What all's wrong with this picture?

[OverkillZJ]

It's of the front end of my ZJ buggy. Those of you on my facebook - no sharing.

This should be like "Where's Waldo" - but it's "what'd Matt break by putting the front end vertical and slamming it down on a junkyard car a few times.)

Well?

http://hphotos-sjc1.fbcdn.net/hs109.snc3/15720_384895099510_506839510_3629462_7742797_n.jpg

[tjblair]

Damn, I was going to just copy and paste your facebook comment.:tongue:

[OverkillZJ]

Cheater!

[village_idiot]

looks like the track bar hit the ram and bent it, in turn denting the oil pan

[OverkillZJ]

The gibson has eyes! And? The worst (and funniest) of the damage is yet to be noticed. And proves why I HAAAATE unibodies.

[village_idiot]

nice bent coil over

[OverkillZJ]

I hope that's not bent...

[village_idiot]

looking closer it looks like you either broke the upper control arm or bent the ram's mount, but i cant tell.

[OverkillZJ]

Neither, the UCA is welded bent (in order to clear an HP30 axle which is no longer there.)

[ridgerunner97]

I won't tell, but its hard to spot, and props to Gibson :biggrin:

[Deadman 94 xj]

Track bar bracket is a little twisted (Twisted meaning FUBAR'd). :)

[OverkillZJ]

Track bar bracket is a little twisted (Twisted meaning FUBAR'd). :)

Best answer yet. It looks like when the rig landed, the mounting bolt for the steering ram made contact with the 1/4" DOM track bar, bending it, and pulling the passenger side unirail in (remember, this used to be a grand cherokee) which pulled the passenger side motor mount into the transmission cooling lines, into the enging block, and moved the whole driveline over about an inch.

In other words, don't build a buggy on a unibody vehicle! But I can't wait to rebuild it... After jumping it a few more times.

[ridgerunner97]

Jump it til it goes boom! :047:

[Deadman 94 xj]

Best answer yet. It looks like when the rig landed, the mounting bolt for the steering ram made contact with the 1/4" DOM track bar, bending it, and pulling the passenger side unirail in (remember, this used to be a grand cherokee) which pulled the passenger side motor mount into the transmission cooling lines, into the enging block, and moved the whole driveline over about an inch.

In other words, don't build a buggy on a unibody vehicle! But I can't wait to rebuild it... After jumping it a few more times.

Wow! That's nuts. Although not all that surprising considering. Do you think some plating or reinforcements in that area might have helped?

That's what it seems like a lot of guys do. They go along the whole damn UB, strengthening up potentials. There's been a lot of talk latley on here about UB guys not having ability to hang with the "big" crowd. Now I think I see why! :crybaby:

[OverkillZJ]

You know I love some unibody vehicles considering it's what I learned on - but, building a hardcore rig on unibody is like building on top or swiss cheese - there will always be holes or something isn't right. the point that twisted was 3' between cage points and attached to 5/16" steel plate attached to the coilover mounting point.

My conclusion: Hey, it's a unibody. Let's jump it again.

[Deadman 94 xj]

LOL, point taken. I like the conclusion :042:

[tjblair]

My conclusion: Hey, it's a unibody. Let's jump it again.
Yah, they're disposable:036:

[Deadman 94 xj]

I betcha a brace going from one rail to the other would have helped. Similar to ,but a lot stronger than, what RE sells for their trackbar brackets.

Either that or not jumping it lol.

[tjblair]

I betcha a brace going from one rail to the other would have helped. Similar to ,but a lot stronger than, what RE sells for their trackbar brackets.

Either that or not jumping it lol.
I dont think that any brace would have stoped it. It looks like the UB caved in on the bottom side. I think not jumping it would be a better option.(but whereis the fun in that?)

[OverkillZJ]

Where, under the motor, so that the ram would be desroyed, or desroy the oil pan as they made contact not only with themselves, but with your "brace" as well? ;)

honesly, with what I did, I'm happy with the damage!

[OverkillZJ]

I dont think that any brace would have stoped it. It looks like the UB caved in on the bottom side. I think not jumping it would be a better option.(but whereis the fun in that?)

Haha, we cross posted, yeah, that sums it up.

[Deadman 94 xj]

Ahh, I see. The bar and the brace would have bound together anyway.

Soooo, any plans to fix her yet? Just keep jumping it? :042:

[village_idiot]

i think its time to buggy the 5.9

[OverkillZJ]

Honestly, the welds look good... the driveline is where it is, and, well, really I'll call it a "self clearing flaw" - I'm ready to beat the piss out of it again.

[Deadman 94 xj]

:icon_super:

[Deadman 94 xj]

Here's more along the lines of what I was talking about. This is from one of the Jeep speed rigs:

http://i162.photobucket.com/albums/t250/tnetz777/0910or_05_z1990_jeep_cherokee_four-.jpg

Like you said though, it probably wouldn't have helped much in that situation.

[OverkillZJ]

Strange... I see the steering box brace (which on unibodys can cause as much harm as good considering unirail flex) but is that a crosspiece between framerails attached to the track bar bracket on the right?

[Deadman 94 xj]

Strange... I see the steering box brace (which on unibodys can cause as much harm as good considering unirail flex) but is that a crosspiece between framerails attached to the track bar bracket on the right?

Yep. I've never seen one like that though. Mine mounts directly over top of the trackbar. Which caused me to have to rebuild the trackbar because it was binding.

^^The way that one mounts is nice though, because it allows the trackbar to stuff up in there.

Either way though, in your situation with the bolt hitting the bar like that, something would have to give.

[tjblair]

I believe that is on an xj. And I don't think that a brace of that type would work with how your full hydro is set up ( or with any full hydro for that matter) but you sound suprised that the trackbar bracket is on the right.

[Deadman 94 xj]

It doesn't matter if it was on the left or right. Nor would it matter if it was an XJ or a ZJ becuase it was fabed. As far as the hydro I don't know. There's enough crap involved in the front ends of these things as it is, whats another bar?

I do like the way they did that though. The only down side is it's single shear, but they're not running 42's either.

[tjblair]

Triangulate and get rid of the track bar all together. Lol

[OverkillZJ]

No difference if the track bar is on the left or right with full hydro, no surprise here. Only mentioned "right" as reference to what was going on in the pic.

[OverkillZJ]

Triangulate and get rid of the track bar all together. Lol


Haha, it's been attempted on rigs better designed rigs than mine, no luck yet... on a true tube buggy I've seen it done, though.

[Deadman 94 xj]

Triangulate and get rid of the track bar all together. Lol

Leaf springs! :003:

[OverkillZJ]

Leaf springs! :003:

EFFFFF THAT! i just spent a year getting rid of those fawkers on the samurai, haha

[Deadman 94 xj]

There's no room for triangulation on these that's for sure. I guess that's why the 3-link is so popular.

[tjblair]

It doesn't matter if it was on the left or right. Nor would it matter if it was an XJ or a ZJ becuase it was fabed. As far as the hydro I don't know. There's enough crap involved in the front ends of these things as it is, whats another bar?

I do like the way they did that though. The only down side is it's single shear, but they're not running 42's either.

Agreed I was just saying that looked like an xj to me. I have a brace similar to that on mine but it is a good bit smaller. I think it is 3/4 tube and it is welded at both ends.

[Deadman 94 xj]

EFFFFF THAT! i just spent a year getting rid of those fawkers on the samurai, haha

LOL! I hate mine. They're both sitting crooked...and I don't think it's the bushings! I was thinking about fabing up a traction bar but now I think I might wait a few years and do a wristed 3-link in the rear. I think that's what it's called. Similar to a whishbone set up. Either that or do what everybody else does and do the 4-link.

If the friggin jeep lasts that long...