The Nail Salon
- Thread starter TORX
- Start date
kndrewa
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Vancouver British Columbia
yep, you rock!
NW99XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gresham, Or.
NICE WORK MAN!!!
northwestxj
NAXJA Member #1283
- Location
- washington
Also, need some opinions on shock mounting. These are the brackets that came with the Ruffstuff kit.
Should I ditch them, and go with a traditional mount where the lower eye is perpendicular to the axle? I could see these working okay for even travel, but with the axle articulating I see the lower bushings binding up. Thoughts, or experiences?
In the factory mounting position for the top and with the shocks mounted on the tube like they are stock the bottom mount mount should be perpendicular to the axle. If you mounted them like that with the top perpendicular and with the bottom parallel I think you will get major bushing bind.
On a side not, nice job Dustin it looks like it's coming along nicely.
BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
Thanks! I think I'm going to make me some shock adapters tomorrow.
Gold Cobra
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Woodland, WA
I ran TnT shock mounts on Mistress Moneypit. They're only single shear, but I never worried about breaking them.
Bronzewyrm
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Independence,or
Muddy Beast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- WA
Now, I think I understand why you did it (because I thought about the bad things that could happen when I did mine too)...but I'll ask anyways. Why did you bend your brake lines above the leaf spring? And any fear/worry that the play in the leaf spring mount plate will damage your brake lines?
Nice job on the bends by the way, looks like you must have the bending tool? If not, I'm even more impressed. I bent my hard line just enough to fit in the stock mount and to the two soft lines, but it looks rather wavy and doesn't follow super close. It's ugly because I bent it by hand (and the dang thing kept spinning on me from one bend to the next), but it works.
Also, something to think about. When you're bleeding, the more bends it has the more opportunities you have for air to get trapped. I can't remember where but I saw a demonstration of this once, where they had various bends and seemingly minor changes in the diameter/shape of a material and had pressurized fluid travel through it and bubbles got caught on the smallest changes in the material. Even when the system was bled and pressure was pushing on the bubbles, they stayed stuck to where ever they were until after the pressure came from the other direction or they were tapped off (much like you would tap the lines near the prop valve or the master cylinder if you bleed it). I'm not saying you'll have that issue, but in general bubbles don't like to travel through elevation and direction changes like that.
Nice job on the bends by the way, looks like you must have the bending tool? If not, I'm even more impressed. I bent my hard line just enough to fit in the stock mount and to the two soft lines, but it looks rather wavy and doesn't follow super close. It's ugly because I bent it by hand (and the dang thing kept spinning on me from one bend to the next), but it works.
Also, something to think about. When you're bleeding, the more bends it has the more opportunities you have for air to get trapped. I can't remember where but I saw a demonstration of this once, where they had various bends and seemingly minor changes in the diameter/shape of a material and had pressurized fluid travel through it and bubbles got caught on the smallest changes in the material. Even when the system was bled and pressure was pushing on the bubbles, they stayed stuck to where ever they were until after the pressure came from the other direction or they were tapped off (much like you would tap the lines near the prop valve or the master cylinder if you bleed it). I'm not saying you'll have that issue, but in general bubbles don't like to travel through elevation and direction changes like that.
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Tuesday, 2/28: Plan for the day was yard out the D30, and swap in this pristine 1987 two wheel drive beam axle.
Secured the vehicle. Let the front axle droop. This was the first time I've even had the wheels off this thing.
Progress was good so I didn't document the axle removal too thoroughly. I was extremely pleased with how easily all the bolts came off. Aside from some road grime, no rust or corrosion to be found. This was promising.
Started with the sway bar top end link bolts, then moved onto the lower shock mounts. This gave the axle some more droop. I then disconnected the lower track bar bolt, and steering at the knuckles since I'd be reusing them on the beam axle. Lastly, I removed the axle side LCA and UCA bolts.
About an hour later. Success.
About this time I looked outside and it had started snowing pretty good. Started second guessing my two wheel drive conversion decision.
I got the beam axle in place. It was nice not having the extra weight of the chunk to maneuver around. OEM used these goofy UCA bolts. They were a pain to remove, so I installed some new 10.9 UCA bolts at that time. I picked up four awhile ago to swap in when the lift goes on.
Install went pretty smooth. Had to swap my soft lines to the 87' calipers. Calipers are different between 87 and 97, so the way the soft line mounts was a tad different.
Before I knew it, it was time to put the tires back on. The studs on the driver side were a bit hard to thread on. A little trick I use is taking an old lug nut, and filing some grooves into the thread with a file. This basically acts as a die to clean up the threads on the stud. Put it on a ratchet, lube up the threads, and thread it on a little at a time.
I now have legit wheel bearings!
Took the two-wheel drive blaster for a test drive. It drove, and stopped, which worked for me. I managed to dodge the snow Tuesday night, but Wednesday morning there was a few inches on the ground. I loaded up the chains, shovel, headlamp, boots, and tow strap preparing for the worst (with my luck I'd be on my lid). It's much more stressful driving in the snow knowing you don't have the ability of four-wheel drive. I kept my momentum up on hills, and kept my speed in check on the descents. No big issues with two days of snowy commutes.
I will say I'm so done with snow in the two wheel drive blaster.
Secured the vehicle. Let the front axle droop. This was the first time I've even had the wheels off this thing.
Progress was good so I didn't document the axle removal too thoroughly. I was extremely pleased with how easily all the bolts came off. Aside from some road grime, no rust or corrosion to be found. This was promising.
Started with the sway bar top end link bolts, then moved onto the lower shock mounts. This gave the axle some more droop. I then disconnected the lower track bar bolt, and steering at the knuckles since I'd be reusing them on the beam axle. Lastly, I removed the axle side LCA and UCA bolts.
About an hour later. Success.
About this time I looked outside and it had started snowing pretty good. Started second guessing my two wheel drive conversion decision.
I got the beam axle in place. It was nice not having the extra weight of the chunk to maneuver around. OEM used these goofy UCA bolts. They were a pain to remove, so I installed some new 10.9 UCA bolts at that time. I picked up four awhile ago to swap in when the lift goes on.
Install went pretty smooth. Had to swap my soft lines to the 87' calipers. Calipers are different between 87 and 97, so the way the soft line mounts was a tad different.
Before I knew it, it was time to put the tires back on. The studs on the driver side were a bit hard to thread on. A little trick I use is taking an old lug nut, and filing some grooves into the thread with a file. This basically acts as a die to clean up the threads on the stud. Put it on a ratchet, lube up the threads, and thread it on a little at a time.
I now have legit wheel bearings!
Took the two-wheel drive blaster for a test drive. It drove, and stopped, which worked for me. I managed to dodge the snow Tuesday night, but Wednesday morning there was a few inches on the ground. I loaded up the chains, shovel, headlamp, boots, and tow strap preparing for the worst (with my luck I'd be on my lid). It's much more stressful driving in the snow knowing you don't have the ability of four-wheel drive. I kept my momentum up on hills, and kept my speed in check on the descents. No big issues with two days of snowy commutes.
I will say I'm so done with snow in the two wheel drive blaster.
Simple Green'd the not so dirty thirty.
I began gutting the housing in prep for the gear/locker install. First task was removing the shafts. Remove the calipers and rotor, and you'll have an up close look at the hub. To remove the hub, you'll need to remove the cotter pin, and lock_nut_thing.
With the cotter pin and lock_nut_thing removed you'll see the hub nut.
The nut is a 36mm, so I use one of these coupled onto an impact wrench to bust them off.
They're torqued on pretty good (220ft/lbs?), and with some rust they can be a PITA to get off. I would suggest a very large (measured in feet) cheater bar, or a good 1/2" impact.
With the hub nut off, you have three additional bolts holding the hub assembly on. They're a 13mm twelve point located on the back of the knuckle.
With all the bolts removed, the hub is free to come off. With this axle, I was able to tap them loose with a hits with a rubber mallet. On Jeepforceone, I spent hours trying to bust them loose, and ended up having to buy some sacrificial bolts to hammer on from the back.
Unit-bearing removed.
You can see the rust was starting to build up. Give it a few years, and they would have given a little better fight coming off. With the hub off you can then pull out the axle shaft out of the housing.
*I should note, if you're just pulling a shaft, you can skip removing the hub nut, and just leave the unit-bearing on the stub shaft. This is where having unit-bearings on your spare shafts, can cut down time significantly on trail fixes.
I have a little more work planned for the housing, but since I was pinched for time this was good enough to get the gears and locker installed.
Loaded up the axle, and the upgrades in the Jeep, and roadied them out to Boring. I should get it back early next week.
Also, much to my surprise I already racked up 3K miles. Time for oil change number two. Oil is priced like gold these days, so I settled on Chevron...
Almost ready to start putting junk under this thing. There's a chance TORX could be ready for a snow run in two weeks.
I began gutting the housing in prep for the gear/locker install. First task was removing the shafts. Remove the calipers and rotor, and you'll have an up close look at the hub. To remove the hub, you'll need to remove the cotter pin, and lock_nut_thing.
With the cotter pin and lock_nut_thing removed you'll see the hub nut.
The nut is a 36mm, so I use one of these coupled onto an impact wrench to bust them off.
They're torqued on pretty good (220ft/lbs?), and with some rust they can be a PITA to get off. I would suggest a very large (measured in feet) cheater bar, or a good 1/2" impact.
With the hub nut off, you have three additional bolts holding the hub assembly on. They're a 13mm twelve point located on the back of the knuckle.
With all the bolts removed, the hub is free to come off. With this axle, I was able to tap them loose with a hits with a rubber mallet. On Jeepforceone, I spent hours trying to bust them loose, and ended up having to buy some sacrificial bolts to hammer on from the back.
Unit-bearing removed.
You can see the rust was starting to build up. Give it a few years, and they would have given a little better fight coming off. With the hub off you can then pull out the axle shaft out of the housing.
*I should note, if you're just pulling a shaft, you can skip removing the hub nut, and just leave the unit-bearing on the stub shaft. This is where having unit-bearings on your spare shafts, can cut down time significantly on trail fixes.
I have a little more work planned for the housing, but since I was pinched for time this was good enough to get the gears and locker installed.
Loaded up the axle, and the upgrades in the Jeep, and roadied them out to Boring. I should get it back early next week.
Also, much to my surprise I already racked up 3K miles. Time for oil change number two. Oil is priced like gold these days, so I settled on Chevron...
Almost ready to start putting junk under this thing. There's a chance TORX could be ready for a snow run in two weeks.
- Location
- Vancouver, WA
Loaded up the axle, and the upgrades in the Jeep, and roadied them out to Boring. I should get it back early next week.
thats a good lookin tarp... i had one kinda like that.
Bronzewyrm
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Independence,or
Almost ready to start putting junk under this thing. There's a chance TORX could be ready for a snow run in two weeks.
dick...
BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
X2
I have parts to install and other stuff to do on mine but have to hold off a month or so till I move. Even then I have so much to do to the new place I'll be lucky if I'll get back to it till May or even June.
NW99XJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Gresham, Or.
Wait.... Boring?!?! Thats literally right around the corner from my house!
You shoulda hit me up we coulda met up for a beer or a burger or something.....Who/what is out in Boring?
BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
Me! No really, that's where the gear guru's shop is.
Been tossing around some ideas for a simple rear shock mount lately. Today I decided to see what I could come up with. My basic plan was to copy the OEM design, and build a basic single shear mount.
The 8.8 has 3.250" tubes, so I set my divider to 1.625".
Scribed a line on some 2x.250" flat bar.
Used some soap stone to give a good visual for a cut line.
Torch blaster.
Completed cut.
Ground the slag off, and cleaned up the radius a bit for a good fit.
Knocked out another side.
About this time my band saw blade bit the dust, so I fired up the cut off wheel and cut out some pieces for the front. Basic design mocked up.
Beveled the joints for better penetration. Made sure everything was square.
Got it all tacked together.
I think it'll get the job done.
I'll probably notch the top gusset piece, just in case I need to straddle the u-bolt. I'll make the other side tomorrow, burn them together, and apply the paint treatment. They won't get welded on the axle till it's under the Jeep.
The 8.8 has 3.250" tubes, so I set my divider to 1.625".
Scribed a line on some 2x.250" flat bar.
Used some soap stone to give a good visual for a cut line.
Torch blaster.
Completed cut.
Ground the slag off, and cleaned up the radius a bit for a good fit.
Knocked out another side.
About this time my band saw blade bit the dust, so I fired up the cut off wheel and cut out some pieces for the front. Basic design mocked up.
Beveled the joints for better penetration. Made sure everything was square.
Got it all tacked together.
I think it'll get the job done.
I'll probably notch the top gusset piece, just in case I need to straddle the u-bolt. I'll make the other side tomorrow, burn them together, and apply the paint treatment. They won't get welded on the axle till it's under the Jeep.
BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
Your quite the fabricator, Why don't work for a fabrication shop?
I use to hate fab work. I just did it because it's cheaper than buying the stuff (ex. $500 winch bumper, or $80 in steel to build one). I also don't like having a "catalog" XJ. If I can build something and incorporate my own ideas, then it's worth it to me in labor to build it. I am finding myself starting to enjoy it more though.
Notched out the top piece for u-bolt clearance.
Picked up some grade 8's. I really couldn't see my shocks shearing the grade 5's, but it's a peace of mind.
Then I cranked out the other mount. It's funny how fast you can duplicate a part after the first time.
Cranked up the Hobart.
Shock mounts. Done.
Also, I pulled the trigger on the final purchase for Phase1.
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BoringDave
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Boring
Now I have to build a set of these to.
Was going to show you what my shock top adapters looked like but the pic was crap.
Was going to show you what my shock top adapters looked like but the pic was crap.
