jeep build up...ongoing

[gearwhine]

since I've worked on this for a few years, done a few things, and plan on doing much more, figured I'd just start one thread, and continue with this one forever. I'll throw a lot of stuff I've done already on this first, then update when possible. so...sorry if you've seen some stuff before, it's all going to stay here now.

This is because Mitch asks questions about everything I have previously posted about... :wave:

YJ shackles-

This is NOT at ride height here, slopes about 45* back.

I did this in an effort to get my rear end to work as well as the front end. First thing was to move the shacke out of the "box" to get as much swing as possible. I picked YJ style shackles because I could go with a larger bushing, and picked boomerang shackles because I'm a loser and thought they looked cool, absolutely no benefit to them over straight shackles in this setup.

The bracket is bolted into stock position, then stich welds around the box.

I use RE 4.5" (RE1462) springs. I removed the smallest leaf, and added the largest "non-eye" spring from a stock XJ upcountry pack. I may have lost .5" of lift, but then I put on higher profile perches, so it's all even. This gave me the correct ride height, softer springs, but a little less load capacity..which is fine, I shouldn't carry that much crap anyway.

Next section is to deal with spring wrap!

 

[gearwhine]

This traction bar took me too long to figure out, and never had a real plan. I just knew I wanted the shackle pointing up and nothing to hang below the frame rail. So I took a piece of bent tube, and started cutting away at it without a real plan. I realized really quickly I needed to go through the floor for what I wanted, so I started chopping away at that.

here it is complete, just did the new shackle today, so it's all pretty looking, was an MJ leaf spring shackle before. You can easily see the massive hole in the floor....someday I'll cover it up.

Then I added a skid plate between the crossember and the t-bar bracket, needed it removable and not to bend like those lame afterarket style t-case skids. My crossmember hangs about .75" under the frame rail, and the skid hangs no lower. crossmember is 2 pieces of 2x2 3/16" wall welded together and notched out. skid is a piece of 1.25" .120 wall tubing from the crossmember to the traction bar mount, with a large piece of 1/4" steel welded to it. It can come off seperately from the cross and t-bar with 6 bolts.

side shot-

 

[gearwhine]

figured I'd post this up...just did a J20 steering box rebuild, and it was the biggest pain in the ass, but it's finally done, hopefully.

The recirculating balls need to go to hell. There are 24 of them, 12 of each color, dark-ish, and shini-ish, both slightly a different size. You can kinda see the difference in the picture here, bottom 12 are dark, top 12 are shiny.

the balls need to go in 1 dark, 1 light, 1 dark, 1 light... f*ck!, dropped one...start all over...get to ball 22, drop one, start all over. I did this at leat 10 times, then I thought I had it all together and good, and found out 1 freakin' ball fell out, and had to pull it apart yet again. I used grease to keep the balls stuck in place. I had and still have no idea how else to do it. If I knew how much this sucked, I would've gladly paid someone, but now I'll be able to do another one fairly easy enough.

I wanted to post this because I've seen a lot of questions on pirate about these damn balls, and only one thread I read had anything about the 2 different colors having to go in alternating order. So here is your new reference, plus I needed to whine a little..it's been a while

This will be installed when I do the off road general store / JKS mfg. steering box brace system junk.

 

[ROCKREADYXJ]

Did you hapen to put in an automatic?

Hows the brake line in the pathfinder still hammered shut or did you fix it.

Looks good so far keep it up.

 

[Lawn Cher']

You have come a long way from the days of screwing around in my garage. Excellent work. All you're missing now is renewing your mambership.

 

[gearwhine]

no automatic...and probabaly never will.

Greg's pathfinder is all fixed up. He's all ready to go on another run, however the street racing has taken him over......lame.

haha, that wonderful day working on the poop cage in south jersey.

 

[XJBrother]

track racing (i.e. pocono, limerock...) is not street racing...dumbass :heart:

wanna bring my new blingin 17's to go get mounted for me while i'm at work?

 

[Lawn Cher']

haha, that wonderful day working on the poop cage in south jersey.

Part of the reason I'm un-doing alot of what I've done before I go any further.

 

[Andy in Pa.]

Yeah, nice work Nick. It looks like that traction bar and roll cage should hold up well to the rigors of New Jersey roads / driving!!!

Might even hold up to a place like PARAGON!!! *GASP*

Soooo.....when are you getting your junk on the trail? Borrow Mitches 42's for the day!!

XJ Bro, what are you racing??

A.

 

[XJBrother]

Yeah, nice work Nick. It looks like that traction bar and roll cage should hold up well to the rigors of New Jersey roads / driving!!!

haha that would be valid if he ever actually even drove the thing.

yeah..well no...i'm really just learning now. doing some track days and getting instruction so i can be ready when i do go to race wheel to wheel when i have a car for it. gotta fulfil the dream of racing f1...haha

yeah nick use the 42's...the dana 30 should hold up. i promise

 

[gearwhine]

been on the job for a few weeks and already cruising , nice greg.

yeah, I once again become a beginner in driving since it's been so long. The stalls from the first NACfest will come and haunt me next time I get out.

I'll borrow the 42's if I can borrow axles too. You still on 35's andy?

It will still be a while till it's on the trail. My inspection has been expired for over a year, and nowhere near close to pass one yet.

I need to figure out rear shock mounting....which will more than likely go through the floor. I really like to cut my floor by the way.

Also need to figure out rocker guards, and frame to roll cage attachment. plus a lot of small things, and that's before I will even drive it.

 

[Andy in Pa.]

Yep, my 35's will be bald before I jump in tire size. My D30 is very definitely on borrowed time. One of the tubes is spun slightly, but it does not affect it enough to be a problem. Otherwise my Jeep just has more trail damage, but is still the same. I added a York air compressor to it before this past NAC-Fest. Also made my own taillight boxes out of 12 gauge 304SS. You can guess why I decided to do this. Remember 04 Nac-Fest? The only thing I broke?
I am building a HP44 at the moment though. I got it almost ready to bolt in, it just needs to be slightly narrowed (for waggy shafts), UCA mounts, and outer hardware. It has 5.13 gears w/ an ARB already, so my XJ44 is going to be fitted with matching gears and Superior shafts to get to 5 on 5.5. I won't get this done til mid-late fall though, so the D30 has to survive for a few more runs.

Cut the rockers out and replace them with 2x6 or 8" 3/16 or 1/4 wall Rectangular tubing. I have a friend that did that, and it ties the whole thing in real well. We got his rails into quite a few rocks this past weekend and it survived quite well. It is on my list for things I want to do, but it is not a priority at the moment.

No more excuses, get your junk done, or steal your brothers Pathlooser and bring it out.

Andy

 

[gearwhine]

I'm am looking into replacing the whole rocker with rect. tubing like you said, defintiely not 2x6 or larger though. I'll get away with 2x4 or 5 from what I measured... however I'm trying to figure out how to tie that into the cage and frame without having anything hanging down(flush with the bottom of the rocker). I have seen CRASH's and Jes's set-up and am not really a fan of how it was done....strong as hell, yes, but just too much. maybe i'll cut my floor some more...hehe.

If I make typical rock sliders, it will be very easy to hook to the cage and frame rails, and not have any snaggers hanging down. Who knows, that's next on my list after this steering box stuff, which hopefully will be done tomorrow.

....and it sounds like I'll be the major underdog soon, which will be amazing.

 

[magoo117]

Hey Nicko,what happened?I keep searching Bens thread for more info on your ride!!!I dint realize you would start your own thread.It looks real nice and very beefy.I like the cage and everything tied into it.You are eventually going to upgrade axles right?Lemme know if you want to borrow the 42's.

 

[gearwhine]

axles are pretty much the last thing on my mind really. I'm getting EVERYTHING else ready before I go bigger....meaning....roll cage, strengthen frame, new suspension, steering, etc, maybe even t-case and tranny stuff. I want all the kinks worked out while I'm small, then I'll think about new axles, which can then pretty much just be plopped right in, and work flawlessly right off the bat.

it will cost me a little more money and time in the long run, but I think I'll be much happier as well.

The only thing I double think is cutting off all the stock brackets on the 30 for custom ones...which will make it that much harder to sell when I do eventually go bigger, but that's it. I doubt many people buy partially loaded dana 30's anway, so it kinda doens't matter, I can part it out.

 

[gearwhine]

BTW Mitch.... your avatar scares me for some reason

 

[magoo117]

How about this one?

 

[ROCKREADYXJ]

Where do you find them?

 

[gearwhine]

miss vida I presume?

 

[Andy in Pa.]

Nice avatar Mitch, looks like a decent roll cage and traction bar, something tells me Nick would still find something to "engineer" on it though, just so he had an excuse not to bring her out in public.