CWLONGSHOT

My latch is here!!! I COULDN'T wait so I mounted it up tonight at work!! Here it is all mounted up!! Works really nice!!! CW

I used alot of the factory pieces... On the top I welded directly to the latches on the sides of the body: On the bottoms, I removed the "cups" drilled out the upper hole, spot welded the sides because I didnt trust the actory ones. Then I just incerted them into the bottom, cross pipe and welded it in. then I was able to use the hole I drilled to reattach the bottom tube to the body. Hope this better explains how I did it, CW

Thats what I thought...but wanted to be sure..... I had a alum one as well as a bed liner when I bought mine........The paperwork said the they BOTH fit a LWB Ranger........ SO, not positive about the SWB...but the LWB will fit Ford Rangers like years at least. CW

Please explain SWB TOPPER? Do you mean a short wheel base alum/fiberglass camper top? If so, Ford Rangers and Chevy S10's come to mind..... CW

Here is a D35 in a MJ (missing is the rear prop valve) Image Not Found Image Not Found Here is a D44 in a MJ Image Not Found Image Not Found As posted, by Bic, you should have a non "C" clip D35, exactly as in the first set of pics. CW

I have thought about it alot....still undecided. Also thought about expanded metal over the entire face....... Time will tell..... I took it all apart lastnight, and got it painted... needs a couple more coats. here's the final shots. Now all thats left is to mount the latch and weld up the ends of the cross pieces. CW

Thank you :bowdown: I was BUSY TODAY!!! I got ablut 99% done!!! Need some final grinding and then primer and paint!! OK, I started with my hinges. Got everything carefully allighned and tacked... Then I got the tabs positioned and welded those up... Then it was on to the main gate. I had origionally hoped to surface mount it. I mean make the hinged on the outside and hane the gate hit the frame work on the other side as a stop. But I didnt figure on the distance of the hinge from the frame on the pass side... SO, I had to cut down the overall legnth. I decided to use a piece of angle iron for the drivers side as it would give me a stop and everything would align nicely. I also threw in the center support. I used a piece of "C" iron for that... Next is the angled support bars. Now on to the tar mount... First I figured the max BS rim I would use was the factory @ 5.5" added an inch for mounting depth and another 1 for good measure and welded that to the "C" channel. Then a short piece of angle iron as a gusset... Now for the mounting flange. I rummeged arround at work and found a old piece of gym equptment we tossed out. SOMEONE had the good sence to remove everything possible and chop up the larger usable pieces for other projects. I found a 1/4'' thick 5''x10" piece someone bent into a piece of angle iron. I drilled for the bolt circle and welded in some lug studs. I made a trial fit keeping the tar straight up and down.. I didnt like it. So I cut the straight piece at a slight angle and welded it up. I am happy with how it came out. I also am happy with the very little deflection I get!! the first shot is how it sitts at rest. the second is what happens when you first open the gate. I still need to mount the latch. I'll put that at the bottom on the drivers side. Now to disassemble one last time for painting!!!! I'll post up some final shots when thats done.... CW

Those four bolts need to be replaced as they also hold in the axles!! You appear to need a puller. Slide hammer works perfectly for this. CW

The little dingus hanging down is your rear proportioning valve. It works with weight, the more you put in the bed the gerater breaking in the rear. Here is a thread for you to read. There TONS on here about this. Do a search and youll see what I mean!!! http://comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopi ... ning+valve I removed it and replumbed my entire brake line system. Trouble is you will get full brake power to all wheels, NO BIAS. SO the rears will lock up first because they are lighter. Personally I didnt have any problems with this as most PU's I have owned did simular things. You CAN swap in the prop valve from your donor XJ and call it good. GOOD LUCK, that Jeep look's like its been sitting for some time!!! Nice score w/the D44!!! :bowdown: :bowdown: CW

I know what you mean...I have worried over this for some time. These are leaf spring bushings I had bought for the Rustys leafs that went is in the spring. they came with bushings, so I had these left over. they are made of Poly, so deflection should be minimal. But if its a problem, I could do alum as you suggest. Good tip!! I still need to work on a latch........I have seen some but cannot find them to purchase. I have looked in Mc Master Carr and Granger, Granger has simularbut not what I really want..... I have a pic somewhere..... Image Not Found Image Not Found I just need to find a supplier!!! CW EDIT... FOUND IT!!! http://www.carrlane.com/Catalog/index.c ... 285351415B EXACTLY what I wnated. It was right here LOCAL!!! $32 bucks STAINLESS!!! I decided on the 1000lb model over the 500# in the link I posted. Got it here: DELUCA INDUSTRIAL SUPPLIES 581 HOPE ST PO BOX 2459 STAMFORD, CT 06906 United States Phone 203-327-2040 Fax 203-327-7229 (Incase anyone else wanted to know......)

I got some more done yesterday and last night......I have also developed quite a tan...from the WELDER!!! ;) I decided on the bushings and I got my hinges mocked up: I also got the "framework" tied into the factory latches and welded up the open tops so it looks like solid steel instead of tube: I cut the pipe for the gate and assembled that as well.... More later..... CW

COOL, I still haven't completely decided on my latch...got any ideas??? CW

I started my swing out tar rack last night. I have been thinking about this for some time. I like what Pete has, but would like more funtionality. Like being able to swing it out of the way. I thought about adapting one from a XJ. I like the look of a rear tar carrier on a pickup!! Then one of you guys posted that site with the three diffeent styles of tail gate replacement swing out tar carriers!! All I have so far is the "frame". I am again using poop pipe. Sch 80 for the bottom of the frame and sch 40 for the remainder. 1.75 od for the frme and 1" od for the gate itself. I am going to use some 1.25" leaf spring bushings for my hinge ends. I still need to think about a latch....got a couple ideas floating around in my head..... ANY WAY.... I took off the gate and related hardware. Cut the bottom pipe to fit so it almost laid on the bumper frame extentions. Because of my HB bumper, I am not able to get the pipe to actual;ly lay on those extentions as I pulled the bumper as tight as I could to the body. I decided to use the fctory tail gate hinge to attach the bottom tube to the bed, It fit about perfect into the ends of the pipe. First I tack welded the piece. Once installed I began the sides. Again with the 1.75 pipe I made the up rights. I notched them for a perfect fit and welded them in. I looked at how to attach them. I will need to be able to remove this to get to the tail light bulbs. SO I used the factory bracketry but got shorter screws/ I welded the uprights to the factory bed side latchs. This hept the pipe about .75 from the bed itself and allowed room for the bolts to be put in and removed. After looking at this for a time. I deceded I would like to add a bit more beef. SO I found some left over unistrut angles from a past side job. I will weld these to the under side of the bottom tube so that I can drill and put a 1/2" bolt into the sides of each bumper extention. I don't know if it will be necessarry....but thus far this thing has only been attached to the bed. I don't think it will hurt any... :D Thats where I left off. Tonaight I'll cap off the uprights and get the short er screws so I can finish the frame work. More soon..... CW

I didn't want to thread jack. The springs on my Yota are off some SUA truck, and when I flex, they become perfectly flat. I want to get more flex out, so I was gonna pull another leaf, but that'll invert em. Is inverting springs bad? If not, screw it, I'll trim the fenders up some more. Holy LONG shackles batman!!!! :eek: ;)

Today I swapped in the factory legnth shackle and added bump stops to the front and rear. Here is the long shackles I HAD on there: They measured about 7.5" eye to eye. This is a set of Chevy 1/2 ton shackles. They measure 5" eye to eye. Here is the front. Three pucks was just right!! I mesured and made the rear extentions and used XJ bump stops: Then I tried the AIRSOFT pellets in the tars for ballancing. It seems VERY SMOOTH!!! I haven't been on the free way yet... 8 OZ in each tar.... I popped the beads with my hilift and the rocker guards!! Then I dumped in the required ammount: Filled them back up with my onboard CO2 and DONE!!! CW

I know they look long...but thats what I measured....once I finish the fronts today I'll flex it again and see what happens. As you know, these are RUSTYS purchased springs. SO, they are VERY SUSPECT TO FAILURE!!! I figure if I loose a bit of travel, but the springs survive to a ripe old age....thats OK. Also remember, this is NOT my primary wheeling vehicle the TJ is. So far, I only do moderate trails with the MJ and then what ever it takes to get me to the duck or deer blind come November!!! CW

I haven"t put them side by side, but I have herd that the MJ's are different than the XJ for the rears...... CW

Well, I got them in today...MAN was it HOT!!!!! I only twisted off one bolt too!!! I decided to tack weld it, as well, anyhow. The factory bolts where mighty small IMHO....6MM. :eek: In the extentions, I drilled the same sized holes as in the bump stops them selves, 3/8". So a tack weld on each end will help alot. They look close in the pics, but in reality there is about 5" available, before contact with the bump stop is made. Then there is however much the stop itself compresses. Tomorrow I'll add some hockey pucks up front and that little project is done!!! CW

Stumpys right on!! I like the 1/8" ones for cutting. They will wear faster but cut nice!!! At a couple bucks a piece they won't break the bank either!!! CW

Yup, thats for my MJ. Stumpy, Those look good!! I remember your post in the build up. Wonder why the PO cut the factorys off??? Nice idea!!! Should be PERFECT!!! My front was easy. With the ACOS up front the uppers are already extended, so the hockey pucks at the bottom where a natural! I flexed it yesterday with a tow motor and measured. I was able to get one rear wheel almost 30" off the ground BEFORE any of the others lost contact with earth. Even then it was the other rear tar to come off the ground NOT the front!! The rear axle was 16" from the frame on one side and 8" on the other. It was also stuffed perfectly!!! Pics are STUCK on my cell!!! Stupid program....guess I now have to use jeep money for a real Motorola program so's I can get the pics off!!! :headpop: :headpop: I have a set of 4" lift RUSTYS rear springs and do not want to take ANY chances on thier iminent failure. :D :eek: They flex very well but as you can see by the numbers COULD be over flexed and bent pretty easily. CW

For the axles to come out, you will need to disassemble the brakes. With the drums off you will see a hole in the wheel mounting surface. (The end of the axle shaft). In behind that is four bolts. These need to come out so the axle can be removed. You do not really need to do this just to clean and paint. I would just remove the drums and mask the brakes and spray with good old Rustolium. Same for the rest of the rear. I do mine at least a couple times a year. Alomg with the rest of the undercarrage of both my Jeeps. Good luck, CW

I am curious. How did you guys extend yours. I used hockey pucks in the front. I just drilled holes in the centers and drilled and tapped a hole in the center of the lower spring perch. Bolted them in with a 3/8" bolt. I just tonight made up some extentions for the rear. I used some 1 1/2 X 1/4" flat steel and some 1.25"X 1/16 tubing. I welded it all together so it looked like the roman numerial 2. I'd like to se how/what you did. CW

Remind me of that if we ever get together and ride in your rig...will ya please!!! You are correct, its very likely they will be fine. But thats not a chance I wanna take. Just so everyone realizes, its the ONLY THING holding the AXLE IN YOUR TRUCK!!!!! Realitively speaking THEY ARE CHEAP, when weighed against the price of your LIFE, I'll pay the 10 bucks each!!! Its your life, you have the god given right to loose it any way you choose...... I do not choose to loose mine because of using used U-bolts!! Its just my opinion. You have yours and I have mine, we can each take it or leave it. CW

Eagle, If you could do that it would be GREAT. As I would really like to see the differences!! I too have a set of XJ seats in the MJ. They are the "rocker" style and a bit tall for my liking. CW

Its just a good practice NEVER to reuse them!!! Dans right, they strech! Also be sure you go back and re-torque the new ones after some miles....again, they strech!! CW