1" BL installed, Mod'd TJM, No Gap!
 

I installed the 1" body lift I bought from JHupp here on the boards yesterday. I had heard people say they didn't mind the gap caused by 1"BLs but when I finished the gap looked like crap.

So I took the T-15 off and drilled new 1/2" holes in the thicker plate steel on the bumper and used a metal blade on my saws-all to do some minor trimming on the TJM frame brakets that the bumper bolts to.

It worked out really well. There is no gap on the bumper at all and it looks just like it did with no BL. The holes I drilled are not slotted so it is not adjustable at all. Did not really like the idea of putting something under the grill to cover the gap and wanted the bumper to be lifted also.

This is the card board pattern I made to check the new bolt hole scribes I made and to figure out how much I would have to cut the brackets:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...in/pattern.jpg

Bracket cuts made:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/P1010021.jpg

Bumper remounted in new position:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/P1010024.jpg

No Gap but can now see the bracket sticking out just a bit:
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...n/P1010028.jpg

I do not think this would be posible with a 2"body lift. Just not enough room for new holes and would need to cut too much off the brackets to maintain strength.

I modded mine a little differently, here's the pics.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/...42310107SOWwBn
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...42310107bXQtzC
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...42310107NawhBf
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...42310107BgLUnQ
http://community.webshots.com/photo/...42310107hxZrqO

I made the adjustment slots longer and didn't take off as much material from the bracket. The last pic is with a 1" BL.

Nice. Our brackets are very differant. I had thought about slotting the origanal holes but really wanted to snug it up to the body and didn't want it to slip once on. The plate used on the mounts inside the bumper is really good and thick so I just drilled it. I also don't have a nice die grinder like that so I just used my trusty Dewalt.

Really like that custom hoop job on the T-17!

Looks good.

Looks great but probably even better feel that you did the customization.

With the exception of welding on this set of sliders I have done all of my own work and I really like that. It gives me a better understanding of how everything works and what it is capable of doing. If I still had access to a welder...Well lets just say I would be totally broke.

[QUOTE=ecchamberlin]I.... didn't want it to slip once on. QUOTE]

Great point, and that has giving me an idea for the next time I have my bumper off! I'm going to weld up the part of my slots that I'm not using so the bumper/mount connection can't slip under heavy winching. :great: :drink:

dont you want a gap ?? when you flex, doesnt the frame twist abit ? but it loks awesome

It looks much better in person :D I take a hiatus from painting to go eat and I come back to see Eric cleaning up his shop with this ˟˟˟˟˟-eating grin on his face.

Ric
I had her tucked up without the BL for about 2500 miles with no trouble and did some pretty crazy off roading. My body mounts have rubber bumpers where the bumper meets the front body parts. Seems to take all the stress pretty well.

i do see your point though.

You cannot see it in the pic real well but there is a 1/4" gap.

looks perfect

very cool,, and again, it does look awesome

Thanks. I may grind off my Rock rails and weld them up about 1/2" higher. The gap there now that I see it in the day light is a bit more than I like also. I had originally mounted them too high and ended up trimming the pinch weld along the bottom so I don't want to raise it the full inch.

It is a never ending thing once you start. Also doesn't help to be a perfectionist. :bang: