Barn Door for JK factory hardtops
- Thread starter jscherb
- Start date
Mushin_Noshin
Adventurer
As usual amazing work!
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Thank you!
Unlike slider windows, which are very inexpensive to have made in custom sizes and shapes, getting custom curved glass made and tempered would be cost prohibitive for a one-off hobby project (and probably for a limited production commercial hardtop as well), so the Alpine windows are "repurposed" from a production vehicle. So far I've picked up 8 of them at various u-pull junkyards for about $12 each, so they're reasonably easy to come by at a very nice price, and I've got extras if I decide to make more than one JK Safari Cab. They're also available as new replacement parts, so if the Safari Cab became a commercial product the Alpine windows could be options for a production top.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Didn't get much done on the Safari Cab roof today because spent my time doing fiberglass - I'm making up molds for fiberglass JK half door uppers. Today I worked on the mold for the JKU rear uppers. I'll have the mold work finished tomorrow and hope to have first parts out of the molds by the end of the week.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
This morning I popped the molds for the rear uppers off the mold master, here they are just after trimming and washing. There are two molds - an inner shell mold and an outer skin mold.
Today I'll make a set of parts in these molds.
BTW typically molds wouldn't be made in white, but that's the color of gelcoat I had on hand so I used it because I don't intend these molds to be used for more than a half dozen or so parts each.
Today I'll make a set of parts in these molds.
BTW typically molds wouldn't be made in white, but that's the color of gelcoat I had on hand so I used it because I don't intend these molds to be used for more than a half dozen or so parts each.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
I got a set of rear half door parts molded today, tomorrow they'll be cured and I'll pop them out of the molds and assemble them. If you're wondering why there's a "hole" in the middle of both parts, the window opening will be cut out of there anyway, so there's no need to waste fiberglass, resin, gelcoat or work time making the part solid there.
In between the work this week on the half door upper molding project, I've been trying to make a little progress on the Safari Cab roof. I've begun putting the skin on the framework, in these photos I've laid down the bottom of the roof ribs. My design for the roof has four recessed ribs running from front to back on the roof.
I did the same rib design on the LJ Safari Cab roof:
Once the half door project is done I'll make much faster progress on the roof work.
In between the work this week on the half door upper molding project, I've been trying to make a little progress on the Safari Cab roof. I've begun putting the skin on the framework, in these photos I've laid down the bottom of the roof ribs. My design for the roof has four recessed ribs running from front to back on the roof.
I did the same rib design on the LJ Safari Cab roof:
Once the half door project is done I'll make much faster progress on the roof work.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Glad you like the hinges! Any photos of them installed?
The HD spare carrier and tailgate reinforcement are being manufactured by the same company that manufactures the HD tailgate hinges. Until the manufacturer releases them, we won't know which retailers will be picking them up.
jscherb
Expedition Leader
Sorry about that. I've got a lot going on, if I made a thread for everything I'd need my own forum
.The JK HD tailgate hinges are on the market now and are available from several sources. They're stronger than the factory hinges, they've got large diameter stainless hinge pins running in bronze bushings and there's a zerk fitting so they can be greased, so they're not going to wear out and rattle like the factory hinges do. They're also designed to accept accessories, like a HiLift carrier and a Rotopax carrier.
The HD/large spare carrier and tailgate reinforcement replace the factory tire carrier and reinforces the tailgate, preventing flex and twist. The spare carrier has two mounting positions, supporting up to 37" tires in the lower position and 40's in the upper. I've posted this photo before, it shows a 225-lb. gorilla standing on the spare, so there's about 275 pounds on there including the spare. The photo also shows the Rotopax carrier mounted to the hinges.
The hinges, spare carrier and reinforcment all work together, but all can be installed separately if whatever problem needs to be solved can be solved by just one of them.
I'm told by the company that they're shooting to have the HD spare carrier and the tailgate reinforcement on the market by mid-summer.
ihatemybike
Explorer
I've got a lot going on, if I made a thread for everything I'd need my own forum
Though, I think many Subscriptions Folders may somewhat look like a jscherb forum already. Just checked, I have eight of your threads in my list. That's roughly 25% of my subscriptions.
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jscherb
Expedition Leader
Some photos of the almost-finished fiberglass rear half door upper.
The weatherstrip is standard factory weatherstrip, so these will seal as well as the factory uppers. They may even seal better, because they're stiffer than the factory uppers so they'll exert more consistent pressure on the weatherstrip.
The window is just a prototype frame - the glass isn't in it yet. Also I don't yet have the correct window clamp ring, so it's just held in place with 4 corner clips for the moment.
Also not installed yet are the stakes to attach it to the lower door. I've worked out a "universal" stake design which allows the uppers to have different types of stakes installed. So factory style stakes could be installed, or Rugged Ridge style stakes could be installed instead so the uppers could be installed on Rugged Ridge half doors.
The weatherstrip is standard factory weatherstrip, so these will seal as well as the factory uppers. They may even seal better, because they're stiffer than the factory uppers so they'll exert more consistent pressure on the weatherstrip.
The window is just a prototype frame - the glass isn't in it yet. Also I don't yet have the correct window clamp ring, so it's just held in place with 4 corner clips for the moment.
Also not installed yet are the stakes to attach it to the lower door. I've worked out a "universal" stake design which allows the uppers to have different types of stakes installed. So factory style stakes could be installed, or Rugged Ridge style stakes could be installed instead so the uppers could be installed on Rugged Ridge half doors.