Wishbone Runner's Build

It's definitely a solid investment. I have the same machine and have no complaints. I use it so much, I find myself wondering at times what I did before I had one lol.

 

Good to hear, i think I am going to feel the same way.

 

A few projects in the works, currently building a rear HC bumper, and new suspension all around. Went with King, Camburg UCA and TC spindle gussets. Got the King and Camburg installed, still need to weld up the spindles.

 

Here is the current process on the bumper. Cut the crossmember which moved the bumper up about 4 inches and tucked it in a few as well, this will come in very helpful. Fully welded through recovery points and held on with 4 grade bolts, all mounts and crossmember are 1/4", an I will do the wrap around in 10 ga. I hope to get it near to fully welded up this next weekend, still need to design the side covers, I plan to cut a lot of the extra hanging sheet metal off to get it as tight as possible for optimum clearance. I will also cut out some of the wheel well for better tire stuffage.

 

In all my seraching into different coils for more lift, I though about coil-overs. Just can't swing them right now. You change anything in the back too?

Anyways, curious to see how this bumper works out

 

No change to the rear yet, but I will be adding Metal Tech ET springs and MT speced Icon ET shocks. I planned to do the rear suspension first, the MT springs are stiffer for the additional bumper weight, but DSM gave me a great deal on the Kings and Camburg, so I pulled the trigger. I have some new lower links to put together as well, and will be redoing my chewed up lower link mounts.

Then, I will get to the front bumper, and then . . . fix up the skids.

And then . . .

It wil be summer and time to wheel the piss out of it!

 

Here are the links, just need to weld em up and paint them. 1.75" DOM, .25 wall, 7/8 x 3/4" heims.

 

And that oval is 3/8" for the mounts, that is going to be a bitch to cut with the angle grinder.

 

Lots of cool stuff happening in here!!

 

Hehe

Gettin ready for some serious wheelin this summer. I spent too much time workin on the truck last summer when I could have been on the trail, so trying to get as much done and prepared as possible ahead of time. Look forward to seeing you in Moab!

 

Got quite a bit done this weekend, first off was finishing up the front end. Welded up my spindles with the TC gussets and painted them same color that I have my wheels and eventually my bumpers and sliders will be.

 

Mounted up and front end back together. I now have replaced everything on the front end other than the LCAs and bushings.





Gained 1.25" droop from OME and stock UCAs, measured from fender to bottom of the axle nut cover.

 

Also made some significant progress on the rear bumper, still undecided on how I want to finish up incorporating the stock fender pieces and the section under the tail lights. I will add backup lights below the tails eventually, as well as a swing out tire carrier, but probably not this go around, too much else to get done first.

 

Daaaaayum, James. Nice front suspension you've got there. You aren't messing around anymore are you?

That rear bumper is coming together nicely, too. Are you using 1/4" on that thing???

 

Thanks man, bit the bullet and manned up for a proper setup.

Combo of 1/4 and 10 ga. The 4x2 and attachments that bolt to the frame, all pieces welded to the frame and and the pieces that attach directly to the 4x2 under the tails are 1/4, the rest will be 10 ga. I think it will be a decent combo of stoutness where needed and light weight for the rest.

 

Damn James nice fabrication skills man! that bumper is gonna be badass!

 

Right on, I just saw those pieces under the tails and I could tell they were thicker than 3/16" (been working with lots of that lately). If you used 1/4" for the whole thing that would be a heavy mofo. The combo of 1/4" and 10ga sounds like a solid plan to me.

 

Thanks Noah!

Yeah, I was torn on what to use and this seemed like a good combo. I am going to do my rear LCA mounts in 3/8 for indestructibility. Are your mounts welded in, or bolt on?

 

The skids I built for the LCAM's are made of 3/16" and they're bolt on. The 3rd gens have a convenient place to pass a 1/2" bolt through the LCAM. The ones that are commercially avail are made of 1/4" I believe, but IMO 3/16" is plenty. 3/8" would definitely be indestructable, but if you plated your LCAM's with steel that thick, I'd be worried about them tearing right off the frame with a hard enough hit because the welds/frame would be the new weak point.