comanchekidwa Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 So I started my wheel base mod this weekend. I started off with a 114" wheel base and I'm shorting it up 8" so it will be at 106". Which I think will be perfect. So first I had to get the bed off which is kinda a pain. So I did some measuring and found out I couldn't use a regular front leaf spring mount because it would put the spring to far below the frame and lift my jeep 2". So I decided to do my part and Reduce, Reuse and Recycle and reuse the front spring brackets. I had to drill out all the spot welds holding the leaf spring brackets on the frame :bang: . Then I decide to reuse the rear hangers too. So out came the drill and more drilling :bang: . So with all spot welds drilled and the mounts off I started measuring again and I had to notch the frame so the front leaf spring bushing would clear and not lift my rig. So came the notching of the frame and finding something that was 4" round to fill in the notch, I happened to find an old oxy bottle cap and it worked perfect. Got the front leaf spring mounts cut so they would fit Then started tacking the mounts on front and rear. While I was doing the rear hangers Brady shorted my rock rails so they will clear the tires... And here it is on the ground, I will be final welding all the brackets next weekend and start on the bed To be continued....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Why? May people (self included) feel the perfect wheelbase for wheeling a jeep lies in the 106-108" range. It offeres the best of the short 93-96" with out loosing the climbing abilitys of the 113-119" long... NICE JOB!! CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reson46 Posted October 20, 2009 Share Posted October 20, 2009 Why? May people (self included) feel the perfect wheelbase for wheeling a jeep lies in the 106-108" range. It offeres the best of the short 93-96" with out loosing the climbing abilitys of the 113-119" long... NICE JOB!! CW Unless you only wheel a single obstacle that never changes there is no such thing as a perfect wheelbase. It is all personal preference. Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Why? May people (self included) feel the perfect wheelbase for wheeling a jeep lies in the 106-108" range. It offers the best of the short 93-96" with out loosing the climbing abilities of the 113-119" long... NICE JOB!! CW Unless you only wheel a single obstacle that never changes there is no such thing as a perfect wheelbase. It is all personal preference. Willy Is that so.. do yourself a favor and check out competition vehicles. Like those used in Neurock. You will find a continuity of wheelbases in the 106-110" range. The size of the wheel that's best under the vehicle is directly effected by wheel base. Too much and the "ratio" is thrown off. Too little and its not stable. 35-37 works best at the 93" on the wranglers while 37-40" is better on the XJ and 42-44" is for the 120" .. Now this is not looks. Just think of the driveability of a 44" tired MJ. Look good yes maybe, but imagine the axles and work required to make this work reliably offroad? ALL this effected directly by wheel base... It's far more than an arbitrary number.. Sorry man, but I gotta figure these competition guys know more about what works best than you or I.... CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 For where I wheel and how I wheel. I needed less wheel base. I was down at the Rubicon and destroyed my drive-shaft Video below. And in Moab I got screwed on some obstacles because I was to long and was getting hung up on my drive-shaft. I don't plan on running anything bigger then a 35" tire. So making my wheelbase shorter is what need to be done. I wheel with a lot of Cherokee's on 35's and I see if they had a few more inches in wheelbase they would have a easier time climbing and making some stuff. Cherokee's have a 102 to 103 inch wheelbase when lifted depending on lift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reson46 Posted October 21, 2009 Share Posted October 21, 2009 Why? May people (self included) feel the perfect wheelbase for wheeling a jeep lies in the 106-108" range. It offers the best of the short 93-96" with out loosing the climbing abilities of the 113-119" long... NICE JOB!! CW Unless you only wheel a single obstacle that never changes there is no such thing as a perfect wheelbase. It is all personal preference. Willy Is that so.. do yourself a favor and check out competition vehicles. Like those used in Neurock. You will find a continuity of wheelbases in the 106-110" range. The size of the wheel that's best under the vehicle is directly effected by wheel base. Too much and the "ratio" is thrown off. Too little and its not stable. 35-37 works best at the 93" on the wranglers while 37-40" is better on the XJ and 42-44" is for the 120" .. Now this is not looks. Just think of the driveability of a 44" tired MJ. Look good yes maybe, but imagine the axles and work required to make this work reliably offroad? ALL this effected directly by wheel base... It's far more than an arbitrary number.. Sorry man, but I gotta figure these competition guys know more about what works best than you or I.... CW Yes, it is so. The competition buggies prove the point even more - it all depends upon personal preference and where/what you wheel. The competition courses work well with a 110" wheelbase. Check out the local rigs of NE Oklahoma and you'll see plenty of vehicles with wheelbases of 120" and longer. It all depends upon the type of wheeling you like to do. :thumbsup: Looks like a pretty nice shop. Where is this work taking place? Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted October 22, 2009 Author Share Posted October 22, 2009 Willy Looks like a pretty nice shop. Where is this work taking place? Willy Thanks... It's a buddys shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Time and experience bears out my opinions. There is no doubt a 120" WB climb better. Just as the 93" WB work best on tight woodland trails. Same as V8's rule the mud and little 4Cyls are fine in the rocks. It's simple the way it is. We can just agree to dissagree. :cheers: CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiNi Beast Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Time and experience bears out my opinions. There is no doubt a 120" WB climb better. Just as the 93" WB work best on tight woodland trails. Same as V8's rule the mud and little 4Cyls are fine in the rocks. It's simple the way it is. We can just agree to dissagree. :cheers: CW It looks good man. :hijack: ok CW quick question then, running 38's on my XJ and thinking of using MJ spring to stretch the wheelbase a couple inches a good idea then or just run the XJ 4.5" lift leafs and maintain the wheelbase? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted October 22, 2009 Share Posted October 22, 2009 Time and experience bears out my opinions. There is no doubt a 120" WB climb better. Just as the 93" WB work best on tight woodland trails. Same as V8's rule the mud and little 4 Cyls are fine in the rocks. It's simple the way it is. We can just agree to disagree. :cheers: CW It looks good man. :hijack: OK CW quick question then, running 38's on my XJ and thinking of using MJ spring to stretch the wheelbase a couple inches a good idea then or just run the XJ 4.5" lift leafs and maintain the wheelbase? Stock XJ springs are about 52" while MJ's are closer to 58" we are talking about 3" if the axle bolted up in the center. It doesn't. So the difference is closer to 1.5 or 2". The ride will be better, spring articulation better but to fit it you will likely need to move both spring mounts. Now remember that the XJ mounts its springs outside the "frame". If your going to retain this, its not the easiest fab job but far from impossible. The benefits are worthwhile if you have the time and skills. JMHO CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990 Pioneer 4x4 Posted October 25, 2009 Share Posted October 25, 2009 Do you work at a shop in Auburn? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 Do you work at a shop in Auburn? Yes Auburn Car Repair and Offroad... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 Ok so Saturday I got the end of the frame cut off and the bed shortened and started welding the uneven and dented sheetmetal back together WHAT A PAIN IN THE AZZ.... Now some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 Are you going to bob the back half of the bed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 I was going too, but with what a pain welding the front is we will see.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted October 30, 2009 Author Share Posted October 30, 2009 So wed. was dead at work so I left work early and went to weld on the Jeep... Driver side all done. almost got Pass. side done and ran out of wire.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Ok so I got the hole cut in the bed for the gas tank. Fits like a glove I need to build a support for the tank out of 1x1 box and then add some straps. I also got the front bed mounts moved and the middle supports made... No pics of that sorry.. I started on the rear bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I was hoping you were keeping the MJ rear end... I see you decided not to. Rob L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geonovast Posted November 2, 2009 Share Posted November 2, 2009 I kinda hate myself for knowing that's a 7MGTE sitting there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 Tail gate works what a pain in the azz.. It took all day to figure out how to make it work. but it works as good as I can get it to... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted November 2, 2009 Author Share Posted November 2, 2009 I was hoping you were keeping the MJ rear end... I see you decided not to. Rob L. I got tired of ripping off tail lights and then trying to find some to replace the broken ones... it still looks like a mj... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWLONGSHOT Posted November 3, 2009 Share Posted November 3, 2009 I was hoping you were keeping the MJ rear end... I see you decided not to. Rob L. I got tired of ripping off tail lights and then trying to find some to replace the broken ones... it still looks like a mj... Nice work!! Keep the pics coming!! CW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted November 15, 2009 Author Share Posted November 15, 2009 Ok so this weekend I got most of the stuff done. I will be finishing it up during the week at work... Gas tank is mounted here's the bottom.. and the top... That's all I got for pics this weekend I was to busy trying to get sh*t done... Its all painted and the bed is mounted and it runs... I need to figure out the shocks and button up some stuff, I should be ready for the weekend.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comanchekidwa Posted November 15, 2009 Author Share Posted November 15, 2009 So this week I have been working on the Jeep at work when time permits. I got the tail light"s cut in and wired. Got the shocks on and bump stops on and my mudflaps back on. The truck box is mounted. Its going over the get a new tail pipe made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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