CWLONGSHOT

Today I was cleaning things up, filling gaps and grinding welds getting ready for the diamond plate. I centered thru axle and welded on my spring perches. I welded in a couple gussets in the front. I worked with the tongue and set up the tilt. Then I fabbed up some upper shock mounts. Lastly I altered the hitch I made to lower it 2" and welded in the hinges and a couple stops for the gate. CW

Sometimes I don't know about you guys.. your watch a "dancing CJ" when posted on the same page is HOTTIES ON JEEPS!!! :huh???: :doh: :dunno: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN0eaOuB ... re=related :doh: :huh???: :rotf: CW

Nice looking funtional trailer!!!! Personally, I like my axle at 2/3 to the rear. Although my trailer looks beefy and heavy, its not. I could probably lift it, I can fairly easily lift one corner right off the ground and "hip check" it sideways in the garage to get by. The tongue weight now is very light. I wouldn't want it lighter, but there is at least 1/3 more total weight left to add. I have bracing for the front two stringers ans the rear. A rear bumper and hitch then of coarse the sides, gate and decking. Speaking of decking. I cannot decide on what to use. First thought was 1/4" aluminum diamond plate. But the cost is substantial. The sides will be 1/8" and this will run me almost $200. Then I could use plywood, pressure treated plywood might last longer. OR I could use 1x6 decking then water would not be an issue as it would pass thru the seams..... Guess I'll cross that one when I get there... CW

Today was a do over day.... Spent about 5 hours cutting off and re-welding the front spring hangers, because the shackle angle was FAR too much. Don't get me wrong, it was PERFECT for a vehicle, but because of the overall light weight of the trailer, when you add a couple hundred pounds, the spring lengthened and the shackle closed and snapped up against the frame. After moving the front hanger so the shackle was straight up and down, 300 lbs side to side caused it to again snap closed. SO, I moved the rear hangar as far back as possible. Tacked it in and had three friends join me ON THE TRAILER for a good jounce. Total weight 1000+ pounds not taking into account the bounce. the shackles/springs worked perfectly. Then I cut and installed the uprights and built the rear gate. CW

Looking good!! CW

Mitch, Sorry to hear this, more sorry to hear your not one of the brotherhood any longer!! What happened to the MJ?? I noticed your absent recently, but just figured you where spending more time on your site. Admittedly I wasn't there too much, but it looked good and seemed to have potential. Any thank you for the heads up, don't be a stranger to CC. BTW, wasn't that NH fall crawl this weekend?? CW

Check out my build.. I had extensive damage and fixed it up and it came out great.. stronger than new!! CW

Today was a good day!! My pile of steel looks like a trailer now!!! I started this AM welding in the center stringer. Then measuring and re measuring to square the sides. Welded one side on and squared it to the opposite side.. so far so good. Then I set it on the spring/axle assembly and tacked on the spring hangers. Then burned them in completely. Then I burned in the tongue mount. Then I found my first problem... I miss figured the hangers measurement. My mounts are too close together and the shackle angle is wrong. SO, I need to make new front mounts and cut off the ones I just finished mounting! :doh: :doh: Here is some shots of the trailer as it sits now. I need to finish the uprights front and sides. Then cut and mount my braces for the stringers. CW

310 holes....all filled!!! :doh: :doh: :doh: :banana: :grrrr:

Actually, I'm building this one on the liter side!! :D :brows: :D My stock is thin, say approx 18 Ga or heavy 1/16Th, so the total weight of the frame work will be much liter then any other I have built. YES the springs will be much heavier, but that's a willing sacrifice for the ride quality it will afford. Alum rims will also be lighter than the std steel rims. I'll throw her on a scale once its done. I was also comparing ride height last night... I have gone back and forth on the SOA vs SUA. I don't want the tongue higher then the tow ball. I think its pretty close to final height as it sits now and its damn near level with the TJ's hitch. But that's just a guess. I have a 7' drop on the MJ as its so high, the TJ is similar lift height, but the hitch ends up a couple inches lower. I want to adj my shackle angle in the MJ and this will drop the back about an inch to and inch and a half. So this may balance everything out. CW

Some good axle info here... http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/ CW

CW, Is that a broken leaf spring in that pack? GOOD EYE MAN!!! YES it is.. kinda ruined his day... BUT time for an upgrade right!!! :shake: :brows: :yes: :yes: :yes: He will be looking into a replacement MT pack SOON!!! CW

Thanks freakman!!! :cheers: I'm going thru .030 wire like its going out of style... @ 12bucks a pound its also getting expensive, SO i tried a 10lb spool of .035 @ 40 bucks. I welded 96 holes tonight in about an hour, using less power, less wire speed and better looking welds... Guess i need to rethink the use of this wire!!! All I did tonight was weld up holes, but it needs to be done.... CW

Unsure where to get the flange sans the dealer or another pick-n-pull. (PM me, I have at least one extra) You also need the bolts for it, yes they are special made for this application. I recommend MOPAR perches, good stout and CHEAP!! (I also have an extra set of these) I welded up my own hose mounts and used both right side hoses for convenience mounting. then bend up some lines and make some adaptors for the emergency brakes. CW

man thank you for telling me that... that's all i needed. Hopefully your on your way now, but if not those fusible links are available form the "HELP" section of your local parts store. You just need to know what was its rating, hopefully your manual will give you that information. Good luck, CW

Well, between helping my brother-in-law with his gear/carrier swap in his MY, I didn't get allot done on the trailer. That's OK as I was just using it as a "filler" between helping him... I got the stringers all cut. I modified the rear hangers as they contacted the shackles. And began welding up all the holes in the frame. I got most of the frame done and welded in the rear brackets. Pop also found a flaw in my design. The rear shackles are not actually 3" wide. More like 2.75 so my 3" brackets where too wide. SO, I modified the pieces to better fit the shackles narrower width. This is the FRONT mount. it needs the full 3". CW

Not mine, but my brother-in-laws but its on a MJ... We pulled the open 3:07's in hid stock D44 and replaced them with a Tru-track and 4:88's!! Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found Image Not Found CW

Well, as you found out, you need the shackles!! Without them its like mounting your axle solid to the frame, NO SPRING!! LOL but now you know that!! :D The stock shackle is 5.5" eye to eye. I always suggest JKS XJ 1.5" lift shackles as a replacement for out MJs for those who need a good replacement with no lift. CW

Change out that burned up wire too!! The resistance in it form getting smoked like that renders it useless!!! Change out ANY wire that is melted as well!! Have you ever stripped back the insulation and see that black residue on the copper? That's corrosion and it robs the conductivity of the wire, kinda like a clog in a water pipe. Resistance is an impedance on the wires ability to carry current. New, clean wires go a LONG way to overall better running and operating vehicle. This is part of the reason adding ground wires has such a positive effect. the existing wires have so much resistance they hardly work at all. Good luck, CW

In my trailer build, I did kind of the oposite. Added a MJ leaf to a XJ pack for some lift. CW

continued... Then I began the sides and front. Its going to be 18" high and made from the same 2" stock. Should also get a bunch done tomarrow!! Stay tuned... CW

Got some time to continue the build today and really made some progress!! Outer rails of the frame are assembled into a rectangle. Then we mocked up the U-Bolts and MJ spring plates. I discovered the perches that where on the axle where just wrong for the 3" wide XJ springs I am using... SO I had to make my own perches!! I atarted with a scrap of 2x3x6" stock. I drilled a 2" hole comp[letely thru and then drilled two 5/8 holes for the locating pins and lastly I cut it in half giving me the two perches. Then mounted them loose on the axle. Then I made up adaptors for fit the 3" wide springs on a 2" stock frame. I took some more of that 2x3 stock and chopped four 6" long pieces. Then I cut the top and side to allot it to slip around the 2: square frame. Then I had to make the plates that actually attached to the frame adaptors. I used 3/16X4" flat stock chopped to 5" with a 9/16 hole bored up 1" from the bottom.

Its a good one!! I run the HD CURRIE on my TJ and a modified currie built by KEVINS on the MJ. CW

WOW it loks great!! I cannot get over the total lack of rust!!! CW

IN TWO PLACES!!! WOW!!! Glad to hear everyone is OK!!! Stock shackles are tin/thin junk, upgrade these as well. I suggest JKS 1.5" lift XJ units. I don't know if you know this, but The XJ has 3.5" long shackles while the MJ's are closer to 5.5" so a 1.5" lift XJ shackle is about the same length as a stock MJ shackle. They are WAY stout and good looking to boot!! CW