Help identifying this wheel arch storage box

[MikekiM]

Tuffy does offer some pads I think that could fit on the storage bins. You don't have to use the speaker area or you can put some 4" mids in there to add some filler.

Still not working for me. Something about the contoured design of the Bestop version that look like they are actually supposed to be there.

My hobby is one off boat building, and this can be done.

It is, however, a big process and quite expensive to create the mold. This then leads to a high cost per item. X2 because the 2 sides.

If there was a commitment for 10-12 sets, the price could (could) be somewhat palatable. It will not be anywhere close to a plastic injection production model.

What would make it more affordable would be if someone 3D printed one and that was used to create the mold. That would shave a whole bunch of hours building the plug.

That's COOL... You might find enough people on here who want a set since this seems to come up every couple of years.

I am interested enough to explore the idea of buying a set if they could be made. I like them in the injected molded plastic configuration and would like them even more if they were fiberglass.

Sadly, I lack the skills to make a mold or 3D print a set.

 

[Oneslowtj]

I would possibly be interested

 

[Head Lice]

If you guys ever want to make them again… let us know please . I’m sure a lot of people will buy as tuffy version is a bit much for me !!

They look like something that would be an option from Jeep.

 

[AVGodZ]

I would be interested..

 

[WestCoastDan]

I wish someone would use a good set as a mold and make new versions from fiberglass. They could be carpeted or painted to match, with actual upholstery on the lids too.

My hobby is one off boat building, and this can be done.

It is, however, a big process and quite expensive to create the mold. This then leads to a high cost per item. X2 because the 2 sides.

If there was a commitment for 10-12 sets, the price could (could) be somewhat palatable. It will not be anywhere close to a plastic injection production model.

What would make it more affordable would be if someone 3D printed one and that was used to create the mold. That would shave a whole bunch of hours building the plug.

Cost (time more specifically) is exactly why I would use a good set as a mold/plug rather than going to the effort & cost of printing the mold/plug.

 

[DuckNut]

Cost (time more specifically) is exactly why I would use a good set as a mold/plug rather than going to the effort & cost of printing the mold/plug.

If an owner of one of these pieces could be found, I would need to have a conversation with him/her.

 

[LONGJP2]

Maybe you could get Jscherb involved in a design.

@jscherb

 

[rjaym]

That’s a great option for a tj or lj - surprised they didn’t sell more

 

[DeltaNu1142]

Sadly, I lack the skills to make a mold or 3D print a set.

I’m interested in working on this. I’ve done a handful of original 3D print designs that have worked out really well. But while I’ve been involved with fiberglass repair (boats/pontoons), I don’t know anything about fiberglassing over a mold.

I think the fact that Bestop considered the soft top frame in its design is pretty cool. But I have a frameless top and that channel would just be wasted space on my LJ.

 

[jscherb]

Maybe you could get Jscherb involved in a design.

OK, I'll bite...

Making fender boxes in fiberglass would be fairly straightforward. I wouldn't mess with 3d printing a mold master (or "plug" as some people call it) for these because it would be a challenge to exactly match the curve of the inner fenders starting from scratch with CAD unless you've got a 3d scanner. I would make the pattern for the inner fender curve right on the Jeep. I did a similar thing when I was making the front and rear flat fenders for the JK/JKU. I'll explain the process, but first a final photo of the fenders:

Unlike the TJ with its flat sides, the JKs fenders mount in a very contoured recess in the body. This is the recess for a rear fender:

It would have been very difficult to recreate that in CAD from scratch for 3d printing, so I molded a pattern right on the Jeep.

The first step was masking off the area not to be molded:

Then I applied mold release and sprayed gelcoat and built up layers of fiberglass mat+resin:

Once the fiberglass cured, I popped the rough flanges off the Jeep and trimmed them. I now had perfectly fitting mounting flanges for the fenders. BTW the photo above that shows the body-side recess before masking - I took that photo after I molded the flanges and removed the masking to show that parts can be molded right on the body with no damage to the body.

I'll switch to the front fenders now because I don't have a photo of this step for the rears. I bolted the flange to the body and built mockup fenders out of cardboard. This allowed me to perfect the final look and the cardboard provided cutting templates for the next step, which was to build the rest of the mold master out of MDF - they're flat fenders so flat, smooth MDF was perfect for this task, and would be perfect for building the body of the fender box in question.

Once I had the MDF masters done with the fiberglass flanges epoxied to the back of them, I put a nice finish on them, made molds, and molded the final fenders in those molds.

The same process can be done to make a perfectly fitting inner fender box. Mold the profile of the inner fender like I did with the fender flanges, use cardboard to build the box on top of that profile, use the cardboard as templates to make the box in MDF, put a nice finish on the MDF and make a mold. Then mold as many fender boxes as you like using that mold.

For this post I've skipped a few of the finer points that would be required for a fender box and the mold making process but if anyone is going to do this project I can provide more guidance.

I can't do the project myself because I don't have a TJ, I've only got an LJ.

 

[jscherb]

A couple more options... I've done some things in my LJ that might give people some ideas for the TJ.

I have trays just in front of the roll bars that I use to hold an ammo can and my auxiliary battery. Platforms like this could be designed for the TJ, and ammo cans used instead of a custom box.

The seat belt is wrapped behind the battery just for the photo above, the seat belt does work normally.

A TJ tray would have to have longer legs in the front because the fenders are shorter and the tray would overhang beyond the somewhat flat area on top of the fender.

I gave the tray designs to MORryde some years ago but they decided there wouldn't be enough demand for them to make them worth producing.

The battery box was very large so I removed it and I made a cover for the battery out of old soft top fabric; I did the one for the battery to protect the battery and of course had to sew one for the ammo can on the other side to match. What the battery and ammo can look like with the soft top covers:

While it's not on top of the inner fender, another thing I've done in the LJ is use Overland Outfitters "Saddlebags", one can be seen in the photo above. They attach to the hardtop bolt holes (turns out the spacing of the holes is the same as the JKU), and can be removed by unzipping them from the attachment. They fit nicely on the side of the seat and even make nice armrests for rear seat passengers. A few more photos of a Saddlebag in the LJ and an ammo can in the tray...

These Saddlebags only work in the LJ because there isn't enough room between the front of the inner fender and the back of the rear seat in the TJ, but I did propose to Overland Outfitters that they do a TJ Saddlebag that mounts on top of the fender. Not having a TJ, I took a photo of a TJ inner fender in a junkyard and put together this rough concept image:

They decided there wouldn't be enough demand for a TJ Saddlebag so they nixed the idea. But it's a very workable idea and I know some of you have sewing machines so it's another option.

 

[MikekiM]

I’m interested in working on this. I’ve done a handful of original 3D print designs that have worked out really well. But while I’ve been involved with fiberglass repair (boats/pontoons), I don’t know anything about fiberglassing over a mold.

I think the fact that Bestop considered the soft top frame in its design is pretty cool. But I have a frameless top and that channel would just be wasted space on my LJ.

Frameless here as well but not surprised Bestop accounted for the frame when they produced the boxes. Those boxes are exactly what I want.

I would commit to a set if this project gets rolling, and would help any way I could.

@jscherb... You're hired! Kidding, but only a little.

I have a sewing machine (I prefer to call it a Thread Injector.. sounds a little more manly) but my sewing skills are honed for ultra light fabrics for backpacking gear.. as is my machine.

 

[DeltaNu1142]

I wouldn't mess with 3d printing a mold master (or "plug" as some people call it) for these because it would be a challenge to exactly match the curve of the inner fenders starting from scratch with CAD unless you've got a 3d scanner

3D modeling can be time-consuming, certainly. What I've done successfully in previous projects is to create templates in cardboard, then scan them and use them as a skeleton for the 3D model. That would probably be how I'd tackle this for the LJ... but it's probably also a case of everything looking like a nail when I'm holding a hammer.

It's very iterative, but by tweaking and printing and re-tweaking portions of the project as you go, the results can be really good.

Platforms like this could be designed for the TJ, and ammo cans used instead of a custom box.

The first hangup I had in considering this was, how do we handle the door, latch, and hinge?

As someone who has never run rear windows and has a kid who has adopted the Dukes-of-Hazzard method of entry into the rear seat, I want something 1) robust enough to stand on, and 2) level with the tub top rail.

I considered just using an ammo box lid. I haven't discounted it yet... but obviously a longer lid with a hinge on the long edge like the Bestop box would be preferable.

 

[DuckNut]

After thinking about it, building a 1 off will be the best route. I am going to move forward with this. Give me some time fellas and I'll get working on it.

Once I have a working model, I'll get input as to what you guys suggest. Then I'll finish it up and have a working prototype.

 

[MikekiM]

3D modeling can be time-consuming, certainly. What I've done successfully in previous projects is to create templates in cardboard, then scan them and use them as a skeleton for the 3D model. That would probably be how I'd tackle this for the LJ... but it's probably also a case of everything looking like a nail when I'm holding a hammer.

It's very iterative, but by tweaking and printing and re-tweaking portions of the project as you go, the results can be really good.

The first hangup I had in considering this was, how do we handle the door, latch, and hinge?

As someone who has never run rear windows and has a kid who has adopted the Dukes-of-Hazzard method of entry into the rear seat, I want something 1) robust enough to stand on, and 2) level with the tub top rail.

I considered just using an ammo box lid. I haven't discounted it yet... but obviously a longer lid with a hinge on the long edge like the Bestop box would be preferable.

After thinking about it, building a 1 off will be the best route. I am going to move forward with this. Give me some time fellas and I'll get working on it.

Once I have a working model, I'll get input as to what you guys suggest. Then I'll finish it up and have a working prototype.

FWIW... I have a TJ.. not an LJ.

The strong lid makes sense, but my daughter and wife have almost entirely given up getting the Jeep. Mixed emotions on my part.

I am soft top all year. I just another spot that might give a would-be thief pause. It doesn't have to be Fort Knox.

 

[DuckNut]

FWIW... I have a TJ.. not an LJ.

The strong lid makes sense, but my daughter and wife have almost entirely given up getting the Jeep. Mixed emotions on my part.

I am soft top all year. I just another spot that might give a would-be thief pause. It doesn't have to be Fort Knox.

I will make it for my LJ. Cut a piece out and use it for the TJ

 

[DeltaNu1142]

Yeah, if I go down this road, it’ll be (selfishly) for a topless LJ. From there, we’ll see.

@DuckNut , if you want to collab on this, let me know.

 

[DuckNut]

Does anyone know how to save this thread so I don't lose it?

 

[DeltaNu1142]

Does anyone know how to save this thread so I don't lose it?

Somewhere on this page is a “Watch” button. Click that. Then you can go under the Forum menu and click “Watched Threads” anytime you want to get back to it.

You can also set it up in your profile somewhere that any threads you comment on automatically get watched. I do that.

 

[DuckNut]

Somewhere on this page is a “Watch” button. Click that. Then you can go under the Forum menu and click “Watched Threads” anytime you want to get back to it.

You can also set it up in your profile somewhere that any threads you comment on automatically get watched. I do that.

Thank you