Yet another... Build thread for an xj on 40s and one tons in norcal

[Mike1331]

When we doing fordyce? Let's get some serious rocks under this beast.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

October 9th, the weekend after rubicon.

 

[Mike1331]

Can't that one

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Damn. Ill be working in Austin the week of the 12th, and the 3 weekends after that are booked with things for Lisa (Bday, halloween, weekend in austin after work) so maybe early november at this point

 

[Mike1331]

Early November works, but it'll be cold so I'd prefer day runs.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Tranny pan was leaking bad again, just put a new gasket on it, so this time I tried the mopar transmission RTV:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008H2PL9S?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01

let the thing drip dry for 2 days, then cleaned surfaces really good, then used RTV only on the thing, no rubber seal. So we will see how this works.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Early November works, but it'll be cold so I'd prefer day runs.

That sounds good, but its a long haul for me for a day run. I would possibly go up the night before and you could just meet me at the trail head

 

[blondejoncherokee]

friday night was a brown dog engine bracket and motor mount night , both sides. and some UCA gusseting.

driver was easy.

pass side sucked. had to pull the alternator and a bunch of other shenanigans that I was not feeling like doing. whatever. right after this , i did a spring over on the MJ. I am a glutton for wrenching for 10 days a day after work every day.

 

[GordoSmasho]

Looks great jon. It all pays off somewhere.

 

[fewloosebolts]

Or at least that's what we keep telling ourselves

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Just ordered 200 4.5" cutoff wheels from roark at .49 cents each, then 10% off, and free shipping over 98$, also added 2 hole saws too. 108$ out the door . Pretty nuts how cheap that is.

 

[CAJJ93XJ]

Just ordered 200 4.5" cutoff wheels from roark at .49 cents each, then 10% off, and free shipping over 98$, also added 2 hole saws too. 108$ out the door . Pretty nuts how cheap that is.

are they worth a damn? If they are I'll definitely be ordering some for my rebuild. I don't like it when the harbor freight quality ones wear down faster than they're worth

 

[blondejoncherokee]

I used maybe 10+ over the weekend. They seem to last long enough for 49 cents - I did not expect much. and don't fall apart prematurely like the HF ones seemed to last long enough.

I refuse to use HF cutoffs. they don't last at all and fall apart like nothing. these cheap .49 cent ones were way better than HF,

 

[Johnnie Walker]

are they worth a damn? If they are I'll definitely be ordering some for my rebuild. I don't like it when the harbor freight quality ones wear down faster than they're worth

I've used cut-off's, flap discs, clean and strip, and grinding discs from roarksupply. They all worked good, the C/S discs are amazing for removing body undercoating, etc without damaging metal like flap discs can if you are too aggressive.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Made it a true 3 link




Cut down a ruffstuff trackbar bracket I had lying around to make a frame side mount. Welded it to the top of the clayton crossmember and gusseted it. Very tight spaces to be welding in. I had some weld in bungs lying around and some 1.5" dom and some fk heims so the upper link did not cost any more .

 

[twinhauler]

Looks good, have you driven her yet?

 

[blondejoncherokee]

yeah. seems a little better than with the radius arm setup. front doesn't lift as much now.

 

[831_xj]

Nice man about time! Free is nice. I bet that was a bitch welding between the floor

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Nice man about time! Free is nice. I bet that was a bitch welding between the floor

yeah no room. cross member, frame , floor all sandwiched and tight as hell.
I was able to get all three sides of the mount from the inside, but it was a slaggy mess.

I was able to get the back side of the mount, and then add the ruffstuff triangle gusset, which is also welded to 1/4" plate that I welded along the frame. I think its pretty solid.

the mount is slightly angled down on towards the exhaust so I can clear a bolt. I still have to push the exhaust up 1/2" to get it in there.

then I can barely fit a wrench on the back side and then I just hit it with the impact.

getting the bolt through was just plain stupid. I welded a weld washer on the driver facing side of the mount to help ensure it never wallows out, so it made it even harder to line it up with no room in there, got a punch on the bolt, and punch to line up the arm in the mount, and sledge hammered the bolt through.


that was a benefit of the radius arm setup, I could have that arm off in like under a minute.

 

[blondejoncherokee]

Slapped in some mj bastrd packs i built today. Damn 14 bolt is under the gas tank and I did not gain much lift maybe 1", mostly loaded. So the plan is to use the last hole in the perches to gain only 2" of stretch and add maybe 2 leaves more to the rear packs, some mj leaves probably .

Wheelbase is about 106" right now