Chop top XJ..with Exo cage... End to an Era..

Looking great man.

Just a thought. Do you think there is enough support for the corner above the rear wheels. Thought about running a bar around the rear wheel well to help with bracing?

thanks..

I will probably need to get a pic of the rear.. but the tubes go though the body and then down to towards the center of body at about 45 degree angle, behind the rear seat.

I still need to add a cross brace between these two tubes inside the cab..

with these three bars tied together behind rear seat, and the 2 bars in back on each side of rear tire.. it is very solid now.. and once I add the "b" pillar bars.. I am positive it will be very solid and strong
 
Now that you mentioned that going back and looking I can see the tube running into the body. Love how clean looking that is. Keep up the good work.
 
Now that you mentioned that going back and looking I can see the tube running into the body. Love how clean looking that is. Keep up the good work.

thanks.. if all goes well I have a dana 60 for the front and I am gonna redo the rear suspension.. always something going on :)
 
thanks.. if all goes well I have a dana 60 for the front and I am gonna redo the rear suspension.. always something going on :)

I know what you mean with always something going on. I have plenty of things on the wish list for mine just tough between getting the funds and the time to do it. That's why its always fun to work on your buddies stuff. Get the chance to get dirty and not have to spend the $$. :beer:
 
pics of it painted

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Nice work!
 
Ken - Have you cut the fenders to match the tube angles yet? Looks good with paint and the roof tubes done!

nope.. fenders are gonna stay like that for now.. I have not decided yet if I want to cut them
 
Never a dull day in my garage

XJ has been leaking some fluid.. so we ripped out skid plate and found transfer case is cracked( oops. I guess hitting a ditch at 35 is not a good thing)

Then we tried to take cross member off and bolts were stripped so we had to rip carpet out of jeep ( which is soaking wet I have a leak) that smelled nasty.

Cut hole in floor to get to bolt inside frame rail. So we decided to just weld them in so they will never have issues again.

Then we took bolls off cross member but it would not drop down due to me building reinforcement brackets for control arms.. ( oops again had to pull out cut off wheel)

So tomorrow night I hope to drop transfer case and rebuild it, and if I can find it I am gonna install the 2 low range kit also.

I guess since seats are out may be a good time to get suspension seats and build internal cage bracing :)
 
Hey Ken, Did you take a look at the front mount of the rear leaf springs? Inside the cab, under the rear seat bulkhead, on each side. My metal is stressing and ripping, I was wondering if yours is too.
 
Hey Ken, Did you take a look at the front mount of the rear leaf springs? Inside the cab, under the rear seat bulkhead, on each side. My metal is stressing and ripping, I was wondering if yours is too.


sorry I had forgot.. I will look tonight when I am out there
 
Hey Ken, Did you take a look at the front mount of the rear leaf springs? Inside the cab, under the rear seat bulkhead, on each side. My metal is stressing and ripping, I was wondering if yours is too.


checked the metal last night and I have no issues in that area.. all my metal is like brand new in that area.
 
checked the metal last night and I have no issues in that area.. all my metal is like brand new in that area.

hmm? Wonder whats up with mine? Have you ever jumped yours? Maybe thats why mine's all bad. I need to post a few pics. and let yall see it.
 
hmm? Wonder whats up with mine? Have you ever jumped yours? Maybe thats why mine's all bad. I need to post a few pics. and let yall see it.
Gotta love the coor's lite can rigidity of these damn xj's any uni-body bracing? on my last xj i chased a broken unibody framerail break for 6 months, it broke where the steering box bolts to the frame, i plated it, it broke behind it,i plated it, so on so forth. somehow i keep buying this platform of vehilce:wheel:?
 
Well got half a 231 case from a friend so I could rebuild mine.. then I remember I had a 2 lo kit.. so I pulled that out and found the plastic guides all wore down.. after so calls no one had one.. so I took a stock shift fork and cut it up and made my own 2 low shift fork ( I should have taken pics)
Here are some pics of case back in and also of cracked case..
I also got some new shoes for XJ.
and I also cut the rear 9" and plated it with 3/8" steel.. not gonna have to worry about sliding on rocks anymore
also ripped out interior and found a little rust but not to much..
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well next I need new shackles with better angle to them.. so I got a joint end and welded it on, made shackles and got those on last night.. also took apart front radius arm last night to check on bushings and they still look brand new ( not bad after 6 years of romping on them

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