csclifford
Outside of Comfort
Looks to be an awesome build! Saw it over on JF and thought I'd chime in here.
AEV Brute Expedition Build in Dubai
- Thread starter Oman4x4
- Start date
BenHedrick
Adventurer
Oman4x4, Your Brute is coming together great! Looks like you're making great progress.
Ben
Ben
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
New Air Conditioner in the build-room is like an ice-box so we can expect more progress now 
Thinking of dropping my plans for a vertically installed sunroof as a rear window and replacing it with a powered sliding rear window from a previous generation Ford Ranger.
Reason being - more practical / less show-truck. I really want to get the most out of the space behind the seats and allowing for the glass panel to slide down will kill the space.
Based on some dimensions online - here's my best attempt at a photoshop to scale...
(rough drawing - frames are not that thick - that's just how I will cut it from MDF on a router to check )
Thoughts? The sides are a bit more angled but I think that's as good as I'm going to get for something off the shelf?
Keeping in mind there will be a cage supporting the rack , those sides will not be all that visible - I think I'm okay with it
Thinking of dropping my plans for a vertically installed sunroof as a rear window and replacing it with a powered sliding rear window from a previous generation Ford Ranger.
Reason being - more practical / less show-truck. I really want to get the most out of the space behind the seats and allowing for the glass panel to slide down will kill the space.
Based on some dimensions online - here's my best attempt at a photoshop to scale...
(rough drawing - frames are not that thick - that's just how I will cut it from MDF on a router to check
) Thoughts? The sides are a bit more angled but I think that's as good as I'm going to get for something off the shelf?
Keeping in mind there will be a cage supporting the rack , those sides will not be all that visible - I think I'm okay with it
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
Thank You
Yeah my Jeep already has quite a few gadgets on it and it's going to be fun adding more There will be power windows, power moon roof, power sliding rear window, power bedlocker tonnau cover, power side-steps. The spec-sheet is going to read better than an Escalade But the key thing is - these are all independent items and not fully integrated like on some modern high-end cars... so... if they fail... they fail. The car keeps working as is and doesn't go in to some limp mode or anything like that. The only integration into the car is whether they get 12V constantly or only when the key is on.
But I do like challenging the notion that Jeeps have to be simple and unrefined.
I love my Jeep, but the goal as we do all this is to ramp up the comfort, capability, capacity and ease of use
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
Damn, Laurie your Jeep has come SO far since back in the day on JF. This is yet another ambitious project that I'm sure will come out great, and in the end you'll enjoy this rig that much more. Good stuff man
Thanks Andrew!! Yep it's come a long way since chrome tube bumpers and a Mopar Lightbar
I can't wait to have it done.
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
Had another idea for a part borrowed from another truck
Found these tail lights designed for a 1967 Chevy Truck:
Hoping the manufacturer can do a variation of the reverse light with an amber colour - and that will give me export-style white / red / amber lighting
Then will need to re-think the shape of the groove channel as it comes around the corners - but for now here's a quick photoshop...
Found these tail lights designed for a 1967 Chevy Truck:
Hoping the manufacturer can do a variation of the reverse light with an amber colour - and that will give me export-style white / red / amber lighting
Then will need to re-think the shape of the groove channel as it comes around the corners - but for now here's a quick photoshop...
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
So... we have an air conditioned build room and we're back to making progress
I think these control arms will be hard to break.... so far I've bent stock ones, sheared stock ones in half, and destroyed bushings in aftermarket ones... this time we're going for massively over-specced
Front suspension mocked up so we can design everything to clear at maximum compression so we know nothing will hit. Once we're all mounted up - will set the frame at a stock ride height so we have the axles in the stock position, and then design the new control arms to put the axles in the same position. Hopefully when we are all done, and the body goes on, the axles will be in the correct position
Back axle in position - waiting for the shocks to be mounted.
6-pak shocks - telescopic top and bottom for extra travel while the body of the shock with all the valving floats in the middle. Feels good to see them on the frame
The plan is that this weekend, we'll be 3D scanning the frame, AND the underside of my old Jeep which still has the drivetrain fitted, and then designing the suspension layout in CAD so it doesn't hit anything. Will move the factory lower control arm mounts towards the middle of the frame for a "factory" look, and then make custom brackets for the uppers, and then the axle housings will have trusses that will incorporate the control arm brackets. Having all this in CAD will then let me design the sub-fuel tank in the mid-frame later, knowing it will clear everything... Will also help in the cage design knowing where all the body mounts are.
I think these control arms will be hard to break.... so far I've bent stock ones, sheared stock ones in half, and destroyed bushings in aftermarket ones... this time we're going for massively over-specced
Front suspension mocked up so we can design everything to clear at maximum compression so we know nothing will hit. Once we're all mounted up - will set the frame at a stock ride height so we have the axles in the stock position, and then design the new control arms to put the axles in the same position. Hopefully when we are all done, and the body goes on, the axles will be in the correct position
Back axle in position - waiting for the shocks to be mounted.
6-pak shocks - telescopic top and bottom for extra travel while the body of the shock with all the valving floats in the middle. Feels good to see them on the frame
The plan is that this weekend, we'll be 3D scanning the frame, AND the underside of my old Jeep which still has the drivetrain fitted, and then designing the suspension layout in CAD so it doesn't hit anything. Will move the factory lower control arm mounts towards the middle of the frame for a "factory" look, and then make custom brackets for the uppers, and then the axle housings will have trusses that will incorporate the control arm brackets. Having all this in CAD will then let me design the sub-fuel tank in the mid-frame later, knowing it will clear everything... Will also help in the cage design knowing where all the body mounts are.
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
Today's update - it's got axles and tires - temporarily!
The new rear shock absorber mounts are welded on - the frame has been set to the ride height as if it would have the stock springs, with the weight of the body and engine all there (measured from axle to frame).
Tomorrow morning we will be 3D scanning the frame - and 3D scanning my old Jeep to have the critical drivetrain clearances - and then will design my long-travel control arms and control arm bracketry and front axle truss.
The new rear shock absorber mounts are welded on - the frame has been set to the ride height as if it would have the stock springs, with the weight of the body and engine all there (measured from axle to frame).
Tomorrow morning we will be 3D scanning the frame - and 3D scanning my old Jeep to have the critical drivetrain clearances - and then will design my long-travel control arms and control arm bracketry and front axle truss.
onemanarmy
Explorer
what are you scanning the frame with? which CAD program?
looks great. love the Brute.
looks great. love the Brute.
Oman4x4
Laurie Bridger
A 6-axis arm scanner with a laser head on the end of it - which will aquire the points in it's own accompanying software. It's something I use for work.
Then clean up the data with Geomagics which will convert the points to surfaces.
Then I will be working with the data in Rhino 3D to design my parts that will be cut out on the waterjet and bent into place and welded on.
Thanks!