88 long bed, bed bob, full width axles, plow, bumpers!!

We have an 88 MJ, long bed with way to much overhang. We ended up taking out 16" of bed, and from where we cut the frame to the end of the bumper was over 24". We are not done yet tho, lots of work to re-attach the rear portion of the bed and build a new rear bumper/x-member. So here are a few pics to get you started, probably won't have more til next week.

Oh and we found out if you disconect the wiring harness for the tail lights the fuel pump won't work. Strange....

Step 1: take before pics...

Step 2: Don't actually measure anything, just give sawzall to girlfriend and take more pics.

Step 3: Show her how to do it wrong so she can do it right...

Step 4: take pics of the destruction and bask in the glory of making a mess.

Step 5: Buy big @$$ sawzall blades to cut the frame!

Step 6: Take pictures of the excess parts.

Step 7: Test fitting :roll:

looks like your having fun. can't wait to see the final product.

 

Step 4: take pics of the destruction and bask in the glory of making a mess.

Oh yeah! :D Been there, done that.

GREAT START!!!!

Keep the progress pics flowing!!

:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn: :cheers:

CW

looking at the rust, that wiring harness may have corrosion inside it which is why you have some issues with your fuel pump now... or I know nothing lol

Looks like a good time, nice pics!

You've got a bad ground up front if the fuel pump won't work without the tailights hooked up.

This looks pretty good. I'd probably have not bothered to do anything with that bed though. It's seen better days. :nuts: The porportions of the LWB actually looks pretty good bobbed, IMHO.

I figured there is a bad ground somewhere, time to get a book or 2 with some wiring diagrams. The wiring harness and all the connections look real good, so who knows.

Well, the outside of the bed is swiss cheese, but the inside and bottom are in great shape. I don't think I'd do this with a nicer truck! Just a fun time waster on a nice day. I think it looks damn good bobbed!

I like it....

I ahd the same problem with the fule pump when I pulled my bed, just reestablish a tail light ground and call it good :brows:

I'm not sure if I want to cut the frame or not when I build a new bed.

don't know if I'm that brave.

the bob looks good though.

Looks good, if you leave the frame that long, you'll have to trim the tailgate so it will open.

I'll be doing that exact same thing in a few days!

Looks good, if you leave the frame that long, you'll have to trim the tailgate so it will open.

I think he's a little stuck because the leaf hangers are in the way.

The tailgate rusted away a long time ago! When I build the bumper out of 2x5" tubing I'm going to have a 4" wide piece across the top of the bumper that goes back over the frame so there is some kinda step and to make it all look neat...

The tailgate rusted away a long time ago! When I build the bumper out of 2x5" tubing I'm going to have a 4" wide piece across the top of the bumper that goes back over the frame so there is some kinda step and to make it all look neat...

Cool, that'll work just fine. You will probably want to brace the bed side, b/c of where you notched the bed for the framerails. Even with the tailgate on, I had alot of movement from the bedsides.

Yeah, i'm going to figure a way to get some 2" angle iron braces on the bed sides. We'll see how it goes tho, won't really know how to brace it up til its all together.

I got some more work done today on the bumper brackets and junk. All the brackets are 1/4" and I cut them out at work with a torch. Then spent an hour with the grinder making them nice. Here is what I ended up with. I really need to get one of those magnetic welding triangle deals to hold my work together!

I'm going to drill 2 more holes in this piece so there will be 4 bolts holding it in place. I made a 1/4" thick plate to go on the backside of the frame so sandwich it all together.

And I couldn't find any rectangular tubing for the rear bumper that I liked, either wrong size or wrong thickness. I ended up with this monster! 5 and a half feet of 1/4" wall 2x6 tubing! Might be overkill...

damn! that should keep the @$$ end in place huh?

i think you'll appreciate the extra weight of the bumper when you're flexing the crap out of those leafs

Thats a lot of weight.... I would have tried to find come 2x4x3/16 C channel. But since you have that pice go for it.

Got a question though... What are you going to do about the frame being further back then the bed? I got an Idea if you are game :brows:

yeah its alot of weight, but its still alot lighter than everything we cut off. I looked around everywhere for some 3/16 and the only stuff anyone had was 2x4.

whats your idea pingpong? I was just going to fill the area between the bumper and the bed floor with some 3/16 diamond plate for a step...

He wants you to cut it off and link the rear.

nice picks , i like the project but it looks like if u wated a week or 2 the bed would have rusted off all together and saved u the trouble of cutn it off. ;)

I was going to suggest moving your front mount forward, and moving the rear one forward as well,

Or change to XJ leaves and center them in the wheel openings, then build mounts to suit the location.

DC was right... Link it :brows:

I actually think I like the wheelbase where it is, should be good with 36's. And man you can't beat those extra long MJ springs for flex, very nice.

Well, today I got a massive welders tan spot welding the back of the bed back on, oooh its starting to hurt. Got the bumper brackets welded on the bumper with my friends new Hobart 187 Mig, wow is that a nice welder! We figured out some wiring issues and got all the tail lights, turn signals, brake lights, and fuel pump working We should have some good pics of it posted this weekend...

Oh and we bought some axles for it for $128, with a free bronco attached to it, D44/9". We plan on using the stock radius arm ford suspension setup.

pretty gangster build up so far. i want more pics :popcorn:

I paid a bit more for my parts-Bronco, but it had with the same striping. :D