2 jeep build thread/blog.

[zachandandy]

No pics of this weekends work, but finished up my beadlocks, got my sector shaft brace done, welded up the rear bumper for my brother-in-laws fsj, installed a front bumper and fabbed up a rear for the mother-in-laws jk. So ready to get some wheeling in. My son turns 12 next Saturday, so no wheeling then. Probably hit frank Raines may 4th to make sure both jeeps are ready for the rubicon Memorial Day weekend.

 

[zachandandy]

Well I've had more than my fair share of steering issues and was I'm trying to beef every part I can. I've been looking at double shear pitman arms as that point seems to be my weak link. I really like the genright twisted arm, but its too short for my dana 44, only set up for 5/8" bolts and I run 3/4", and its $300. So I built this tonight.

The splines are welded in at an angle so the heim will sit in its neutral position at ride height. It should allow for full droop without binding on the bolt. Still need a little more plating and grinding, but not bad for a couple hours work.

 

[Jeep450r]

Looks beefy! What did you use for the splined portion of the pitman arm? Did you just hack off the factory splines and burn them in?

 

[zachandandy]

Pretty much, cut the splined portion off, turn it down to just over 2", and press it in to the hole.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

how many pitman arms have you broken so far?

 

[zachandandy]

None, but I plated up and double sheared the heim at the knuckle, so I figure did be proactive in avoiding future issues. I angled the arm to avoid binding at full droop, which does happen with the regular pitman arm. After experiencing a sector shaft break, and having to leave my jeep on the trail for a week, I'm doing everything I can to beef up my steering.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Yah I totally agree with that. It makes perfect sense.

 

[Jeep450r]

Pretty much, cut the splined portion off, turn it down to just over 2", and press it in to the hole.

Turned it down via lathe?

 

[zachandandy]

No lathe, used the bench grinder.

 

[zachandandy]

Slapped 4.5" of lift on my father-in-laws 90 xj today. He bought the 33's from my parts jeep, so we had to make some room. Still need to trim the rear flares off, but it came together pretty good.

 

[zachandandy]

Going to do a little shakedown run Sunday out at frank Raines park. Last chance to see how all the latest mods work before Memorial Day on the rubicon.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

nice man. post up some pics of that pitman arm in action, and bring a spare pitman arm just for the hell of it!

 

[zachandandy]

When I installed it, the angle was a no go. I built the damn thing upside down. The taper in the splines is so slight, I though I had it the right way. I'll put the old one back on and run single shear for now. The sector shaft brace and frame plating should be "good enough".

 

[blondejoncherokee]

thats alot man.youll be fine. never hurts to have a spare pitman arm though.

 

[zachandandy]

No shakedown run last weekend due family issues, but I'm trying to sell the wife on a slick rock run after Mother's Day brunch at ironstone. I hate the idea of taking it out untested on the con, but if it ends up that way so be it.

 

[zachandandy]

I'm looking for somewhere in placerville to park the tow rig during the Memorial Day weekend rubicon trip. I know you can park at icehouse resort, but placerville would be more convienient. Any ideas?

 

[zachandandy]

I may have the worst luck ever. Wife's wj broke a rear shaft, tried to drive it on the broken stub, which just toasted the bearing. Headed out for parts in the jk following my brother in law Sunday evening. He flopped his wagoneer on the passenger side at the bottom of Cadillac, and twisted the front driveshaft in half. Took his wife, kids, and jeep back down to the springs where the wife and mother in law were. Headed back up Cadillac at 10:30. Got to my house in patterson at 3:30 am, grabbed the spare axle shaft I had and the front driveshaft from my old waggy. Slept 1 hour and went back. Axle shaft turned out to be too short, put it in anyway and headed out in the rain. Soon killed the wheel bearing on the too short shaft. Left the wife's jeep and made it all of 500 yards before my t-case made a god awful grinding noise and I lost the front output. Tried to continue in 2 high and got stuck. Went to back up and had 0 brakes, white knuckle backward down hill terror. Got my jeep of the trail, loaded my tools into the jk and headed up behind the waggy. Wet, muddy, river down the middle, Cadillac hill. My brother in law was afraid to try driving the waggy up the sharp righthander at the bottom where he flopped it the night before. I drive the waggy and the jk all the way up Cadillac. Got to the staging area and loaded up the truck and went home. Got here at 1am. Found an axle shaft at pick n pull today so we can get the wj out. Picking up a new master cylinder today, and trying to get my spare 242 to stay in low range so I can swap it out on the trail Saturday. Heading back up first thing Saturday to get them out. Mine has no doors, hoping nobody messes with it, or if they do, hope they try and drive it down he hill with no brakes. FML

 

[blondejoncherokee]

WOW. thats a ton of carnage. wow.

 

[zachandandy]

Some of it wasn't even carnage, it was just parts giving up the ghost for no reason. My front output went out without any real persuasion. The master cylinder went when I was barely using the brakes. And now my extractor just broke off in the roll pin in my np242 I'm trying to rebuild to change out when I get back up there. I feel cursed and beaten down.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

ya after your dusy run then this, you are beaten down man. Maybe try an easy trail like slick rock for a change and enjoy the camping and no breakage...