Thumper gets another Mod

Lookin good, Alan!

Gaffer wrote: Real nice work on the roll cage.  I'm glad you are recovering well from Covid.  I was just looking back at your pics.  Your running 7.50 x 16's as you stated.  Are you running tubes and a 16 x 4.5 wheel or a wider 16 inch wheel?

I'm running them tubeless on 16x4.5" KH wheels. These wheels came off of a M38A1 and they have the "safety humps". So far I've had good luck with not loosing a bead. I usually air down to 8-9 psi off-road. I have taken Jpet's advise and added liquid starch because my sidewalls are getting cut up and they would loose several psi overnight. Since adding the starch I haven't had any trouble loosing air.

Gaffer wrote: Thanks for the reply.  Good to know.  I was thinking of running those tires on the narrower rim.  Don't have the safety bead though.  Did you use duct tape or gorrilla tape on the beads for extra insurance?

I have several wraps of Gorilla tape on the safety humps for added insurance but I don't know that it is necessary. Last I knew Jpet was running several of his wheels with the tape and several without to see if it makes any difference and last time I wheeled with him in September told me he said it hadn't made a difference at that point. With that being said I don't know that he had come to a solid conclusion yet. If I have a reason to dismount any of my tires I will likely remove the tape from several to experiment as well.

This weekend I was able to get all the structure underneath the tub tying the cage to the frame done, the cage painted, cage installed for the final time and get the harness in place. This whole project was more of an undertaking than I really expected it to be. This was my first cage I’ve ever built from scratch. If I were to do it again I think I could do it in half the time now that I know what I’m doing. With that being said I am really pleased how it turned out.

Anyone want to take a guess on how much the new cage weighs? I will give you a hint: It’s about half of the weight of the one I removed.

I've got a couple projects I've been meaning to do for awhile done over the last several weeks. When I installed the SM420 a year and a half ago it interfered with the passenger side exhaust. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do with it at the time so I just cobbled it together with some flex pipe. It actually worked out decent so I just left it. That is until last month when we wheeled Tuttle Creek and I hooked the tail pipe on a dirt bank and tore it loose. So that made me actually get that project done.

This time I ran single exhaust instead of dual. I used a 40 series Flowmaster muffler and I really like the new sound of the Dauntless.




Next I made a new rear bumper. I wanted something that was lightweight and simplistic. I used some 1/4" wall 1.5"x3" tubing. I welded on a recovery point that will be used with a soft shackle similar to what Stan has on the back of Grampas Jeep. I'm happy with how it turned out. It will however look much better when its covered with that red Moab dirt at the end of this month.







Edited by AKoller - 02 Mar. 2021 at 4:34pm

Metcalf wrote: Just wondering, why not move it up to the pintle pad like I did Stan's?

About a year ago I removed several leaves from each of my Superlift spring packs. In doing so I knew I was likely to end up breaking a leaf being I compromised the strength by doing that. I however did gain some flex from the leaves.

Well out at EJS in Moab it finally happened. We were on Steel Bender the 2nd to last day of my trip and I broke 2 of the 3 remaining leaves in my right front spring pack. The only one that wasn't broke was thankfully the main leaf. I was able to get off the trail and get back to town but my trip was done.



I decided I wanted to try stock rear replacement springs on the front. Yesterday I got all the spring hangers moved and got the springs installed. I'm not convinced I have everything set how I want it yet. I will know more after The Willys Rush this coming weekend.







It appears that I have more droop than I did previously when jacking it from the bumper. I need to check this evening to make sure my u-joints on the front drive shaft aren't binding at full droop. I may need to install some sort of limit strap.

At the Fall Reunion I picked up a Warn 8274 from "Oldpappy". It was in really good condition overall for being built in 1977. After getting it home I opened it up and got the gearbox cleaned out and got fresh oil in it. The only thing I found not working correctly was the "free spool" knob wasn't moving far enough to allow it to free spool. After cleaning up the shaft the gear slides on with some emery cloth it started working.

I had to make a new bumper for mounting this winch to. I decided to sink it low in between the frame rails. I have the hawse fairlead mounted just under the bumper. I like the low look I just hope its still tucked up high enough to stay clear of the rocks.

After getting it mounted I spooled up the drum with 125' of Dyneema from Brennan's Garage. Brennan installed what looks to be a good quality tube thimble on the end of the rope for me. I don't plan on using any kind of steel hook at this time. I plan on just using a soft shackle (also from Brennan's Garage).

A perfect gearset pattern, Al. Nice set of axles. Looking forward to seeing them in action at the Willys Rush in April!