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

one thing to do is move the coil buckets back as far as you can.

another thing is to use smaller sized material. .188 wall is plenty for the drag link and panhard, especially up that high .120 if you run chromo. you'd be suprised how much more room is in there.

but I have seen it done with WJ knuckles and .250 material, so I know its possible.
 
Re: Re: ...sorry...another build thread...

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".

Jon, I had/have similar issues with my track bar and I am also using ruff stuff brackets. I had the RE HD bracket on the frame and ended up cutting the lower portion off and welding the RS bracket to it. In case you are wondering I did it this way because the RE bracket was welded in as part of my frame plating for the front so this was easier.

I like the RS bracket because it kicks out from the frame allowing for a longer track bar but the problem is it doesn't hang down as low as the RE bracket did. Then with the RS bracket on the axle the track bar angle was off. I ended up cutting and extending the axle end bracket, making it about 1.5 inches taller. This helped a lot but the angle still isn't quite perfect. I haven't driven mine yet to test it but I believe it will be acceptable for now.
 
Eric ,

thats good to hear. I have some 2.5 x.250 square tubing, so maybe I can simply just lengthen the axle side mount an inch or so and go from there. At that point, id also want to lower the frame side mount. ugh. I just want the jeep on the road now. More projects means more days off the road.
damn.
 
Eric ,

thats good to hear. I have some 2.5 x.250 square tubing, so maybe I can simply just lengthen the axle side mount an inch or so and go from there.
I used 2" rec tube to inner sleeve mine, but yeah 2.5" should work on the outside.
More projects means more days off the road.
damn.
Welcome to my world. :doh:
 
Yah I plan to drop the frame side mount down and raise the axle side mounts. that should do it.
 
so how much thread is too much thread exposed on a Ruffstuff 1.25 in Hiem? Right now I am trying to push coil buckets back and push axle forward. I have about 1/2" showing per side (axle and frame) on the lowers, upper not as much. Im mostly worried about the lowers. Is 1" acceptable? trying to avoid sleeving the lowers and the trackbar. working out a way to run a longer trackbar by pushign coils back....
 
ok cool. I think I can push the axle further forward, push the coils back, and possibly make the trackbar mount very close to the knuckle.I am thinking of using 1.5" DOM instead of the 1.75. that should help. Of course that means I have to drive to RS tomorrow. Or build it as is for now just to get it on the road, but plan on building the new trackbar soon, and mount, then adjust arms out then. I can always do that in a month or less. I need to wheel next weekend or ill go crazy.

got the front tires mounted and balanced today, also getting custom brake lines built for the thunderbird calipers i plan to run.
 
a good rule of thumb is that the diameter of the thread shank is the amount of thread engagement you should have. so if those are 1.25" shank heims you should have 1.25" of thread engagement. (jam nut not included)
 
1.25" of thread engagement sounds good ill check that out, ill probably lengthen them anyway. I think I am going to ruffstuff tomorrow to grab some 1.5" .250 wall DOM to inner sleeve the lowers ( then sleeve the 1.5" with some 2" .250 tube) and to to build a new track bar outta some 1.5" DOM (make more room). I think I can move the coils back a little bit more on the offset coil buckets, and then run another trackbar mount on the knuckle side of the passenger coil.

Thanks rockclimber and eric. keep the advice coming, I need it.
 
Here is a little bit of inspiration. a friend of mine built this rig, its an LJ, but the idea is the same. if you put the coils in the right spot on the axle, you can get the panhard exactly the same as the drag link.





also consider different pitman arms, TJ arms, ZJ arms, WJ arms, they are all different. you can also put the arm in a press to flatten it a bit, just heat it with a torch first.
 
hmm crap. Alright. well at least I already drilled out the XJ arms. got alot done today, but not enough. Ill look for waggy arms online, anyone know a good source for cheap ones?
 
im setting it up so I can use the current mounts, and then in the very near future ill be moving the coils back another 3/4" or so and moving a new mount almost to the knuckle. that should help a ton. i just need to get it up and driving and work out all of the other bugs. I finished the trackbar brace today, lots of welding of mounts on the axle. So much more welding to do. ill post pics later.
 
hmm crap. Alright. well at least I already drilled out the XJ arms. got alot done today, but not enough. Ill look for waggy arms online, anyone know a good source for cheap ones?

try flattening your stock pitman. you should be able to get the throw out of it since flattening it will make it longer, and it will bring your draglink/panhard angles closer together.
 
All I have is a bench vise (x2) and propane. I can grab map gas torch at depot on a sunday. Not sure how else to flatten a pitman arm.
 
also for the waggy arms, what year, like 86-92, or pre 86?
 
I just realized a flatter pitman arm means i will need to raise the frame side track bar mount back up.... lol after i just lowered it today....
 
got most of the mounts burned in phase 1(phase 2 is joshs 220 some night this week or two nights this week....)

also did some gussettingg/trussing of the axle side uca to the mini truss with some 1/4" flat plate and some .188 wall flat plate from the uca mount to the trackbar mount and coil bucket. also used some scrap 1/4" to tie in the side of the trackbar mount to the coil bucket. need to finish burning everything in with the 110 tomorrow. Did a lot of work on the trackbar mount frame side as well.



 
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