Just Another XJ on tons, coilovers, 42's, etc. Build

[cracker]

This is my junk....you will be so happy you went this route

 

[freerider15]

Nice.

I decided to go with 4 studs, then two Gr8 bolts.

Now to actually get them on...been working on the tow rig a bit lately

 

[cracker]

Nice.

I decided to go with 4 studs, then two Gr8 bolts.

Now to actually get them on...been working on the tow rig a bit lately

Not certain but I believe that they say not to use studs on these....double check the Artec instructions.

Honestly, with the keyway and 6 bolts, you will sheer the kingpin before you get the high steer arm to rip off.

 

[94xjsport94]

Pardon my ignorance, what the advantage of bolts over a stud?

 

[freerider15]

Not certain but I believe that they say not to use studs on these....double check the Artec instructions.

Honestly, with the keyway and 6 bolts, you will sheer the kingpin before you get the high steer arm to rip off.

If I remember, they said you could either use 4 studs and two Gr8 bolts, or all Gr8 bolts.

If you're not supposed to use studs...then they might want to rethink all the pictures they show with them using studs

Yeah I'll be fine either way Avery. If I break this...its going to be a BIG break before these break.

 

[freerider15]

Pardon my ignorance, what the advantage of bolts over a stud?

Gr8 bolts have been known to back out.

Plus with a bolt, if you need to remove the steering arm you cant just take a top nut off, you have to take the bolt out (which means the threads engaged in the knuckle). Though in reality you won't be taking the steering arms off much (hopefully), taking them on and off repeatedly, and then torquing to spec can cause wear on the threads of the knuckle. To many times in and out and the threads on the knuckle might not want to hold near as well.

But in reality you don't take high steer arms off much at all, so it really isn't a problem.

Also:

Tensile strength of Grade 8 is about 150-180k psi
Tensile strength of the ARP studs is 220k psi

 

[94xjsport94]

I figured it had something to do with wearing the threads out. I've helped put helicoils in a guys 06 SD 60 front axle a few times from the studs breaking.

 

[freerider15]

So...how about a long overdue update!?

So I got the interior pretty well done. I've still got some work to do on it, and I've still got to finish some electrical (wire up switches, dccontrol engine fan controller, tranny gauge, tranny fan, etc.).

Only issue I've had...is that some of the paint of the driver's side floorboard came up due to the floor getting hot enough, and the GF's shoes being on it. I'll pull it up later some day and put something on the bottom to try and reflect the heat better.

So I went on a wheeling trip at the beginning of August, 's Colorado Fest. Well...the trip didn't exactly go as planned. Lessons learned:
1.) I REALLY need to get the fan controller in since overheating due to not remembering to turn the fan on can pretty much kill the day.
2.) Sometimes slower is better. Why? Well see the pics below:

Aaaaaaaand:

Total carnage: 3 sheared high steer studs and one punctured Irok.

How'd that happen? Welllll I was coming down Iron Chest (easy peasy more sight seeing trail for those that now) a little too fast. Well, this rock on the side of the mountain just jumped outta NOWHERE

Hit an outcropped rock, which in turn did the damage above. I did this near the top, where to my left the side of the mountain went down a couple-a-thousand feet. So...needless to say it was a fun extraction. When we got to an area we could pull off, we flipped the ram over and threw it on the bottom knuckle holes:

 

[freerider15]

So, from there I had some decisions to make.

After shearing those studs, I decided while I know I'll never hurt the Reid Knuckles...I wanted something with a keyed arm. So, I sold my Reids.

So after going back and forth for a while on what to do, I decided on Solid Knuckles and Artec High Steer Arms. Nothing like 6 bolts/studs, a keyed arm and knuckle, and the arm and knuckle tied together with a 3/4" bolt

Installed:

I will say, as far as fitment goes, the Solid's had me a little peeved when installing. The Reid's were perfect out of the box. The Solids, not so much (but, there is a several hundred dollar difference between the pairs). First, I pretty much had to chase all threads on the knuckles for the high steer and spindle studs to go in all the way. Secondly, the lower kingpin cap holes aren't 100% perfect. I had to take a dremel and sanding stone to one hole on each lower kingpin cap so that the fourth bolt would screw in. I know this was the knuckles, since they worked perfect on the Reid's, and some stock ones.

Oh well, in the end I'm still happy to have them, and they're beefy as hell.

So...now what to do about tires?

Well...that's where these come in:

40" Stickies :smokin:

Going down numerically in size, but physically up in size. These made my 42" Iroks look small :laugh:

Mounting up:

As of tonight after a trip on them:

All I can say...is that even though they're not really broken in yet...I ****ing love 'em!

 

[freerider15]

So, that (I think) bring me to now.

Just went and hit up Indy this weekend. Trail run went great and we all drove the exit. The only thing that we had a hang up with was me.

I knew I wasn't in 4low since I kept having to nearly floor it to get it to climb anything. This was causing me to not have the torque to crawl things and not letting me drive with finesse. As well, it was COOKING my tranny fluid. And since my cooler fan isn't hooked up yet, we sat for about 20 minutes at one point to let it cool. While it was cooling we dove into the no 4low issue. Well, my suspicions were true. The piece that connected to the NP231 side of the shift linkage bent, the ears bent out and therefore wasn't shifting.

So, we removed a couple dozen allen head bolts, pulled up my center dash piece and shifted it manually with a pair of channel locks into 4low. Once we did that it was the difference between trying at something for 10 minutes...and walking right up it.

I ran the stickies at 20 psi and they worked great. I might lower them to around 15, but want to keep pressure in them to prevent from killing sidewalls.

As well I still need to bump down the front ORI's (sitting a little nose high right now.

Overall to do list still:

- Fix shift linkage
- DCControl Fan controller wired in
- Tranny temp gauge wired
- Tranny Fan controller and bypass switch wired
- Amp for music wired in
- Skins finish, painted, and mounted :smokin:
- Headlights and tail lights wired

There are still some small things here and there that I want to get done...but overall being pretty well done is an overwhelmingly awesome feeling!

 

[freerider15]

Playing around on Cleveland Rock on Holy Cross Trail in Buena Vista. Didn't make it up, and didn't care to keep trying since I was the only rig who was going to.

Indy Penrose run this last weekend. Everything went great except one hiccup on my NP231 shifter. All of us were able to drive the exit.

 

[freerider15]

 

[freerider15]

 

[POSJ]

Envy, such beautiful work and I dig the dash.

 

[rockclimber]

I still can't believe this thing is actually getting wheeled. its been a long time coming.

 

[garrett83]

Such a good looking buggy. Great job!

 

[5-Speed XJ]

awesome

 

[freerider15]

Thanks guys.

I'm really looking forward to getting skins on...but not so much the painting while its going to be cold out deal.

I will say...mentally I still don't feel like i'm "done" (ok i'm not 100% with some wiring to still do).

After this long working on it...its like that feeling you get when graduating HS or college. You feel like there are things that you need to get done...but in all reality you don't.

Luckily I've got other small projects to knock out between the trailer and tow rig...otherwise I'm not sure what I would do with myself. I try to "relax" but my mind just can't stand sitting around for very long before it start yelling at me for not being productive

 

[Boostwerks.com]

Thanks guys.

I'm really looking forward to getting skins on...but not so much the painting while its going to be cold out deal.

I will say...mentally I still don't feel like i'm "done" (ok i'm not 100% with some wiring to still do).

After this long working on it...its like that feeling you get when graduating HS or college. You feel like there are things that you need to get done...but in all reality you don't.

Luckily I've got other small projects to knock out between the trailer and tow rig...otherwise I'm not sure what I would do with myself. I try to "relax" but my mind just can't stand sitting around for very long before it start yelling at me for not being productive

I know exactly how you feel. Once you get that ball rolling it's hard to slow it down so to speak. Patience is definitely a virtue. :cheers:

 

[Lowrange2]

Yo. Yo picture links are broken.