ham-bonehead mj build

[darksidemj]

I didn't figure this belonged in adfab so I thought I would post here. For a little background I am still kinda of new to jeeps compared to several on the board. I bought this jeep about a year ago and it mainly needed a little work but was overall a decent jeep. When I bought it, it already had a 4.5 inch short arm lift with rubicon express coils and a somewhat bastard pack in the rear. Frond axle was a d30 with 4:56's and a lockright and the rear was a limited slip 8.8 with 4:56's and sat on 33" TSL's. Well I wanted to go up to 35's so I trimmed and stuffed some 35" procomp mt's under it and redid the front bumper to fit a winch in there that I got. Well I headed to winterfest and while turning around in the road to get into line for the gate to open I snapped the front pinion gear. And that is what started this build.

Ok onto the build plans:

front axle:
Ford Radius arm D44
5:13's
open for now but will get a lunchobx locker in the future

rear axle:
Ford 9"
5:13's
Either going to weld it or through a spool in it, not sure yet

suspension:
Going to reuse the rubicon express front coils
Going to use part of the factory ford radius arm and extend them and run a 3/4" or 7/8" heim
Going to rebuild a bastard pack for the rear

Hope to step up to 37's but will be running the 35's until then.

here is a pic of the jeep after I brought it home:

and here it is almost ready to winterfest(what it looked like before I started the build)

 

[darksidemj]

Yesterday I got both of the old axles out. Still need to gather some parts so this won't be the fastest build but hope to have it done before winter so I can get atleast one ride in. Pics to follow next time I get out there.


Also, would you guys recommend going with a 7/8 or 3/4" heims for the radius arms? I'm not sure a 5/8" bolt would be enough if I go with the 3/4" heims.

Comments welcome

 

[twodoorXJ]

Yesterday I got both of the old axles out. Still need to gather some parts so this won't be the fastest build but hope to have it done before winter so I can get atleast one ride in. Pics to follow next time I get out there.


Also, would you guys recommend going with a 7/8 or 3/4" heims for the radius arms? I'm not sure a 5/8" bolt would be enough if I go with the 3/4" heims.

Comments welcome

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/125RESET.html

Are you using ford radius arms, or fabbing your own?

 

[darksidemj]

I am going to be buying all of my joints and the like from dan at ruffstuff. Have heard nothing but good things about him. I am using a portion of the fod arms but extending them and running a heim at the end insteAd of the bushings.


So I should go with 1 1/4" end instead of the 7/8" end? Is there a significant strength difference in the 1.25 and 7/8 end?

 

[darksidemj]

Picked up some wheels today. Found some 15x8 steel wagon spoke wheels. Need to get them cleaned up and painted though. Will get some more pics ina day or two.

 

[kmanxj5050]

What's goin on with the rockers?

 

[darksidemj]

What's goin on with the rockers?

The previous owner cut one side out and just welded in a piece of pipe and the other needs to be cut out and replaced. I am going to be removing the pipe and replacing both rockers with 2x6 tubing for sliders with some bracing.

 

[darksidemj]

A small update. Well both axles have been out and I have gathered a few parts. Currently the jeep sits on stands. Hopefully I will be able to buy some parts this weekend since this week is pay week. I have the axles and gears but I needs to get install kits for both axles. I also need to get my wheels blasted so I can get them painted. Here are some pics of how it sits currently.

And here all the axles and the wheels that will be going on it. The wheels will be painted black.

 

[darksidemj]

well I got my rod ends ordered from ruffstuff. I decide to go ahead and go with the 1.25" heims with the 3/4 spacers. Now I just need to get some tubing and I can get to work on the suspension. After that just steering, panhard, and shocks. Will try and get some new pics soon.

 

[darksidemj]

Not much of an update but I recieved my rod ends and shock tabs. Just ordered my steering kit from ruffstuff, went with their 7/8" heim kit. Also got my rear perches and spring plates ordered too. Hope to have the rear done by the end of this next weekend.

 

[darksidemj]

I finally had some time to work on the jeep and have enough stuff to actually get something accomplished. I got the rear axle all cleaned up and old brackets cut off. I also have all the new brackets now welded on and the axle is all painted up to make it look purty. All of my brackets are from ruffstuff as well as all of my rod ends. I have a few parts left to order before I can begin working on the front but about have the rear buttoned up.

 

[darksidemj]

well the rear is done aside from the brake lines. I just need to bend them and hook them up. I added 2 leaves from a xj pack(the bottom 2) and I think I am going to have to take 1 out. I want to see how the front sits so I will wait until I have it done before I do that though. Here are a few pics of the way the rear sits as of now. Any advice, suggestions, or comments welcome. Also ordered my trackbar stuff and link brackets from ruffstuff today.

This is all the further the rear tires stick out. I actually like that they do not stick way the heck out there.

 

[cj7xjmj]

AN antiwrap/ traction bar will be your friend.

 

[darksidemj]

I have been wondering about that. I did not really have much axle wrap before but I am going to wait and see what it is like after I the rest of it put together. I may be taking one of the 2 leaves I added out also depending on the height of the front. Right now it seems way to much lift though.

 

[cj7xjmj]

IF you crawl.. and get any kind of traction you will get axle wrap especially if you remove leaf springs.

Sad thing is.. if you build a good traction bar.. it isnt much more owrk to link the rear.

 

[darksidemj]

I will not actually be removing any of the stock leaves. I still have my original leaf pack and added 2 leaves from an xj pack. I will remove 1 of the 2 xj leaves I added. With just the original pack before I added the 2 xj leaves I really didn't have much wrap. Yes I had some but it was manageable. Even though I will still probably end up with one.

 

[darksidemj]

Been a while but finally got back to work on the ol mj. I've got the track bar and steering all tacked up as well as the radius arms. Now just need to tear everything apart and finish welding it all up and then all the little shit.

On to the pics

 

[darksidemj]

Now I need to tear everything apart and finish welding everything together. The track bar and drag link have damn near identical angles just wish the track bar was a little longer. The front sits a little higher than the rear I think so I'm going to remove the 2 stock spring isolators on each side and that should make it about right. Also need to get the factory lower control arm mounts cut off and limit straps ordered.

 

[darksidemj]

Well I brought the jeep back in the shop today since I didn't have anything else to work on for the time being and just put my new warn hubs in my hp44. The difference in quality between the factory ford lock outs and the warn lock outs are night and day. Thought I would post a comparison picture of the two. The first pic is of the factory ford hubs and the second is of the new warn hubs.

 

[twodoorXJ]

That looks badass. Great job? Do you have any bumpsteer? your draglink looks much longer than the trackbar?