Exactly the reason I want to do the midarm and outboard all in one surgery. I wouldn't have to deal with the frame side trackbar bracket.
05 Flame Red TJ Build
- Thread starter JMT
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Exactly the reason I want to do the midarm and outboard all in one surgery. I wouldn't have to deal with the frame side trackbar bracket.
@Apparition. I keep going back to that quote by blaine. I'm inclined to just midarm and outboard. It doesn't seem the juice is worth the squeeze to stretch, and is probably a step back rather than a step forward.
The ideal location for the upper shock mount requires modification of the track bar frame bracket. Triangulated rear eliminates the track bar.
I remember responding to another forum post of a dude in Europe that couldn’t legally stretch and asked if he could still build it well on 35s. My assumption of reading and watching this forum was that with the outboard and mid arm that it wasn’t necessary but still preferred when pushing the limits of it. With him not even able to legally stretch but still can build up to that point I responded to something like don’t worry about the stretch just do every else you can.
I got alot of heat for that and was told something like, people don’t know what’s better since they’ve never done it so they shouldn’t speak up for it. To which the conclusion was 99-100 wb even build properly with outboard and mid arm would still see benifits.
All that being said is just what I took from many conversations but like those conversations I have no experience in either mid arm or outboard as well as stretch to give an opinion directly.
I’ll be interesting to hear more and what you do end up doing. I mean jjvw is stretching even after outboard and mid arm so it’s got to have some significance, curious to see how much though.
I got alot of heat for that and was told something like, people don’t know what’s better since they’ve never done it so they shouldn’t speak up for it. To which the conclusion was 99-100 wb even build properly with outboard and mid arm would still see benifits.
All that being said is just what I took from many conversations but like those conversations I have no experience in either mid arm or outboard as well as stretch to give an opinion directly.
I’ll be interesting to hear more and what you do end up doing. I mean jjvw is stretching even after outboard and mid arm so it’s got to have some significance, curious to see how much though.
Yeah, I noticed jjvw stretch plans. It’s one reason I’m making these queries. I think stretching gives more stability. That seems to be the case on steep climbs. I don’t know if there are any other benefits. And what are the drawbacks? Blaine indicated more cons than pros with stretching. I just want to understand more why a stretch would be considered a viable modification if there’s more cons than pros. The midarm seems to be the most important. But if a stretch is an improvement in more ways than one then it should be done at the same time.
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Here we have tight trails and we have rocks at Naches. I’m also a person who just needs a project and is chasing perfection, but perfection for what on this platform? I’ve discovered that my real wheelin is destination based. Go to Moab, the Rubicon, Fordyce. I love rock crawling. I have done mud and don’t care for it at all. Bores me.
Honestly if you’re not being scared shitless that you’re going to flip over backwards on waterfalls on a regular basis I wouldn’t bother stretching. Waterfalls are really what the stretched wheelbase is for in our application because the midarm and outboard provide plenty of stability for our SWB Jeeps. While 100”ish WB seems to be the consensus sweet spot for 35s, the gas tank complicates things a lot. I’ve got a lot of big waterfalls out here but until a better gas tank solution comes up, I just pull cable the few times a longer wheelbase really makes or breaks a climb.
I think I’m settling into the idea of a midarm and outboarding. Doing a stretch the right way involves some compromises I’m not ready to make, though understanding how it is done right has been helpful.
This is a normal summer day here. Lots of great places around here to paddle board. The Little Spokane is a gorgeous river. Today we’ll go to the mighty Spokane. It’s about 3 minutes from house to the put in. The Cove can be nice. Priest Lake beautiful. I’ll put up some pics later.
Yep. Many compromises unfortunately. I keep trying to figure out a way around them but it’s tough, especially with stock width axles and coil springs. It’s either use a stretch tank under the rig and get a less than satisfying amount of stretch. Put a fuel cell in the rig and get all that comes with that. Build a custom gas tank to minimize any compromises but requires lots of time and money. One day I’ll probably end up with a fuel cell but it probably won’t be until I have another vehicle.
Learn to tig weld and DIY. It’s something I’m thinking about. There’s a pattern out there. Can’t see it as a DD with a family, but possibly in a low reg state without kids. Done right it’s the way to go. Under the rig approaches make compromises, unless you can find a space under there.
Wider axles can solve space problems. That’s another can of worms. Thought about that one. Means this rig would be a dedicated trail rig.
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I finished countersinking the bolts on the slider backing and slider step and painting. I wanted the bolts to match the slider like the bolts match the corner armor, so I painted them satin black and dipped them in 2K clear. I also had to paint the countersink holes. I 2K cleared them too. Looks clean, inconspicuous, and will hopefully hold up better against rust than the button heads that kept damaging the paint.
UKTJ
TJ Addict
Just catching up on one of my all time favourite build threads, I love an occassional trip back to page one just to see the full effect. Not seen much on the twins' Jeep recently @JMT, are they content with where they are or just too busy to work on Jeeps at the moment.
That may have been me, in the UK doing anything to the frame is all but impossible. If it was apologies if trying to help meant you got some grief. I have now concluded that probably biggest limitation that not touching the frame causes is that you can't outboard the rear shocks, as I have never seen that done without cutting into the frame.
That may have been me, in the UK doing anything to the frame is all but impossible. If it was apologies if trying to help meant you got some grief. I have now concluded that probably biggest limitation that not touching the frame causes is that you can't outboard the rear shocks, as I have never seen that done without cutting into the frame.
I’ve been lazy. I’ll post an update on one of the twins Jeep’s. He’s had some things going on.
This one KM3 has had so many problems. It had a small sidewall tear that I patched just for precaution before Moab. Patch was coming off so I added some more glue today.
Then I had them balanced a couple weeks ago and they pointed out this inner sidewall compromise.
We didn’t pull it out for fear it would leak air. Then this morning I saw this nail.
I pulled the nail out and it had not gone all the way through, so that was good news. Then I pulled the material out of the inner sidewall. It’s some kind of plastic, but malleable. Strange.
Followed the directions on my GlueTread to patch the inner sidewall. Clean, glue edges, clean, sand, clean, then glue the patch on.
I could have used the accelerator, but I’ll just wait an hour since I’m in no hurry. Then I’ll air it back up and keep going.
Then I had them balanced a couple weeks ago and they pointed out this inner sidewall compromise.
We didn’t pull it out for fear it would leak air. Then this morning I saw this nail.
I pulled the nail out and it had not gone all the way through, so that was good news. Then I pulled the material out of the inner sidewall. It’s some kind of plastic, but malleable. Strange.
Followed the directions on my GlueTread to patch the inner sidewall. Clean, glue edges, clean, sand, clean, then glue the patch on.
I could have used the accelerator, but I’ll just wait an hour since I’m in no hurry. Then I’ll air it back up and keep going.
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I would, but I’m down to 12/32’s. I usually get a new set at 9/32’s and sell the old set. I can’t sell these as a set due to that one tire. I don’t know what to do. I am still undecided on beadlocks and going to a 17” wheel too. I’ll probably never be able to decide.
17” tires are crazy expensive ~$380-480/tire. I’ll probably just stay with a 15”, but I can never decide. One day I’ll be forced when 15’s become too rare. I sound ridiculous. 
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