2 jeep build thread/blog.

zachandandy said:
With all the fab work I have to do, I picked one of these up yesterday http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004VFJL14. They have an office in Sunnyvale, offer a 30 day money back gaurantee, and a 1 year warranty. For the price I figure if it works for all the brackets and tabs I need to cut in the next month I'm money ahead.
Click to expand...

I almost pulled the trigger on that exact unit.. until my dad talked me out of it and into buying a thermal dynamics for twice as much...kinda wish I went with the lotos now that I only used it for about a month. let us know how it works out for yah.
 
Went back and forth on the wj build plans. Turns out cut to length 44 shafts won't fit the 44a, so I'd have to buy wj specific shafts at $569 a pair. Typical price gouging wj overcharging. A set for a jk with bearings, studs, and seals can be had for $300 and they are .75" longer. So instead I'm picking this up after work.

14b ff srw out of a late model, 65" wms to wms. For $350 it's stronger than I could ever make a 44. It will get trussed and a double triangulated 4 link will go in with it. No more semi float bs in this jeep family.
 
Nice! Huge brakes too. It should be real nice. Summit racing has the 1310 to 1350 conversion joints for like 16$?. Cheapest I found. Super fast shipping . Grab 2 , one for a trail spare.summit and jegs have Cheap cragar soft 8s in 8 lug.
 
I love ordering from summit, I've placed orders at 6pm and had them on my porch the next day. Between the 4 link and everything else, we are gonna stick with the drum brakes for now to mitigate some cost. Still gotta buy a grizzly for the 14b.
 
Ya check around online and check with rwk haus for the grizzly. The drums will stop you great . Save money for now. In my experience it's cheaper to order new rims from summit compared to trying to find used rims. Does that 14 have the massive lip on it too?
 
I say do the lip just to get it under there faster and cheaper. I still have like 10-10.25" of clearance under the lowest part of my diff on mine, with a real close trim on the thing. Its like an 1" more terrace on his 32s and 8.25. I can live with that.

anyone have their clearance under their rear diff measured ? I am curious to see how bad this trimmed pig really hangs. The hi9 was around 10.75-11".
 
blondejoncherokee said:
anyone have their clearance under their rear diff measured ? I am curious to see how bad this trimmed pig really hangs. The hi9 was around 10.75-11".
Click to expand...

Just measured mine. 9.25" of clearance. Unshaved 8.25 w/25% left on my 33's
 
OK thanks Kevin. So if you went to 36s you would gain around 1.5". that would put you at like 10.75 on 36s. I can live with that.
 
I measured the wj last night, 10.5" at the lowest point on 35's. I'm thinking of ordering the barnes 4x4 shave cover, claims 1 1/4" extra clearance without needing to weld. You lose the bottom bolt hole but 13 bolts in a 3/8" flange should be enough to maintain a seal. Picking up an np231 in San Jose after work, so no more full time bs in the wj. Probably going to throw a spartan up front now that she will have 2wd for the street. Going to post up the wj 44 for sale soon, disc brake with new pads, 3.73 gears, trussed, and an Aussie locker. I'll probably include the upper a arm I built to replace the factory ball joint pos so it will bolt in to any wj.
 
What has more clearance than a 14 bolt? Step one cut a big hunk off with a saw all.


Then spend 30 minutes with a grinder.

I got a little nervous about grinding the rest of the bolt hole down, and I'll probably fill it in with weld and grind it smooth. What I will be left with is a 13 bolt with 1 3/8" more clearance than a stock 14 bolt. About the same amount of clearance as a stock 14 on 38.5" tires while sitting on 35's. still need to modify a cover and make a pinion guard. Truss it to fit the upper links, coil perches, lca mounts, and shock mounts. Then it will be ready to get slung under the wj.
 
Looking good man.
 
Thank Jon, your 14 bolt swap was kind of the inspiration to pulling the trigger on this thing. I will have to say, as with all things 14 bolt, the leaf spring perches are beef and really burned in there. I've removed perches from at least a half dozen axles, and this thing(only got 1 done) was the biggest pain by far. I was tired from swinging the bfh, bent a chisel and a pry bar, and went through 2 saws all blades just getting that damn perch off.
 
Between John and Tim I'm having a hard time talking myself out of doing the 14 bolt. If I can find a way to 8lug my hp44 then it's officially happening....in a few months haha.
 
the 14b is cheap beef, not too wide, and not as heavy as you think, and not really any tougher to swap than a 8.8.

Gordon dont sweat the mismatched lug pattern not as bad as you think.Just order some cheap 8 lug rims on the rear.
 
Last edited:
its on my eventual list of things to do to get lugs matched up, but no huge hurry. like that can be years out...
 
Last edited:
yep. thats why I don't plan on putting any more money into the 44.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Jeepedo129
XJ Build, again.
2 3 4
Replies
60
Views
4K
Jeepedo129
Jeepedo129
X
Help me my Obi Wan Kenobi's
2 3
Replies
47
Views
14K
75SV1
7
C
Build thread :big black
Replies
10
Views
963
ShoeterMcgav
ShoeterMcgav
N
NotAMechanic Green 2000 XJ Build
Replies
3
Views
1K
notamechanic
N
5
FS: 1995 Jeep Cherokee Sport
Replies
9
Views
3K
OkieXJ
OkieXJ
Back
Top