Hibbs' Jeep TJ Build

[hibbs]

Boy were you guys right. That short WB is not so great. I drove it around a bit at our comp. Switching between it and my Hilux with a 11.4" wheelbase, it made the Jeep feel helpless. I mean it maneuvers really well but it can't climb much without wanting to tip over either sideways if off camber or flipping on a steep climb. Maybe suspension tuning could help, but I'd really like to rake the front axle forward.

Here is how it looks now with the metalwork painted up and the LEDs installed:

I have plans for the truck still. I'm looking to stretch the wheelbase now. Those fenders are going to have to be hacked up, no question. I'll attempt some of the nice flat fenders a la ser3100 and others you see on here. Probably give it a steel side panel with a tube bar on it too. I don't like the cage much so I want to redo it too. Oh and inner fenders, all 4 of my trucks need inner fenders, lol.

It'll be a while before I can do much more than glace at a truck. I have to finish 2 graduate degrees, have a baby, get a job, move and sell our house. Needless to say the R/Cs are going to be lonely...

 

[BONDONUTZ]

Hi,
I like everything I seeen in your build thread, nice work.

1 Q plz, how you likeing the MT Baja's cut like you have them ?
Ben thinking about snipping mine but unsure which pattern to do, where I live it's mostly loose stuff /trails, not much for actual rock crawling.

Thx

 

[hibbs]

Thanks for the compliment, i love the jeep but the wheelbase is way too short.

I'd say its definitely better to cut them. The tires are way too stiff the way they come. The greater spacing of the tread pattern lets the tires be more pliable. Also they act like paddles. It lets them dig in real good because they bite harder. My friend was driving the jeep and me a hilux with iroks and we did a mudhole tug o war. The jeep killed it. Again its the paddle action. You could consider doing a zig zag cut where you only cut half of each row. They way i cut mine you lose that strong side lug that sticks way out there because they are every other. I don't know that it matters hat much though. Last I'd say they wear a good bit faster. I don't have a ton of time on them and the nice sharp edge i had is rounding off pretty good.

Short version: i like them much better cut