BenDiesel's xj project

[BenDiesel]

so a year a go i got a 89 2 door 4.0 all stock for 300 bucks . but for some reason it didnt have a head. so i got one from a friend had it rebuilt and put it on and it fired no problem. except i forgot the ground strap and it had a broken exhaust manifold. so i got a apn headder and had to get a new intake so i might as well get a 99+ while im at it.

so fast foward a few months i got a folich suspension tech 3 link front along with hd steering and hd track bar

then some 35x12.3r15's mtrs for the old gal

 

[BenDiesel]

a little later i found a xj d44 and d30 front with 4.88 and ox lockers front and rear for a really good deal. the front had chromo shafts too.

got me some 6 inch front springs as well(the black on is 4 inch)

some frame stiffeners from one of ower sponsors ruffstuff

after a lot of grinding welding and drilling i got the stiffeners and the skid/long arm mounts installed

 

[BenDiesel]

managed to make a bastard pack out of some mj pack and mains from a xj. but that didnt trun out right

the springs wound up to short and the axle to close to the front. might have been able to use it if i had 33's lol. so a friend of mine came over with some s10 mains and we gave them a try. gave a simular result but in the rear

it wouldnt fit the in the fenders without removing flairs so i figured a cut and fold was in order lol. i plan on cutting the lower rear quarter pannel and fold it up. should give enough clearance for a little while.

thats all for now

 

[dr_jeep85]

lookin gook. i like the 3 link, and the tires, and the stiffeners, and you get the picture. keep it up.

 

[RangerRick]

Ben, TNT has U-bolt eliminators that let you adjust the axle rearward. Nice job.

 

[NW-ZJ-SCOTT]

Lookin real good.. Why not just order a couple leaf packs.. I understand the "low on funds thing" but you spent a good amount up front, I really think you will be much happier if you got new packs in the rear with bilstiens all the way around.. :wave:

 

[BenDiesel]

ya that thought is on the table. im going to do the cut any way. somethign i been wanting to do any way . so thease will do for onw

well i thought santa forgot about me till i went to the shop today and found this

 

[WebDog]

haha thats a good gift!

 

[BenDiesel]

did a cut and tuck in the rear drivers side. airpower ftw

 

[High2by]

Nice work. What shocks do you plan on using? I saw Bilstiens as a suggestion...

 

[BenDiesel]

well my junkyard angle, i mean tim, came over today bearing gifts. he found a set of rubican express rear leafs in the yard we swapped them in and pulled the front axle. all i have to say is i hate stuck bolts and i love airtools.

 

[redrider2911]

Lookin good man! Keep up the work. Sorry still havent gotten the laser work back yet for your Buggy Leaf setup and new UCA mount since you switched to non disco. You'll be the first know know when they ship out! I guess you can start cutting out the stock LCA frame mounts. Dont have too much fun. :cheers:


Ill have to get you a big orange Froehlich Suspension Tech sticker too...

 

[BenDiesel]

well happy nude beer to every one today. for my newyears resulotion is to get the jeep on all 4 wheels again and wheel it alot. and loos 100 pounds.... which ever happens first lol

today i managed to pull the top ball joints but the bottoms seem to need a bit more then i can give them tonight on my own. i thing cause its like 0 degrees in the garage a torch would heat things up and make them more likely to play

with that out of the way for now i decided to pull the knuckles off the old axle and drill them up for the hiem joints. well i got to the point to pull the unit bearings and the seem to be cold or something about 20 years of being in the knuckle and didnt want to come out. got it as far as i can without a torch.

so unable to complete that i decided to replace the track bar bracket with the hd one i got from redrider had to use my die grinder to get it to fit but its all good now. got it most of the way in and discoverd the 2 bolts that go down thorugh the bottom need to have non whasher nuts atach and maybe a little grinding as well. ill look more at it tomorrow

soo i figure 3 projects each 1/3 complete means i got a whole project done right?

 

[redrider2911]

Your stock bottom nuts wouldnt clear the bottom bracing?

 

[BenDiesel]

Your stock bottom nuts wouldnt clear the bottom bracing?

i dont think so but it was late last night and i gave up and went to bed. lol

i picked up a mapgass torch and heated the knuckles a bit and the unit bearings came out with a little persuasion from a big hammer lol. its interesting to see the differance between a 89 and 91 bearing

both are drivers side the left one is from a 89 the right 91. the right also has yukon cromo shafts and joints. i wonder if the outter stub shafts are swapeable between the 2 bearings.

wondering now if the knuckle from the 89 will fit on the 91. and which unit bearing i need to use as well. what have i gotten my self into......

 

[asp]

Knuckles are the same, but the rotors are different.

Let me clear something up, you've gotten yourself into relatively simple Dana 30 tech :laugh3: It's nice to see another member figure things out for the first time. I remember when I did... I also never thought I'd be swapping front axles or going bigger than 33's and now look what I went and did.

 

[BenDiesel]

how bout the outter stub shafts? can i use the from the new axle with the bearings fromt eh old? i herd some were that the old unit bearings were taper roller bearings and can handle the load of bigger tires better.

 

[asp]

Stub shafts are the same.

 

[BenDiesel]

thanks man.

today managed to get the lower ball joints out and all but one upper joint in. the hf press bent and made it to dificult to get in so ill trade it in tomorrow lol

also got the knuckles off the old axle

lol now i got to figure out how to install them. whats up with that funky screw thingy on the bottom of the knuckle?

 

[_87_XJ_]

The bolt at the bottom is most likely the steering stop.