congratulations on the little one!
Jeep is looking great, what are you hauling on the rear hitch?
Jeep is looking great, what are you hauling on the rear hitch?
4-cylinder cross country crawler build
- Thread starter The4bangertj
- Start date
Got time to do my new skid. Skid is a 3/8 6061 t6 under cover fab 1inch deep diy skid. I used a genright universal cross member as a base. Cut off, grinded down and welded on jk control arm bushings rather than the poly bushings it came with. That also required modifying the tabs on the frame since the barrel is larger it needed more space off the frame. The holes on the bracket to mounts to the transmission also didn’t line up at all. Assuming they don’t expect anyone with a 4cyl to do this kind of mod. I had to do weird drilling and weld washers to raise the back 2 bolt mounting area.
I tack welded the exhaust hanger bushing to it but I need to fine a bolt on solution so I can remove the cross member without moving the exhaust since the cross member needs to move down while the exhaust has to move forward to be free. My exhaust will need to be modified to work with the engine skid so I’ll make sure it’s done before then.
Used some tabs with nut serts and some aluminum blocks to hold up all the lines that run along the frame.
I tack welded the exhaust hanger bushing to it but I need to fine a bolt on solution so I can remove the cross member without moving the exhaust since the cross member needs to move down while the exhaust has to move forward to be free. My exhaust will need to be modified to work with the engine skid so I’ll make sure it’s done before then.
Used some tabs with nut serts and some aluminum blocks to hold up all the lines that run along the frame.
Little project I’ve been wanting to do for ever. My current upper shock bolts need to be re done and the shock itself needs be to 1 inch shorter.
The stock rear upper shock bolts have been broken off for a while. I drilled new holes to the side of the old spots and used a bolt and nut to hold the bolt on the cross member then another nut to hold the shock. This added length of the nut wasn’t good, it would often pop out one side of the shock because the material to hold on the shock was so little so I’d hear a clunk on big bump. The old shock travel was just under 4inch of travel and my bump stops are just over 4inches. I could feel it on some big hits
So removed the old shocks, removed the bolt bolts, tried to punch and dremel off the old welded nuts. I got one off on the passenger side which was the side that needed it most. Drilled new holes and dropped in the new bolts with no added nut for thickness. New shocks are almost an inch shorter so now once done I’m at 5inch of shock travel exactly. 4-4.25 to bump stops. Matches the front now with the same amount of up travel.
Got my diff covers so I’ll throw those on next weekend. I also have some killmatt and armorlite flooring which I’ll throw in on my off Friday.
The stock rear upper shock bolts have been broken off for a while. I drilled new holes to the side of the old spots and used a bolt and nut to hold the bolt on the cross member then another nut to hold the shock. This added length of the nut wasn’t good, it would often pop out one side of the shock because the material to hold on the shock was so little so I’d hear a clunk on big bump. The old shock travel was just under 4inch of travel and my bump stops are just over 4inches. I could feel it on some big hits
So removed the old shocks, removed the bolt bolts, tried to punch and dremel off the old welded nuts. I got one off on the passenger side which was the side that needed it most. Drilled new holes and dropped in the new bolts with no added nut for thickness. New shocks are almost an inch shorter so now once done I’m at 5inch of shock travel exactly. 4-4.25 to bump stops. Matches the front now with the same amount of up travel.
Got my diff covers so I’ll throw those on next weekend. I also have some killmatt and armorlite flooring which I’ll throw in on my off Friday.
Last edited:
Added some sound deadening to all the spots that are not flat bottom. So In the front I did the trans tunnel, upper foot well, the seat mount spots. In the rear I forgot to take a pic but I did the wheel wells and 2 strips up the middle of the floor. So shouldn’t have any issue with water since I’m so worried about water getting in anyways I think this is already cautious. On top of it I did armorlite. The front 3 sections are 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick which is amazing, while the rear 3 sections are more like 1/4 inch thick. Had to do some trimming but they fit great. The plugs are my only gripe. They’re short. They’ll prob tell me the sections arnt fitted right or something but the thickness of the material is nearly the thickness of the plugs. So I can pop them on but they’ll pop out pretty easy. Ima see if I can get them to not pop out after some time in the sun and it fitting to my jeep but if I can’t get them I’ll get my buddy to 3d print some new plugs that are longer out of tpu.
Havnt driven it yet but hoping the vibration drone is better and some better heat since after long drives was super bad. I still need to add my heat shield under the tub to help even more. Just tapping on the tub from under it sounds sooo much better as well as you can tell just talking in the jeep how less echoing it is.
Havnt driven it yet but hoping the vibration drone is better and some better heat since after long drives was super bad. I still need to add my heat shield under the tub to help even more. Just tapping on the tub from under it sounds sooo much better as well as you can tell just talking in the jeep how less echoing it is.
Had some time to drive it now. Still driving it with halfdoors and windows out but now I have no drone and can hear the speakers much better even when the road noise and exhaust is still being loud. Got 3 of the 4 plugs to stay in. Front passenger plug fits well but will pop out after some time. I expect it to stay in soon after more settling and heat to conform it.
Added a leather shift boot which just makes the inside match the leather steering wheel.
Added a leather shift boot which just makes the inside match the leather steering wheel.
Drove with the top up in the rain now. Soft top, sound deadening, and armorlite is quieter than when I ran hardtop, full doors, and carpet. It is very nice. No heat coming up with my 30min drives which normally has a lot of heat by then. Very impressed and happy. Also got word the fenders are getting wrapped up. So excited for that.
Flux. Specifically the base fender for the removable flares. Not sure when the flares will be made but I’m not super worried since this year they passed New Hampshire law that removed annual inspections which was the biggest problem and I’ve been driving around without rear flares since installing the new corners without issues (also waiting for the rear flares before I drill any new holes in the corner armor).
I received Flux's fenders a couple weeks ago - haven't had time to open the box yet...
Similar threads
