Daily Driver, Go Where I Want To Build

I liked the way Hendrix re-worked them so they fit better. Just not a fan of how they hack them on the stock fender portion.
I've been discussing this a bit with a local guy with MCEs. Can you imagine a diy AEV-style MCE highline? :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: bobthetj03
Thanks! My guess was pretty good. If anything I need to move my line a little further out from the hood.
Glad I could help. Cant wait to see your take on the design.
 
Glad I could help. Cant wait to see your take on the design.
At the moment, I'm mostly interested in what does what. And I need to refresh myself on a few details of what and where the clearance issues are on stock fenders.
 
Great research being done here, following as I like MCEs and curious about additional tire clearance they provide.
My immediate goal is to get a decent estimate of that clearance. It won't be much, certainly not comparable to a real highline.
 
My immediate goal is to get a decent estimate of that clearance. It won't be much, certainly not comparable to a real highline.
Right, will always have to deal with the hood. My interest stems from the likely bad idea of fitting 35s under MCEs with my current OME 2.5+1.25BL suspension. Won't happen anytime soon but always kicking around the idea. Also like the MCEs as my jeep mostly runs woods trails with lots of tight trees.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT and tworley
I didn't get a chance to cycle the suspension like I wanted to. But the driver's side tie rod is flipped now. This raises the tie rod about 2.5" at the knuckle.
1912fdc446d2b66a337bbb80f92da1e2.jpg

6287c9915600b0b2e9a19bef4d8aec96.jpg


I ran the axle up the full hard bump and everything still clears everything else. Just barely.

c93979e39eab351598aecc1b0e4342ea.jpg

5fc1c252a60f3eb3f65cf28cf5f1e29c.jpg
 
I love the CJ-7 tailgate look! It's something I'd like to do, but that would mean finding a way to mount my spare. I know there are lots of options for that though...
 
I love the CJ-7 tailgate look! It's something I'd like to do, but that would mean finding a way to mount my spare. I know there are lots of options for that though...
Because not being able to open the tailgate from the outside and having to lean over something to reach anything on the inside is worth the look, not.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjvw
Because not being able to open the tailgate from the outside and having to lean over something to reach anything on the inside is worth the look, not.
I'm aware of the functionality issues. I have few vague ideas on how to minimize the reach by allowing the gate to fold down past flat. A spare tire is also a real issue which may be why the cj7 gate may never happen.
 
Another thing that happened today was this snubber to keep the tire carrier from bouncing and breaking itself apart like it did last Spring.
738588ff22776787e8afacd7d9372eb9.jpg

4bad1ca3396e5de1bf3495fe61bc5bd3.jpg


It really is necessary with a swing out and not at all conducive to a nice drop down gate. Before a gate change can be a consideration, I need to come to terms with what to do about this swing out carrier.
 
My immediate goal is to get a decent estimate of that clearance. It won't be much, certainly not comparable to a real highline.
I can tell you with my set up (35's mce's 4" s.l. and 1.25" b.l.) that with 3" of total bumpstop (based on the front shock length and coil bind) the 35's have about 2" of clearance on the top of the tire to the fenders. The only spot I rub is on on of the bolt heads at the back of the inner fender and only at full steering lock. I plan to replace that bolt with a button head Allen tomorrow. And that is with MTR's that have about 5k on them. I suspect that as the tire wears they wouldn't rub anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jjvw
I can tell you with my set up (35's mce's 4" s.l. and 1.25" b.l.) that with 3" of total bumpstop (based on the front shock length and coil bind) the 35's have about 2" of clearance on the top of the tire to the fenders. The only spot I rub is on on of the bolt heads at the back of the inner fender and only at full steering lock. I plan to replace that bolt with a button head Allen tomorrow. And that is with MTR's that have about 5k on them. I suspect that as the tire wears they wouldn't rub anymore.
 
Good to see you here!

If I reverse engineer your numbers based on my 33s and ~1.5" bump stops (1.375" + the Rubicon axle pad), that means there would be about 1.5" between the tire and underside of the fender at full bump. That about matches my memory. The next question to answer is how much the MCE flare would allow the tire to flex above the remaining fender (hood line). If it's an inch before bending the flare too much, then that should mean I could fit another inch of tire radius without charging my bump stops very much, if at all. Tire width, backspacing and the final shock travel will also play into how this goes together.

As far as the diy AEV fender mod is concerned, I found several YouTube videos with good shots of the end result. Like you said, the area around the headlights is not good. And I don't want to get into that kind of body work and paint to make them look decent. I'm almost certainly not going to pursue that. Which leaves me with MCE.

I need to pull my springs again and do what I wanted to do earlier today.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: tomtaylz
I believe the MCE's will flex at least 1" if not more. I can give them a test tomorrow. I did a full flex test on my front suspension today. I have 9" travel shocks on the front. I am getting 4.5" of up travel. And 4.5" of drop. with the shock disconnected I get another 2" of drop before the spring unseats
 
  • Like
Reactions: IPerkWVU and jjvw
I believe the MCE's will flex at least 1" if not more. I can give them a test tomorrow. I did a full flex test on my front suspension today. I have 9" travel shocks on the front. I am getting 4.5" of up travel. And 4.5" of drop. with the shock disconnected I get another 2" of drop before the spring unseats
The MCE'S will flex a full 1" with no issues. At about 1.25" they start to pull up on the inner fender where they attach. I pushed it to 1.5" of upwards flex on the fender before I felt it was going to start bending the inner fender where it attaches.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT and jjvw
Do you ever regret not getting an LJ?

Seems like all the serious offroad people always want to build LJs. I guess the longer wheelbase is more desirable? I'm a newbie to this all, so mostly just curious.
 
do you ever regret not getting an LJ?

seems like all the serious offroad people always want LJs.
The extra cargo space would be nice to have. The longer rear drive shaft would have made some parts of the build easier. I haven't found myself often enough where I thought the extra wheelbase would have helped. Overall in life I prefer a smaller vehicle, so I like what I have. The Jeep is easy to parallel park, which I appreciate. Whether or not I'm serious off-road people is a whole other discussion. :)