Working on a 71 Jimmy....

[RckyMntnKng]

Chicks dig big trucks and to help them get in and out I decided to setup removable 6" drop steps on the rock sliders.

Cut a couple slots, and walla - hang them on anytime, and pull them off anytime. Cant see in the pick too well but there is a hole on each leg that carries a through the tube bolt/wing nut in case you want them more semi-permanent when your not rock sliding.

Probably need to come up with a center seat that can take the place of the console when the need arises....hmm

 

[RckyMntnKng]

The thing is road worthy now....and 40" bias boggers can be fun at speed let me tell you.

Bucks 4x4 wrapped up some of the details for me and they did a damn nice job, really impressed.

I dropped it off to em to look through the whole thing and make sure it was good to go, and safe. I had some doubler support issues and they pimped me out a very nice cross member. All new mounts at each foot, solid steel, high and tight....and they put in new motor mounts, swapped out 1 of the freeze plugs that was bad, did a dual shock stabilizer (this was prior to hydro assist), shimmed up the d60 spring a bit etc.

She rides good!

 

[RckyMntnKng]

After Bucks put thier mark on it, only thing major left to get done was exhaust.

Ran duals out to some quiet mufflers, and did turn downs at the rear axle.

Installed a set of Y pipes and electric cutouts before the mufflers.

Stealth mode quiet or obnoxious loud at the push of a button. One of the funnest things on the rig, love it. Its all tucked up nice and tight.

Utilized some of the room under the rear seats for some drawers. worked out perfect. Its all in the details....they make great beer coolers, um i mean tool boxes.

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Couple updates. (im copy pasting this from the original time frame it occured)

I figured it would happen....The stock steering gearbox wouldnt hold up to the boggers (it was brand new, made it like 500 miles). Pulled it off and sent it to Texas so WTO (West Texas Offroad) could rebuild and port it out / set me up with the Redneck Ram Hydro Assist.

My stock D60 thin diff cover was leaking like a ***** around the flange and was just too warped to salvage - So I picked up a really BEEFY cover from GLO (Great Lakes Offroad) with an integrated drain and rock strap to weld the hydro tabs on.

Works like a charm now, 1 finger steer at all times, not jerky, no play - amazing. Allowed me to ditch the dual stabilizers - and smooth as butter up to 70mph no d-wobble. For now I set up from the cover to the tie-rod and when I go hi-steer later, it will be simple tab moving.

Also lets see - needed a spare carrier bad, and on the cheap. Picked up a tire carrier builders kit from AtoZ Fab - which consisted of a upgraded 1.5" 1200lb spindle, sleeve, races, bearings, grease cap, 8 lug plate, threaded T handle closure etc for $100. Then I took a spare roll bar I had, and cut it up, reinforced it and developed a setup I wanted. Will have better pics later, but I built a bracket to hold the spindle behind the tailgate thats incorporated into the roll bar itself and bolted to the floor. What I wanted to be able to do is have the tailgate down or up and still be able to latch the carrier. so it pivots above the tailgate. Sometimes I strap coolers onto the down tailgate when the cargo area is full and this leaves room on both sides when needed.

Another advantage i found out for this setup...it is very easy to get a heavy tire on and off the carrier when you can set it on the tailgate and bolt/unbolt.
Also the final configuration will have two Nato gas cans and the hi-lift mount.

Wheeled it all weekend - works excellent. Also Im running some 38x15 TSL radials on Recentered H1's with rock rings for the street and milder wheeling.
Pics to come...

Sorry for crap cell pics, will update these later with better.

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Can't believe how much the rear tire and extra gas squatted the azz end of the jimmy. I already put a add-a-leaf in it earlier to level it out...but these TC leafs are just soft.....good for flex although and ride. I ain't having no pre runner 2wd looking low dragging butt..

Fine....not making it any stiffer with another leaf....so u guessed it - 1" rear zero rate going in.

oh the fun - pull driveline, pull shocks, pull tires, pull u bolts, clamp leaves, and add zero, then all back together again for about the 5th time... took me an hour and a half - hmmm a sign that I've done it too much and remember all the bolt sizes and fastest technique with the tools I got.

 

[RckyMntnKng]

First full trip out on with the Jimmy in the midst of a otherwise mostly Jeep run (5-rigs; my Jimmy, a CJ-5, CJ-7, Wrangler, and a Land cruiser)

Took her out to Kimberly mines near Warren Idaho for 4 days.

Damage for the trip was a broken windshield, dented driver rear bedside, ripped off gas cap, and fanned out the leaf pack which sunk the back end on one side. I call that a sucess. Burned a whole tank getting in, and 3 spare cans getting out - running most of the time in low-low on the case

There were stretches of miles straight where she never left the river following out the dredge rivers to old mines.

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Same trip

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Kids and wifey loved it

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Rescued Jeeps all along the way

; we came home on 2 rigs instead of 5. The K5 and the Yoter were the only survivers coming back under there own power.

I was following the CJ-7 and when i came around a corner i saw a tire rolling back towards me. As it got closer i noticed it still had a inner axle attached. One of the retainer clips broke and the tire, hub and shaft walked out the side on it own until there was just a corner draggin the ground on a jeep. It got left while we continued on and went back for it with parts later.

The CJ-5 had a carb / fuel pump issue develop and couldnt climb back out of the lake on way home so it got pulled up via the Land cruiser.

The wrangler lost a starter / alternator - and it was already pulling a trailer with the kitchen and coolers - so I got to pull that one out, in a 3 long setup. Max Fun

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Here is some summer pics of various trips around warren -

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Ive got probably 100 miles on my winch cable at this point; and its not me getting stuck

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Jimmys are fun - especially when you watch others try to follow burnout

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Several very long trips from civilization with too many gas cans caused me to have to get a "long range" kit going - this goes in and out depending on the need.

I mounted up a spare 15 gal metal tank on top of a rack in the back that fits above the tire laying flat in the floor board. This opens up the tail gate for a cooler and ice, and almost doubles the range.

The aux tank refills the main tank via a ball valve and gravity feed to the lower metal elbow between the tank and cap via a nipple i welded in.

When i get down to just below a quarter tank on the dash guage, i stop and throw the valve and in a couple mins she empties and im full again.

I also took the subs and mounted them in the tool boxs. Basically partitioned off and welded a box inside, with sounds wadding and a protective shield. Works really nice and opens up alot of room in the bed. With the under seat boxs and remaining side cargo i have plenty of room for tools and spare fluids and parts.

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Ive been crossing way too many deep rivers and water on the open element air cleaner was not working to my advantage.

I started thinking about a snorkel system last year - and came up with a rough draft that went through the firewall where the heater core used to sit, with a filter mounted behind the glove box basically.

The out side fender version of snorkels wouldnt work in my situation - we squeeze through too many tight spots w/trees and it would get ripped off like my original gas cap.

I took this version out once and although it kept things dry very well, it was undersized for the cfm/air i need at wide open throttle and cruising.

Trial and error

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Go big or go home this time -

One 3" now becomes dual 4" pipes - plenty of air.

I want the filter(s) under the hood again because the first attempt allowed in some gas fumes / smell - going to twin inline cone boxes under the hood i can seal up.

To get the air inlets up higher i went even more drastic. I decided to narrow the glove box a few inches and modify the dash with some extra real estate for a couple of intakes on the inside of the cab. its very easy to throw on an elbow and go up higher from there anytime its needed.

This project is about 3/4 done but the pics show where its at. Right now im recentering the glovebox door latch and button and skinning it out in aluminum diamond plate so it looks stock -

Im feeling good this will fix my water and air problems for good. Thoughts / comments / ideas welcomed

 

[loren]

that tailgate bar is effing brilliant. i've never ever seen that done. only downside is no sitting on the tailgate anymore (comfortably) ..

 

[RckyMntnKng]

that tailgate bar is effing brilliant. i've never ever seen that done. only downside is no sitting on the tailgate anymore (comfortably) ..

Thanks man, its been really usefull - Ive learned:

1) you can never have too many places to bungee too when your loaded.

2) that you almost always will carry things on the tail gate for a trip rather than leave it home..

3) and 9 times out of 10 your cooler is searching for the first opportunity to hit the eject button.

Its hard to find ice machines in the woods, and mountian price for somebody elses extra bag is gonna take a 401k loan to get.

On the down side it makes sitting on the gate a bit uncomfortable - but i left an azz width on either side just in case for special occasions, and with a phillips screwdriver it will come right off when required.

 

[loren]

haha bunch of good reasons for it then

oooo removable, even better. i assumed it was welded.

 

[formercruiserhead]

Nice build, was wondering how tall your rig is? Is your garage door an 8'. I am looking to build one but be able to fit in my 7' door on 35-37's. How tall was it at first with the 36's (rollers)? Thanks.

 

[RckyMntnKng]

Earlier in the build (during the 36" roller stage), I was living in a different house that had a 9' door and plenty of clearance.

I'm currently in a house with only a 7" door and its challenging to fit. Its a temporary residence so I'm making it work the best I can...To fit in the garage I have to keep a spare pair of 31" normal size tires, and changing the back 2 gets me through the door with an extra 1/16" clearance lol.

This process stops me from daily driving it as much as I want, but in the summer she stays out doors a few weeks to be used everyday.

On a side note, the rear portion of my cage is about 2" taller than the front, and if it was level would be an easier fit as well.