A lesson learned—keep it light and nimble!

Irun said:
As always, you're knowledge helps us better understand the "why". In this case, the JK issues created an opportunity to sell something to TJ owners that they didn't need! :(
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There is an astounding lack of critical thinking skills in Jeep owners. If there was something between "critical" and "idiot" that would be more appropriate.

The overwhelming vast majority of pictures I see of folks showing off their homebrew junk yard axle swaps involve a gigantic truss they spent money on and welded up. The vast majority are on axles both front and rear that are out from under at a minimum 1-ton vehicle.

So, let me get this straight. You have an axle with 3 1/2" to 4" axle tubes that are minimum 1/2" wall thickness that came under vehicles designed for 26,000 lb. gross weight rating, a curb weight of around 8000 lbs. and you in some way manage to believe puking metal all over it in the form of some clearance robbing weight adding monster truss is somehow necessary? WTF is wrong with you?

I saw one the other day posted up on FB. Easily 4" above the diff casting on the rear and it was a SD or larger axle. Just stinking ridiculous amounts of metal puked all over it and very little room for uptravel at normal lift heights. And then of course, they are going to run LCG.
 
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I met up with a friend of mine yesterday and picked up a HP housing. It's clear this one didn't lead an easy life, but the price, free, was right. I verified it is straight and that the bearing caps belong with the housing. The lower control arms will need to be cut off and replaced, and I'll have to reinforce the track bar bracket. That looks like it was torn and then welded. It also looks like the passenger side upper control arm mount was reinforced at some point.

I'll need to verify that there are no issues with the ball joint holes, remove the upper control arm bushings, then dig into the cleanup work. Fortunately the rust isn't bad and, since I'm waiting on an eLocker, I'll have time.

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Irun said:
I met up with a friend of mine yesterday and picked up a HP housing. It's clear this one didn't lead an easy life, but the price, free, was right. I verified it is straight and that the bearing caps belong with the housing. The lower control arms will need to be cut off and replaced, and I'll have to reinforce the track bar bracket. That looks like it was torn and then welded. It also looks like the passenger side upper control arm mount was reinforced at some point.

I'll need to verify that there are no issues with the ball joint holes, remove the upper control arm bushings, then dig into the cleanup work. Fortunately the rust isn't bad and, since I'm waiting on an eLocker, I'll have time.

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Good find for the right price. How were you able to verify it was straight?
 
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NskLJ said:
Good find for the right price. How were you able to verify it was straight?
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Maybe not perfect, but I did three things (after cleaning out the tubes):

1. Put it up on jack stands and did a visual sighting through the tubes
2. Inserted a length (longer than the hosing) of 1 1/2 pvc pipe in one end and out the other.
3. Used a large framing square on the long side
 
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mrblaine said:
Pretty easy to do with an empty housing. Look through one end and line up the circles so they are perfectly concentric or centered in each other. You can't do it on a bent housing.
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I saw you mentioned that before and that's exactly what I did! (y)
 
Irun said:
I saw you mentioned that before and that's exactly what I did! (y)
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It can't not work. That and get the Iron Rock Offroad lower control arm mounts. I'll send over the cover plate for the front of the stabilizer and track bar mount that ties them together. That will at least reinforce the front side.

If you haven't done lower mounts, I have a very simple and effective way to get them where they go.
 
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mrblaine said:
It can't not work. That and get the Iron Rock Offroad lower control arm mounts. I'll send over the cover plate for the front of the stabilizer and track bar mount that ties them together. That will at least reinforce the front side.

If you haven't done lower mounts, I have a very simple and effective way to get them where they go.
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The Iron Rock lower mounts have been ordered.

The stabilizer and track bar cover plate would be awesome, thanks!

When it comes time to install the lower mounts, I'll touch base on the simple method to properly locate them on the housing!
 
mrblaine said:
What matters after the ball joints?

That and it helps to know some history. Not once during the production run of the TJ did anyone consider a gusset and tube sleeve to fix anything. It wasn't until the advent of the JK front axle with its cracked in half axle tubes in the first 6 months and bent inner C's that anyone came up with those products to try and fix what was wrong.

Only after sales of those slowed down a bit did they turn an eye towards the TJ fronts and try to sucker in some more customers. That and there really isn't room between the inner C and spring on a TJ front to do much anyway. If you are bending inner C's, get a different axle.
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I never understood this either. We had a couple bent housings up here from XJ guys getting some air running 36 inch Swampers but never one snap a tube. Definitely nothing that requires adding forty extra pounds of crap glued on.
 
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Blackjack said:
I never understood this either. We had a couple bent housings up here from XJ guys getting some air running 36 inch Swampers but never one snap a tube. Definitely nothing that requires adding forty extra pounds of crap glued on.
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It is highly debatable as to whether they would have still bent the tubes with that minor reinforcement on the inner.
 
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Irun said:
The Iron Rock lower mounts have been ordered.

The stabilizer and track bar cover plate would be awesome, thanks!

When it comes time to install the lower mounts, I'll touch base on the simple method to properly locate them on the housing!
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Are you going to run a flipped tie rod?
 
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mrblaine said:
It can't not work. That and get the Iron Rock Offroad lower control arm mounts. I'll send over the cover plate for the front of the stabilizer and track bar mount that ties them together. That will at least reinforce the front side.

If you haven't done lower mounts, I have a very simple and effective way to get them where they go.
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Is there something you like specifically about the iron rock lower control arm mounts over others?
 
mrblaine said:
Did you wind up with the raised mounts as well?
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If you mean body mounts yes. I bought a set of Genright mounts from @Chris. They have not been installed yet. Are those worth the effort, or is there a better alternative?
 
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