Calgary Jeep Association

4x4 Related Groups => Build Ups => Topic started by: cLAY on May 03, 2010, 11:17:05 PM

Title: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on May 03, 2010, 11:17:05 PM
Finally got the tire off the roof.  =D>  The pivot is a trailer axle with the flange cut off. Probably spent as much time reinforcing the rear unibody as I did building the darn thing.... Thats a 36X13.5 tire on there, it will take a 37X15.

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3662.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3663.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3664.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3665.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3666.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3668.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3669.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/Project%20Phoenix%20ZJ/Rear%20winch%20bumper/IMG_3670.jpg)
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: JackstandJohnny on May 04, 2010, 08:41:50 AM
looks awesome Clay!
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: .:.Dingman.:. on May 04, 2010, 10:00:22 AM
Looks sick, let me be the first to say post more pictures!!!

Dingman
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: apeman on May 04, 2010, 01:38:01 PM
Awesome design....love the integrated winch. 8)
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: SwampSinger on May 04, 2010, 07:19:31 PM
Nice Craftsmanship  8)

How is it attached to the unibody?
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on May 04, 2010, 08:39:41 PM
The outside of the unibody was sleeved with some angle iron welded on. Then some 2X4 box tubing was slid into the inside of the unibody. The box tube has nuts welded inside of it(like the factory nut strip). Then the original bolts that hold on the gas tank skid and trailer hitch are reinstalled(minus the hitch) and thread into the nuts in the box tube. I also installed some extra bolts horizontally thru the unibody to give it lateral support.

The back end mounting area of a ZJ is even weaker than an XJ.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: bradley on November 05, 2011, 08:50:43 PM
that is a nice bumper, great job, what did u make for the front
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 05, 2011, 10:03:26 PM
Went pretty simple/basic for the front. 4" plate tube stuffed into the frame and a winch plate welded between them. Not stylish but extremely functional and maximizes approach angles.

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/IMG_3352.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/IMG_3412.jpg)

(http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u92/clayhardock/IMG_6446.jpg)

Yes, thats a home made, Princess Auto ram assist setup doing its thing in Moab. ;) Sure wish I was there right now!
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: bradley on November 06, 2011, 08:21:36 AM
not to shabby, the reason i ask is i am about to build bumpers for my zj and am trying to get some ideas, also what lift did u put on yours and where u get it and how much if u dont mind me asking??
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 06, 2011, 08:49:23 AM
The lift kit is from the US. Its from Clayton's offroad and is their 8" long arm kit. Its about the beefiest/biggest kit their is for the ZJ and 5 years ago cost me around $3500 for just the lift kit.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 06, 2011, 08:52:08 AM
Check out www.mallcrawlin.com for hardcore ZJ advice and www.nagca.com for moderate ZJ mods.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: bradley on November 06, 2011, 09:04:26 AM
Thanks man i appreciate the advice, i dont know if i quite need a 8 inch lift, i am just lookin for enough lift to get a set of 33 inch tractor tires that i had on my last rig under the zj, i think a 4 inch short arm might do the trick with some fender trimming. If u got anymore words of wisdom on zj's dont b affraid to put them out there.

keep the rubber side down
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 06, 2011, 11:04:49 AM
More advice? Sell it and buy an xj. Cheaper/easier to build. They are lighter and smaller so they work better off road. More aftermarket support for xjs so more choice and cheaper prices. 

If you still want to daily drive it keep it under 4" of lift and 33s.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: WhiteOut on November 06, 2011, 11:54:45 AM
More advice? Sell it and buy an xj. Cheaper/easier to build. They are lighter and smaller so they work better off road. More aftermarket support for xjs so more choice and cheaper prices. 

If you still want to daily drive it keep it under 4" of lift and 33s.

This is so true. I'm at just under 6" with LAs and 33's and it can get a bit weird on the road, especially in winter. These need a beefy steering upgrade when you go 31"+, I'm probably going to take Bnine's advice and go Currie. But I'll wait and see what Evolution comes out with.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 06, 2011, 12:51:11 PM
Also I actually prefer the stability that the rear leafs on the xj give. Yes the rear coils on my zj flex better, but not that much better and sometimes they act a bit weird, doing sudden weight tranfers at bad times. Never got that with leafs.

I like the v8 though. :) So wish they made a v8 xj.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: heep-a-lop on November 06, 2011, 05:02:56 PM
u should wait... i promise it will be worth it.... give us about a month gonna prototype it on my zj, basically it will be our tie rods with the correct taper on the pin....(there gonna be unbreakable).... i will post some teaser pictures tonight of the new bodies.... they are patent pending as of friday
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: bradley on November 06, 2011, 05:39:53 PM
well that makes me confident in my choice of vehicle lol, well thanks for the advice guys
keep the rubber side down
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: Knox on November 09, 2011, 09:33:43 AM
Looks good Clay,

Is the swing out essentially just a T? or is there a diagonal under the hilift?, that's what I'm building right now and I'm debating if it needs to be gusseted or not.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: morerpmfred on November 09, 2011, 09:50:46 AM
Is that a warn I see tucked in rhe baxk bumper?  Looks good clay.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 10, 2011, 05:12:38 AM
Nope its just a "T". I slotted the upright piece to go over the cross piece so its not just butt welded to it. I also tried to to compensate for the twist that would happen once the the weight of the tire was on it by welding it not vertical but slightly toward the rear hatch.

That is an M8000 tucked in there but to be honest I still have not got around to wiring it in. Hopefully this winter that will happen.
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: TL-Iguana on November 10, 2011, 09:05:49 AM
That is an M8000 tucked in there but to be honest I still have not got around to wiring it in. Hopefully this winter that will happen.

Going the same route with my XJ hopefully soon here... What sort of wire are you going to run from the battery, or have you gone with a remote battery?
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: dubbleJs on November 10, 2011, 12:28:29 PM
Bumper looks great! Love the rear winch...Alot of the time I'd rather back out of something then have to winch through it...the winch on the rear will probably get used much more than the front in mud holes etc
Title: Re: ZJ rear winch bumper with tire carrier
Post by: cLAY on November 10, 2011, 05:11:01 PM
Haven't run the cable yet  Will probably use some old welding cable I salvaged from work.