05 Flame Red TJ Build
- Thread starter JMT
- Start date
He just needs the tethers race car drivers have to keep their appendages in the vehicle.
I joke of course, it's a very natural reaction and probably very hard to break without getting more comfortable rolling.
The factory seat belts did a good job holding me in. I felt very secure. I just need to train myself to keep my arms and legs in. LOL. That’s a hard thing to train for when you don’t really plan on doing it. There could be some way, but I really didn’t expect to roll. The factory cage did a good job protecting me and the rig. It was damaged, but I picked up another for $50 in flame red and will get it installed when I find a windshield frame.
Thanks for checking on me. Fortunately, I was fine. The worst thing about it is what happens in your mind.
My biggest plans are to work on the TJ to make it more stable so I can drive like I obviously want to drive. That will involve outboarding, midarm, and ultimately some stretch.
PNW_LJ
Member
IDK. The line @Apparition took in his LJ went up. I’d like to find his video to confirm, but we think I was on the same line.
After Pritchett in 2023 I wanted an LJ. Then I spent time thinking about stability from the shock perspective. Moving the shock outboard does give more control because it’s closer to the wheel.
Then I thought about the midarm and what it’s doing and there’s more control climbing there.
The stretch is something I always want but can’t figure out without moving the gas tank inside the tub. I want it to get my WB back and 101” sounds good for 35’s. That will give more stability.
So, I figured I could make a TJ do what I want to do. My main goal is stability and control. These each seem to move in that direction.
Watching Jeff, Jason, and Ryan again and again has always made me think, “that’s crazy,” because if I’d done whatever they did I’d have bounced or flopped or turned in a bad way.
Watching Victor is good too, and he’s in a stretched TJ as you know. He seems to love his TJ, and he’s always working to make refinements.
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It's always hard to know after the fact, especially since pictures and videos never quite do features justice. They're great upgrades regardless.
. I’ve been thinking this since 2023, but you already know that!
“It instills more confidence”
“climbs”
I don’t care about no freakin trees.
How many wranglers will you need to buy before your wife murders you in your sleep?
She wants me to retire the red one and get another vehicle for a DD. LJ if I want. Or I could swap a bunch of stuff over to the LJ. My son with the TJR wants to sell and the wife wants me to buy it for our youngest daughter. Keep it in the family. What a great wife. My bestie.
I found and purchased a rust free 2006 flame red windshield frame out of Phoenix. Should be here in 3-4 days.
Bestop is coming through by sending me a new set of door latches for my half doors. I was bummed in Moab when the brand new passenger side latch failed within an hour of first use. I had to remove the U bolt just to remove the door. 
Thinking about the roll, I would not have been able to get my leg out if I had the trail doors on. Of course, I got back in anyway, but still there’s some safety provided by half doors.
Thinking about the roll, I would not have been able to get my leg out if I had the trail doors on. Of course, I got back in anyway, but still there’s some safety provided by half doors.
Bestop is coming through by sending me a new set of door latches for my half doors. I was bummed in Moab when the brand new passenger side latch failed within an hour of first use. I had to remove the U bolt just to remove the door.
Thinking about the roll, I would not have been able to get my leg out if I had the trail doors on. Of course, I got back in anyway, but still there’s some safety provided by half doors.
Full-panel trail half doors — yes, I can see that safety benefit.
Tube trail doors (or those tube doors folks run with their reg doors off) could become a trap for feet/hands. Your roll was slow but quick - - evident that you could get your arm & leg back in. With tube door that folks run - could have become a jungle gym where driver could get their leg out when the tip starts, but not back in before the flop happens...
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I appreciate your comments on how hard it would be to 'train out' the desire to stop a roll with your limbs. We all yell it (or thinking it) when we see a flop...
Back in college, I was on the Baja SAE team (basically an offroad go-cart that can float, too). We were testing the suspension on asphalt on campus. One driver took it on a hard turn and got it up on 2 wheels but got it back down on all 4 tires.
I ran a second test run - got it up on 2 wheels but didn't get the steering turned back quick enough - flopped. I put out my hard to stop the flop, only pulled it back in when my palm skinned on the asphalt and I realized to 'tuck' — much like you did at that last second. We ran a very heavy rig - - I still think about how lucky I am...
Just sharing a story that you're not alone that 'knowledge doesn't always result in action' in a situation we never/rarely actually find ourselves....
Exactly. I started snowboarding about 30 years ago and one of the first things they taught us was that if you fall to cross your arms across the chest so you don’t reach out and try to stop yourself with your hands and break your wrist. You get a lot more opportunity to learn that when you’re snowboarding than you do when you’re in a jeep.
Glad you are ok. Injuries
resulting from these types of accidents can have life long consequences.
100% on the lifelong impacts avoid - same to you!
On a flop related note - I'm still working to get mine up to 'enduring' road use, let alone off-road ready, and you just flopped and you're already on the path to be going again. —> Envious of your dedication on your Jeep and your enjoyment enjoying it!
As you may recall, I have twins too - but they're just coming up on 3 years old. Sometimes tough to find dad and Jeep wrenching time - but you're dealing with twin life experience that I'll face (but glad those teen+ challenges/life experiences are years away...
) so appreciate you sharing the family side too!You've got a good one there in your wife embracing your Jeep life! I've got a good one too understanding my
It’s time to get this old roll cage off in the new one on. I worked on the old one repeatedly trying to work with the rear driver base bracket that’s welded to the cage so that I could get it more level and hopefully straighten it up, but there was no way it’s just way off plus I found that the welds are compromised where they meet at the B pillar as well as where the center bar on the B pillar portion is welded to the outers. Nevertheless, it’s unsalvageable unless you wanna cut it all off and re-weld it back on, which might take quite a bit of work.
These bases of the B pillar are the worst of it. Because there’s seam sealer covering it.
The goal is to make this one look like that one. There are differences between the 97–02 and the 03–06. I have to make my sound bar meet up which means I have to drill holes. The wiring for the speakers is on the outside of the bars on the 03-06 and there are little holes drilled for you secured them. I want to try to go inside the roll bar and come out a hole that I drill. Most of the rest is the same.
The goal is to make this one look like that one. There are differences between the 97–02 and the 03–06. I have to make my sound bar meet up which means I have to drill holes. The wiring for the speakers is on the outside of the bars on the 03-06 and there are little holes drilled for you secured them. I want to try to go inside the roll bar and come out a hole that I drill. Most of the rest is the same.
Another difference is on the 97–02 they used a security Torx bolt to hold each of the B pillars to the center portion whereas on the 03206. They just welded it. I’m gonna get rid of the security torx after I weld it together so that it will be just like the 03–06
The Jeep looks freaking awesome without any roll cage! Another way to lose some weight! LOL
Just need seats that aren’t so high back.
The Jeep looks freaking awesome without any roll cage! Another way to lose some weight! LOL
Just need seats that aren’t so high back.
