What actually twisted? If my hooks did twist they would bend the cross brace they are mounted too. If you can go into more detail on what actually twisted so I can reinforce mine maybe thanks.
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This pic will do. I don't like how you can see all the "guts" of the vehicle from the side profile shot. Maybe if there was a piece of molded plastic that would come up from the lower front to the bottom of the cut bumper (below the fogs). Am I making any sence, it's hard for me to explain what I'm thinking, LOL.
Otherwise, your mod is sick! (In a good way)
BTW, this is for anyone that has the 2" lift. If you spray the upper balljoint arm with some black paint, it literly disappears to the eye. I did this 'cause every time I looked at my Jeep, that's the first thing that got my attention. I'm much happier now, just some info.
No I agree but I went with function over anything else and considering it looks good except at a few angles I was happy. Standing up you don't see as much as in the pic where I was holding the camera 2' off the ground. Thanks for the compliments I really like how it turned out.
Here are some more pics
Straight on passenger side. As you can see there is nothing to hit but the tire or the suspension it's self, all the stuff sits behind the skid.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4042JPG-1.jpg
This is the driver side straight on. The only thing that can be hit here is the washer fluid pump/tank. Nothing else sticks out,
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4041JPG-2.jpg
A better shot of the front skid lower bumper.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4044JPG-1.jpg
For anything to get hit beside the washer fluid stuff something will have to come at me sideways. Its hard to tell in the pics but the washer fluid tank is the only thing really at risk here. I will look into relocating it when I have time. I will also look into closing up those sides maybe with what I have no idea hopefully I'll think of something to give it a try.
On a side note I got quoted 15 hundo for a front bumper today :( maybe I'll give that a try. The guy told me that he is doing a solid axle conversion on an XK very soon and has ordered the axle already :) He says he sends the computers out to get reprogrammed when he does stuff like this. He also said the owner wants to fit 38" tires. There doing the front conversion coil over as well as the back is getting lots of work for 8" lift I guess. Yes I did ask how much will this cost, He said about 6k which included the lift and the rear end work. That don't seem bad considering what the guy is getting. I told him to keep me in the loop if he could because I was very interested in this if nothing else but to be able to write about it on here. Also when I pulled in there was a freshly lifted XK getting ready to leave until he saw me of course so we BS around a little. So the forum should be getting a new member soon as well.:cool:
Sorry for taking so long on the reply. Ive been out of town. They didn't actually change the shape of the frame/unibody but twisted the area where they are mounted. Kind of hard to explain. How bout a picture:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...02191850-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i...02191852-1.jpg
Would have helped to have thicker steel plate behind the nuts or the factory mount plate sad to say. Mine are mounted slightly different than yours but very similar still. Just make sure to pull straight ahead with seperate straps.
Did you mount yours in the crash can? Thats where I mounted mine, thats why I was saying with the grad 8 hardware my unibody frame would have to twist to turn thees. I think I will get some steel plates maybe and re-enforce that area.
Just took a second look at yours and I think they are mounted the same way. A steel plate backing would keep this from twisting. It didn't change my frame's overall shape but just twisted teh metal in that local area. My other hook is straight cause it was pulled on by itself and it twisted back. I'll have to reinforce this somehow.
I wonder if this "search" you speak of was for an over due Commander????!!! [btw, john---it warms my heart knowing did come looking for us even though search and rescue had not begun looking for us yet. I think they were going to wait till the next day when we would have been in survival mode probably by then..hehe :) ]
Anyway, Sal...I like the lights....I have been thinking about setting up lights on my Roof rack like that on the sides and rears too. They would really be awesome when deer hunting and having to work on one toward evening, or have to do any kind of vehicle recovery in the dark, etc...there are many application where your set up would be great.
I am wondering if it be set up ....or if you have it set up this way.... to be able to flip the back lights forward when not in use?
I have heard some state and local ordinance in some areas prohibt white lights point to the rear. NORMALLY, in most areas, it shouldnt be an issue as long as you dont have them ON while driving on a roadway, but you never know.
My rear facing lights I guess could be flipped to point forward but wouldn't do much good from back there. The lights I have on the front will be finding a new home on the rear sides of the basket to really light up behind the XK. I've found rear lights much more usefull then front facing lights in many situations. Don, has a cross bar he's holding for me so I'll make a forwad removeable front light bar out of that. Here in NC you can have lights in any direction without covers on them, not sure how many if any you can use on the streets though. I would recomend the first lights you install be rear facing IMO because they will serve you the most our head lights are pretty darn bright and do a good job lighting up the trail in most cases.
EDIT: I have removed my second battery because of how low it sat the wheel would be rubbing it in off road conditions. If you don't off road and have over sized tires this will still work. I'm currently locating a new area for my second battery.
Well got the wife a new yellow top today which meant I got her old battery. So I started carving up the stock air box to fit the wifes battery in it. :( what a pain in the butt if I would of got a yellow top for myself it would of slid right in. LOL Any way I got it trimmed up then broke it after trimming for about 30 minuets. LOL Anyway I got it installed I'm not satisfied about the box, I think I'm going to get a shelf welded in to hold the battery instead. Anyway here are some pics I didn't get around to wiring it up yet. I'm going to rewire the XK from scratch and run all my accessories to the spare battery. This battery was almost as big as the OEM one I had to trim some of the battery off as well, no pics of that though its a risky procedure.
My dremel setup I love this little thing great tool
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4165JPG-1.jpg
Trimmed up air box
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4164JPG-1.jpg
I'm considering this mount temporary thats why I didn't cut the end of my strap yet and just tied it up.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4168JPG-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4169JPG-1.jpg
Can you take a less zoomed in pic? I'd like to see the CAI along with the battery. I need to size up whats going on under your hood vs my hemi to see if it's possible. Thanks.
I eventually will pipe this filter towards the fire wall when I get some time maybe. But it seems to working as is I've seen no drop in MPG's so I might leave it. If these don't help let me know I'll get some more in the morning.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4005JPG-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4006JPG-1.jpg
No thats perfect, I didn't realize the 4.7 was laid out so much differently than the hemi. Can't really copy that setup.
Only thing im really not a fan of about that setup is that you are no longer pulling negative pressure in the crank case...
Long story short, pressure will build up in the crank case which is not good... even though you're vented to atmosphere, having the intake "suck" the air out of the crankcase (creating negative pressure) helps the engine in efficiency and reliability. Basically; pressure in crank case = bad for rings and seals,,,,, blow-by gasses and oil in crank case are also bad and won't be evacuated as efficiently as having a vacuum on that tube.
Here's a good/quick read to give you a slightly longer version of what i just said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crankca...ilation_system
ok that make sense. How long do think I can go before solving this issue? I planned to pipe the thing anyway. Should I make that a priority?
No immediate rush... lol its not going to cause your engine to blow up or anything. Since you're already planning on piping it in, just do it when you planned on it.
DUDE LOL I was getting ready to run and get a short pipe to add on to get it tied in. I haven't solved all the issues with my plan yet so thats why it ain't done yet.
LMAO. Sorry man, reading back i guess it does read pretty bad.
Ya you had me nervous for second there LOL
So hoaxci5 posts last night on JeepForum about making a storage box from the jack area. So I'm like great idea so today I took a crack at it. Now look before you guys say anything about it keep in mine it cost me $2.50 so far and thats for the hinges. I grabbed what ever I had laying around the house to put this together and so far I'm thrilled with it. Ok so here are the pics.
Removed the jack and the stock storage box for it.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4219JPG-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4217JPG-1.jpg
I decided not to make an actual box for a few reasons. One it would probably cost me money. Second that area is not square and has lots of things in it to build around which meant I would have had to make a much smaller box then the space that is available.
Ok so I have it down to bare bones and now understand what hoaxci5 was talking about with support.
I decided to go with a hinged lid so I fitted a piece of wood to anchor and attach the lid to. I also decided to paint every think black until I figure out what to cover it with.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4218JPG-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4220JPG-1.jpg
I got the two pieces connected with hinges and was looking good.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4221JPG-1.jpg
I had to make some adjustments to make it work
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4223JPG-1.jpg
Then I decided to add a back to it keep things in place, it's left over laminate wood flooring LOL. It served a second purpose of adding support to the thing as well.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4226JPG-1.jpg
So this is it fully loaded
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4228JPG-1.jpg
Here is a shot of all the stuff I have in it right now. I was able to get rid of my tool box I carried as well :D
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4230JPG-1.jpg
I still have to make a front face for it, it got late so I'll have to go back and do it later.
Behind the storage box where the third row goes I built a frame to hold stuff I need. Nothing fancy just using scrap wood I had made the frame. It keeps stuff from sliding side to side and with some bungee cords stuff stays down to. The bungee on the tool box is just extra the box stays put and the drawers stay shut to. I had the tool box just bungee corded in but I found it a PITA to use the tools because I had to pull the cords off then pull the box out and find a flat spot to set it down. This should solve all that.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._5681JPG-1.jpg
All the drawers clear the stuff mounted in front I have it as far towards the hatch as possible so I don't have to reach to far.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._5680JPG-1.jpg
I decided to screw the tool box down instead of messing with bungee cords. This way while off road it will stay put.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._5676JPG-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._5686JPG-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._5685JPG-1.jpg
No doubt, bro. I have so many project ideas that I don't know where to start. Keep an eye out on this forum for some "upgrades" comming soon. The big brown box decided to stop by the house today, so I'm stoked.
Nice rig Sal, what size is your roof basket, i saw 3 different size by Rage on the web site, also in one of the pics on the passenger side you have a awning or is it a tarp? Summer, fishing and camping is around the corner and i need more space to haul and shade for a cold drink.
I have a running review and write up of my basket CLICK HERE If what you need is not in there let me know and I'll help you out.
62.5 x 45, thanks for the quick reply, in the pic do you have a awning set up or just a normal tarp
Its a tarp zip tied to a adjustable fiber glass rod. I only use that on the beach. The fishing rod holders are from gander mountain and just bolted to the rack. I used adjustable tent poles for the out rigger
Looks good, thanks for the info.
Sal can you post how you cut the fender flare and the wheel well lining for the front bumper.
Hey bro not sure what you need I have pictures posted earlier in this thread. But I made this one for your. The yellow lines were the first cut I made the black was what I ended up with after fitting the bumper back on and deciding the first cut wasn't enough.
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/i..._4007JPG-1.jpg
Pretty much with the bumper mounted I put tape on to be my cut line. Then I took my dremel with a cutting wheel and a Jig saw with a wood bit and used them to cut the bumper. The jig saw worked the best to make those cuts. I then mounted the bumper back on and secured it. Then using tape again made the line to the fender to make sure they lined up. I mounted and dismounted the bumper several times to get it right. There is no wrong way its what you want and the way you want it to look. I knew I was getting the front guard from 4xGuard thats why I angled my cut more was to end up behind the front guard when I got it on.
Did you just cut the actually flare straight with the bumper line. Do you still have a fender well liner or did you take that out when you cut it?
Yes I cut the flare straight. Where the bumper cut ended up on the wheel flare, I just went straight across. The wheel well liner was already missing on the passenger side on the driver side I just cut like an inch or two higher then the cut from the flare so you couldn't see it. Like I said I kept taking it off and making adjustments to the bumper don't try to get it perfect in one shot. You can always take more off but you can't put more back on so keep that in mind. If I remember correctly the wheel flare got cut just below one of the tabs that hold it in.
I think I'm gonna get saguaro shackle mounts for the front and then the 4xguard front skid later. Hmm
Yea I'm worried about the obx this year. And I'm not a fan of how I had to do my tow hook.