2 jeep build thread/blog.

[zachandandy]

I think my next camping trip will be the tent in the back yard, within 15' of the beer fridge in the garage.

 

[zachandandy]

Who am I kidding, yesterday was a bit much, but I'll never stop wheeling. Had a blast Friday through Sunday. Almost made soupbowl, but broke a center pin and had to back down.

Even the dogs love wheeling. We will make it work.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

dude the fact that your wife wheels her own WJ on the con is just awesome. so badass.

 

[zachandandy]

She also carries her glock 21 when camping, works on her own rig, and loves to fish. She is pretty awesome.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I really wanted to go on this trip to man. that sucks my jeep was dead in the water, i coulda helped with all of your troubles for sure.

 

[zachandandy]

Finished replacing the shift fork wear pads and reassembling the spare np242 last night, bench bled the new master cylinder, and I've got the new axle shaft ready for the wj. Leaving the house at 2am to head back to the con and get my jeeps back. I hope all goes well.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

damn. how many jeeps are up there still, your xj and the WJ?

are you sure you didnt lose a hard or soft brake line? might want to bring some brakelines and or compression fittings. or what about the booster? no break fluid missing right, just a dead master hopefully?

Just some ideas, I hope its only the master.

I pray your jeeps werent messed with

 

[zachandandy]

Yea, we left them both. Checked brake lines, everything is intact, just very low pressure at each wheel. Could be master and booster, but the brakes will still work if the booster is toast. With the pouring rain Monday, there was no getting them up Cadillac and we had to be home for work. Hoping the wrenching goes smooth and we can get out early Sunday. If I can get mine fixed, it will be no problem getting out. I was up Cadillac and out to tahoe in an hour Sunday night in the dark in an open open jk.

 

[zachandandy]

Jeeps were untouched. New master cylinder works like a charm. After having to pull the entire wj rear axle apart to get the aussie out and beat the broken piece out, I was tired of wrenching. Mad Cadillac in 2 hi, with a few tugs on a strap. The rest of the trail in 2 hi wasn't bad. Down to Colfax and heading home.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

damn thats freaking crazy man

 

[Forceful Llama]

Good to hear that things are ok. But hey, your steering box is holding up now right?

 

[zachandandy]

Well it was too hot to work on the jeep this weekend, which left me with too much free time. Lead to an impulse buy at the gun store. Got my son his 1st rifle, a ruger 10/22 takedown. My jeep won't be ready for our Father's Day camping trip to the niagara rim area, so I'm bringing plenty of ammo instead. Taking the mossberg 500 and mosin nagant that I've had for over a year and have yet to fire. Wil still have the wife's jeep and the father in law is bringing his xj for trail runs. Should still be a blast. Who knows, may even pull some late nights after work this week and get my jeep back in order.

 

[zachandandy]

So after ripping my trackbar mount off on soup bowl, I am redesigning the mount. Also finishing my 3 link and probably building a new track bar. I have a bunch of 1.75" .120 wall tube at the house, will this be strong enough for the track bar, or should I go buy some 1.5 .25 wall? Trackbar will be straight and have 7/8" heims at either end.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I would consider going with 1.5 .250 wall or 1.75 .250 wall.

 

[zachandandy]

Which will see more load, the uca in my front 3 link or the track bar? I've read of a bunch of people running 1.75" .120 wall uppers, and I figured the upper sees more load than the track bar? If I can make it work, I'm going to try and make my upper the same length as my track bar and drag link, all running 7/8" heims. Then I can build 1 trail spare that will easily replace any of the 3. I'm trying to cut some and add strength at the same time. May even back half the whole jeep? I've got a ton of ideas, now I just need the time and $ to do it.

 

[Johnnie Walker]

I wouldn't build any arm links with less than .250 wall. Unless you use something like this, which is much stronger.

http://www.polyperformance.com/shop/Synergy-Suspension-Heat-Treated-4130-Chromoly-Tubing-p-2384.html

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I would imagine that the trackbar sees more load than the single upper, but I dont have any evidence , just a guess. I would run .250 wall for the track bar, or at least sleeve it really soon and use the .120 wall just to get it up and running. I am building my trackbar out of 1.75 .250 wall DOM, and other things will break before the bar itself tweaks...

 

[Jeep450r]

I like that idea of having one spare link for all 3, but that will make for one hell of an upper link. How long will your lowers be? How long is your drag link?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

drag link is going to be around 38".
lowers will be around 25", and upper will be somewhere between 23-27". Trackbar will try to get 38", but clearance issues may mean it gets a short as 31". Not stoked about the 38" drag link and 31" trackbar potentially, but I'm hoping to make it work at 38" so we will see. Upper and lowers are 1.25" hems, 2" .250 wall DOM, trackbar and steering are all 1.75" .250 wall DOM with 7/8" hiems.

 

[zachandandy]

Lowers are 32-34" iirc. Haven't check drag link in awhile.