My TJ Progress....

[mattawajeep]

Got my new front bumper all painted up and installed (Rokmen Mercenary). Now I just need to find a winch when the next paycheck allows for it:







And painted my tire carrier (ignore the fact that I forgot to weld on the chain mounts for the hitch before I painted the danged thing. )

Grabbed the majority of the steel from pacific in pasco. It's basically some 4x2x.250" tube stock for the bumper with a little flat stock for the end caps, and some 2x2x.188" stock for the carrier. The shackle mounts I grabbed from rokmen (as they were cheaper than the danged drill bit to make them), the hitch is a standard weld on from Ranch and Home, and the hinge is made by A to Z fab.

[mattawajeep]

Though the pics don't show it, the jeep sags a bit in the rear, the tire carrier is heavier than the original bumper, and I think the front is a bit lighter. I have a 1.25" JKS body lift and Motor Mount lift on order. I'm also thinking that it might not be a bad idea to stick some 1" coil spacers in the rear - to keep from blinding people with my headlights if I stick any kind of weight in the back.

Anyone have a coil spring compressor thingy? I've seen some walkthoughs on the web that don't use it, I just thought it would be a much easier job with one.

[White trash]

Ouch, next time you need steel hit up twin city in Kennewick. In my experience they've been about 25% cheaper minimum on anything I've needed.


Bumpers look good, I hope you reinforced that rear bumper back up the frame...

[mattawajeep]

Ouch, next time you need steel hit up twin city in Kennewick. In my experience they've been about 25% cheaper minimum on anything I've needed.

Good to know, didn't know there was anyplace else nearby that had steel - pacific was a bit spendy. At least I still came in way under the price of having a tire carrier built.

Bumpers look good, I hope you reinforced that rear bumper back up the frame...

Yup, jose pointed that out to me on the kaner flats run. Got them painted up as well, though they're still drying at the moment.

[GetZPayd]

Looks good man!

[mattawajeep]

Anyone have any tips on removing a stuck body bolt?

I've got the head stripped out on one of the bolts and I don't see any good way to get some pb blaster on the threads - danged puck things are in the way. Think I'll try welding a nut or something onto the end, but I'm afraid I might just break the bolt doing that.

[tenikiwon2]

Bolt extractor or drill itI

[Lurch]

Weld a nut to it. While it's still hot spray some penetrating lube not it. As it cools it will pull in the lube. Don't let it cool to much. You want to try and pull it while it's still hot.

[Wrench]

Ouch, next time you need steel hit up twin city in Kennewick. In my experience they've been about 25% cheaper minimum on anything I've needed.


Bumpers look good, I hope you reinforced that rear bumper back up the frame...

And if you pick through their scrap pile, you can probably find what you need, and they will only charge you scrap prices for it.

[mattawajeep]

And if you pick through their scrap pile, you can probably find what you need, and they will only charge you scrap prices for it.

Also good to know, I was a bit bummed at pacific. A couple years back they used to have a scrap pile you could dig through as well... no longer.

[mattawajeep]

Crummy phone pic:



I couldn't find a decent 8274 anyplace in Washington, though I've been looking off and on since the last run. Found one in ephrata for 350, but the motor was burned out along with a broken gear box & bad cable, and it was missing the solenoids as well - all the rest were $750 and up. Saw a decent deal on an M8000 and snatched it up. $515 bucks shipped. It's in the same line and I haven't found a bad review on it yet that wasn't operator error, or some silly wiring issue.

I've given it the mandatory stretch out run and it worked great. Then I went out to the Beverly dunes last night because I was bored and got stuck a mile away from any trees.


Oh well, I think that with a snatch block, and maybe an extension (it's already got 100' of cable) this thing will get me out of just about whatever I can get into.

[iaccocca]

Oh well, I think that with a snatch block, and maybe an extension (it's already got 100' of cable) this thing will get me out of just about whatever I can get into.

...and a few good shackles, a tree saver, a good pair of gloves, and you might want to wire a switch on the dash for the day when your remote fails (ask me how I know.)

[mattawajeep]

...and a few good shackles, a tree saver, a good pair of gloves, and you might want to wire a switch on the dash for the day when your remote fails (ask me how I know.)

Yeah, a few extra shackles would be a good idea, that way I don't have to start pulling them off my bumpers. And I'm already working on the wiring for the dash - the plug in remote is the only part made in china - and I want to move the solenoid box under the hood someplace.

Do you recommend a dedicated tree saver, or is a strap good enough? I think the strap I've got is rated for 10,000lbs but the tree savers all seem to be something like 20,000+.

[iaccocca]

A strap works fine, but a tree saver is nice to have. Depending on the strap, some are designed to stretch, that is just more rubber band energy that you are adding to the equation. Also tree savers are shorter which is handy and nice on a short pull. IMHO

[iaccocca]

...oh, and I do not think you want to use a 10,000 strap and a snatch block with a 8,000 lb winch; don't add up. I blew a HF strap with my winch... that was interesting.

[mattawajeep]

...oh, and I do not think you want to use a 10,000 strap and a snatch block with a 8,000 lb winch; don't add up. I blew a HF strap with my winch... that was interesting.

Good point, forgot about the snatch block doubling issue. Don't think I'd want to be sitting in the jeep watching a strap explode, at least without an inch thick lexan windshield.

[Lurch]

I snapped Jose's strap memorial day weekend. It wasn't to scary. I also stalled a snatch blocked 10k winch when I get stuck I stick it good

[mattawajeep]

I snapped Jose's strap memorial day weekend. It wasn't to scary. I also stalled a snatch blocked 10k winch when I get stuck I stick it good

How much does your bronco weigh? And were you trying to go up a tree or something?

[Lurch]

It froze to the snow.

[iaccocca]

[Grumpy]

I may need that in bulk...

[mattawajeep]

Had a string of 16 hour days this weekend fixing up trucks and hauling fruit but finally got a bit of free time this evening to get some work done.

Got the body mount bolt unstuck after welding a nut to it and hitting it with a high power rattle gun - which made me very happy, I did not want to drill that thing out. JKS body lift is all installed except for the radiator supports. Engine mounts have been pb blasted in preparation for the motor mount lift and I've taken out most of the transfer case drop installed by the PO.

Tire clearance is looking much better, but I really need to get some extended bump stops in the rear. Anyone tried to get hockey pucks from the colosseum? All of the sporting goods places only carry street pucks.

[iaccocca]

I got my hockey pucks from Hockey Source on Clearwater in Kennewick.

Make sure to do those radiator support bushings they are a bear, but they are important. Lube 'em a little. I pulled them thru with string, but I broke one doing that and had to beg a replacement.

[mattawajeep]

Huh, didn't know there was a hockey shop in town - though I did think it a bit strange I couldn't find pucks when there's a gigantic rink only a few miles away...

When you installed your hockey pucks on the rear, did you remove the plastic piece underneath the coil spring? Havn't decided if it's an important part or not yet.

And the radiator supports are definitely going in. I just ran out of light this evening. Rokmen has a walkthough video detailing the install and they removed the headlights to get theirs in - think I might give that a go if I can't get them in with grease.

[iaccocca]

Don't remeber the details, but yeah, my headlights came out too. I tried everything.
My hockey pucks were for a different project, not suspensions.