Llama Build- Slowly....

[dbperformance96]

It also came with what looks like kevins off road track bar, which I may run in favor of the re1600 one I have.[/QUOTE]

Yes sir it is a Kevin's offroad. I preferred that one over the rubicon express. Now I have a custom one with heims that I built but I used the frame side mount....

 

[Forceful Llama]

Hmm wonder if I could buy a mount off Kevin's web site. I looked but couldnt find just the mount. Might just drill out my current mount to run the re in the meantime. Might head to the pick n pull in Stockton tmw to see what's in the yard

 

[dbperformance96]

Hmm wonder if I could buy a mount off Kevin's web site. I looked but couldnt find just the mount. Might just drill out my current mount to run the re in the meantime. Might head to the pick n pull in Stockton tmw to see what's in the yard

Maybe try sending him an e-mail. I looked around and couldn't find it on the net either. It's just a stock mount with a bracket welded to the bottom. I can snap a pic of mine if needed. I'm sure it could be duplicated pretty easily....

 

[Forceful Llama]

Ya, was considering putting my nephew to work and have him make one for me but hoping to just get a hold of Kevin's offroad and buying one off him. I also saw the RE hd bracket.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Got my front end tore down and should be puttin in some parts tmw

-RE 4.5 coils and fixed upper and lower control arms
- Currie steering
-RE track bar

I am hoping by thus or fri I will have the lift installed front and rear. I had originally planned to regear this summer too but my girlfriends stepsister lives in Hawaii and offered to put us up for a couple weeks. My jeep money is spent on tickets and what not. Couldn't pass up free housing for 2 weeks in Hawaii.

 

[dbperformance96]

Now that sounds like fun, have a safe trip....

 

[Forceful Llama]

Thanks! My gf and i had discussed going earlier in the year but her stepsister wasnt sure if her husband would remain stationed there. Too sweet of a time to say no, just means there will be little if any wheeling done this summer.

I'm just gonna run what I have and keep that axle stored til I can figure out a way to get the rear geared. The 35 sucks but at least it has 3.73s. Maybe I'll pick up a matching 8.8 and wait til next summer to gear it. Almost done with the front today, just have springs and drilling out track bar bracket to do. Tmw should be rear end.

 

[Forceful Llama]

So....

Lift, currie steering, re trackbar, quick discos and tires are done. Took about 30 hrs total and a couple beers with the help of my brother in law. I am going to try to go down to get an alignment done tmw before I take my vacation. Might just wait til I get back too. Right now I'm going enjoy a last adult beverage then see what my sister made for dinner before I head home. I'll try to get some pics up when I get home.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Damnit... Death wobble! It's going to have to wait til I'm back. First guess is the track bar is loose or another bolt elsewhere. Next is caster. Maybe ball joint. By this time tmw I'll be having a fancy drink on a Hawaiian beach, so I'm not stressing one bit. I leave that for the flight home.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Got some stuff finished before I went on vacation. Now that I'm back I'll track down the source of dw. Probably a loose track bar bolt after all the swapping. Could also be a loose component in the front. Went and got it aligned before I left and think the toe was set at 1/16 in or some nonsense. Can't find my papers.

Can't seem to find a picture of the finished front end, I'll take a picture in the morning. All in all my brother in law and I installed RE 4.5" short arm kit with 3.5" leafs and 1" shackles, RE 1600 track bar, currie utk steering, rear braided brake line, and gen 2 discos. I'll swap in the dbl shear bar I have someday once I take care of the bracket. Bumps tops and longer shocks are needed before too long. Also trying to decide if I want to do rear tj flares all around or try to make the old one work when I do trimming. Ah and keep an eye out for a cheap rear axle upgrade in 3.73 ratio til I can afford a regear.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

look for an 8.8 3.73 lsd. thats cheap beef.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Ya, pretty sure that's what I'm going to grab unless I come across a dana44 with tow package.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Took my gf for a drive tonight to give her a chance to learn to drive a manual transmission. She did pretty good, only stalled a few times and that was when she was hurrying because someone was behind her. With my dw issues we kept it residential and under 25.

Went down and had my tires balanced and rotated to start eliminating death wobble stuff, feels like its gone but still get a shimmy once in while. It was happening at 35 and hitting even slight bumps. I took it up to 40 and aimed for bumps. Seems ok, I'll do some country roads tmw night,freeway seems like a bad idea until I'm sure it's gone.

So other then dw my goals for this month are:
-Try to find a jy front shaft to rebuild for my sye sitting in my room
-Locate a new ebrake handle since my button shot off
May do the newer center console for cup holders and grab a newer ebrake
-Keep an eye out for a 4 cylinder front for 410 gears and possibly a matching exploder 8.8
-repaint my flares with some cheap bedliner.

 

[Forceful Llama]

I've been looking around for a 8.8 swap kit incase I pick one up sometime soon. I was considering ruff stuff swap kit but saw this on the tech forum. Thoughts? Is 1/4 strong enough for perches? Would it work on a 92 even though it says for 97+?

http://www.knowwhere2jeep.com/know-...rd-8-8-install-kit-for-97-01-cherokee-xj.html

 

[blondejoncherokee]

for all you're getting for 300$ thats pretty cool. and its a one stop shop for everything you need for the swap.

if you priced it all together yourself you'd barely come in under 300$, but a lot more hassle.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Not much new going on with the jeep. Spare money for parts went try and save our cat, but she didn't make it. Picked up an abcess from fighting and progressed after a surgery to some sort of lung infection that collapsed a lung. Couldn't afford surgey that may not have even saved her. Worst par is I haven't even told my gf, she just got back from going to a funeral in England for her grandma... Not looking forward to telling her tmw.

On a happier note a friend gave me some old shocks but I think they may be shot. Ranchon9000 adjustable ones. Are they supposed to rebound all the way? Cause these do not and I always thought they should return to extended. But free so couldn't just let him trow them away with out asking.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Had the best of bad luck today. My water pump failed without warning today while running errands with my sister an brother. Belt was shredded. Luckily I was lazy the last time I used my tools and had left them in the back and we broke down next to an Autozone, rite aid & a 7/11. So not only could we get parts, we had refreshments. Part I liked the least... Forgot to install the new thermostat since we has no light other then a mag light. Tmw I'm going to install the new stat an top of coolant.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Went to the reservoir for the day just to get out and toss a line in. Didn't catch a thing but still a great day.

Jeep related news:
Seems to wander a little on the road, my passenger front caliper seems to be sticking, and both front lower shock bushings are toast. Off tmw so I'll be doing brakes and possibly trying to figure out shocks.

 

[Forceful Llama]

Went ahead and installed the used rancho rs9000-x shocks today. Definitely an improvement over the toast bushing procomps I was using. While I was under there I used a couple of stem bushings to cure the rattle from my sway bar links. No pictures though, too damn cold to screw around longer the necessary. Should be ordering hd relocation brackets this weekend along with hitting pick and pull to try to find a zj front shaft for my sye install next weekend.

My track bar( RE not the double sheer) keeps coming loose at the frame end. Locktite ok to use to remedy this?

 

[XJensen]

My track bar( RE not the double sheer) keeps coming loose at the frame end. Locktite ok to use to remedy this?

sure is, but you will find this is a common problem with that track bar. Check it often.