James & The Sahara Build Thread

Another update! Got the axles back from Motobilt today!! They look great, did get scrapped up a bit getting worked on but nothing I can’t touch up. The Spicer ball joints I ordered for the HP30 would not fit and they ended up installing their premium house brand ball joints. The spicer joints spun freely in the mount, never seen anything like it haha. Here are some photos, I start tomorrow!

8674AC01-DEAA-4805-87A9-7AA507C8D5A1.jpeg
E8D816DF-1F28-4CAF-9C84-03CD6ABABC23.jpeg
942D5167-7C9F-49EF-A8DE-9B349FFB4821.jpeg
0D87FD82-AE50-4D3F-A284-50487187BB54.jpeg
F50752A6-7683-43A5-B939-3987EFEEB1ED.jpeg
 
Don't forget the oil! :D No joke, we had several people do that very thing. We'd hang tags on it, leave the cover loose, and still they'd forget the oil. Of course they'd come back bitching us out on how we left out the oil. Kinda hard to keep the oil in with a loose cover and no axles o_O
 
Don't forget the oil! :D No joke, we had several people do that very thing. We'd hang tags on it, leave the cover loose, and still they'd forget the oil. Of course they'd come back bitching us out on how we left out the oil. Kinda hard to keep the oil in with a loose cover and no axles o_O
Seriously though! Any reccomendations on a dino gear oil brand? ;)
 
Another update! Got the axles back from Motobilt today!! They look great, did get scrapped up a bit getting worked on but nothing I can’t touch up. The Spicer ball joints I ordered for the HP30 would not fit and they ended up installing their premium house brand ball joints. The spicer joints spun freely in the mount, never seen anything like it haha. Here are some photos, I start tomorrow!

View attachment 23440 View attachment 23441 View attachment 23442 View attachment 23443 View attachment 23444
Looks as though you got them in time to work all day tomorrow. Good luck @JamesAndTheSahara
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
Update! I got quite a bit done today, I failed to take photos though because it got dark very quick.

My neighbors love my 100ft air line to my patio:

IMG_2529.JPG
IMG_3274.JPG


I took two photos of various points of the Dana 30 housing to depict the housing distance from the ground for the LP to HP switch. Below are the LP measured at the back of the Dana 30 housing and the driveshaft straps:

IMG_6695.JPG
IMG_6697.JPG


Started to tear everything down:

IMG_6698.JPG
IMG_6699.JPG
IMG_6700.JPG
IMG_6707.JPG
IMG_6708.JPG


Most basic photo ever comparing the LCA's, I also pressed on the UCA Bushings from Moog:

IMG_6710.JPG
IMG_6711.JPG


I ended up getting the lower control arms mounted, but sadly I will have to remove them as I didn't understand the shaft needed to be center on them. There are 3 more threads on one side which is a no go apparently. I got the springs/bumpstops back on& started the brake install. I can't get the caliper mounted but I think its user error working in the dead of the night. As always more to come!
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT
Um today did not go very well. I spent the better half of the day trying to figure out why the brake caliper wouldn't seat into the rotor:

731A153B-03F3-49E4-92E5-004E4E367915.JPG


After talking to BMB on the phone and testing a couple things the ear of the brake pad retainer was slightly bent causing the pad to not go in. Using 5 minutes of propane heat until the joint was ungodly hot & then using a 3lb hammer ended like this:

IMG_6756.JPG
IMG_6758.JPG


So I had to make a bunch of phone calls to find someone with a ball joint tool (God dang it why don't I have one of these yet). Have a peer bringing me one tomorrow to press out the old ball joints on my old Dana 30 and remove the Steering Knuckle and unpress my current new ball joints from the HP30 and repress them into the old steering knuckle going on the new hp30. Lots of work ahead, not a setback I was even remotely expecting. Nor did I expect the axle to be bent there! At least the housing and tubes are straight. More to come as always.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: JMT
It is not easy. Air tools makes it a little easier. Do any of your local parts stores rent the Ball joint press?
 
It is not easy. Air tools makes it a little easier. Do any of your local parts stores rent the Ball joint press?
My buddy renting it has requested me not to use air impact on his $400 kit. A breaker bar will work well for tightening it down, he is going to run me through it. Yes autozone does but its $250.00 to rent it, I already rented a control arm bushing kit from Advanced for $160, returning it tomorrow.
 
If you plan on keeping your TJ for a while, I strongly encourage purchasing the following ball joint replacement tools:
Taken from this thread of course: Wrangler TJ Ball Joint Replacement

Those tools make the entire process so much easier. I purchased them myself, mostly because I knew I'd own a TJ for a long, long time to come. So I guess it pays for itself in the long run.
I had paid for the ball joints to be installed on the axles because the labor was very inexpensive with them off the vehicle. Had I thought I wouldn't be doing this I would have bought the tools :). Definitely one of those moments I think it may be time to step up my tool game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chris
I had paid for the ball joints to be installed on the axles because the labor was very inexpensive with them off the vehicle. Had I thought I wouldn't be doing this I would have bought the tools :). Definitely one of those moments I think it may be time to step up my tool game.

I get that. I have this thing for collecting tools, even ones I barely ever (or never) use. Everyone makes fun of me for it, but I always tell them that they're there when I need them!
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT
I get that. I have this thing for collecting tools, even ones I barely ever (or never) use. Everyone makes fun of me for it, but I always tell them that they're there when I need them!
Better to have them and be the guy being asked to barrow a tool then being the sap with their Jeep on jack stands asking for one ;).
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT and Chris