Lookit what Brody did to my FJC

[Pathrat]

My very first non-bolt on modification, and I helped! Ok, I handed him a hammer and his welding mask. Brody would have had to get those things all by himself if I hadn't been there within reach of the tools.

I had bashed the rear control arm mounts (towards the front), repeatedly over time. The right one was gravely injured at Kelly Flats.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0983.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0984.jpg

Being the smart and clever one, Brody took a look at the mounts and made a suggestion: weld steel 'ramps' from the mounting bracket to the forward frame so rocks can slide over the ramps, rather than bang the thin metal of the mounts. He politely declined to suggest that I stop driving my mounts into rocks. So, recognizing a good idea, I went over to his house today and he made these:

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0981.jpg


next...

[Pathrat]

Manual labor in the form of whacking on prybars and prying with screwdrivers and adjustable wrenches took place, in order to give some semblance of the mounts looking more like six months post-purchase than 14 months.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0986.jpg

Then, because Brody was the one with the ability and tools to weld, on went the ramps.

(this is just a cool picture)
http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0990.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0989.jpg

[Pathrat]

Here is the finished project. I love it and these things are going to work until I learn to stop hitting them or I move the control arms. The jackplate just slowly slid upwards as the truck went up.

Huge thanks to Brody for doing this!!!!:bow::bow::bow:

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0992.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/PICT0993.jpg

[Brody]

Hey Dave

Thought about adding some sides to these, but the steel we used was 1/4" and the span was only about 6", point to point, so I felt like it was 50/50 call. If the steel bends a little at some point, it isn't going to do damage. Point taken, but we did discuss it a bit-not like we didn't notice...

[solid rock]

weld another piece of 1/4 plate over the "ramp" piece

[Funrover]

Very cool..... Glad to see a mod or 2 being done!

[Pathrat]

Very cool..... Glad to see a mod or 2 being done!

I was real happy to see a mod being done on mine!

I will report back on these plates. I think they will do what the intent was in the build: minimize bashing the mounts. I may be heading to Dome Plateau and Top of the World this weekend, depending on the gas money (:mad:) reserves.

[gragravar]

thats a really good idea, and nice work getting them on there.

[Brody]

Thanks for the kind words! Pathrat would've gotten into the act if there had been more room, I'm sure, but it was cramped for one.

The idea was a quick fix to stop any more damage, but one that would last for awhile, too. We had talked about some kind of long arm set up, using Johnny or Heim joints and the brackets would have to be revamped for that. The idea of adding another plate is a good one, Jim, and will get used if the steel starts to bend much. As it is, you have only about a 7" span and the 1/4" that I used is about 3 times thicker than the stock brackets. At least now the rocks have something to play on....

[Brody]

Oh yes you do to need it.....

[5280Hawk]

Those are nice, I may be trying that on the Taco.

[Pathrat]

They are pretty slick, huh?

[Pathrat]

I came down on the right mount and didn't quite clear a big rock on the left side while on Poison Spider this last Sunday. Here are pictures of the plates Brody welded on. I have some spray painting to do but I think they did the job they were meant to do.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/testmount1.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/testmount2.jpg

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x102/pathrat40/testmount4.jpg

[Brody]

Hey Path

Looks like they did what they were supposed to do!

Are you sure that you want to do a roll cage sometime? Hate to think how you would 'test' it to make sure that it works....

Ditto a bigger front bumper...I can just see the headlines (if I read the papers): "Crazed FJCruiser owner on Prius rampape!"

[Pathrat]

Hey Path

Are you sure that you want to do a roll cage sometime? Hate to think how you would 'test' it to make sure that it works....

Ditto a bigger front bumper...I can just see the headlines (if I read the papers): "Crazed FJCruiser owner on Prius rampape!"

Some things would just encourage risk-taking behavior. :D

"Says crazed driver, "But I thought they were rolling speed bumps!"