Question: I am interested in building a Jeep to tackle the hardest trails around. The vehicle will have a stretched wheelbase and be equipped with Dana 60 axles and 40-inch-tall tires. Do you recommend that i start with a yJ or a TJ? The vehicle will be trailered and only used on the trail.
Harry W.
Rapid city, SD
Answer: Don't you know that the best Jeep ever made is the crew-cab forward-control Fc-170? it has a 103-inch wheelbase, seating for 13, and a supercharged diesel! Of course they are rare, slow, shaped like a loaf of bread, and kind of goofy-looking, but i have one so you can see my favoritism. plus the ladies totally dig 'em!
If I was going to build a trail rig, it would be hard choosing between a TJ and a yJ. Both have strong frames, and there is plenty of aftermarket support to help you build either into an awesome trail machine, though the newer TJ most likely will have more available for it. i like the styling of the TJ better, but that's probably because i never liked the yJ square headlights, but from the driver seat you can't see them anyway. I prefer a suspension that has coils in the front and leaves in the rear, so starting with either would be fine for that since the TJ is all coils and the yJ is all leaves. you can stretch the wheelbase slightly on either, the YJ just needs springs with offset center pins (such as Wagoneer front springs or newer cherokee rear springs), while the TJ would need the spring mounts moved and longer links. gen-right (805.584.8635, www. genright.com) has a good kit for stretching a Jeep TJ, yJ, or cJ-7 that includes a new fuel tank, steel corners, and rock sliders.as for engine and drivetrain, i would look for any '91-or-newer as they have the fuelinjected 4.0L straight-six. The four-cylinder engine could also work, but you would need gobs of low-range gearing such as the fourspeed atlas or three-speed STak transfer case and 5.38-or-lower ring-and-pinion gears (maybe even 7.17:1) to turn those big tires off road. i think it really comes down to what you can get the best deal on and I would be surprised if the yJ wasn't cheaper.
Question: I have a '78 Bronco and i am planning on removing the hardtop, tailgate, and doors, and cutting the windshield and top off. i'd weld a front cage onto the existing rollbar and mount my windshield to the front cage via mounting tabs (like Clifton Slay's Suicide Sally, ultimate adventure 2007). Did clifton use plexiglas or glass? Did he seal around the windshield with rTV or silicone? Does it hold up well? Can you drive at freeway speeds without the wind blowing your face off (i.e., eyes tearing up/cheeks flapping)? Would it be legal for me to drive the Bronco on Colorado roads with this type of windshield setup? Would it be better to cut just the top off and retain the stock windshield?
MikE M.
Colorado
Answer: A clear windshield is an important part of your street-driven vehicle, since it needs to stay clear while also protecting you from flying objects that often bounce down the highway. Many off-roaders and racers use a lexan polycarbonate such as those sold by Speedglass (www.percyshp. com) or pro glass (www.proglasswindows.com). now they claim the polycarbonate is scratch- and chemical-resistant and shatterproof and much lighter than safety glass, all of which sounds great to me. plus i know that they can make these windshields in custom shapes and sizes, so i think they could be perfect for what you want. i did ask the california DMV if it was legal to run such a windshield in a street-legal buggy or Jeep and they said no. it has to be real glass, but i am not up on the colorado rules.
As for clifton's window, it is bolted in and i believe sealed with a rubber gasket and i have seen him driving at highway speeds. clifton's windshield seems to hold up well, though i have seen other people's plastic windshields that looked foggy and scratched. i have also been told by other drivers who have had the cheap hardware-store Lexan windshields blow out and break while on the highway. Glass would be a better, safer, and, most likely, legal method, but if you fear you'll be smashing your windshield on the trail, i'd say go with the polyglass and keep our trails clear of broken shards.