What are you doing to your rig - the continuing saga

ShoeterMcgav said:

Which tcase shifter linkage is that?

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Boostwerks sir, nice set up and easy to adjust the throw, I do recommend it.

Ive been meaning to add one. A buddy has one and its silky smooth compared to the hunting mine does

Yeah it's a night and day difference. I largely didnt want to reinstal the stock junk.

All a slow process getting 4x4 back.
. 8.25 new shafts
.outer bearings
.242 hac n tap
. Find a drive shaft that fits
And with that I should be good for wheeling

Missed the run... Having FUN instead!


Had to grind some to get the *intake manifold to bolt up.... Willing to bet this header is damn near impossible to install for those with big hands and less yoga moves! Lmao

Decisions...started cutting up the rear fenders. Always wanted to do some form of comp cur, mostly to ditch all the messed up sheet metal out back and get rid of my cRustys tail light boxes. Unfortunately I found cracks every where back there, along with some rust from years of water seeping under the seam sealer. The rust isn't bad, but the cracks are, and along both bottom corners of where the hatch area is welded to the floor. Also a couple in the upper d pillars. So now what to do? Always intended this to stay full body but the idea of chop top and caged rrear is enticing, or maybe just cut off everything below the windows and tube that out and weld the top sheet metal to that. Hmm...

trippled said:

Decisions...started cutting up the rear fenders. Always wanted to do some form of comp cur, mostly to ditch all the messed up sheet metal out back and get rid of my cRustys tail light boxes. Unfortunately I found cracks every where back there, along with some rust from years of water seeping under the seam sealer. The rust isn't bad, but the cracks are, and along both bottom corners of where the hatch area is welded to the floor. Also a couple in the upper d pillars. So now what to do? Always intended this to stay full body but the idea of chop top and caged rrear is enticing, or maybe just cut off everything below the windows and tube that out and weld the top sheet metal to that. Hmm...

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drill out the big cracks weld fill them and plate the damn rails then tie it all into a cage .

Still gotta cut,drill, tap output. Supposed to be getting a drive shaft, but apparently the guy im trying to buy it from prefers to drive around with it in the back of his truck rather than selling it. Craigslist is like pulling teeth F###.

Ordered 7075 AL links for the front 4-link on the buggy. Definitely bought plenty of things more expensive for it without hesitation, but I think these might have been one of the most effort as far as checking, rechecking, thinking about it, rechecking, and then ordering :laugh:

Stumbled upon some Grade 9 bolts on super clearance while perusing Grainger...so looks like I'll be moving to Grade 9 :laugh:

Less than $4 for four 5/8-11, 4" long bolts...can't even buy the Gr8 for that!

Hardened washers and Grade 9 prevailing torque nuts ordered as well :greensmok

Where did you get the links from? What size did you go with?

Jeepmanthing is the exhuast custom? My last bit of exhuast has a bigger curve in it and its hitting the shock/ shock mount. With out a welder i need to find a cool shop here.. As in cheap af cool lmao

*also noticed my shocks run the opposite direction.. Boot side on the body instead of to the axle.. Either way should be the same right?

trippled said:

Where did you get the links from? What size did you go with?

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Got them from Wide Open Design. Would have liked to go with Summit but couldn't justify the extra cost.

1.5" uppers, 2.25" lowers so same diameters as before.

trippled said:

Where did you get the links from? What size did you go with?

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I looked at aluminum links and when I double tri link my front I may for bling use them, but aside from bling they don't offer much for a heavy rig because they only save you few pounds total because you're comparing hollow tube mild steel links to solid stock aluminum if you were building a tube buggy from ground zero then they would be one of many lightweight parts in the build giving you a substantial overall weight savings ,but on our xj they are simply for bling...lol... you can bend some mild steel dom links a hand full of times before equaling the cost of a set of aluminium links . You would be better off putting your money into drive shafts and axles and than aluminum bling .

1-tonxj said:

I looked at aluminum links and when I double tri link my front I may for bling use them, but aside from bling they don't offer much for a heavy rig because they only save you few pounds total because you're comparing hollow tube mild steel links to solid stock aluminum if you were building a tube buggy from ground zero then they would be one of many lightweight parts in the build giving you a substantial overall weight savings ,but on our xj they are simply for bling...lol... you can bend some mild steel dom links a hand full of times before equaling the cost of a set of aluminium links . You would be better off putting your money into drive shafts and axles and than aluminum bling .

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Yes and no.

It's an upgrade either way. But to me the pricing wasn't THAT much different.

For example...

My uppers 30" long.

For each upper, I would need to buy 3' of 1.5" x .25" DOM.

Ruffstuff is actually cheaper to buy from with a discount even after shipping. Currently $11.25/ft. on their site. We'll call it $14/ft. after shipping.

So, that's $42 for the material. Still need bungs.

$14 each off Ruffstuff, We'll call then about even with discount and shipping.

That puts us around $70 for one link and two bungs. I will still have to get it cut, welded etc.

That same link, in 7075 from WOD is $84. I got free shipping for spending over $150.

So, an approximate $15 difference. WELL worth it to me.

Lowers? Last time I bought 2.25" x 3/8" DOM, I had to buy a whole stick. That being said, I'll still assume the pricing of about $1 per inch (which I would put money on it being about double that now).

31.5" lowers. So call it $32 for material (obviously off since there's no way its going to be cheaper than 1.5"), and another ~$35 for bungs. That puts us at ~$70...we'll call it $80.

My 2.25" lowers from WOD - ~ $140.

So being rather non-conservative in lower material pricing...we're looking at a $60 difference. I would wager that gap is actually a bit closer.

So, by those estimates, my links cost ~$30 + $120..total of $150ish more.

No welding, no cutting, no chasing threads...nadda. They'll show up at my door nice and pretty and ready to go in. :greensmok

My four links were ~$470 shipped. There's an extra $20 in there since I had them put wrench flats on both ends.

I can't even buy a STICK of 7075 in that realm. Buddy on mine who's wrapping up his XJ buggy is a machinist up this way. The company he works for buys...a lot...of aluminum.

Even he couldn't get it for that cheap.

Not sure how, but WOD link cost, is cheaper finished that I or my buddy could source the material. My buddy could very very easily machine it, but why bother.

freerider15 said:

My four links were ~$470 shipped. There's an extra $20 in there since I had them put wrench flats on both ends.

I can't even buy a STICK of 7075 in that realm. Buddy on mine who's wrapping up his XJ buggy is a machinist up this way. The company he works for buys...a lot...of aluminum.

Even he couldn't get it for that cheap.

Not sure how, but WOD link cost, is cheaper finished that I or my buddy could source the material. My buddy could very very easily machine it, but why bother.

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2.5 .250 wall dom is about $15 a foot ...I used square a500 had them cut it then got the price and nearly shit as it cost about the sane as dom now as square and rec has gone through the roof...anywho my uppers are 2.0 .250 dom at $10 ft . As for adapters I just reused my old ones so it's far less than the 2.5 lowers I looked at from wod...now when I get rid of my radius arm front this fall I will bling things up just because at this point , why not I have no cheap parts left on my "budget" wheeler . My main point to the aluminum links is that people who buy them for weight reduction don't stop to think there is only a few pounds at best because you're comparing hollow tube to solid stock .

ShoeterMcgav said:

Jeepmanthing is the exhuast custom? My last bit of exhuast has a bigger curve in it and its hitting the shock/ shock mount. With out a welder i need to find a cool shop here.. As in cheap af cool lmao

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Sort of custom I guess lol, it's stock from down pipe to cat.
It's straight pipe cat back, I was going to do a bolt on kit then bailed on that idea after cutting it off haha. I had a fort collins shop that i will Never let touch my jeep again do this.

Passes emissions?

Stupid Rock Auto special unit bearings only lasted 30k miles on my truck. Guess now I’ll see how long Moog ones last. At least they have a 3yr warranty through Autozone.