MJ truggy

[PingPong]

It wont let me double post on my thread that say MJ with exo, so I had to start another one.


Well my rig is nearing completion. We have a few bars left to weld in, some fuel and brake plumbing to get done, and seats to mock up and install. Anyways here is a link to Matt's site, hope you all enjoy the pics


independent4x.com/generic67.html


BTW feel free to critique it.



Patrick

[BIG J]

wow, that looks great. brought my MJ over to the house the other day to get started on it.

what rear springs and wheelbase will you have?

[PingPong]

Wheel base is right around 112". The rear springs are Alcans, that I ordered with a 2" lift, in a SOA setup. The springs are real soft and compliant. The flex awesomely. They were pricey at 480 to my door, but I have used them on 3 rides so far, and they performed flawlessly.

[swampercj]

That's the same fuel cell I bought...Looks great Pat

[Chuck]

Looks really good! In the future if you need to double post (to update your project thread), use the Quick Reply box at the bottom instead of the Reply button and it will let you. If you want to be able to preview your real post before you put it up, just quick reply with some sort of placeholder like "Editing new post", and when it comes up, hit the modify button so you can edit it the normal way, and just replace it with what you really wanted.

Now, as for the truggy -- I like! I particularly like the three hoop brush guard integrated into the front bumper -- I was thinking of doing a setup like that on the Tronco when I get to the front end, but I hadn't found a good picture of one I liked yet, so I hope you don't mind if I steal some inspiration. ;D I liked the similar front end on Peterson's yellow UA truck this year, but hadn't been able to find a good pic of it yet, either. I may run mine a little lower and closer in to the front end, though, since I want the convenience of being able to slide a step into the front receiver to dig into the engine bay. I'm 6'-0", but trying to get down to the power steering box fittings or the back of the engine bay will still be a royal P.I.T.A. with the core support 4" higher than it used to be.

The back end tube work looks great so far -- very clean. You do need to add triangulation in a couple of spots, but I'm guessing the back end is still in development anyway, and some (if not all) of this you probably already know. I'll stick the information here anyway for those who don't. I do steel design for a living, so stuff like this is sort of my one way to be useful. ;D

I'd recommend tube running up from the rear shackle pivot directly to the junction of the top bed rail with the tube running up to cab roof level -- you want the centerline of the new tube to be from the shackle pivot bolt to the intersection of the centerlines up top if possible. Right now you're relying on the bottom tube at the shackle point to carry the force of the shackle as a cantilever -- it puts a bending load into that bottom tube, and since there's no other vertical support in the back it will fold the tube at the junction right over the axle if you get a good hard hit. I can't see the front of the cage well enough, but adding that pair of tubes should essentially form a continuous truss on either side where the top cord arcs up from the rear shackle point, over the cab at the doors, and down to the frame in front.

Second, I'd add a pair of bars connecting the bed top rail/cab rear hoop junctions directly down to the frame. I'd probably just notch the bottom end of the tube to sit on the outside top corner of the frame box so that the cL of the tube intersects the corner. Right now the only two things preventing the back hoop from moving downard are resistance to bending where the bottom of the hoop turns inward to the framerail, and a little bit of arch effect thanks to the top bars that run back over the axle -- and the latter depends partly for strength on where the bars over the door and down the A-pillar go, which I can't really see. The two added tubes would form a compression strut directly to the frame and prevent the bottom of the hoops from folding under bending load if the vehicle were upside down and took a hit. They would also stiffen that vertical element of your side trusses and help prevent the back of the cage/frame from flexing up and down a bit.

The third spot you'll still need to address is triangulating the rear hoop. Right now there's no bracing to keep the hoop from folding sideways if you flop the truck. Your best bet is a double cross plus a vertical -- make the center point of the horizontal bar behind the cab (under the window) the intersection of five additional tubes. You want two tubes below running down to the top inside corners of the frame box (just like the outside struts), two tubes above running to the intersection points of the back hoop curve with the bar over the door and the strut running back over the axle (forming a distorted X), and probably a fifth vertical tube that runs vertically from the new juncture to the high point at the center of your top hoop. The last will keep your top hoop from hinging in the middle and collapsing after a hard vertical hit.

From what I see your tube work looks very professional, so I bet this thing is going to be very effective and an absolute blast when you're done!

[LILREDCJ6]

Me likey

Looks great.

Can't wait to see what Jason come up with!

Tony

[PaulC]

I like truggy type buggys. If my M715 bed totally falls apart it will be a flat bed or converted to a truggy. Looking good so far.

PaulC

[PingPong]

Chuck,

Thanks for the ideas, but we are far from finished in the rear yet. I just wanted to get some pics up, cause some ppl thought my Jeep had disappeared

Pong has come a long way since it first hit the trail. Its maiden voyage was at the 04 Annual run, and since then it has been almost a constant build up/ break parts fest. Hopefully I am nearing completion. At least till I get some more coin so I can link the rear and go full widths.


BTW this is being done by In independent4x.com/

Matt is a super nice guy to deal with. Most of the design was my idea, but since my skills are not up to that level, I figured it was best just to sign a check.


Patrick

[Chuck]

Well, from what I can see they certainly do clean work!

[mrautoparts]

Hey Pat,
Did you ever get some new axles for your rig? Everthing looks good in the pics. I'm glad to see you got it back.