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03-05-2007, 08:23 PM
canadian_ZJ and i did this sunday. started quite easily, decided to use 3x3 tube (its what we had) 6ft lenght seemed to fit right, with a 45 degree angle on each end of the tube, cuting out the rockers was fun, my a pillar was almost rusted right through. we ran into some problems welding them on, as the welder we were using was at least twice as old as i was, and couldn't be turned down far enough, or so i was told, im no welder i wasnt welding, so i have no idea, any tips would be helpful.
we're not quite done after the one side got done his boss came back so we tacked on the one side and left, so right now i sorta have one rocker done, still needs to be braced and needs a step/rail
well onto the pictures:
and we saw this guy showing off at subway when we stoped for lunch
03-05-2007, 10:28 PM
Not related to your welding issues, but what did you do about the part in the middle I circled? Did you notch out the tubing to go around it?
03-05-2007, 10:29 PM
yep notched it for that one and the one futhur forward
03-05-2007, 10:32 PM
did u run bracing to the frame?
03-05-2007, 10:38 PM
Thanks! Looking forward to your progress. The other rocker cutout writeups for ZJs seem to have either small pics or broken links to the pics. I'll hopefully be doing the same thing sometime later this year.Originally Posted by canadian_driver
03-05-2007, 11:28 PM
Those welds look like shit!
Originally Posted by ATL ZJ
Originally Posted by Alaska ZJ
03-05-2007, 11:34 PM
Is that the side you tacked? Looks like you have like 1-1/2" of weld holding that up.
Originally Posted by ATL ZJ
03-06-2007, 12:42 AM
x2, I wouldn't even call that weld. I would call that burn through.
03-06-2007, 01:48 AM
I have to ask, did you even bother grinding off the paint before attempting to weld?
03-06-2007, 12:35 PM
not yet
as for the welding, i didnt do it, and yes we did grind the paint off. yeah i know nothing about the welding, i prolly coulnd't do any better maybe canadian_zj (craig) will chime in and tell you why the welds are crappy, but i really dont know
03-06-2007, 01:18 PM
yeah the welds are shit. I learned later that the welder I was using is spooled with 0.045 flux core wire which is wayyy overkill and is designed to burn hot, which was causing the melt through the thin sheet metal. (Even though the welder was turned as low as possible) I tacked it well in about 8 places along the body & 4 more small ones underneath (where we attached flat bar to the bottom of the HSS and met the inner rocker face, I'll get some good pics of this on the second set build). Im gunna get some advice from the pro's at our shop (I dont claim to be a welder, Im a fricken mech eng damnit)and sort out the welds this week.
Yes we definitely took off the paint prior to welding!
Any of you PRO welders care to share some uni-body welding advice/constructive criticism or do you just like to chirp guys attempting to build up their grands and do their own work instead of buying it all like TJ wieners, just to make yourself feel like a big-shot????????
Last edited by CANADIAN ZJ!; 03-06-2007 at 01:44 PM.
03-06-2007, 01:42 PM
Yes I marked and notched around the 'A' and 'B' pillars. But left 1" in front of the 'A' pillar to be able to cap the tube and keep mud out. We decided to cut the 'C' pillar right out, as it seemed really flimsy and the tube in its place once welded proper will be much stronger.
I dont think we got any good pics of the notching, so I'll be sure to take some when I build the set for my rig later this week.
03-06-2007, 03:07 PM
have you read kris' unibody welding bible?
Originally Posted by ATL ZJ
03-06-2007, 03:08 PM
i have... lol doesnt help because im not the one welding
03-06-2007, 03:22 PM
You Canadians. Have the one doing the welding READ IT.
03-06-2007, 03:54 PM
Thanks gents...this is exactly what I needed!...another example of the seemingly endless info that mallcrawlin has made possible
Kraqa's welding bible:
http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum/sho...=welding+bible
03-06-2007, 10:58 PM
It's not even the fact that its unibody. Its the fact of welding a thinner guage piece of metal to something thicker. Any competent welder should be able to analyze a piece of 18 guage and a piece of 3/16" and adjust accordingly. I don't claim to be an expert welder but I've never burned through the unibody and have welded on it several times.
If you can run a brace to the crossmember area, I believe the unibody is a little bit thicker in that area. Also it will absorb impacts along with the crossmember to make it a little stronger.
03-06-2007, 11:01 PM
i like the way you have it in yours, sitting just in front of the cross member, but i was cuirous for the rear control arm mount how far back is it from the cross member that way i can make a rear mount far enough back that i only need to make the mounts once when my LAs ever get here
Last edited by canadian_driver; 03-06-2007 at 11:06 PM.
03-06-2007, 11:35 PM
Look at Daves writeup on the LA's. That should give you a good idea where to put the rear mount. I was pissed b/c I had to chop up my sliders when doing the LA install. I can take a pic for you showing you where to put it if you want.
03-07-2007, 01:09 AM
ill take a look at daves, but a picture would be helpfull aswell
03-07-2007, 01:35 AM
There are pictures in the long arm writeup.
03-07-2007, 01:52 AM
if i were to brace right in front of the stock rear control arm mounts that would be ok by the looks of it right?
03-07-2007, 09:27 AM
I think if you use Elmers Glue it might hold better than those welds!
And post up more pics of the chick!!!
03-07-2007, 06:03 PM
got any more pics on the cut out process and on the Bpillar that you are supposed to watch out for..awsomeeee
03-07-2007, 06:05 PM
sure gonna do the other side tonight hopefully, ill take more pictures, for cutting out around the b pillar, just cut the top first and ull see it fine
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