NOT a budget buggy build

So I would assume a serous redo of the fonrt is in order? What are the plans? Looks good in the pictures. What about the claws? How did they fair.
 
Track bar with bend to clear the UCA mount.......necessary to squeeze between the pitman arm and UCA mount with the axle moved forward 4".
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Broke at the bend......and not made of very thick walled tubing. It was already partially cracked, the shiny new break was only 3/4 way around the tube.
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You can see how we rigged it to get off the trail. Used a tie down strap to hold the axle one way and the winch line to hold it the other way, and drove it out and back to camp.

The plan is to ditch the 1 ton TRE and stock track bar frame mount, and make a new straight track bar and new frame mount using normal ends, with the mount moved forward.
 
Well, it looks like the maiden voyage was quite a success. I like how in one of the pictures goat is looking back THROUGH the rig at the right rear tire placement. Can't do that in a full bodied rig! I don't much care for the look of the front end though. Just too pug nosed for me. :) Jeff
 
While the upper arms are 19" long, which is pretty long for a four link UCA on an XJ, the lowers are 36" long. This difference in length causes a pretty severe change in pinion angle as the suspension cycles, and it couldn't handle the travel of the 12" coilovers mounted at a slight angle. Also, getting hung up on the LCA frame mount that hangs below the frame is totally unacceptable. I have no desire to further relate to those of you with similar long arm setups. Like I have always said, that setup is dead!!

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The fix will be 25" swedged chromo lower links and 1.25" rod ends that I already have, mounted at the curve of the frame, with the axle end mounts moved up even with the tube. This will give plenty of length and good angles on the arms. The upper will be a three link, with the arm on the drivers side attached to the already stout mount on the pumpkin. I'll raise the tabs on the upper axle mount as much as there is clearance for to help the angle, and figure out a strong frame side mount.
 
Jeff 98XJ WI said:
Well, it looks like the maiden voyage was quite a success. I like how in one of the pictures goat is looking back THROUGH the rig at the right rear tire placement. Can't do that in a full bodied rig! I don't much care for the look of the front end though. Just too pug nosed for me. :) Jeff
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Probably my favorite thing about it is that I can see all four tires, the rear driveline and diff, and the front diff. It was nice being able to position the front tires by actually seeing what they are climbing, and looking back to check the rear diff. I'll still be able to see the front tires even after adding skins, since I see through the cutback firewall and wheel wells.

The front is designed for two things..........keeping the XJ grill and being able to drive up to a wall or ledge and have the tires hit first, and it worked. It is different looking, you'll get used to it. :D
 
How about a few shots of how you finished off the dash? Something a little closer up than what is shown in the thread so far. I like how your fathers foot just about extends to the tire! :) Are you going to plate that area in at all? Jeff
 
Jeff 98XJ WI said:
How about a few shots of how you finished off the dash? Something a little closer up than what is shown in the thread so far. I like how your fathers foot just about extends to the tire! :) Are you going to plate that area in at all? Jeff
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That space will get covered with expanded metal, for protection and so I can still see through it. The dash cover is temporary, thrown on quick one night while I was packing. I thought the black thick plastic would be a good choice, light and flexible, but it warped badly as soon as it warmed up in the sun. I'll probably have to stick with thin aluminum.
 
The tie rod bent badly, and will need to be replaced. The steering will be the hardest thing to figure out, since I have to deal with the steering ram, and it's all 1 ton TRE's. I like the aluminum drag link, and I have an aluminum tie rod to match, but I'll have to see how to use them both on top of high steer arms. The Tera knuckles use D44 high steer arms, so I need to go high steer arm shopping, and see what arms the guys have that are using the big tie rod ends. Right now, I just have a high steer arm on the pass side for the drag link.

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Maybe it's time to consider full hydro................

:D
 
So is the pinion rotation form the fact that the uca is so much higher then the lca?
 
Ghost said:
So is the pinion rotation form the fact that the uca is so much higher then the lca?
Click to expand...

Yes and it was pretty bad.

At one point I assumed he had a low pinion.
 
What Brett said........the much shorter upper arms swing rearward at the axle mount faster than the longer lower arms do, pulling the top of the diff back and rotating the pinion down. To make the problem worse in my case was that the pinion wasn't straight to begin with, it was set too low, so it quickly got way too low. The setup could work if the pinion was raised to the proper position, and then limit straps or shock position set to stop the droop before the yoke/u-joint binds. Mine wouldn't have been so bad if I'd taken the time to set the pinion properly before leaving........an oversight in the rush to get it ready.
 
I for one like the frontend, very utilitarian and nostalgic I dig the hidden lights and winch mount. Clean and simple. The cage looks a little tall but the headroom is probably nice. I am sure you expected to some extent the problems you did have, and realize its stuff you just had not gotten to yet. its impressive how much you got done in the amount of time you have worked on it. You deserve a good pat on the back :)

How does Dad like it? I could see how it would be harder to read a book in :)
 
That's wicked cool. :scared:

I didn't know you could bind one that good and not have it self destruct in 2.6 seconds.
 
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