Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

LJ cargo tie down

DMopar97

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Jul 29, 2024
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Location
California
I am racing through getting my brand new-to-me previously-stock LJ ready for a 2 week trip cross country (smart right?). I needed good cargo tie down, but wasn’t ready to commit to any design that required drilling holes yet since I haven’t decided on the right long term approach. I designed and cut this out very quickly. Zero re-do’s, zero re measurements. Used scrap pieces. It’s way overbuilt with 1/4” and yet only attaches to 2 bolts, which is probably not ideal. But they are seat and car seat bolts, so hopefully they’re stout enough. I’ve rolled and flopped too many times to feel comfortable relying on bungie straps and gravity. I ratchet strap everything.

Is this design perfect? No. It needs more attachment to the body, and I could have made some better rigidity choices for the bracket itself, but I suspect it will be just fine and probably last forever if I get lazy and never change it. It seems plenty rigid and doesnt seem to flex at the car seat bolt at all. Maybe it will provide some inspiration for others to do something similar.

I am just using the OEM seat bracket for a tie down up front.

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That seems like a sufficient amount of overkill to me.

agreed.

Also, on a completely different topic, I’m looking for a stock TJ front bumper. No plastic bumperettes required. Anywhere along I15 or I70 between California and central colorado.

If anyone has one collecting dust I’d give it a good home.
 
On mine, I noticed there is an unused nutplate nut under the body (in the area of your bracket).
However, you will have to drill a hole in the floor to access it.
I screwed in an eye-bolt on each side.
 
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+10 points for using computer-aided design instead of the more common cardboard-aided design
 
I am racing through getting my brand new-to-me previously-stock LJ ready for a 2 week trip cross country (smart right?). I needed good cargo tie down, but wasn’t ready to commit to any design that required drilling holes yet since I haven’t decided on the right long term approach. I designed and cut this out very quickly. Zero re-do’s, zero re measurements. Used scrap pieces. It’s way overbuilt with 1/4” and yet only attaches to 2 bolts, which is probably not ideal. But they are seat and car seat bolts, so hopefully they’re stout enough. I’ve rolled and flopped too many times to feel comfortable relying on bungie straps and gravity. I ratchet strap everything.

Is this design perfect? No. It needs more attachment to the body, and I could have made some better rigidity choices for the bracket itself, but I suspect it will be just fine and probably last forever if I get lazy and never change it. It seems plenty rigid and doesnt seem to flex at the car seat bolt at all. Maybe it will provide some inspiration for others to do something similar.

I am just using the OEM seat bracket for a tie down up front.

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I like that design. Very nice, simple, and sturdy. Nice job!
 
Any chance you will be producing them for sale?

I appreciate that you like it enough to want to buy it, but I'm not in the business of selling parts. But when I get back I'll report back with how it worked, and maybe I can make the file available for you to get cut on your own at a local shop or something.
 
Hey Folks, just wanted to report back that everything worked great through 2 weeks of rock crawling in utah and coloardo. The bracket hasn't bent, and the car seat tie down bolt hasn't broken/bent (which was the part I was most worried about). I had ~200lbs of gear strapped down wiith ratchet straps, and was at some pretty gnarly angles, and everything stayed put, so I'm happy with it, and I'm leaving it until something about it no longer works. I'm still not interested in selling them, but if you have a plasma cutter, or know someone that does, you'll need some 1/4" plate, and you can get the files from here: https://www.langmuirsystems.com/fir...lj-2004-2005-2006-rear-cargo-tie-down-bracket
old man knee pad not included...

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Enjoy. Happy new year!
 
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I'm curious what kind of parts you've had them create for your TJ?
  • Parts and fixtures for my bumper/rear frame raise project
  • Tiny triangular gussets for my aluminum slider backer project
  • A transmission mounting bracket as part of my Atlas/tummy tuck project
  • Various weld washers that haven't been put in my build thread, yet
  • Stainless steel shims for the transmission mounting (to get the Atlas at just the right height) - also not yet in my build thread
  • My latest, which is due for delivery on Monday, is a brake hose mounting bracket (where the hard lines and flex lines connect on the frame at the front and rear.) I copied the OEM, but in stainless steel (I was surprised not to find one already available.) Here's what it looks like:
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I'm curious what kind of parts you've had them create for your TJ?

Me too, but I can think of several...
Tie-downs, gussets, dash/door panels, seat brackets (for upgrading to different seats), to name a few things.
It never occurred to me that outsourcing these small projects would be profitible, but if they have the equipment, it isn't making any money while it's turned off.

There's a co-op type of place near me called Urban Workshop that has a ton of tools, CNC equipment, etc. that you can rent.

They are an interesting concept in that they have classes to teach you how to use certain tools, then you can book time on their tools. They have things ranging from table saws to CNC machines, welders, and vehicle lifts.

Sadly, they don't have 3D scanning capabilities, which shoots my project idea in the rump.

Anyway, now I'm on the hunt for a shop similar to SendCutSend that works with molded plastic like acrylic or polycarb.
If anyone has a recommendation, please share.
 
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Anyway, now I'm on the hunt for a shop similar to SendCutSend that works with molded plastic like acrylic or polycarb.
If anyone has a recommendation, please share.
I'm not sure whether you mean injection molding or vacuum forming (or something else), but Xometry.com would be the first place I'd look. They're a little different than SendCutSend, in that, it's a network of individual shops across the globe that bid on your job. SendCutSend is more of a one-stop-shop, at least from the consumer's viewpoint. I used Xometry to have some bumper recovery points machined (in China - the horror!) for my LJ build.
 
Vacuum forming is probably the best approach for my project.
I have some hand guards and wind deflectors that I want to duplicate in dark blue polycarbonate (to match the windscreen) for the Harley... so it's super back-burner stuff.
 
Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts