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The Virtual California Jeep Speed shop

20K views 467 replies 32 participants last post by  iwaxmyjimmy 
#1 ·
I thought this might work out. Lots of smart people here. Some do their own work others have shops. This is a place to share ideas and brainstorm builds. And maybe to help each other out. It should be open to both pro builders and us home guys. We need to keep it friendly and have Mercy on the newb questions asked. LOL Mine included. Hopefully we can get a Mod to make this a sticky. It's not to be a big build thread but single ideas and answers. If you want to show your build then start a build thread. Lets have some fun with this. Gear heads unite and let the ideas start flowing.
Bob
 
#2 ·
Sooo I'm gonna throw out my first question. Weight, just how important is it to build light but strong? I built and raced sports cars. We always were sweating any excess weight. I have brought that into my jeeping. I am slowly pulling steel parts off and replacing them with aluminum when I can. Steering parts are Currie Steel. But I am looking at Savvy Arms to save weight along with a Savvy bumper and a Warn Syn line wench. It seems like there are so many MFG's who build out of steel. My racing taught me that a tire only has X pounds of traction available on a given surface. In other words it can only lift so many pounds before it slips or the ground gives way. So a lighter jeep stresses the tire interface less than a heavy one does. Part of the reason buggys do so well. So just how important is a lighter weight in off roading?
Bob
 
#17 ·
I wouldn't switch to aluminum in control arms to save weight because I think they are the same. One is solid, the other is tube.

There was a comparison to a pick up with an empty bed spinning the tires easier. Did we forget about weight transfer somewhere?

As far as the overall question, there have been many folks that pulled all their steel armor and replaced it with aluminum. Not one has reversed that and put the steel back on.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Lot's of the new ones don't have them. They are not considered a service item anymore. Most of the new stuff don't even have dipsticks on the auto trans anymore. It's a sealed unit. You are expected to bring your vehicle to a dealer to have it worked on. The harder they make it on home mechanics the more business they are hoping to get. And it's working. So my guess is there is none. If you don't see it on the bottom of one of the tanks it's not there.

Just checked it's on the front of the passenger tank. Go figure. It is suppose to be a booger to get to.
 
#7 ·
Hey..sorry for all the Heys..I've been watching to much Duck Dynasty ...I think its a good idea ....hopefully it'll help people feel more comfortable talking about things or ideas they might have or maybe get that little push of info they need to complete a purchase or project they're working on....

I've been thinking about ur question ....and I know everyone has they're on needs..I believe ur right in the fact that liter is better but I think for my needs and the type or wheelin I do...ROCKS...I'd do aluminum everywhere but the bottom ....sliders ..Tcase skid..gas tank
skid those kinds of things tend to get alot of abuse so I'll stick with steel for those...
That's just for my needs...
 
#9 ·
I get that but have you tried any of the 6061 stuff out there or do you have any friends who have? I am looking at a Savvy kit for mine cause I like the engineering on it. The lighter weight is a bonus. But I don't do your trails... Yet:D
 
#10 · (Edited)
I bought my 4 inch Currie lift from Savvy and went with the steel upper and lower control arms. I also have the Savvy aluminum gas tank skid that has taken quite a few big hits and is holding up fine. I wasn't feeling the silver color or extra cost for powder coating the arms at the time of purchase. How much weight do they save?
 
#16 · (Edited)
That is a good question. I would think there would be a happy medium. Small pick up trucks have a tendency to spin the rear tires fairly easy because they don't have much weight in the rear. Some people will add weight by using sand bags to get better traction in the rain. Less weight will climb better in regards to HP but at what point do you sacrifice traction? Maybe we can't shed enough weight on a Jeep to sacrifice traction. With that being said, I am going to say that less weight will allow you to climb better butt will you notice the difference between a 4500 lbs Jeep and a 4000 lbs Jeep? Probably not unless you are competing at a professional level.
 
#19 ·
Aluminum armor is great as long as you're not doing much rock crawling.

In a thread in the JK section, someone mentioned calling Genright about their aluminum bumpers. They said only get it if you're not doing any rock crawling. It can't take a hit like steel.

I've seen some pictures from damage caused by aluminum armor. It's great because it's light, but doesn't do it's job as 'armor'.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Aluminum armor is great as long as you're not doing much rock crawling.

In a thread in the JK section, someone mentioned calling Genright about their aluminum bumpers. They said only get it if you're not doing any rock crawling. It can't take a hit like steel.

I've seen some pictures from damage caused by aluminum armor. It's great because it's light, but doesn't do it's job as 'armor'.
I would argue that, but I am sure that it comes down to the manufacturer building the products. I dont know what savvy has available for the JK platform, but I know for the TJ/LJ there is a lot...and it has all made a good name for itself.

For example, gerald and john currie built their EMC jeep for KOH and won two years in a row. If I am not mistaken, all of the armor (other than the original defender tube fenders) were savvy aluminum.

I think people think that all aluminum is equal...which in most cases probably would result in poor armor. So if you were going to compare the strength of a savvy full aluminum corner to a steel full aluminum corner...the steel would be stronger without a doubt. The key point is at what point does steel become stronger? For example, if it takes 10,000 psi to bend the aluminium (random numbers) and 15,000 psi to bend the steel...yes steel is stronger, but will your rig EVER be exposed to forces great enough to bend the aluminum?
 
#22 ·
I never thought about the arms being solid and the others tube steel. That would make them about the same in weight. When I was racing we always tried to find the balance between strength enough to survive the race and light weight to increase acceleration off the corners. I still think that applies to climbing and decending. A part needs the strength to survive but a side biter on a tire will only carry so much weight before it deforms and allows the tire to slip or spin. Less weight to carry up a hill should mean better traction. But that said. How much does weight do to press the tire into the surface on a jeep climb?
 
#25 ·
Sure I agree. Steel is stronger than aluminum if your talking impact resistance. 3/16 steel plate is going to be more resistant to a bullet than 3/16 aluminum plate. Same with a rock hit. But if you can hit the steel with a 308 and the aluminum with a 243 then maybe they come out closer. Thats my point. If we lighten the rigs it takes a softer hit on a rock due to less inertia. But can we lighten them enough. Is 500 lbs enough to make a difference. I would bet it is on axles and suspension. As far as taking a hit. All the pro Beadlock wheels are alloy. They take a huge beating.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Hi Rick
My wife worked for Jaguar for 30+ years. They have used Aluminum bumper beams for a long time Like since 1975 on the XJ models. They had a beam covered by a sheet metal cover.
Here is an older report from Alcan. A Euro MFG of bumper and door beams for the auto industry.

Alcan's Aluminum Bumpers Help Opel Put Safety Front and Centre on its New Astra. - Free Online Library

BTW I am not saying they are safer as a replacement for a steel one. I am only talking about trail performance here. The Jeep comes with a crush zone design and I have no idea of how an aluminum or steel replacement would affect it in a crash.
 
#36 ·
Sure. 35" Tire carrier and 10 gallons of gas with a Hilift on the back that is all hanging way way out behind and above the rear axle. Thats about 250 hanging out there. 80 or 90 for the bumper, 80 for the tire 80 for the gas and 15 for the Hi Lift.
 
#38 ·
There's way to many variables to this topic ...but for me I'll stick with steel from the rockers down and aluminum everywhere else ....for the type of wheelin I do its not the pressures that bent the skids ...its not how it holds up the a bullet its the constant bump & grind that I face....and if one can't make an obstacle it usually do to a lack of wheelbase, tire size, articulation or gear reduction ....

Bob...do u remember my buddy Trent's Yota....it had all four of those and it went right up the Gatekeeper in Calico....do u think that rig was build with weight in mind...
 
#42 ·
There's way to many variables to this topic ...but for me I'll stick with steel from the rockers down and aluminum everywhere else ....for the type of wheelin I do its not the pressures that bent the skids ...its not how it holds up the a bullet its the constant bump & grind that I face....and if one can't make an obstacle it usually do to a lack of wheelbase, tire size, articulation or gear reduction ....

Bob...do u remember my buddy Trent's Yota....it had all four of those and it went right up the Gatekeeper in Calico....do u think his rig was build with weight in mind...
Although it does seem purdy well balanced though..
 
#41 ·
I have an auto so when idle speed won't do I try to just massage it. But in decomposed granite or loose shale it spins pretty easy if I'm on a ledge. I have the 4 to1 and 4.88's. But I'm still learning off road. It's way different than blacktop racing.
 
#45 ·
I do not worry about weight and I have not been at a disadvantage on the rocks, in my rig. At least i dont think so what are signs of being over weight? The AEV diff skid I installed is beefy, heavy but nice, for the $$ I would be beefing up steering components and going 37's instead of going aluminum.
 
#48 ·
Well bang for your buck its hard to beat the strength of steel. Its Cheap, easy to weld,mod,and can take a hell of a beating.

All that being said im with you Bob in trying to give my rig some diet pills. With my 4cyl and my steel oil pan skid, steel rims,steel rockers, and my steel spare tire/jerry can carrier i feel like my jeep has slowly become less nimble. And I am seriously feeling the power/torque to weight ratio.

So much so that im ditching the carrier all together and from here on out starting to go aluminum. And if I don't need it its coming off lol.
 
#49 · (Edited)
Well right now I am working a trade on a Factory soft top for my hard top. Thats a few pounds. Then the Body Armor rear bumper with Gerry Cans goes next. The spare is going inside on the floor and the High lift on the monkey bars.That ought to knock close to 200 off the back and top. When I use to race we looked for ounces. 16 of them is a pound. I drilled hollow so many body bolts for weight and chassis bolts for safety wire.
 
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