I need the roll cage and the shade, but I liked the way it looked more without it. I put the windshield down and it brings back that classic look.
PXL_20260315_170935702~2.webp
 
I need the roll cage and the shade, but I liked the way it looked more without it. I put the windshield down and it brings back that classic look.
View attachment 677491

Wow, I’ve been seeing a bunch of beautiful Sedona pictures lately. What trails do you like out there, jeepable level, if one were to do a roadtrip?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman
Wow, I’ve been seeing a bunch of beautiful Sedona pictures lately. What trails do you like out there, jeepable level, if one were to do a roadtrip?

Broken Arrow for sure, but all of the trails here are fun and beautiful. There is nothing terribly challenging
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman
Since I sold my truck last year, the gpw had to pick up some of the slack. Home Depot run
PXL_20260317_234052641.webp
PXL_20260317_233729154.webp


15 bricks at a time, and garden soil, so about 350# at a time. It's enough to make the rear sag about 1.5"
 
So I knew my fan blade was bent and out of balance from the begining, but I just really didn't think too much of it... well. Within 1000 miles it destroyed my water pump. When hot, it would whine and coolant would drip from the pulley. So i needed a new water pump. I upgraded to a nice hi flow unit from FlowKooler. It claims the modern design impeller blades move 50% more coolant at idle. Then I went to purchase a new metal fan blade... and thats where our story today starts.

I've always wanted to put an electric fan on something, so when I saw that a quality replacement metal fan was $120+ I decided to start looking into electric options. Its actually a pretty common upgrade in the flat fender world. So i ordered a 14" Derale 1850 CFM puller.

With the stock fan, I didn't run a shroud. Never needed it. Even in AZ the little jeep never got above 185 even on really hot days. But I wanted to have the most efficient cooling system I could come up with. So I took a scrap piece of 18g aluminum and decided to learn how to make a fan shroud.
PXL_20260408_190707714.webp

I measured, drew everything up and bent the flanges.

PXL_20260408_174021968.webp


I don't have a sheet metal brake, so I just clamped the sheet down on a sharp edge and hammered it with a soft dead blow hammer.
PXL_20260408_175423045.webp


PXL_20260409_171120417.webp


Made some brackets and brazed them to the radiator. I had never done this before, but I watched a few vids on Alumiweld rods. You can use map gas or even propane to heat it up.
PXL_20260412_154239775.webp

We will see how it holds.

PXL_20260412_154149990.webp


Cleaned up the surface with 220 grit DA and red scotchbright.

PXL_20260412_154520469.webp


PXL_20260412_154607813.webp


The new setup tucks in there perfectly. Just need to wire it up now.
 
After a few days of driving, I'm happy with the updated cooling system. its quieter, idles noticeably smoother, and runs about 10 degrees cooler than it did with the mechanical fan. The thermostat is 160, so I programed the Holley Sniper to turn on low at 170, and high at 190, So far Its been hovering around 172. With the mechanical fan, it was closer to 182.

The lack of vibration at idle really highlights just how out of balance the stock fan was. No wonder it destroyed the water pump. Its also surprising how much noise the mechanical fan made. I can't even hear the electric except when Idling and its not loud at all.
 
Although I had a disc brake converstion, the little flat fender was hard to stop. I had purchased very cheap brake pads and never bedded them in properly. So I needed to take the glaze off the rotors before installing new Powerstop pads.

Is this madness or genius?


View: https://youtube.com/shorts/CnYfyQSYgzE?feature=share
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman and kmas0n
That's sick! I love cantilever suspension. Does the pivot tube have locking hubs that lock it like a swaybar as well?

I would have liked to do that, but I had to keep everything miniature, so I used trailer spindles for the pivots. Also, because everything was so tight, the axle would have hit the sway bar on full compression.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wildman
I would have liked to do that, but I had to keep everything miniature, so I used trailer spindles for the pivots. Also, because everything was so tight, the axle would have hit the sway bar on full compression.

Fair enough. What do you use for spring/shocks? I love the system but I haven't actually done a ton of research into the technical side of it all.