2005 Rubicon; A Rubi Brother

Liquid wrench applied judiciously a few hours before you start. Heat too. I can’t imagine any factory fasteners seized on that cream puff you have. They can be a bit stubborn, so make sure you have a good strong wrench with a lot of leverage (or a good impact).
I've come to really appreciate a little fire on rusted hardware. A simple propane torch, count to 30.

To clarify, the factory stuff came off no problem. The jam nuts for the savvy DAs and the currie rear track bar are stuck on really really good. But it sounds like liquid wrench and heat would be the way to go anyways. I don't know how else to try and break them loose. It's ok for now but this will need to be address when I do the tuck. I bought some cheap wheel dollies to make adjusting the DA arms easier.

Some thoughts after swapping to JJs all around in the rear. There is a very noticeable difference in how tight the rear is. Not so much with overallI driving, but when I accelerate and decelerate it feels like a smooth transfer of power, even with pinion load. The original bushings were starting to wear and you could feel the load shift with throttle input, these completely eliminated that.

I also hit my 500 mile mark on my gears, so new fluid is in and I can really use it.
 
To clarify, the factory stuff came off no problem. The jam nuts for the savvy DAs and the currie rear track bar are stuck on really really good. But it sounds like liquid wrench and heat would be the way to go anyways. I don't know how else to try and break them loose. It's ok for now but this will need to be address when I do the tuck. I bought some cheap wheel dollies to make adjusting the DA arms easier.

Some thoughts after swapping to JJs all around in the rear. There is a very noticeable difference in how tight the rear is. Not so much with overallI driving, but when I accelerate and decelerate it feels like a smooth transfer of power, even with pinion load. The original bushings were starting to wear and you could feel the load shift with throttle input, these completely eliminated that.

I also hit my 500 mile mark on my gears, so new fluid is in and I can really use it.

Have you tried a cheater bar on your wrench? Makes jam nuts way easier. Sorry about that trackbar jam nut. I wonder if it’s tough to get loose because I had the trackbar set as short as it could go due to those Jeep west brackets. So maybe it’s needing to turn the entire JJ shank in the barrel to let the jam nut loosen.
 
Have you tried a cheater bar on your wrench? Makes jam nuts way easier. Sorry about that trackbar jam nut. I wonder if it’s tough to get loose because I had the trackbar set as short as it could go due to those Jeep west brackets. So maybe it’s needing to turn the entire JJ shank in the barrel to let the jam nut loosen.

No worries my man I can make it work. I’m gonna throw it in a vice later with some heat and see if I can’t break it loose. The fun part is going to be the UCAs which I have to remove to make work.

But now I know for my front arms 🙃
 
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At least now you finally got your nut
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Due to a vice and firmer access to the upper arms, I was able to break all jam nuts loose and “properly” set my components up in the rear.

With the springs in and the Jeep on its own weight, I put a jack under the pinion to set the angle I wanted, then adjusted the uppers till the bolts on the frame side slid in and out with ease so there would be no tension/binding when the wheels were on. Track bar was basic, as it should be.

You all know the process, but here are some photos anyways.
  • Currie lowers with JJs
  • Savvy uppers
  • Currie track bar with JJs.
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As I said before, it definitely feels more firm in regards to accelerating and decelerating. I’m curious how it will handle off road.

Since this is my final ride height for awhile, I can measure for rear shocks and get those going. Then I can move to the front end and do the same. I’m hoping when I do the tuck I only have to make mild adjustments to the arms.

Anyways, yay for real progress.
 
Measured for rear shocks today.

If I did my math right, these specific Skyjacker Black Max shock’s ride height bias should be off by 1/8 or so.

My current eye-to-eye in the rear is 18 1/4” or 18.25”. These shocks show an even split at 18.15”.

Seems like a winner to me. If I did that right…
3644CB2A-C72E-4868-97E8-B4CA0BC7E48C.jpeg
 
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Measured for rear shocks today.

If I did my math right, these specific Skyjacker Black Max shock’s ride height bias should be off by 1/8 or so.

My current eye-to-eye in the rear is 18 1/4” or 18.25”. These shocks show an even split at 18.15”.

Seems like a winner to me. If I did that right…
View attachment 381471

I was told there would be no math.
 
Measured for rear shocks today.

If I did my math right, these specific Skyjacker Black Max shock’s ride height bias should be off by 1/8 or so.

My current eye-to-eye in the rear is 18 1/4” or 18.25”. These shocks show an even split at 18.15”.

Seems like a winner to me. If I did that right…
View attachment 381471

Outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard!

Don't waste the time and money on anything else. Even split is only a part of it.
 
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Outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard, outboard!

Don't waste the time and money on anything else. Even split is only a part of it.

I understand what a ground breaking difference outboarding is, I really do. But I am no where near ready to make that step yet. I probably won’t even consider that until I’m off of the 32s and are on 33s.

I also don’t have a place to do that kind of work right now. So I’m trying to do what I can to make everything work as efficiently as possible until I can start tackling custom stuff. My last couple Jeeps I just bolted stuff on and called it good. This time I’m trying to be as efficient as possible with the limited options that I have.
 
I understand what a ground breaking difference outboarding is, I really do. But I am no where near ready to make that step yet. I probably won’t even consider that until I’m off of the 32s and are on 33s.

I also don’t have a place to do that kind of work right now. So I’m trying to do what I can to make everything work as efficiently as possible until I can start tackling custom stuff. My last couple Jeeps I just bolted stuff on and called it good. This time I’m trying to be as efficient as possible with the limited options that I have.

Maybe I open outboarding business in AZ 🤔 ur boy has a starving Jeep to feed
 
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Maybe I open outboarding business in AZ 🤔 ur boy has a starving Jeep to feed

It’s funny you say that. I was telling my mom one night that there is no specialty gear shops where I live and if I got into it and just pounded gears for a year that I would probably have enough skill to run a place.

Same with outboarding. It’s such a unique mod but there’s enough of the right clientele where you live it could absolutely be feasible.
 
Maybe I open outboarding business in AZ 🤔 ur boy has a starving Jeep to feed

It’s funny you say that. I was telling my mom one night that there is no specialty gear shops where I live and if I got into it and just pounded gears for a year that I would probably have enough skill to run a place.

Same with outboarding. It’s such a unique mod but there’s enough of the right clientele where you live it could absolutely be feasible.

Our Purple TJ friend knows his way around an outboard also.

Not sure now where an outboard sits on my updated to-do list.

Motor work has risen to the top of the list pretty fast.