Toyota PU style cross member!

Tug-n-pull · #1 (**permalink**) 09-16-2003, 09:32 PM

OK the belly pan was shot. Replaced it with a cross member made from a length of 2" x 4" Channel welded to two short lengths of 2" x 2" square tubeing built up an extra 1/4" to give it the right heigth. The new member runs just under the tranny mount and bolts directly to the mounts. We were able to fish 2ea. 1/2" grade 5 bolts through the frame on each side and hook her all up nice and solid. This idea came from the bottom of a Toyota 4x4 Truck that just happen to be at the garage when we were figuren it out.

Talk about given a jeep a different feel in the off road. Took it out for a test run today and it did great crossing over some large ruts and dips. I had the member rubbing the ground and it slid over no problem. I will feel better once we get the job completed and I have a nice coustom belly armor.

There is no give in the shifters at all now it sets so soilid. Befor the belly pan would move with the torque of the engin. Now going to build another member futher up front at or near the motor mounts. From the two I plan to fab up some sort of belly pan to protect the oil pan and every thing else back to the rear edge of the tranny.

With the new ring gear it starts up and sounds so soft and sweet when she turns over. You know I may learn to like this ol CJ. My son Will says it is starting to take shape. Thant is a big word of encouragement coming from him. Best part I only have about $200.00 bucks in the whole fix Ring gear fab work and labor all. Tug

MudderChuck · #2 (**permalink**) 09-16-2003, 11:13 PM

Just an idea, but not mine, saw another guy do it and it worked really well. Instead of a metal pan, he made metal supports and put like a 12 ply marine type sheet of plywood down there. Actually worked better than sheet steel and had some give to it. Never did break it, doesn´t dent, just a thought. Painted it with, Bitumin, looked like steel.

Snitty · #3 (**permalink**) 09-17-2003, 12:09 AM

i'm all about custom fabrication... i like when people go "where the hell did you get that" and you can say you made it

BakedAlaskan · #4 (**permalink**) 09-17-2003, 08:06 AM

Right on Tug, sounds like it IS all coming together. I also like to fab stuff especially when it work out better then the original. SCHWEEEEET!!!

Quote:

You know I may learn to like this ol CJ.

Heheheheheheee,.........I could have told ya they are slightly addicting. So easy to tweek, fab, adjust, mod...and they are built by AMC. The last company to build things to make them as strong and reliable as possible.
(Not that they were Honda or nothing) But it is way better then things built with the "make it as cheap as we can get away with" attitude of todays rides.
Almost everything I learned on 3/4 and one ton Ford and Chevys in Alaska translates to Old CJ's.

Of course I am kind of partial.

redrooster · #5 (**permalink**) 09-17-2003, 08:40 AM

Did you do away with the torque arm on the transfer case? If so what style mounts did you use polyurethane or rubber?

Tug-n-pull · #6 (**permalink**) 09-17-2003, 04:34 PM

I did do away with the tourque arm but plan to fab up a new one in the next few days and the mount is still the orinal rubber style but paln to up to Urathane there as well. I know it will not hold up to the riggers of off road as it is. This is a pay and do as you go deal here and I can see many other things that are in need of change. But heck I have nothing but time and no shortage of stuff to fix. Next biggie is some heat in that ol rig. I am not going to freez this winter. Can stand to ride around at stock height but going to do it warm. Tug