Jeep SJ, XJ, or GM k5 project truck? Others maybe?

[Aegis]

Is it possible to register such a vehicle? I thought the feds changed procedures years ago to prevent people from doing that?

You're talking about an SF97, which they had stopped issuing, but it created an uproar. AFAIK, they're issuing them again.


HTRN

They certainly seem to be. My buddy owns a deuce and a half...

[Netpackrat]

CroMo? Yeah, maybe if I was building a racecar, but only if it was making me money. or was mandatory because of class requirements. It's much more expensive than the typical Mild steel tubing, you need a TIG to weld it properly, and best of all, the stuff is like aluminum in that it prefers to break welds than distort. All this for a minor weight savings.

While I would also probably stick with mild steel tubing for a cage, the above is not entirely correct. The most common grade of CrMo tubing, 4130, predates the TIG process and was originally meant to be welded using an oxy-acetylene torch. There is nothing particularly magic about it, although it does have a few quirks that must be accounted for, and which can result in problems like you describe if an improper process is used. For starters, 4130 is an air hardening steel, and should be welded in warm, still air if at all possible (not in your 20F shop in February). It should be allowed to cool slowly in still air, and must never be quenched. Use only a mild steel filler material; if you use a 4130 filler you probably WILL get the cracking at the welds as you describe. On most tubing, a proper mild steel weld bead will still be enough thicker than the base tubing to exceed its strength, while making the weld far less susceptible to cracking in service. In high vibration environments, if you are welding with an electric process, it may be beneficial to post heat the joints with the acetylene torch (heat to dull red, then allow to cool as previously described). This will move the edge of the heat affected zone further away from the joint, to where the stresses are lower. Otherwise, it is possible to get cracking at the edge of the HAZ (and NOT at the weld itself) after the part has been in service for a while.

[TheIrishman]

Personally, I'd go with a K5, simply because the drivetrain is damn near as common as dirt.

Not as much any more. Sure motors and trannies are swapable with the new stuff, but G.M. ditched solid axles a while ago. The days of picking up a set of 1 tons at the junk yard and bolting them into a K5/1500 are gone(they can be found but aint cheap).

I won't even mention the fact that you can buy the Military version(with better axles to boot!)

As I mentioned on Chris' blog, the .Mil K5's are still a "light duty" chassis. The rear is a non floater 14 bolt and the front is a Dana 44, no stronger than a ford 9"/44 combo(other than a slightly bigger rear ring gear, but even the 9" is fine with 35's if you don't beat on it off road). Don't forget the common G.M. "steering box tearing from the frame even on the 1 tons with anything bigger than 33's" problem. Sure they make braces to fix the problem(a band-aid really) but why not start with a stronger frame at the beginning.

[HTRN]

Personally, I'd go with a K5, simply because the drivetrain is damn near as common as dirt.

Not as much any more. Sure motors and trannies are swapable with the new stuff, but G.M. ditched solid axles a while ago. The days of picking up a set of 1 tons at the junk yard and bolting them into a K5/1500 are gone(they can be found but aint cheap)

If you mean your local junkyard, it's hard to find everything - when scrap steel peaked at 550 a ton(at least at the port in Brooklyn), it seemed like every junkyard within a 100 miles emptied every piece of iron they had. 3/4 ton axles are still easily found, from places like Boyce Equipment(Who sells everything from Dana 44s to 2.5 ton Rockwells. To give you a "fer instance", They sell a rebuilt Dana 60 for the front for $1300. Even back in the day, you were spending a coupla hundred for a junkyard axle, and they were somewhat iffy. And, even if they're somewhat more expensive, the K5 has an affordable DROP IN UPGRADE. Something the Cherokee doesn't(don't get me wrong, I like the XJ platform, but you're talking some serious coin to make it a serious off road machine).


HTRN

[FastRope71]

Young man I married last summer (an ME) was doing just that in the family business here locally. All they do is design/build of Aluminum parts for offroad and RV mfg's.

Thanks for doing your part to dispel the gay sailor myth.
What's your encore? The Village people's "In the Navy" song in dress whites?

[blackeagle603]

... as in performed marriage ceremony. 10,000 comedians outta work...

[NVGdude]

Personally, I'd go with a K5, simply because the drivetrain is damn near as common as dirt. I won't even mention the fact that you can buy the Military version(with better axles to boot!) for what amounts to beer money from Gov liquidation.

Is it possible to register such a vehicle? I thought the feds changed procedures years ago to prevent people from doing that?

One of the guys at work has an ex-mil Blazer he just bought from the San Diego DRMO about 6 months ago. No problem registering it. Only real problem is that it has a military style hitch rather than a receiver hitch.

I still say if one of the Duties of this beast is for Mel to get groceries a Bronco is a better truck for the job.