Builds Stretched 1-Ton FJ40 (2 Viewers)

[peesalot]

Nice job on steering & panhard packaging, my drag link rub that same rivet when pass side stuffed, looks great, gonna be fun.

 

[Mike Shull]

Nice job on steering & panhard packaging, my drag link rub that same rivet when pass side stuffed, looks great, gonna be fun.

Thanks! I can’t wait to share a few pictures with the front sway bar installed. I’ll post a few sneak peaks. I just need to fit the air bumps and the suspension mock-up is done.

 

[peesalot]

Your bumper is gonna cover those front corners of sway bar ? if not some sliders or plates to keep those from hitting on approaches.

 

[Mike Shull]

Your bumper is gonna cover those front corners of sway bar ? if not some sliders or plates to keep those from hitting on approaches.

I just have a stock Warn front bumper so I’ll have to fab some protection. The sway bar is mounted through my old spring reversal mounts.

 

[peesalot]

Just use some 1/2 inch plate and make a gaurd that wont bend or crush into it.

 

[Mike Shull]

Final front sway bar pictures. I also added a few more in the above post. I’ll paint it later. Time for tube fenders.

 

[Mike Shull]

The left fender is going well. I moved the fender forward by about 4” and shortened the front lip to accommodate for the axle placement.

 

[Mike Shull]

Here are a few more pictures…

 

[Mike Shull]

More progress…

I plan to cut a 3” 1/2 round recess for the factory hood hook. Enough for one day.

 

[Firemedic831]

Do you plan on welding the aprons to the tube ?

 

[Firemedic831]

That is 1 thing I am kinda kicking myself on and that is raising the tube fenders up I think I got caught up in keeping the hood latch and the emblems. Of course this is all subject to change

 

[Mike Shull]

I hear ya. No, I am not going to weld them to the aprons. I wasn’t planning to weld them to the factory fender, either, but it worked out perfectly. I am planning to weld 18 ga from the tub to the inner fender to build a good structural base.

I love that the fenders come up above the aprons! It has about 2” of extra clearance so I should be able to fit 40” tires with no problem. I think that the hood hook recess should look and function well, too. I’ve never seen that done so maybe there is a reason

 

[DangerNoodle]

When I did mine, I moved them way up since I basically touch at full bump, and just did a cutout for the latch. Never had a problem with them, besides the body moving into them, which was solved by taking just a little more material off the skins.

Edit, I also narrowed and inboarded everything for clearance at full bump + turn. I could not physically fit a full width tube fender in there and still turn.

 

[DangerNoodle]

And I use about all of the space, with 37"s. Might check before you fully commit and weld them on.

 

[Mike Shull]

And I use about all of the space, with 37"s. Might check before you fully commit and weld them on.

And I use about all of the space, with 37"s. Might check before you fully commit and weld them on.

Thanks for the pictures. After I wrote my reply above I wondered what you did and I was going to check out your build thread, which I don’t need to do as you brought great pictures here! I figured if anyone added a cutout for the hood latch it would have been you. Great tip with creating space for body flex. I hadn’t thought about that.

You might have another inch or more of flex as your tire really stuffs into the fender! I might go buy a set of tires so that I can see what I am doing. It is getting hard to estimate clearance with 32” tires. I’ll also take your advice and check travel and turning clearance before welding. Great tips.

Is that last picture of you on Kane Creek?

 

[DangerNoodle]

Thanks for the pictures. After I wrote my reply above I wondered what you did and I was going to check out your build thread, which I don’t need to do as you brought great pictures here! I figured if anyone added a cutout for the hood latch it would have been you. Great tip with creating space for body flex. I hadn’t thought about that.

You might have another inch or more of flex as your tire really stuffs into the fender! I might go buy a set of tires so that I can see what I am doing. It is getting hard to estimate clearance with 32” tires. I’ll also take your advice and check travel and turning clearance before welding. Great tips.

Is that last picture of you on Kane Creek?

Yep! That is Kane Creek!

 

[Mike Shull]

Yep! That is Kane Creek!

I remember when that section of the road was just a flat, sandy wash. It has become one of my favorite trails next to Cliffhanger and Gold Bar.

 

[Mike Shull]

@Paul, you might also check out these two link suspension resources.

Thoughts on a rear dual triangulated 4-link?

I am grabbing some inspiration from the following FJ40 build thread. I'm not sold on the 3-link front but I do like the rear setup. Builds - FJ40 Build - Hell's Kitchen - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/fj40-build-hells-kitchen.852041/

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4-Link Suspension Guide | Anti -Squat, Anti-Dirve, and Roll Center Explained

Crawlpedia is an off-road encyclopedia featuring a complete guide to 4-link and 3-link suspension characteristics.

www.crawlpedia.com

 

[Mike Shull]

And I use about all of the space, with 37"s. Might check before you fully commit and weld them on.

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Thanks again for the advice, DJ. I did have clearance issues so I narrowed and raised the fender by 1.5”. I tried to raise it up to the bottom of my hood on the first pass but it looks like my tire might hit the front bib before it hits the front corner of the fender so I split the difference. I’ll stop here until I have tires. On to the right side.

 

[DangerNoodle]

Thanks again for the advice, DJ. I did have clearance issues so I narrowed and raised the fender by 1.5”. I tried to raise it up to the bottom of my hood on the first pass but it looks like my tire might hit the front bib before it hits the front corner of the fender so I split the difference. I’ll stop here until I have tires. On to the right side.

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Glad you caught it before it was too late!