...sorry...another build thread...

[REVROK]

I have to disagree with Jon I think it costs about the same price to build a 44 from waggy which is the same width as it does to build a 30 to wheel on 35s especially if you add a locker and locking hubs. why not go with the additional carrier & ring and pinion strength. I'm also a patient guy and I picked up one that somebody else had just recently locked rebuilt and regeared for $600. I also plan to upgrade later to a Jana K setup with 35 spline axles which should make me good to 37's.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I have to disagree with Jon I think it costs about the same price to build a 44 from waggy which is the same width as it does to build a 30 to wheel on 35s especially if you add a locker and locking hubs. why not go with the additional carrier & ring and pinion strength. I'm also a patient guy and I picked up one that somebody else had just recently locked rebuilt and regeared for $600. I also plan to upgrade later to a Jana K setup with 35 spline axles which should make me good to 37's.

I was talking about building a 44 versus building a 60, not a 30. I would say a waggy 44 is about on par with a built 30 as far as cost, but you get a much bigger R&P, 30 spline shafts, locking hubs, bigger brakes, and more . I am definetly becoming a fan of bigger than 7.5" Ring and Pinions these days. I am thinking ill be good on 36s for a long time with this setup.

Im already imagining how much shorter the 14 bolt swap will be, instead of dragging on for weeks , it will more than likely a long day on a weekend to swap it in once the gears, locker, shave, discs are in. Like swapping in a 8.8. bolt on perches and u bolts, set pinion angle, tack perches on, then shock mounts, then burn it all in.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

went with my uncle to get this thing last night. it was a blast to drive to his place from stockton to jackson.



360 rebuilt, bored .030 over, RV cam, carter 4bbl.
dana 60 rear, 5.13s, lp44 front with discs, 5.13s open
rebult th400 with BM shift kit
dana 20 custom twin sticked
38.5 swampers almost new
hooker headers
thing runs great.
warn 8274 winch, bumper, and rear tire bumper,
way too much lift , like 12", like 12 leaves in each pack, kinda crazy, but it drove pretty straight for needing steering work and ball joints. Actually drove really straight.
brakes are amazing, stops on a dime. starts right up every time.
quite a pleasure to drive.
just really loud and the Bias ply 38s like to make the whole jeep get baby DW at like 65 mph, but you can just drive through it.

going to be swapping some new ball joints, tie rod ends, and a steering stabilizer on it soon to keep it cheap. it also has some tie rod roll due to tie rod mounted OTK, and it has a "Z" drag link that im going to gusset and plate for now with some 1/4" plate until we figure out a better steering solution.




my only concern is the LP44 up front on 38s with a built V8. at least its not locked. I plan on getting the steering in better shape, then trying to convince him to do a front 60 eventually. but I wouldnt be surprised if he just goes with some alloy ball joints, chromos, and fix up steering and call it done.

 

[zachandandy]

Makes me miss my old beast on 42's.

Problem is they are just too damn top heavy, that's why I went to the xj. Here's what happened to my brother-in-laws at the bottom of Cadillac hill Memorial Day weekend.

He's on about 8" of lift, ford 1 tons, and 37" iroks.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

wow really? damn. thats no good. Ill have to keep that in mind.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I really want to bring the lift and tire size down over time. especially as long as he is staying with the lp44 for now.
I am thinking more like 8" of lift or less and 36-37" tires. that would help a ton.

 

[Rob707]

Lp44 r&p will be fine in it. Put some good shafts and keep the 38's.

 

[zachandandy]

The flop was mostly driver error. On the throttle and a bad line. Twisted the front shaft into a pretzel in the process. Limped it back to the springs, hauled ass to patterson in the mother-in-laws jk (caddy in the dark was pretty sweet), grabbed a spare shaft I had and were back at the springs by 7:30 am. He was freaked enough that I had to drive the jk and the waggy up caddy Monday in the rain. I never felt like it was gonna flop?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

got some work done on the frame side upper mount, and frame side trackbar mount , as well as having to buy a ton more 9/16, 5/8, 11/16, 3/4 drill bits, a new chop saw, and some new drills last week .



slapped some crappy tack welds on the axle side upper arm mount just to see if it clears the track bar and trackbar mount.

worked in the heat for like 8 hours+ today, felt like I got heat exhuastion.


cannibolized the frame side trackbar mount to use the RS frame side mount since it sticks out another 3.5" than the stocker, and it looks like the axle side trackbar mount is going to be on the driver side of the passenger coil, not the passenger side of the coil, doesnt seem like there is a way for the trackbar and drag link to clear each other at full lock.

added some 1/4" plate and added 5 grade 8 bolts, 3/8. 3 along the top, and 2 through frame.



2 through bolts clear the steering column sector shaft.




plan on really burning everything in with joshes 220, although the 110 on full seems ok for now.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

not ideal, but drag link will be around 38", trackbar around 32"

 

[REVROK]

Ahhh... Sorry Jon, misunderstood. As always great to "watch" you work! You always get 'er done to get wheeling!

 

[blondejoncherokee]

yah, im still figuring all of this stuff out. not fun to have to pray that the drag link clears the track bar and all that jazz before burning it all , I mean ive measured and mocked it all up like 10 tens, cut it off, measure again, mock it up, but Im trying to maxmize the clearance between the axle side upper mount and the axle side trackbar mount so the track bar doesn't hit the axle at all,
even with centered coil buckets. I couldnt imagine doing it with offset forward coil buckets like stock setup and have a long trackbar.
im praying that bump steer is minimal if at all with a 38" drag link and a 31.5" trackbar. ill throw a stabilizer on it too. I know alot of guys hate stabilizers.

 

[Jeep450r]

Jon you'll still feel the bump steer. My track bar/ drag link difference is about 8 or 9". It's definitely noticeable but you learn to drive with it in no time.

 

[Jeep450r]

It's lookin good though! Keep it up

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Jon you'll still feel the bump steer. My track bar/ drag link difference is about 8 or 9". It's definitely noticeable but you learn to drive with it in no time.

cool good to know. trackbar was going to be around 28" long with stock mount, so by using the RS mount itll be around 31.5" So I figure that helps a bit. Eventually I might rework the trackbar mount once its done and driving for a while.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

got the arms and most of the steering built. The trackbar rubs on the RE part of the trackbar mount, its also not parallel with the Drag link, close, but not . the rs mount put it too high and the axle side is too low, but on the highest bolt hole.

I am thinking of either either cutting the RE mount that is in the way , or shortening the trackbar and using the RE mount.


you can see here its not exactly parallel. right now the trackbar is 31.5". using the RE mount puts it at 28.5", but I wont have to cut the RE mount either which is nice, just shorten trackbar.











frame side upper mount








for the uca, a double shear mount is welded to the bolt on inner frame stiffener.
it also bolts through the inner frame plate:



made this little guy real quick to hold it:




also drilled my spare pitman arm to 3/4". the first one i hit from both sides and the hole was a little wallowed. drilled this one with a fresh 3/4" but and went straight through.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

So Im looking for ideas on the track bar, whats worse shortening it from 31.5 to 28.5 and having it be closer to parallel and shorter (still not parallel) or cutting the RE mount out of the way, and keeping it at 31.5 and dealing with the less close to parrallel. drag link is 38.5".

 

[rockclimber]

Put the axle side of the drag link on the bottoms of the steer arm. Then you will be parallel with the panhard.

Your panhard is really short, unless you go all the way out to the knuckle like the pettycash/team naxja KOH car did, you can't do much more than that.

Definitely get rid of that RE mount. You could easily lengthen the brace to hit the ruffstuff bracket by cutting/sleeving the tube.

 

[XJensen]

Get it all together then see how it drives. Worry about the angle once you know how it rides

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Put the axle side of the drag link on the bottoms of the steer arm. Then you will be parallel with the panhard.

Your panhard is really short, unless you go all the way out to the knuckle like the pettycash/team naxja KOH car did, you can't do much more than that.

Definitely get rid of that RE mount. You could easily lengthen the brace to hit the ruffstuff bracket by cutting/sleeving the tube.

Ya I can give the drag link under the arm a shot. I was trying to keep the drag link as flat as as possible though .

there just doesnt seem to be enough room on the driver side of the coil bucket for the drag link and a trackbar. Ive mocked it up and the track bar and drag link would be getting into each other.