500 MJ

Junkyards use an old guitar string and two people to saw the glue around the window. Kinda like a two-man-buck saw on a log ;)

On my blue MJ (not the ones that I built in the DIY thread), I had them both bedlined with "Extreme liner" at the local body shop when I had my truck bed done. Kinda Pricey but I think it was well worth it.

This past summer I built two more bumpers that were exact copies of the one that I built for my MJ the year earlier. I sold them to "Crankshaftkid" and "Wanderin." The following pics are a step by step process of how they went together: This is how the finished product looks (My first one for my Blue MJ): Approximate Material needed for one bumper: 1 - 60"x2"x5" - Tube for the Bumper - (Wall thickness is your choice). 1 - 4' Length of 3/8"x 3" Strap Steel to make the 4 mounting brackets and end caps 1- 6" of 2.125 ID Square Tube for the Receiver 1- 1' of 3/8" cold rolled steel for the chain mounts underneath 2 -JCR Offroad D-Ring Tabs http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2/mer ... y_Code=DPL This is the pile of steel I started with (duplicates for 2 bumpers): I cut the angle on the ends of the bumper to match that of the lower body line of the truck and capped them off. Next I cut all of the Strap steel down to desired lengths that I drilled and welded together for the OUTSIDE "Stock" mounting brackets of the bumper: Now its time to test fit the tube to the rear of a MJ. My white one was chosen to do the job because the blue one was licensed for the summer. Bumper is centered on the mounts and tack welded onto the truck: Now, the whole "assembly" is taken off for the welds to be finished. I gusseted these welds for lateral tugging strength: The INSIDE "Auxilliary" mounting brackets can now be cut and drilled out (There is no stock location for these to mount up at, holes will need to be drilled into the frame for these to be used): The whole assembly is now remounted on the truck and these are tack-welded to the bumper. (No Pics) Once all 4 brackets are welded onto the bumper, it is time to weld on the D-Ring Tabs in the center of the brackets. BURN THEM IN HOT!: Holes can now be drilled in the center of the bumper for the hitch receiver hole to be cut out. I use these holes as a reference when using the side grinder and cut-off wheel - they are EASY to see: Another Test Fit: The holes are now cut and the receivers are welded in on BOTH sides of the bumper. The tighter the fit the better: The trailer chain holders can now be bent and the license plate protector can now be cut and welded to the assembly: Here is the finished product: Hope that this helps all of you guys out there wanting to build bumpers. I've done lots with this bumper - Towed many trailers and other vehicles out from ditches and snowbanks. It was really easy to make and if you take your time and get GOOD PENETRATION with your welds (BURN THEM IN HOT) like I do, you should have a SOLID rear recovery/hitch/armor setup. Also, do not be afraid to weld in gussets, you might notice even the license plate holder on mine is gussetted from the back side. Even the best welds are no good if they are stressed from their weak axis. Gussets help keep them from failing in these directions. ;) Here is the Thread that I offered these for sale in, at the moment I don't anticipate having any time in the near future to build more of these. However if enough interest is made for them again, we might be able to work something out... http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10600&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0 - Brent

JCR Offroad (Stage 4) Front: Hommade Rear: Write-up here: http://www.comancheclub.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12148

The 2.5 in the Wrangler (TJ or YJ) is just as gutless as it is in the MJ. My dad had one in his '99 TJ and my brother has one in his '94 YJ. Dad's was lifted with 35"s on it and it was in dire need of a gear change, 5th gear was worthless. He sold it because he didnt like having the 4 cyl for pulling trailers and offroading. My Brother's '94 is still pretty much stock but it never really impressed me much either. Neither one got significantly better gas mileage than both Renix 4.0L engines in my MJ's (around 18 mpg with the blue 4wd and 20 mpg with the white 2wd). Rule of thumb that I have heard is that if you want a 4 cyl in any Jeep, you had better not plan on lifting it. The moment you lift/modify it, you get worse mileage than you would if it were a 6 cyl (especially a Renix). Just my $.02 - I'll never own a 4 cyl Jeep if I can help it. - Brent

I'd say he has the facility to make lots of them and sell them to people who aren't so blessed! I'm assuming you are making this at work... :D Can't wait to see how it turns out. - Brent

Wow. :D

Ever get that bumper mounted up?

NICE BUMPER(S)!!!!!!! Truck looks great!!! How much did the whole painting the truck run you if you don't mind me asking? That's quality work from what I can see. Basecoat/clearcoat? Did you have any issues bolting up the rear bumper to the truck? And last but not least - UPDATE YOUR AVATAR!

Nope, those were taken by the guys in the bed. It paid to take them along ;)

Went wheeling again last weekend. I'm back in the Upper Peninsula for school in the fall now. We climbed the cliff at Cliff Drive in the Keweenaw Peninsula this time - elevation change of 700 feet in about 1/2 mile of driving. Great view at the top. Me and My Girlfriend, Lindsey Story of why my friends rode in the bed: We get about 500' down the trail and their GMC Jimmy died. We tried troubleshooting the problem but couldnt figure out what caused it (they are still trying to figure it out). So, I had to turn around and tow their pile of rust back out to the trailhead and we parked it there to get it towed home. Instead of just calling it a day at that though, they still wanted to go riding. Thus they rode in the bed all the way up and back down. Had to drive nice and easy for them though so they wouldn't get thrown out of the truck going over rocks and dead logs ;) Had a good time overall though. I've got a video of me towing that Jimmy out, I'll get it posted up sometime...

Chainsaw Time!

Are you swapping out the front header panel? I noticed that it looks like you have the 97+ fenders on there now... Wanna sell all of the chrome parts off of your old style header? Also, if you can, that rear bumper will be EXTREMELY easy to mount with the box off of the truck.

Yah, there is a story behind that... I actually made it so I could lock it to the nerf bars on my Uncle's truck at his wedding - I got it back the next Christmas. Jokes on me now, I'll pass it on someday.

This is how I left the truck before coming back up to college this fall: I got paint shot on all of the new front end parts and have them loosely hung on the truck (The paint was only one day old when I hung them on, didnt want to get too feisty with them) I'll snug them all down once I get home for Thanksgiving break and will put the truck on the road then to drive. I did paint the 97+ front bumper as well, just haven't gotten in on the truck yet. Overall, its coming together quite nicely. :D

Best bet it to find one in a junkyard. Take an old guitar string and a friend with you so you can saw it loose from the truck. They are glued in like a windshield...

I bet you were even lucky enough to get all of the stuff in the trailer too, weren't ya? Nice grab - Have fun with it!

he has an early series 2wd front axle beam, or a newer series front axle beam. these beams use a 4wd hub with 4wd brakes, BUT instead of an axleshaft, they have a stub shaft in them. without that stub shaft, the wheel bearing would fall apart and you'd lose the wheel and it could kill you (similarly, this is why you NEVER drive a 4wd jeep without the axleshaft installed). Learn something new everyday :thumbsup: I thought that this setup looked different than the one on my 2wd '90 frontend...

Ok, I am really trying to be sincere with helping ya so please don't take it any other way. Its a big difference though if you have a 2wd front axle or a 4wd one. Find that out first and then look into the proper fix for it.

If its a 2wd, you shouldn't see rust in there and IIRC the 2wd front axles run with a castle nut instead of the keeper nut thing that is pictured in your pic. If it is a 2wd, The wheel bearing should all be covered up with a dust cap and packed full with grease. This might be your problem. Wheel bearings don't like to be run dry. I side with Pat in saying it "looks" like it is a 4wd front axle though. Maybe someone else swapped it in and never finished the complete swap. When you look under the truck do you see a differential? Also, Please don't plan to re-use that wheel. It is by far nowhere safe to put back on the road. This is what a 4wd front axle will look like:

Why not just build up your MJ with all of this extra money and time? ;) Not all of us are so lucky to be in your shoes. :cheers:

Looks like a cab (from something) welded onto an old CJ tub to me...

I like the idea Roger. I think (I don't do it often but, when I do it tends to be a good thing) that you should go for the whole Cheromanche treatment. At least then you could kinda feel like you belong at COMANCHEclub.com with that XJ of yours :yes: I'm just messin with ya, you know that. But, it would be a pretty sweet deal I think to at least graft an MJ tailgate into the rear of the XJ. You'll have to fill in the area left by the hatch somehow anyway... Also, I still have the sunroof. I'm planning to bring it along with me on my next trip to K-Zoo. I'll be coming down on the 25th with my girlfriend. Would that work for you? Catch ya later - Brent

Any plans for a 4wd swap? Looks good for what you have into it so far!

Why won't a set of 2 door XJ buckets work? Just weld the MJ feet on the slider brackets like the rest of us do? :brows: Its not that hard to do, you could even bolt them together and I think they would work OK...