The "Keeper"

[jaydubya2003]

Those pics do not show a good angle on your shackle. I am hoping you tested it with the weight on the suspension to get a good ~45 degree angle.

Yes you're correct that 90* angle is exactly like stock...except the Jeep is still on jack stands. Being unloaded with no weight on the suspension that's where I put them to test, but I need to install the shims and I'm not about to take it all back down before I do that.

 

[jaydubya2003]

So with the XJ back under it's own weight the rear shackles look better. Still not ideal but better than stock and will get much better when I can get/make some different shackles later, but this raised my rear to match my front and gave me free range of motion where I didn't have it before.



Installed the Novak shift linkage for my transfer case today. Wasn't to bad, and adjustments were made easily enough to get full engagement out of the transfer case.



Had to clearance the transfer case bracket though, not a huge deal.



All in all things went well.

Today I put the transfer case back in, installed the new linkage and adjusted it, installed the new rear DS, re-installed the front DS, and began installing the CB. I've routed the antenna and bracket ground but had to take some extra time to get the location for the CB prepped (pics to come)

 

[jaydubya2003]

After a test drive last night with everything bolted back up I've got to saw those rear brackets help a lot with ride quality. Also with the rig sitting level (of not with a little rake towards the front) driving it is not as weird. It always felt like I was trying to look over the front of the hood for the road before.

Also the Novak linkage is a great upgrade to the stock setup, much more solid engagement of the transfer case in each gear.

 

[jaydubya2003]

I did some snow wheelin today, had a good time, but...I think I broke something in the front axle because I didn't have a functioning locker by the end of the day.

I'll know more when I get some time to check it out over the next few days.











My favorite shot of the day...

 

[jaydubya2003]

Well I didn't break anything, the previous owner who didn't know what he had and was lied to by more than one person has once again shown he couldn't be bothered to verify anything before listing a rig for sale...

Front diff with no locker or evidence of welding


Rear with now broken welds on the spider gears...




So now the question is...do I just weld the rear again but do a better job? Do I grind away with a Dremel/stone the material and leave it open? Do I leave it alone and hope for the best changing the fluid more often?

I think I'll be grinding away the damaged material and running it open for now. We need to decide if we're swapping the rear for an 8.8 or not before I purchase anything for it.

As for the front, I'll just be leaving it alone for now until we decide what we're doing.

 

[DieselSJ]

Don't try to repair the spiders and end gears - if you want an open diff, then spend the few $$ and replace the parts. Personally, I'd weld them back up.

 

[jaydubya2003]

Don't try to repair the spiders and end gears - if you want an open diff, then spend the few $$ and replace the parts. Personally, I'd weld them back up.

Diesel, I've got brand new tires on this thing. I'll also need to drive this to and from every trail I have access to (most are at least an hours drive one way) so welding it really is a last resort at this point. I'm going to try the repair and see how it does...if it's shot I'll see if I can't round up some spider gears from someone else that has done a locker recently, if i get no luck there I'll see what I can do about a locker after the holidays, and if I'm still hunting for cash then with no sights on a locker than I'll sit down to weld it...cause in the end I bought/built this thing to be used...not sit in the garage.

 

[jaydubya2003]

Well the "repair" didn't get to far. After I started grinding on the left over material I noticed that some of the spider gears were missing teeth...so not just welded material like I had originally thought. Teeth had broken off in the welds transferred from one tooth on rotation to another as the welds broke...lol

The jeep is back on the ground with the diffs cleaned out and fresh fluid, I'll just run it as is until I can hunt down a locker.

 

[jaydubya2003]

Met up with some folks from the NW chapter at the Tillamook State Forest. Drove 2.5 hours south, wheeled in the snow for the day, and drove 2.5 hours home.

I'm lovin this XJ more and more as I use it and fix the quirks. It's really been a reliable rig so far.

Also had to help a friend get to his place in Lacey WA as the snow turned to ice and he had just moved into a place that was accessible only by a steep hill going down and back up on both sides...lets just say his 2wd truck would have been another rig in the ditch to match many others their that night. Lowered the tire pressure a bit and the XJ just walked down and up both sides of the hill no problem (no pics of that though)

 

[jaydubya2003]

Well sadly I had to sell the Jeep.

I got a job offer in central FL where my wife has family. We moved down here in June of 2016, good so far, however there isn't much wheelin to be had down here so it'll be a while before I get back into it.

Take care everyone, and I'll see you back in the PNW!