Project Downward Spiral

[RCman]

Ya, my XJ was very clean before I got mine as well. When I took my carpets out, I luckily found the same thing you did, no rust or anything.

Now if I could just find another like ours where before we started into them I'd be all set!

Actually, the other day when I pulled my rear carpet to install the cell was the first time I'd ever looked at it. I had been pretty much thinking "if I don't see the rust, I don't have to fix it..." So now that I know how bad it is I need to. It'll all be taken care of when I cut out the rear to move stuff around this summer.

I could never do that, just the thought of it would eat away at me.

Front axle is looking nice! It's making me wish I hadn't sunk so much into my 30.:dunce:

Thanks! I spent a lot of time cleaning, grinding, priming, painting (only parts painted so far) every last part so it would be rust free and easy to work with. It is so much easier to work with clean parts than parts that keep dropping dirt in your face. Also, everything has or will be replaced. Not a single bolt or nut is being reused. I probably spent a few extra bucks doing this, but I figured it was easier while I had it apart then later down the road. Oh, and I know in the above pictures the spindle studs are the old ones, I do have the new chromoly ones, just have not pressed them in yet.

 

[MoparManiac]

This makes me want to buy another XJ and get 60s for mine...

Keep up the good work man! :thumbup:

 

[RCman]

This makes me want to buy another XJ and get 60s for mine...

I tell so many people this over and over... stay smaller and you can actually wheel. It has been way too long since I've driven my own rig.

Keep up the good work man! :thumbup:

I have and I shall... minor updates in a few minutes.

 

[RCman]

More updates:
I cut up my RE superflex lower control arms and robbed the flex joints. I cut and welded in some B7 1.25"-12TPI threaded rod. Two plug welds, and around the end of the tube. The rod inside ends at the joint surface. Painted them up as well. I think they came out good for used joints. I'll use these for the front lowers, everything else will be the Summit Machine joints when they come in. Don't mind the tape on the threads that was for paint overspray and I just didn't remove it.

Since I had everything apart from the rear D60 I cleaned up and honed the IDs and clearanced the ODs of the needed bearings. I now have a perfect set of setup bearings for a D60. I'll use them when the correct ring gear bolts arrive.

Next I moved back to the lower control arms and concentrated on the brackets. I needed to redo the ones for the rear lowers and make some for the front lowers. The rear lowers will mount to the 2x2" as shown in the above sketch and belong pictures. To do this I milled out a slot for them to fit so I would have ample area to weld. The front lowers will mount to the crossmember and are purposely cut at different lengths so that they 'force' a 18degree angle outward to help with the joint angle.
Front lower mounts on top with a joint mocked up between (only one shown)
Rear lower mounts on the bottom (two pair) and then one pair showing nicely they fit on the 2x2" (obviously upsidedown). There will be a brace to go between the two halves on the backside, just not shown.

Also made up some brackets for the axle side rear lowers as I didn't make those made when I did the others for some reason. Again, purposely cut different to give and angle of about 22degrees, IIRC.

 

[XJ Stryker]

Wow I finally took the time to read this thread from start till now! I envy your patience and attention to detail! Keep up the great work.

 

[asp]

i dunno about attention to detail... i see a little spot of rust on one of those brackets... weak. :confused1

 

[RCman]

i dunno about attention to detail... i see a little spot of rust on one of those brackets... weak. :confused1

Thats not rust, thats the reflection of the wood on the shiny metal. Trust me... no rust on anything. I can take another picture to prove it.

In other news, the link tubing just arrived! arty:
Now back to work...

 

[RCman]

ARRG!
UPS lost my ring gear bolts coming from Northridge4x4. :flamemad:

Got on a truck in Redmond, WA and hasn't been seen since Dec 30th. I guess this just isn't the winter break to get work done on my Jeep. Seems like all I'm going is waiting for parts. The best part is UPS wouldn't even talk with me because I'm the receiver nor would they transfer me to a manager as the manager doesn't come into work for another 19min. I'll have to wait a few hours till Northridge4x4 opens and call Dave. It's only 6:41am there now...

Edit: Not 8min after I got off the phone a 2nd time with UPS (called back, this time spoke with a manager) a UPS driver showed up and delivered the package... so all is well. Even though I don't understand how there was no scans from Redmond, WA to me. :dunno:

 

[muduck18]

Did you ask the driver if he scanned it and drove it directly to your house?

The new "we won't let the package out of our sight" service...
This guy didn't have blood shot eyes and a coffee shake hand does he?

 

[RCman]

Did you ask the driver if he scanned it and drove it directly to your house?
The new "we won't let the package out of our sight" service...
This guy didn't have blood shot eyes and a coffee shake hand does he?

Can't tell ya... it was delivered to a business address and I didn't sign for it.

 

[Dirk Pitt]

I used to work for UPS when in college.

Do you really think every package gets scanned as they're supposed to?

Not even close.

 

[RCman]

I used to work for UPS when in college.
Do you really think every package gets scanned as they're supposed to?
Not even close.

Haha... I figured that!

On another note; I need to stop reading forums, or maybe read them more, I don't know.

I knew the radius arm setup wasn't the best idea (Vetteboy and others had pointed that out)from the start but it was cheap and I had everything I needed to do it and they seemed to work well from what I had read on the topic. Now that I've looking into it more (thanks Colin aka MoparManiac for having issues) I think I've nailed some numbers with the 3-link calc. I'll have to make sure the numbers/dimensions actually work on the XJ themselves, but I think that is the new plan. I'll see more tonight.

Haha... I've changed the way I'm going with this front so many times now. :laugh: At least I can use almost everything I did for the radius for the 3-link.

 

[asp]

I would approve of the 3 link design... there are pretty much 2 suspension designs that i'm considering when i go long arm. clayton, or RK 3 link. i just picked up those RK short arms, so i probably won't be going long arm too soon, but we'll see.

 

[RCman]

I would approve of the 3 link design... there are pretty much 2 suspension designs that i'm considering when i go long arm. clayton, or RK 3 link. i just picked up those RK short arms, so i probably won't be going long arm too soon, but we'll see.

We'll see. Just finished an early dinner, now to work...

 

[Begster]

Screw 3 link Bill, go for a 6 link.

 

[RCman]

Screw 3 link Bill, go for a 6 link.

I'm game if you can explain how that works. :wierd:

 

[flyingphil]

I would approve of the 3 link design... there are pretty much 2 suspension designs that i'm considering when i go long arm. clayton, or RK 3 link. i just picked up those RK short arms, so i probably won't be going long arm too soon, but we'll see.

Just finished dropping in a RK 3 link and l;et me tell ya, the XJ hase never handled this good... Should'a done this a while ago...

Phillly :canada:

 

[GSequoia]

I'm game if you can explain how that works. :wierd:

Two Jeeps!

 

[RCman]

Two Jeeps!

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

 

[RCman]

Alright... the numbers that seem like they shall work.

This puts the lower control mounts at 0.375" lower than the crossmember I built, very acceptable, IMO. This also puts the upper link into the passenger's footwell by about 3.25" or so. I'm working on some sketches right now for how I'm going to make that mount. I'm thinking something off of the top of the crossmember, but I've only got 1/4" plate to work with and 3"x3" x 3/16" angle unless I buy something else, which I'd rather not.

As for joints, I'll run flex joints at both ends of the lowers. A flex joint at the frame side of the upper, and then probably work off the same concept as the stock style mounts for the axle end (this will save me from having to rebuilt that mount).

So here's the numbers:

From everything I've read and looked at in the past few hours they look good (maybe the instant center on X-Axis is a little high). Right or Wrong?

Thanks for the input guys!