my build thread from another forum to this one. Decided to because of a lack of comments, posts and info. After seeing the threads from gspup and Imped I realized that I wasn't getting nearly as much feedback so I moved it here.
First few posts are going to be to get everyone up to speed. This is my second Jeep. Jeep number one was a 2001 TJ Sport and stayed bone stock for the entire time I had it. I then started to look for an LJ Rubicon and found this beauty (It's not the devil, I swear).
Here are a couple of pics stock:
Had a buddy draw up some plans then immediately took it to 4 Wheel Parts and built what I thought was the best Jeep I could build. Here is a list of mods from that trip:
RE 5.5" long arm lift kit
Bilstein Shocks
35" tires
Rear drive shaft
Smittybilt spare tire carrier
Smittybilt tube sliders
Custom exhaust
Call me ignorant but at this point I thought my Jeep was about as good as it could it then I met the guys from Rokmen on a trail and everything changed. I saw The Freak on 42's scale a vertical rock wall and I said I want that. So here is my stage two. Rid myself of all things Smittybilt and beef up with some Rokmen stuff.
The day it changed (notice the Freak in the backgroung)
Rokmen Mercenary GT and Currie Antirock
Superwinch Talon
Rokmen Sliders
Rockmen Rear Bumper
Currie HD Steering
Stage 3-37's beef up the axles and armor
This was where the Jeep really started to change. Here are a list of the mods and some pics:
TWF dual beadlocks & 37" BFG Baja T/A's
RCV Shafts
Superior Evo chromo shafts in the rear
Surperior 5:13 gears
Riddler Diff covers
Rokmen Hi-lines-Big thanks to Mike for his awesome TIG skills
Rokmen aluminum full corners and strykers
Rokmen aluminum drop down tailgate
Immediate to-do's on the list:
Custom cage. Tube is getting ordered shortly. I would really like to have some input on design, tips for construction and some suggestions. Here are some concept drawings:
The real big question I have is how to integrate a module spare tire rack into the cage. I don't need it there all of the time and can be something that just goes on when the top is off. I was thinking of using OD tube clamps with the hex heads that can come off with a few spins of the bolts. Shown with the green lines. Not sold on the idea yet but it's all I have right now.
Other things on the immediate list:
Seats
Line-x or maybe Monstaliner I just don't want to realize that I should have done the Line-x once I spend the time on doing the Monstaliner so deciding on that still...
Shorter springs (I have some RK 4" springs in my garage)
First of all, great looking LJ on 37s. Looks a bit tall but you said you were lowering it. I like lower LJs (see built link below). I really like the white on black too and the amount of black..... Now that all that is said.
Look at the cage design rokmen did for the other freaks. They did one really nice tire carrier that I liked with tube clamb and it was offset to one side with the tire standing up. Looked easy to remove while givin you good room in the cargo area. Cage looks good in profile but I would only use straight bars on the top and go for mor triangulation. This is something that I think rokmen could improve on... But I don't do this of a living like they so...
Is this your dd? Do you get a lot o debris getting kicked up while driving?
First of all, great looking LJ on 37s. Looks a bit tall but you said you were lowering it. I like lower LJs (see built link below). I really like the white on black too and the amount of black..... Now that all that is said.
Look at the cage design rokmen did for the other freaks. They did one really nice tire carrier that I liked with tube clamb and it was offset to one side with the tire standing up. Looked easy to remove while givin you good room in the cargo area. Cage looks good in profile but I would only use straight bars on the top and go for mor triangulation. This is something that I think rokmen could improve on... But I don't do this of a living like they so...
Is this your dd? Do you get a lot o debris getting kicked up while driving?
Thanks for the compliments. The side mounted spare is awesome but it doesn't allow you to have your back seat which is a requirement for me but this where I got the OD tube clamp idea just was thinking of relocating that cross member to the back. I just don't know if that is strong enough to hold a huge tire. Might just have to trial and error it.
The bent tube on the top are for the speaker pods (actually grabbed that from the guys at Rokmen).
Not having those flares is a lot different especially in the rain. All water that gets kicked up comes directly into the Jeep. This isn't my 'daily driver' but it does need to get me around town a day or two a week.
I rented the spring compressor tool and I'm going to put the 4" springs on this weekend. Taking an inch and a half of lift off seems like a lot but I think it will be better in the long run.
G whats up man its Lou with the black rubi. Mike and I joined up with you guys and wheeled Independence last June.
Rig looks great! As far as the cage Ive never been a fan of the double B pillar I dont know how much strength it really adds and in my opinion its added weight and wasted tube.
As far as the overhead tube do you have individual speaker tubes or a sound bar? With my individual speakers I was able to triangulate and still fit them in there.
Hey Lu, your daughter is beautiful and love the name. My speakers are just like yours, individual. That looks like a good solution as well. So no on the dual b's, huh? You make good points about weight and tube waste. I checked out abunch if that 'official' cage thread and didn't see many dual b's in there either. Might be heading back to the drawing board and actually have a friend throw it into CAD.
Has anyone ever modeled an LJ cage in CAD before to give me a head start? If not a TJ?
How do you like the 5.13's and 37's here in Denver? I'm torn between 4.88's and 5.13's. 37's and some 17'' wheels (hopefully headlocks) are in the future. This winter it's getting gears and RCV's. Then it's on to some tires and wheels before the wheeling season opens up in 2014.
Oh and in case you or GSpup are free Saturday we have a group of about 5 rigs running Holy Cross.
5.13's are the way to go. I am very cautious of the smaller pinion though and I tend to be really conservative with the skinny pedal. But with that low of range the crawling is awesome anyways. On the highway is where you would really feel the difference though. Almost back to how it was when it was stock.
Wish I could hit a trail this weekend but I need to work on the Jeep and finish the domestic duties before football starts going on Sunday. Have fun on Holy Cross, it's my favorite trail in CO. I love it.
Also don't forget to check back seat headroom when drawing up your plans. As long as you have good triangulation a double b IMO doesn't add any strength in a collision front to rear or side to side it's your other tube that ties in that'll make it strong
Hey Lu, your daughter is beautiful and love the name. My speakers are just like yours, individual. That looks like a good solution as well. So no on the dual b's, huh? You make good points about weight and tube waste. I checked out abunch if that 'official' cage thread and didn't see many dual b's in there either. Might be heading back to the drawing board and actually have a friend throw it into CAD.
Has anyone ever modeled an LJ cage in CAD before to give me a head start? If not a TJ?
Also don't forget to check back seat headroom when drawing up your plans. As long as you have good triangulation a double b IMO doesn't add any strength in a collision front to rear or side to side it's your other tube that ties in that'll make it strong
Thanks for posting the pics Mike. Got the Jeep into the garage and it decided to let go of just about all of the dif fluid in the front dif. So a weekend I planned on working on the Jeep turns into more work to be done on the Jeep...Wouldn't change it though had a great time.
Ya diff skids are my next investment. Deciding between BTF do it yourself or Riddlers.
Oh and I found this video on your youtube cahnnel. Nothing spetacular but I think the JF crowd will enjoy it. This video basically sums up how bumpy the whole trail is.
I have the Riddlers. Not sure why they would leak like they did but I'm going to remove the cover tonight and inspect. Probably time for a fluid change anyways...
Hey man, open invitation. End of July area will be the Set Them Free event which would be a great time to get a bunch of people together.
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