ZMotorsports Shop Projects 2.0

[aka Larry]

Mike, you ****! Only Mike could get that award with just a picture of a damn box.

 

[zmotorsports]

All good guesses guys.

The answer was already mentioned but you'll have to stay tuned for when the work actually begins.

I'm thinking about even doing a multi-part video series on my YouTube channel but haven't given it that much thought yet, still trying to get my son's Jeep done then I have two other Jeeps coming in before I can begin work on my next project.

 

[GRN96WS6]

This is like YouTube click bait!

This is all a ploy to keep the thread alive! [emoji23][emoji23]

 

[customh]

The combo of a diesel repower being mentioned along with the "black jeep" verification is enough to tell the story for me. The theory is already too prolific not to be true.

 

[jbmatth]

I'm going to join the LS voters, that box looks really similar to this one that housed an LS3:

Compared to Mike's photo:


Notice the red writing on the top, the style in which the box is constructed as well as the wood framing on the pallet. Just a guess though.

Although Mike could be going nuts and doing an LTx swap. An LT4 would be plenty of power to bounce up a few rocks if needed.

JB

 

[zmotorsports]

This is like YouTube click bait!

This is all a ploy to keep the thread alive! [emoji23][emoji23]

Damnit, you're on to me.

It's actually just an empty box and I am just trying to get my views up.

 

[zmotorsports]

The combo of a diesel repower being mentioned along with the "black jeep" verification is enough to tell the story for me. The theory is already too prolific not to be true.

I'll give this much away, no oil burner for me in the Jeep.

Thanks for following along for the ride.

 

[zmotorsports]

I'm going to join the LS voters, that box looks really similar to this one that housed an LS3:

Notice the red writing on the top, the style in which the box is constructed as well as the wood framing on the pallet. Just a guess though.

Although Mike could be going nuts and doing an LTx swap. An LT4 would be plenty of power to bounce up a few rocks if needed.

JB

Thanks for stopping by JB. You are correct those two boxes are in fact very similar. I would say a close resemblance indeed.

 

[zmotorsports]

A little more work done on my son’s WJ last night. The tasks for the evening were to remove the rear suspension mounts on the framerails.

I started on the right rear upper mount by drilling out the factory spot welds and popping the mount loose with the air hammer.


Next I moved on to the lower mount where I again drilled out factory spot welds then a very small cut along the outside edge with the plasma cutter and the lower mount popped right off.




Driver’s side rear removed the same way.


All four rear mounts removed.


Lastly I breathed over them with a 3” Roloc disk and the rear was done.






I worked a little later than usual last night as we’ve had a bit of a cool down this week and it was pleasant and not so stinkin’ hot. A couple pictures from outside.




Thanks for looking.

 

[Firstram]

Yesterday I gave the Jeep a major detailing including blowing all of the dust out of the interior

Reminds me of my youth.
In 1992 I was driving a '72 El Camino which wasn't great but it was a solid driver and it was mine. It was filled with beach sand so I pulled it around back to blow it out. I opened both doors, grabbed the 1" hose and fired up the diesel 185. Along with the sand it instantly sent the headliner out the passenger door!
I'm smarter now.

Enjoying your thread, keep up the great work.

 

[Ohmthis]

Reminds me of my youth.
In 1992 I was driving a '72 El Camino which wasn't great but it was a solid driver and it was mine. It was filled with beach sand so I pulled it around back to blow it out. I opened both doors, grabbed the 1" hose and fired up the diesel 185. Along with the sand it instantly sent the headliner out the passenger door!
I'm smarter now.

Enjoying your thread, keep up the great work.

HA HA!!!!! Man that made me laugh!!!!

 

[yaidunno]

I'm guessing the WJ is getting treated to some long arms? If so, what setup are you planning on going with? Sorry if I missed it earlier in the thread. Looks like its coming along nicely!

 

[zmotorsports]

I'm guessing the WJ is getting treated to some long arms? If so, what setup are you planning on going with? Sorry if I missed it earlier in the thread. Looks like its coming along nicely!

Yes, it will have a long arm suspension. No kit, we're building it all in house. He did buy the springs from either Clayton or Iron Rock Off-Road, I can't remember which, but other than that and shocks we're building everything from scratch.

 

[zmotorsports]

Reminds me of my youth.
In 1992 I was driving a '72 El Camino which wasn't great but it was a solid driver and it was mine. It was filled with beach sand so I pulled it around back to blow it out. I opened both doors, grabbed the 1" hose and fired up the diesel 185. Along with the sand it instantly sent the headliner out the passenger door!
I'm smarter now.

Enjoying your thread, keep up the great work.

Yeah, you have to be somewhat careful with the air pressure but for fine silt/dirt it works great to clean the interior before a good vacuuming. Areas like up between the roll bar padding and the roof you would never be able to get clean without a little air and that area is one of my pet peeves.

Thanks for following along and checking on my projects.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

Keeping the stock transfer case?

 

[zmotorsports]

Keeping the stock transfer case?

Are you talking about the WJ?

That will be getting a 231J to replace the 247.

 

[zmotorsports]

We finished up the side frame stiffeners tonight and ready to move forward with getting the crossmember welded in and the truss on the rear axle so we can measure for the rear upper and lower links. Then cut, bend, fishmouth and weld the links.

Sides prepped and ready for final fitment and welding.


Frame stiffeners done and metal finished/blended.

 

[LXCam]

Woof, that was a lot of wire. Looking good Mike.

 

[zmotorsports]

Woof, that was a lot of wire. Looking good Mike.

You’ve got that right Cam. That was a hell of a lot of wire and welding.

Glad that part is over and can move on.

 

[4 FN 27]

Woof, that was a lot of wire. Looking good Mike.

How many BB's on the scalp, down the shirt and in the ears?

Nice work Mike!

 

[zmotorsports]

How many BB's on the scalp, down the shirt and in the ears?

Nice work Mike!

Funny you should mention that Pat. I had a couple of burn spots on my stomach and two on my arm that got through my welding jacket. My wife was giving me **** about my shirt with the burn holes in it and it being ready for the trash but I told her I may as well continue to wear the same one while I'm doing the overhead welding otherwise I'll just ruin more shirts.

My welds didn't turn out anywhere near as good as I had hoped for. The thin sheet metal and the multi-layers of sheet metal with seam sealer and paint/undercoating made it difficult to get good and consistent welds. On the couple that did turn out decent, those were the ones that I had hot BB's rolling down my arms but didn't stop because I had a good bead going.

Now to move onto the heavier gauge steel and MM251 welder for the suspension components.

 

[customh]

Always the way it goes. Best looking welds have the most pain associated with them.

 

[zmotorsports]

Always the way it goes. Best looking welds have the most pain associated with them.

Ain't that the truth Travis. Also the best looking welds seem to be the ones no one will see. The **** welds are the ones that are front and center.

 

[zmotorsports]

Here are a few pictures from tonight’s work on my son’s WJ. He cut most of the brackets and tabs off last night we then finished cleaning up the rear axle housing tonight before welding the Iron Rock Off Road truss on.

I finished welding the triangulated 4-Link crossmember in while my son did some grinding and metal finishing on the axle housing. I really don’t care for overhead welding much.








I also decided to weld the axle tubes into the center section while we were at this point.


Bare housing ready for welding.


Axle truss welded in place.












I swept up the floor and called it a night.


Hopefully tomorrow night I can get the spring buckets and upper control arm mounts welded on the axle then it is ready to mock into position under the Jeep and start building suspension links.

 

[Boosted1]

Very nice welding!

 

[MP&C]

Thanks for the update Mike! Looks like someone is going to have some 4-wheeling fun!

 

[zmotorsports]

Very nice welding!

Thank you. I been out of practice for a while but it felt good to get behind the hood and make sparks again. Unfortunately, welding is a deteriorating skill and I could tell that I haven't welded in a while, it took a bit to get back into the rhythm.

Thanks for stopping by and checking on my projects.

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks for the update Mike! Looks like someone is going to have some 4-wheeling fun!

Thanks Robert, I know he is almost as excited to get it back on the road and in use as I am. I can't start on my next project until he gets his done so we are both somewhat motivated at this point.

Thanks for checking in on my thread Robert.

 

[LXCam]

Looking great as always Mike!

 

[zmotorsports]

Looking great as always Mike!

Thank you Cam. I appreciate that.

 

[rattle_snake]

What is the axle/diff/gear setup going to be? Wheel/tires? Going to be a DD, trail, both, or?

 

[zmotorsports]

What is the axle/diff/gear setup going to be? Wheel/tires? Going to be a DD, trail, both, or?

Justin, he will be using this as his daily driver/weekend wheeler. The axles are Dana 44's from a Jeep JKU. The rear is out of a 2016 that had less than a hundred miles on it and the front is my original D44 housing from the front of my 2011 JKUR. It already has the sleeves/gussets installed. The gear ratio will be 4.56:1 with Ten Factory chromoly axle shafts front/rear, Eaton Truetrac rear carrier and OEM ELocker in the front. Wheels are 17x8.5 Method's running 33" BFG KO2's.

 

[yaidunno]

Nice work on the truss. Did the WJ originally come with the 44A rear end? Both my 99 and 04 had the aluminum centers. Sounds like it will be a very capable rig once you guys are finished with it!

 

[zmotorsports]

Nice work on the truss. Did the WJ originally come with the 44A rear end? Both my 99 and 04 had the aluminum centers. Sounds like it will be a very capable rig once you guys are finished with it!

Yes, it came equipped from the factory with the 44A (aluminum center section). Both of my '96 ZJ's also had the 44A and I wheeled them quite a lot and never had an issue. Maybe because it was always in the back of my head and I drove accordingly with that in mind but in all of the years I had them I never had any drivetrain issues to speak of.

As soon as he pulled the OE axles from his WJ he had several people who wanted them so they were the first things gone and out of the shop, which made me happy.

It should turn out to be a very reliable and worthy trail rig and daily driver when she's done. He plans on getting the drivetrain done this round and put some miles on it then sometime over the winter tackle the front and rear bumpers so by spring it is ready to hit the trails.

 

[C_F]

That axle truss sure makes it look super stout! Much stronger than a lot of the lifted trucks that used to run around here in the 80's with trusses that were clamped to the axle tubes with u-bolts.

 

[zmotorsports]

That axle truss sure makes it look super stout! Much stronger than a lot of the lifted trucks that used to run around here in the 80's with trusses that were clamped to the axle tubes with u-bolts.

Yep, I remember those. I think they were made by a company called Rhino truss if memory serves. I always preferred the more subtle ones for the front axles that used either .625" or .750" rod and were tensioned into the C and pulled against the bottom of the carrier. They seemed to work to prevent from flex and were clean and simple looking, not gawdy or bulky like the clamp on Rhino truss.

Personally I don't think this rear axle really needs the support that this truss is providing but we needed somewhere to attach the upper control arm brackets for the triangulated 4-link and this truss will provide that support to weld the tabs to.

 

[zmotorsports]

I didn’t get much time behind the helmet tonight after mowing my lawns but I was able to get the upper control arm mounts welded onto the truss.

 

[Pressingonward]

Hi Mike,

I'm enjoying seeing your progress on your son's Jeep. One question - how are you figuring out the linkages for the axles? Is the information on what works best out there and readily available, or are you designing it from scratch as well as fabricating?

 

[shortykorte]

Nice axle stand Mike. Looks high dollar. Lol. Definitely looks like it’s coming in real handy for this project.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stinkity stoink]

Mike, are you using some kind of method to make sure the axle doesn’t twist from all the welding ? Not criticizing, just trying to learn.
Great work and thanks for posting !!