Jeep is done, lets go wheelin.

[HTeK]

Well, done is a relative term here. I still need to hook up my compressor and plumb my ARB lines, bumpstops, etc.. but its basically done for now (i also need rockers before this summer).

I had been a bit timid joining runs the last few years due to my "stock" status. Its actually kinda sad, I have been a member for over a year and a half and have only met and wheeled with Brett and Phil once. I look forward to changing that this year...

The lowdown: Rodeo 44 in the rear, waggy up front. 5.13's and ARB's. 35's. Rubicon springs all around. My initial thoughts after getting it done - i have surprisingly little front up travel before the spring goes negative. Kinda dissapointing in that regard, but its the price you pay for livin like a rock star with leafs up front.

A thanks to Brett for coming up with some good ideas that I stole.

Wish I could make the run this weekend, but she won't quite be ready and I have somewhere to be early evening.

-justin

 

[BrettM]

lookin good! what RE leafs did you use up front? good military wraps on both ends i hope... my 3.5" BDS YJ springs go negative arch a little, but after the initial break-in haven't sagged at all, and with the great warranty on them i never worried about it.

if you look closely you'll see it's negative arch maybe an inch, that's where i set the bumpstop, and if it fully compresses the bumpstop it could go another inch or two. (click to enlarge)

 

[HTeK]

I used the Rubicon extreme duty 2.5" YJ springs - they are mil wrapped. Surprisingly, they sit perfectly level with the rubicon 4.5" rears and the 1.75" shackle. I will post details on the front spring thread in the next few days.

Are you still in Michigan?

 

[XJedi23]

Looks good. It would be interesting to see in action.

 

[BrettM]

I might as well beat CRASH to the punch:

 

[Letterman]

Ok not to start in, but . . . why?

I understand that most people go leafs because of low cost, but to swap over from coils to leafs must cost some, and to loose the aproch and . . .I am not trying to start sh!t, just want to understand why. It has to be a lot of work with out a frame and to swap over looks like more then it is worth?

 

[Jes]

I don't get it either.
Why give up so much approach angle?

 

[AREYOULIVING]

Looks great!! Where did you get the reinforcements that the front shackles tie into??

 

[BrettM]

Ok not to start in, but . . . why?

I understand that most people go leafs because of low cost, but to swap over from coils to leafs must cost some, and to loose the aproch and . . .I am not trying to start sh!t, just want to understand why. It has to be a lot of work with out a frame and to swap over looks like more then it is worth?

My two reasons were cost and simplicity. The cost difference was probably only a couple hundred, but to a teenager (i was 19 when i did it) it was enough to matter. The bigger thing was simplicity. It's pretty hard to screw up leaf springs. I didn't want to deal with designing a 3 link (URF hadn't done their's yet to copy) and all the additional fabrication. Leafs was something I could throw on in a weekend.

Also, I didn't build with JV in mind, and that is the only place I've been to that the loss of approach has actually stopped me on an obstacle. Sure I've bumped the military wrapped spring on Fordyce and the Rubicon, but it's never stopped me.

 

[Capt. Nemo]

The only other reason I can think of is the axle bracketry. Spring perches (are Waggy's spring under or over? never paid much attention) are much easier to work with than coil buckets, control arm mounts, trac-bar mounts, etc.

 

[Matt S.]

I dont want to bash them to bad, but besides the loss of approach angle... they have been used on alot ofd different rigs for a long time with lots of sucsess.

I say, run whatever you got to run so you can come wheeling with us! Just expect to get ribbed. :viking:

 

[Letterman]

I am not trying to say that leafs are bad, just wanted to know why one would go from coils to leafs, seemed like lots of work. I always get the BS responce from the tards out there, that just say "leafs are Great!" but then they have no idea what they are talking about. Or you get the tards that started with a leaf sprung ride and talk it like it is the best thing out there, act like they really need to defend it. :gonnablow

Good to hear a real responce thanks BrettM, and I have not designed a 3 link ether!
I agree with Scrappy ---> "run whatever you got"
But I would add Phil's words of wisdom ---> "make sure your junk doesn't suck."

Sorry if I jacked your thread HTeK, you going to the FR Run on the 8th?

 

[HTeK]

I am not trying to say that leafs are bad, just wanted to know why one would go from coils to leafs, seemed like lots of work.

Don't worry aboout the hijack, I fully expected the comments - and I have no problem taking the heat

I will explain my reasoning:

1) I wanted a dana 44 up front. Even if its low pinion, it's benefits are numerous over the 30.

2) When I got it done, I wanted it to be reliable, and simple. With 35's, I have a little less concern about my front end now... certainly I will break something someday... but I have reduced that risk. In order to have fun, I need to not be worrying about whether or not the jeep will make the drive home from the trail every time I go out.

3) At this point, I have a conflict - I dont want to build my jeep unless I can do it with a 44 up front, but I am a rookie fabricator and dont feel comfortable building a link suspension. In fact, I learned to weld only a few years ago, and have had limited experience fabricating. I could do leafs, but definatly not links.

It was a pretty easy decision in my book... I just wanna wheel, and I want it to be as bulletproof as it can be on my budget. I feel I have accomplished that. But not without the obvious drawbacks. Now that I have this experience under my belt, I think I could tackle a link suspension. If I keep this thing long enough, I would very much like to see it go back to coils. I wil l be the first to admit, there are already things about the leafs that bother me...

anybody else from the sierra chapter wanna jump to covered wagon status? I think brett and I oughta start the Donner Party Gettin It Crew...

I like the comments and criticisms - dont worry, your not going to offend me.

As for the run on the 8th, I haven't given it much thought yet, how far is the drive from Sacramento?

-Justin

Looks great!! Where did you get the reinforcements that the front shackles tie into??

I built it using 4x4 angle. It was basically brett's design.

 

[Letterman]

I like the comments and criticisms - dont worry, your not going to offend me.

Good stuff, I was not trying to offend but some people just get bent so fast after I post! :confused1

As for the run on the 8th, I haven't given it much thought yet, how far is the drive from Sacramento?

WHAT!!! You HAVE GOT to go, if you have not been to Frank Raines, your name is red, and your in Sac, YOU GOT TO GO! This is the big start of the season, meet the freeks that will be on most of the trips this year!

This should be a blast, the one creek that is has technecal spots is fun but to meet the others in this group is KEY, really great people here! Also I want to see your ride, and your work! Come show it off!

Map out Patterson CA, it is south on 5, then the park is just another 16 windy miles west!

 

[HTeK]

WHAT!!! You HAVE GOT to go, if you have not been to Frank Raines, your name is red, and your in Sac, YOU GOT TO GO! This is the big start of the season, meet the freeks that will be on most of the trips this year!

This should be a blast, the one creek that is has technecal spots is fun but to meet the others in this group is KEY, really great people here! Also I want to see your ride, and your work! Come show it off!

Map out Patterson CA, it is south on 5, then the park is just another 16 windy miles west!

Well, im actually an hour past sacto. I just mapped it and it looks like about 3 hours to patterson. We will see, I would like to get my ARB's plumbed out before this run...

Anywho, I went on saturday and found some problems with my front shocks. I pulled them into engine bay to correct the issue. With the shocks figured out, I did a bit of a shakedown run on Sunday. Here are some pics from Greenhorn (aka Red Dog)

Lots of water this year has completely washed away roads and turned them into river beds.

A shot of the goods...

See how she does in the rocks

The obligatory poser flex. It drops that 35 out of the fender pretty well.

To end the day, we figured we would run chalk bluff to see if we could push out to Hwy 20. Surprisingly, no one had pushed through and we made tracks for a very short while. Unfortunatly the 'yota i was with wasn't in shape for deep snow and we turned around.

All in all I am quite happy with how it works so far.

-justin

 

[AREYOULIVING]

Justin if you want to go back up and run Red Dog to HWY 20 this weekend let me know. I'm down to go and I have a couple of others that would be into it.

Bill

 

[HTeK]

Justin if you want to go back up and run Red Dog to HWY 20 this weekend let me know. I'm down to go and I have a couple of others that would be into it.

Bill

I would love to. However, I promised my wife that I wouldn't work on, drive, or otherwise think about the jeep this weekend. I have flat out neglected her for the last 2 months... so this weekend is hers.

Do you still want that D35?

-justin

 

[AREYOULIVING]

For sure. Let me know when is a good time to roll up and get it.

Do you still want that D35?

-justin[/quote]