What are you doing to your rig - the continuing saga

[DutchVDub]

The two times I had an issue with NOX it was my CAT. You can try running some higher octane fuel and then drive it good and long before pulling into the testing station. That's all it took for my 2000 XJ to pass a few years back. I literally left the testing station and drove down the highway to get more gas, topped it off with Shell 91 Octane fuel (it was already pretty low on fuel), and drove it around for about 45 minutes or so. I pulled back into the testing station and it passed with flying colors.

On my 98 Passat I had to get a new CAT. The thing was almost hollow, just a bunch of rust chunks inside.

 

[ROKRWLR]

I would love a CEL for once. :bs:

That's funny... The time mine failed was the one time in the entire 6 or 7 years I owned it that the check engine light was actually OFF! I had just replaced the Bosch replacement O2 sensors with NTK ones and the light finally went out, and I failed emissions!

 

[Hypoid]

I dont have the results with me but it was prety good on HC and maybe 8 out of 12 on CO.

The two times I had an issue with NOX it was my CAT.

That sounds familiar. I do remember that when I replaced the CAT, there was a dramatic, across the board decrease of all measured pollutants.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Variances in the housing and variances in the pinion gear. I have generally had good luck reusing the original pinion shim to get the correct depth. The original shims make for a great starting point, but you'll still need to measure and do a pattern check to make sure everything is copacetic.

Well, I did the gears in the 10.5 today.... The pinion preload took the longest since I was using a solid pinion spacer and had to do about 6 tries to get the right stack of preload shims, but it's worth it not to have a stupid crush sleeve!

I used the factory thick shims and everything worked out well. Had about 20-25 in lb pinion preload, 9 thou backlash with the factory shims and a decent pattern. I had a really nice dead center coast pattern and a decent drive pattern toward the inside a bit, but that was one of the acceptable patterns, so I left it as is instead of beating my head trying to chase the perfect pattern just to end up right back where I started (not that I've done that many times!). Good enough for a trailer queen! One day I'd love to have a perfect pattern, but that will probably never happen.

Now I just need to cut down the wheel studs for my spacers (running stock center H1s and 1.5" spacers) and weld on the perches, then it can go under.

One more task done.... At this rate she should be drivable by 2018!

 

[DutchVDub]

Glad it worked out for you, good job.

 

[in4aride]

Debating what to put in the 10.5. I have the trutrac in there and wanted to spool but they don't offer any. It's Detroit/grizzly or arb. I'd just weld up the carrier but I don't have a stock one. What to do what to do.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Glad it worked out for you, good job.

Yea, its nice to actually have something work out easily for once!

 

[ROKRWLR]

Debating what to put in the 10.5. I have the trutrac in there and wanted to spool but they don't offer any. It's Detroit/grizzly or arb. I'd just weld up the carrier but I don't have a stock one. What to do what to do.

If you want to weld one, I'd bet the carriers could be found cheap around? Maybe eBay? There's one on there for $30.

A grizzly would be nice, though.

 

[in4aride]

Yeah additional 700 nice. I'm hoping to make a little bit back selling the lsd's to a super duty guy but not that much. Lol.

 

[DutchVDub]

How much would you want for the rear lsd?

I'd spend the money on the selectable up front but in the rear I'd go Detroit/Grizz or spool.

 

[in4aride]

Nah. Basic basic is what I want. Locked. Unless I unlock the hub.

 

[1-tonxj]

How much would you want for the rear lsd?

I'd spend the money on the selectable up front but in the rear I'd go Detroit/Grizz or spool.

Why the rear would be best for a selectable since the rear is what causes front to understeer not the locked front...so rear selectable seems best place for one and on street you can shut it off and unlock front hubs .

 

[DutchVDub]

I don't know, I had a Detroit in the 14bolt rear and ARB in the D60 front on my YJ. I could definitely feel the difference in steering with that front ARB locked in, and that was with full hydro and a double ended ram.

I also ran my JKUR with the rear locked and lock/unlock the front as needed. It worked fine for me, but admittedly I have barely dabbled with the truly hardcore stuff.


So Mike, what are you thinking you'll want for the rear tru-trac? The factory l/s in my truck isn't limiting much at all these days and its over $300 just for a rebuild kit. I'm thinking a used Tru-trac might be a more cost effective option.

 

[1-tonxj]

I don't know, I had a Detroit in the 14bolt rear and ARB in the D60 front on my YJ. I could definitely feel the difference in steering with that front ARB locked in, and that was with full hydro and a double ended ram.

I also ran my JKUR with the rear locked and lock/unlock the front as needed. It worked fine for me, but admittedly I have barely dabbled with the truly hardcore stuff.


So Mike, what are you thinking you'll want for the rear tru-trac? The factory l/s in my truck isn't limiting much at all these days and its over $300 just for a rebuild kit. I'm thinking a used Tru-trac might be a more cost effective option.

No doubt the wheel feels heavier locked , but the actual ability to cut a tight turn is and actually have the rig turn not drive sttaight and understeer despite the wheels being turned is a result of the rear it is also made worse the closer the rear wheel track is to front track width ...that is why factory track is always narrower in the rear .

 

[DutchVDub]

I can see that track width would be a factor, I'm sure WB has a factor too. My YJ was just over 107" and the JK was 117" or so if I remember correctly.

The thing is I just never experienced it myself, but I have read/heard that before.

Doesn't matter for me right now anyways. My XJ will be on wittle axles with wittle 35's running the stock Explorer 8.8 LSD in the back and maybe a Ziplocker up front.

 

[Hypoid]

Doesn't matter for me right now anyways. My XJ will be on wittle axles with wittle 35's running the stock Explorer 8.8 LSD in the back and maybe a Ziplocker up front.

Small and dainty Jeeps don't need big and heavy axles.

 

[ROKRWLR]

Doesn't matter for me right now anyways. My XJ will be on wittle axles with wittle 35's running the stock Explorer 8.8 LSD in the back and maybe a Ziplocker up front.

Wow... How things have changed. I remember way back when, when 33's were big meat and 35's on an XJ were almost unheard of!



Now I feel like the 38s I have are too small!

 

[1-tonxj]

Wow... How things have changed. I remember way back when, when 33's were big meat and 35's on an XJ were almost unheard of!



Now I feel like the 38s I have are too small!

35s were huge in 2001...lol...if you had 33s on a cherokee it was big and 35s were huge...lol...folks said bigger was impossible ...now 37s are the new 33 .

 

[DutchVDub]

I'd say 35's are the new 33's, but yeah it is crazy. 37's were the buggy tire and a custom housing 9" was the ultimate axle. Now its all 40's and custom drop out 14 bolts and 500+hp V8's and all that craziness. The smaller tired weekend wheelers have mostly been replaced with side by sides and the built rigs are mostly replaced with either JK's or full on buggies.

I think after I get the XJ going I'm going to start planning out doing an Ibex 4 seat buggy kit. I was really close to doing it after the YJ but got wrapped up in the whole JK thing. It might just be time to finally do it.

 

[ThatGrimmJeeper]

I'd say 35's are the new 33's, but yeah it is crazy. 37's were the buggy tire and a custom housing 9" was the ultimate axle. Now its all 40's and custom drop out 14 bolts and 500+hp V8's and all that craziness. The smaller tired weekend wheelers have mostly been replaced with side by sides and the built rigs are mostly replaced with either JK's or full on buggies.

I think after I get the XJ going I'm going to start planning out doing an Ibex 4 seat buggy kit. I was really close to doing it after the YJ but got wrapped up in the whole JK thing. It might just be time to finally do it.

This summer I took my built JK over some moderate trails. It was like driving on a slightly more bumpy dirt road. I didn't even have to pick a line. I just drove straight over whatever was there. It was boring as hell.

I went back to one of those trails (Kingston Peak) in my XJ that's bone stock except for a t-case skid plate. When I hit the trails I was back in the old days having to put some thought into the rougher sections of the trail. Figuring out where to put my tires to keep from hitting anything underneath and then touching it anyway.

And that's when I settled on the build plan for my XJ. Just enough lift to fit 31's. I'm replacing the axles with some Dana 44's I had in the garage already so I never have to worry about breaking anything. I'm fitting them with TrueTrac limited slips front and back with a set of 4.27 gears to help me hold speed going over the passes, and maybe a little bit more armor underneath. It should make the moderate trails more fun to drive than in the JK.