05 Flame Red TJ Build
- Thread starter JMT
- Start date
OP
I wish it would solve your vibes too. I’ve been living with them for three years, so I know how bad it is. I assumed my front shaft was fine and I rebuilt it about a year ago. Bad assumption, and I agree with the thread about optimal 33’s and 35’s thread that at 4” lift you need a new front shaft. Even though I did not separate the splines at full droop there was not enough spline engagement. I was surprised the Woody overall was only 1/2” longer than stock. I could use the square of the hypotenuse to figure it all out, but the longer spline engagement is what I needed. I’m sure a better balance helps too.
And to think I’ve been watching hub prices for over a year!
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OP
It’s crazy how nice it is to drive now. Took it up near 80 last night and no hands on the wheel for 300 yards. It was smooth as glass. My son reached over and touched the wheel. Nothing. My front pinion is 11.8 and shaft is 12.2. I talked to @Shawn at Tom Wood's about it before I ordered and he said what I expected about ideal pinion 1* high over shaft, but that it’s a balance with your caster. I’m going to recheck my caster today, and make sure it’s a good number, but the shaft has changed my world.
I do lift tires too much and so that’s why I’d like to improve my AS numbers. Assuming a 39” CoG I’m at 144%.
Happy for ya.
I never had vibration issues or didn't know I did but I also scored a used small hub kit right after I'd installed the 4.88 gears.
I had a few guys I worked with who were also Jeepers and since I had hubs on all 4 corners they'd come out and unlock my hubs while I was on the road doing my supply runs. I'd come back on Friday and want to just head home and go to take off and wouldn't go anywhere. The first few times they'd done it I'd freak out. I won't tell you what I paid for that hub kit, but it'd be about a 3rd of the current price.
OP
I went up to Bonners ferry Idaho today to wheel at a place called Mountain mafia. It wasn’t all I had hoped it was. A lot of mud and some rocks. Mud and rocks while it’s raining do not mix well. I wasn’t able to get anyone to go with me, but I ended up hooking up with a couple younger guys on the trail. I had about four good climbs and obstacles that I went over or through, but I got tired of the mud pretty quick. It was caked in my tires and wheel well, stacked in my coils, sitting on my control arms, 3 inches deep on my sliders, IH8MUD.
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OP
OP
About the number of quarters I needed to wash it.
OP
They had those long hill climbs that rock buggy’s do. They went from mild to extreme. I did one about middle of the road a bit toward the mild side. Damn trees are so close and you have no idea they’re there. You just have to keep stomping on the gas or it’s sure doom. This is most of what I saw. Wish I had some pics of my rig going through stuff, but I didn’t have anybody I knew with me.
OP
This stupid rut is 25 feet long, picture doesn’t capture the depth, I tried to straddle it knowing I’d slip in. When I did I was rubbing my mirror on the ground for about 10 feet with my driver tire in the air about 3 feet. 
I tried to back up but that was a literal no-go. Fortunately it leveled out and I drove out. I have been very off camber before, and I’m used to it, but this was the farthest I’ve been over. I think I felt like Jerry Bransford (you know the photo).
I tried to back up but that was a literal no-go. Fortunately it leveled out and I drove out. I have been very off camber before, and I’m used to it, but this was the farthest I’ve been over. I think I felt like Jerry Bransford (you know the photo).
OP
May as well just buy a power washer.
If you're gunna wheel in any of the better spots in the PNW you'd better get over your dislike for mud. This ain't a dry place like the southwest and it rains here. When you mix water with dirt it gives you this stuff called mud and the PNW has a lot of it. It has been a dry summer/fall but not anymore.
Just curious, is there a lot of clay content? A big difference between Colorado and Oklahoma that I've seen is the mud that's mostly pulverized granite will clear reasonably easily while it's wet, but dries like concrete, while the clay down here sticks like glue while wet but is pretty crumbly once dry.
Depends on where you're wheeling at. More volcanic ash type dirt on the east side of the mountains which dries like concrete but on the westside it's not as sticky but crumbles when it dries. The dirt here on the east side is this fine talcum powder when it dries and is a PITA to keep out of your rig.
It can be deceiving too.
OP
This stuff in North ID was sticky when wet. I grew 1” just walking around. I couldn’t even flick the SwayLoc switch it was so covered in mud. Airing up was a no go. I went straight to the nearest coin operated car wash 15 miles away. Not taking any chances.
This is from the Naches area (central WA) but still volcanic ash type soil.
And it's why a lot run a tire carrier that isn't mounted to the tub. If you notice the buggy is pushing the Jeep up that hill.
My 4 little squirrels were screaming and I had the TeraLow 4:1 kit in the Jeep at this point.
And it's why a lot run a tire carrier that isn't mounted to the tub. If you notice the buggy is pushing the Jeep up that hill.
My 4 little squirrels were screaming and I had the TeraLow 4:1 kit in the Jeep at this point.
OP
The East side is dry. 16” annual rainfall, but the problem is there’s nowhere decent to wheel. If we go W we get over to the wet side. I presume in summer the trails are pretty dry. Reiter was when I was over in July. I don’t know about Walker or others. If I go south into ID I think it stays dry. Looks like some decent wheelin in S Idaho, but that’s quite a drive. Any other time of year the W side is soaked. I guess I’ll have to live with it. I just don’t like it bc you can’t control anything. You just slide. It was like pigs snot today. With the Tera 4-Low you know what it’s like. You need those tires smokin, but that’s dangerous
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