I've begun 'stage 2' of the build effort - basically getting it more done'r. stage 3 or 4 will probably be interior lol.
My goals for this part of the build are:
- traction bar
- front bumper
- rear locker (carrier install only, not re-gearing just yet...)
- fix driver door so it @#$%ing closes without slamming it
- hook up heater core to engine after pressure testing it, also re-wire heating/fan controls so they work
- graft a winch plate into the front bumper and install said winch
- 4 point roll bar install into bed, either 2" DOM or 2" Sch40, will be mounted through holes in bed directly to frame with outriggers
- make turn signals work again
- windshield sprayer - I believe my knob/motor currently has the functionality but it's just not wired up
Traction Bar
Traction bar was sort of a necessity after I realized how much the 63" leafs will twist under my stock 5.3 on the road.
The main challenge with the traction bar was determining length and angle - which caused some unintended rerouting of the exhaust which turned out to be for the better.
The bar ended up being about 52" long effectively - but is itself a 48" long piece of 2" x 0.25" wall DOM - as part of the kit from ruffstuff.
The frame side mount is typically accomplished by attaching to a pre-existing cross member. I didn't have one nearby so I made a heavily gusseted outrigger. You typically want to mount them on the passenger side when doing a single arm as I did - which is common for off-roading to try and maintain articulation.
-The idea behind the passenger side is to counteract body roll from engine torque delivery (if you mounted on the driver side it would exacerbate the issue, passenger side tries to cancel out).
-The length is about halfway between my half leaf length (absolute minimum) and my driveshaft length (typically the ideal length - but hard to achieve on longer driveshaft length vehicles due to packaging everything).
-The angle (technically a 'virtual' line drawn through the center of the rear axle to the shackle attachment point) is setup so it aims right around the bottom of the center of gravity - or my best guess of it. This is good for a neutral behaving rear suspension under power - but I make no claims to know what my actual % anti-squat is, just that it drive muuuuch better now.
-An anti-wrap / traction bar design like this DOES put the front of the leafs into a bind during extreme articulation events. It will cause the leaf to bend in ways it's not exactly designed to. I figured I'd rather experience this issue during these relatively rare scenarios vs. during everyday driving.
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This system is at best a compromise and shifts the issue of leaf binding from one experienced during every day driving to one experienced during harder rock crawling trails. It will slightly limit the natural droop on the side it is installed and if too short can put the pinion angle at non ideal numbers at either full bump or full droop.
After I started laying out this traction bar I quickly realized that the exhaust system I made up in a quick and dirty fashion initially would interfere with the traction bar - so I deconstructed it and rebuilt it into what I originally had envisioned - a side exit exhaust just forward of the rear wheel. I also took this time to install a resonator to try and cut down on the rasp and drone around 2700 to 3000 rpm.
The exhaust exits through a 4.5" hole I hole sawed into the bed skirt. The resonator helped immensely with the droning and got rid of 90% of the rasp which is okay by me - I don't need to completely hide the fact that this is a slightly redneck vehicle lol.
Front bumper
The front bumper is something I've been able to get by without doing because the approach angle of this vehicle is so high as is that the front end never really get's near any obstacles - it wasn't an issue on holy cross trail which isn't exactly a walk in the park 4x4 trail. I had purchased 4" x 4" x 3/16" wall box tubing to make a front bumper a while back and I wanted to get it done for another outing coming up soon (Chinaman Gulch in Buena Vista, CO - easier than holy cross trail).
I started the process out by doing a 5degree cut on both sides - this was to match the initial 'V' of the front end of the gladiator trucks and possibly waggoneers.
This was tacked together then I started with some more angled cuts into the box. The metal curls away as you free it up with cuts into the sidewall so it required some creative clamping and tacking to hold it into it's intended shape
I finished up by doing two angled reliefs in addition to the initial 10 degree Vee.
This was largely inspired by another bumper made in this post.
I mocked it up on the truck to figure out where it looked best then started to fabricate a set of brackets for each side. I probably should've mentioned this earlier but the reason I made the front bumper is partially the same reason I made the rear bumper. I completely chopped the frame cross member off on the front just like I did the rear - but for a different reason. On the rear I was bobbing the frame 12 inches, on the front I was trying to create clearance for the gigantic Mopar steering box - and I wanted the frame to be STRONG vs. the booger welded stock cross member. I used a 2" x 4" x 3/16" wall box for the front cross member and therefore removed any pre-existing bumper mounts. I then reinforced this crossmember with more of the same box on the outsides of the frame to create torsional rigidity and flex resistance.
This combination of box crossmember and reinforcement forced me to make up my own bumper mounting hole pattern - and here we are! There's an additional mount point in the center of the bumper - utilizing a shack mount I put there for recovery purposes. I didn't want it to go to waste and didn't want to cut it off either so it's a center mount point!
The bumper was finished with some angle cut end cap plates and I welded all the stitches I created and went through a bunch of flap discs grinding down all them welds to get to this point. I added 2 shackle mounts then painted it the same color everything else has been painted - rust prevention satin black from Ace Hardware. I swear that is the best rattle can black for quick and dirty but also pretty dang durable finishes on welded steel projects without a primer.
It bolts ups up doing the rearmost 2 bolts then swinging it up and doing a forward bolt to hold it at the angle.
As I backed away after tightening all the bolts to get a first look I breathed a sigh of relief - I now drive a slightly less redneck vehicle with both bumpers!
Onto the rear locking factory carrier now!