Started building my Belly up today...

**JeepRocks86** · 04-14-2007, 10:58 PM

So far it's cost me $50. I cut the shape out of 1/4" plate that I bought. Tomorrow or some time this week depending on weather, i'm going to drill the holes and cut the cusset support material out and mock it all up. I will have photos later.

My eventual plan is to put UHMW on the underside to help slide over things a lot better. I hope to have everything finished for this weekend and I don't have a welder at home. Hopefully It will get finished.

I also brought the exhaust mount at the Tranny down about an inch or so. I could bring it down about another 1/2" to 1" if I need the extra room, but I don't think I will need it.

**JeepRocks86** · 04-15-2007, 10:28 PM

Here's what i have so far... Used a plasma cutter yesterday to cut the bulk of it and then today I cleaned it up and realized that I needed to cut a whole lot more off to make it all fit together.

I'm going to drill the holes, make a mount (needs to be angled), and weld the gussets and some pieces to drop it a little. This thing is heavy and I think I must have lifted it up to check the fit atleast 15 times today... no joke. I am exhausted from cutting, lifting, and grinding today.

PullMeSideways · 04-15-2007, 10:36 PM

Great idea. I can't wait to see the finished project.

TJgreg · 04-15-2007, 11:02 PM

lookin good so far, definitely interested to see how the UHMW will work out for ya...

vr6mole · 04-15-2007, 11:29 PM

If you traced this on a piece of poster board or something, rolled it up and shipped it to me in a mailer tube I bet I would pay for it.

I bet more people would pay for it too.

I could do this for free at my dads work.

**JeepRocks86** · 04-16-2007, 09:15 AM

I can make one. My back cuts are a little off compared to one another. One is more angled than the other. The front cut outs are because I wanted a little more protection and They hit my front clayton mounts. Also I think my holes are off by about 1/16-1/8 of an inch from across the frame, but they are good on the same sides. ALso, I think the mounting holes are different with 97-02 and 03-06TJ's

XtremeJeep · 04-16-2007, 09:19 AM

Thats going to be quite the lipo tummy tucker

**JeepRocks86** · 04-16-2007, 09:44 AM

It's probably going to be about an inch to an inch and a half hanging down. I would like to take it up more, but with only a 1" BL I don't have much more room and I don't have a HP rear end so my pinion angle is pretty steep with it all the way up.

87warrior · 04-16-2007, 10:20 AM

Are you going to pick up another CV shaft for the rear? I have recently sold a few non-nessasary jeep parts and have cash burning a hole in my pocket. Plan on getting the Medic TT.

Do you happen to know how long the TW shaft is you have? As my Jeep sits, the shaft is a 15 degrees, IIRC the TW CV joint will work up to 30 degrees w/o grind work?

**JeepRocks86** · 04-16-2007, 11:22 AM

I have the TW shaft. IT has a lot of room to stretch. Once I get the TT finished, I'm going to kick the rear axle back about an inch or so, as much as I can. This will also help with the angles. I'm not sure of the angle but surely it isn't close to 30

**JeepRocks86** · 04-18-2007, 08:28 AM

welded the gussets and supports on last night. 3/8 on the ends with the frame holes, 1/4 across the middle where it attaches to the tranny, I also added some in the front as well as some in the rear. I may end up cutting the rear part off because it doesn't really protect anything and to reduce weight.

**JeepRocks86** · 04-18-2007, 08:49 PM

I got the first coat of paint on the top side tonight.

so far it's cost me around $60-65 including the longer bolts and cut off wheels

My Major in College is Mechanical engineering... I think once again I have over engineered something... It's heavy, but I don't think it's going anywhere.

Jeepinty · 04-18-2007, 10:14 PM

Are you using countersunk hardware on the trans-mount too? With the one inch body are you having to lift the trans much to get the flat skid? I was thinking of doing almost the same thing but with a clocking ring for the 231.

**JeepRocks86** · 04-19-2007, 08:42 AM

on the Trans mount, I put a piece of 1/4" on the top that acts as a spacer as well as a reinforcement. That way I can use the original hardware. I am going to get a 1.25 or 1.5" hole saw today so I can counter sink the hardware for the trans as well as the frame mounts. I figured that if i'm going to buy one, i'm going to buy a hole saw that works for both of them and be done with it. The trans will take priority on my time today because I need to get it finished today and mounted so that I can take it this weekend.

I took much of my sesign from this...

it's going to hang down about an inch and a half with the spacers. eventually i would like to get a different trans mount to allow me to lift it up even more, but that's around $130 and i don't want to spend it on something that i don't "need"

raskull · 04-19-2007, 08:47 AM

Looks good. I really don't think anyone would complain about an inch and a half for $65 vs 1/2 and inch for $500.

I'd be interested in building something similar for myself, if you're going to make your plans public for it, I'd love to get a present in my JF inbox with some measurements.

04-15-2007, 11:29 PM	#5
vr6mole Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: State College/Pottstown Posts: 36 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	If you traced this on a piece of poster board or something, rolled it up and shipped it to me in a mailer tube I bet I would pay for it. I bet more people would pay for it too. I could do this for free at my dads work.