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Fiberglass install

5K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  elusive 
#1 ·
what experiences have you guys had w/ fiberglass body installation? i'm trying to decide who to order mine from, i also need to do some frame work before ordering it, (including finishing boxing it and replacing the rear crossmember). I just wondered if any of the bodies acutally came with the body mounts pre-drilled or anything like that. i also wondered if you knew of a dealer that had an actual spec sheet available as to where the body mounts need to be, i am going to pretty much recreate much of the rear 1/2 of my frame and could use a good idea of where to put the body mount holes and such before my body actually gets here.


any information would be very useful. thanks

---Dave---


it's like one step forward and three steps back... :(


 
#2 ·
We just put a 4wd hardware tub on our CJ7. We got a video, but no specsheets, however, their techs are very helpful & if you called them they would get you some measurements. Our experience was good, lots of cutting though & you need some patience. (Especially if you want it to look really nice). There are several little things to watch out for that 4wd hardware didn't tell us, that we either found out on our own (like the shoulder belt needed a new bottom mounting bracket that we made), or that other people clued us in on. Anyway good luck & my advise is to do the heator motor blower upgrade when your doing the cutting anyway (see tech in off-road.com).

"For every action there is an equal and opposite Government Program"
 
#3 ·
thanks, yeah, that's who i was thinking of going through, they've been great on all the other parts i've ever ordered from them. and they're usually cheaper than most anyone else. patience... i'm gonna have to have a lot of that, at the rate this is going i may have to fabricate 90% of this jeep... (why couldn't i have just bought a square headlight jeep instead of being so bull headed) oh well, the worst of it is, i must have a million shop manuals but i have never found specs for jeep frames (not even in my body manuals) and none of the parts places or body shops seems to know either without having to personally measure it... how do these guys build them in the first place is all i wonder?


 
G
#5 ·
I put a 4WDH tub on mine. It's pretty simple to do and the support people are great. Getting everything grounded when you are done can be the real challenge. You have to drill your own body mount holes so I guess you can put them anywhere you like. If you get the installation kit from 4WDH it helps quite a bit and the video is helpful, but leaves a lot of questions. I'd recommend this body to anyone.

 
#6 ·
Another happy 4WD Hardware body owner here...3 years old and looking great!
Here's my tips, based on my install..

1) Buy some late model YJ windshield washer 'squirters" They work way better than the CJ style, and are easy to install.
2) if ya have a standard tranny, use this opportunity to convert to a hydraulic clutch, it's more reliable and easier to install than the stock linkage.
3)undercoat the tub early in the project. it's easy now to turn it over and give it a good coating before it starts getting heavy!
4)think about a decent rollbar tie-in system. I am using the outriggers from www.jl4wd.com/outrigger.htm, but want more.
5)of course, measure everything about a million times.
6) make sure you properly ground everything.
 
G
#7 ·
I'm in the middle of a AJ's glass body install on my '81 cj7. There are the obvious things that I really like about fiberglass (no rust, easy to work with, lighter, etc). What I don't like is that there are no real step by step instructions on the install. Yes, I bought the 4wdh video, but it doesn't necessarily spell everything out for you. I know all jeeps are different, but most of it has to be similar when installing things. It's very nerve wracking cutting into a brand new body, even if you've measured many times. I always get the feeling that I'm wrong in the middle of a cut.

The AJ's body is extremely well built. Very solid, and the metal support embedded in the 'glass is thick enough to tap for bolts rather than relying on getting a nut in some very hard to reach places.

It's not very difficult to install, just the lack of concrete instructions leaves me scratching my head coming up with some imaginative solutions. Hard for me to say if I would go with 'glass again, since I'm still a couple of weeks (maybe months!) away from being done. With all of the work and special allowances that have to be made on 'glass bodies, it would be awful tempting to look at the Willys-Overland bodies.

Let me know if you have any specific questions, and I'll do my best to answer them.

Greg J.

 
#8 ·
my opinion after installing a few...
1... the best tubs i have seen comes from 4wd hardware & AJ..the 4wdh tub weighs MORE than a steel tub, the floors are an inch thick, the joints are really strong, and mine is 5 years old and nearly perfect.
2...never use a fiberglass front grill...they generally suck, they are hard to cut, flimsy, and the steel ones don't rust anyway(usually)
3...run a thick ground from the front grill to the case of the alternator, then up under the starting solonoid to the neg post of the battery.
4...run another ground from the front grill to the frame.
5...paint the tub, or else the gelcoat will get stained in mud after about 3-4 years.
6...you must pay attention to the details if you want it to look perfect..things like the hood loops,side markers,emblems etc.
7...fiberglass hoods are nice and light and durable, but they like to fly into windshield frame shattering the gelcoat unless you put hood pins on the jeep
8...if you ever even concider a body lift.. now is the time..after you cut the holes in the firewall..it's too late
9...give yourself an extra day to do it so you can clean and paint the frame with hammerite
10...the tailgate in nice, but it's expencive

the only flaws in my fiberglass after years of wheeling are a couple rock marks in the rocker panels... and the ENTIRE weight of the jeep fell on it from about 4 feet up..it only made a 1"X4" mark in the bottom... i have seen wrangler tubs in VERY nice condition too though....a lot cheaper..

~~Elusive~~
tj-7 thingy../wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif..see it at http://www.jeepgod.net
 
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