Arizona Rock Crawler
- Thread starter starkey480
- Start date
I'm happy with the aluminum one I got from you but for future reference is the black anodized version something you're now offering?
They are both aluminum. The black one will be available soon.
do these install equally well on stock steering (non hydro assist) systems? Just in the return line between the box and the res, right?
I have a tube/fin derale cooler that I haven't put on because I haven't found a mounting option that I like. I don't know if/when I would get hydro assist but the cooler would be nice, especially if it's in a kit ready to install in a TJ and it's already there if I do go hydro assist someday.
Yes and no. Stock is 3/8" return so you have to swap out the adapter x -6 male when you move to hydro assist with the higher performance pumps and go to -8 return. We have the fittings for both.
OP
Show and tell time.
First off, thank you @mrblaine for helping me with this project. Blaine came up with the idea of doing the short arm 3 link and could not have done any of this without him.
Summary of changes:
HP30
- 30 spline USA made superior shafts
- arb air locker
- Barnett cover
- mini skids
- lower outboard shock mounts
- hybrid truss (UCF along the tube, old savvy prototype I think over the diff)
- 3 link. Used same joints as the lowers and made my own link with a friend that has a lathe. Frame side mount used stock location, just fabbed new inboard side and top of the mount.
- relocated breather hose tied to control arm along with arb line
- 7* of caster
PSC steering
- big bore box
- high flow pump
- standard PSC or derale cooler, not sure, that I slotted myself and welded tabs on the vbar to mount
- cylinder assist
- Blaine’s cylinder assist brackets
- Blaine’s 4340 tie rod (so heavy duty it’s unreal)
All I had to do was flip the strut around to fit the upper link and pinion.
The axle came with outboard lower mounts. These sit much lower than stock mounts. I added washers for now at the top of the shock to space it down as much as I could. The travel is 10.7” on these so I ended at roughly 6” uptravel and 4.7” downtravel. This will work until I outboard and get real shocks. One thing I had to do was flip the brake lines to point up to clear the shock can at full lock. I removed the bar pin for the lower mount and they fit in the poly mounts with a washer on each side as spacers.
My cooler is slightly longer than Blaine’s cooler. I believe I posted pics of my slots earlier.
Here is my best attempt at fitting everything on high line fenders. I think under the hood turned out decent. There’s a lot goin on. PSC reservoir mounts to the side of the canister bracket and through the fender. It’s very solid
Here are some pics at full bump.
You can slide a sheet of paper between the link and strut.
Good clearance at the pinion
not a lot of space between the truss and pan. One of the reasons Blaine’s stuff is so well thought out instead of puking a giant truss on your axle because it’s “beefy as hell”
Right as the shock reaches full compression, this fitting touches the frame. I set my rock jock bunpstops (squishy jounces) up to touch with 7/8” shock shaft showing. Just worked out that way with removing the bottom aluminum spacer. That should give the axle plenty of time to slow down before full bump in the event that I feel like driving aggressively to the mall. The bunpstops don’t limit articulation at all and don’t even hit under articulation.
First off, thank you @mrblaine for helping me with this project. Blaine came up with the idea of doing the short arm 3 link and could not have done any of this without him.
Summary of changes:
HP30
- 30 spline USA made superior shafts
- arb air locker
- Barnett cover
- mini skids
- lower outboard shock mounts
- hybrid truss (UCF along the tube, old savvy prototype I think over the diff)
- 3 link. Used same joints as the lowers and made my own link with a friend that has a lathe. Frame side mount used stock location, just fabbed new inboard side and top of the mount.
- relocated breather hose tied to control arm along with arb line
- 7* of caster
PSC steering
- big bore box
- high flow pump
- standard PSC or derale cooler, not sure, that I slotted myself and welded tabs on the vbar to mount
- cylinder assist
- Blaine’s cylinder assist brackets
- Blaine’s 4340 tie rod (so heavy duty it’s unreal)
All I had to do was flip the strut around to fit the upper link and pinion.
The axle came with outboard lower mounts. These sit much lower than stock mounts. I added washers for now at the top of the shock to space it down as much as I could. The travel is 10.7” on these so I ended at roughly 6” uptravel and 4.7” downtravel. This will work until I outboard and get real shocks. One thing I had to do was flip the brake lines to point up to clear the shock can at full lock. I removed the bar pin for the lower mount and they fit in the poly mounts with a washer on each side as spacers.
My cooler is slightly longer than Blaine’s cooler. I believe I posted pics of my slots earlier.
Here is my best attempt at fitting everything on high line fenders. I think under the hood turned out decent. There’s a lot goin on. PSC reservoir mounts to the side of the canister bracket and through the fender. It’s very solid
Here are some pics at full bump.
You can slide a sheet of paper between the link and strut.
Good clearance at the pinion
Right as the shock reaches full compression, this fitting touches the frame. I set my rock jock bunpstops (squishy jounces) up to touch with 7/8” shock shaft showing. Just worked out that way with removing the bottom aluminum spacer. That should give the axle plenty of time to slow down before full bump in the event that I feel like driving aggressively to the mall. The bunpstops don’t limit articulation at all and don’t even hit under articulation.
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OP
Impressions time.
- The Jeep is an absolute dream to drive. It’s insanely windy today, which normally blows the Jeep all over the place, but the rig stays in a straight line no matter what. It hasn’t wandered a single time.
- My steering wheel used to sometimes be straight and sometimes not depending on the road. There was a lot of slip in the box. It’s straight all the time now. You shouldn’t let go of the wheel, but if I were to, the Jeep would go straight forever. That is not something I have experience before.
- Many think a 3 link will feel looser, and that’s not true. There is no looseness and in fact it feels more planted than ever. My only guess is maybe due to the lower shock mounts being pushed outward helps the Jeeps stability.
- I’m guessing the increase in caster is another reason the Jeep is so stable and straight.
- I definitely notice less brake dive due to moving the UCA axle mount up slightly and also because these 2 bigger Johnny joints do a better job of controlling the axle than all 4 of the smaller joints on standard upper arms. The Jeep also feels WAY more under control when braking. It stays perfectly straight regardless of the road which is a feeling I’ve never had before. I’m typically ready to work the wheel a little when I have to slam on the brakes.
- My hand is so much more relaxed on the wheel than ever. I can finally just chill and keep my hand on the lower part of the wheel on the freeway and not worry about having to give steering input when cruising straight.
The PSC steering is amazing. Highly recommend and I haven’t even been off-road yet.
I also really think adding caster is important for a good handling Jeep. Unfortunately, this much caster is only really doable when paired with a hub kit so that the pinion angle doesn’t matter for driveshaft vibes.
- The Jeep is an absolute dream to drive. It’s insanely windy today, which normally blows the Jeep all over the place, but the rig stays in a straight line no matter what. It hasn’t wandered a single time.
- My steering wheel used to sometimes be straight and sometimes not depending on the road. There was a lot of slip in the box. It’s straight all the time now. You shouldn’t let go of the wheel, but if I were to, the Jeep would go straight forever. That is not something I have experience before.
- Many think a 3 link will feel looser, and that’s not true. There is no looseness and in fact it feels more planted than ever. My only guess is maybe due to the lower shock mounts being pushed outward helps the Jeeps stability.
- I’m guessing the increase in caster is another reason the Jeep is so stable and straight.
- I definitely notice less brake dive due to moving the UCA axle mount up slightly and also because these 2 bigger Johnny joints do a better job of controlling the axle than all 4 of the smaller joints on standard upper arms. The Jeep also feels WAY more under control when braking. It stays perfectly straight regardless of the road which is a feeling I’ve never had before. I’m typically ready to work the wheel a little when I have to slam on the brakes.
- My hand is so much more relaxed on the wheel than ever. I can finally just chill and keep my hand on the lower part of the wheel on the freeway and not worry about having to give steering input when cruising straight.
The PSC steering is amazing. Highly recommend and I haven’t even been off-road yet.
I also really think adding caster is important for a good handling Jeep. Unfortunately, this much caster is only really doable when paired with a hub kit so that the pinion angle doesn’t matter for driveshaft vibes.
With a slight bit of horsepower, you can break that rod end loose in the body and rotate the cylinder back some to get more clearance between the frame and that 90 degree fitting. I'd encourage you to put it back with 609 Loctite retaining compound if you do that.
Last edited:
OP
I installed one on my stock system, in conjunction with a B&M trans cooler. What I didn't do was use the nice curved fittings Blaine showed. He has helped me learn the error of my ways and it will get corrected at some point soon.
On the plus side, it has worked flawlessly thus far. FWIW, I now understand why the fin notching is needed!
I need to do this when I install my auto transmission... That is turning into one heck of a project!I installed one on my stock system, in conjunction with a B&M trans cooler. What I didn't do was use the nice curved fittings Blaine showed. He has helped me learn the error of my ways and it will get corrected at some point soon.
On the plus side, it has worked flawlessly thus far. FWIW, I now understand why the fin notching is needed!
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Locker and limited slip are totally different animals. On-road a front lunchbox locker in snow has some under steer, especially if you are accelerating while turning and if the rear locker is on.
Off-road wheelin on snow is no issue for me. Ideally the option to turn the locker off would be better.
OP
Shakedown run today! Went to a reliable short and close trail that we’ve done a million times called Elvis. It’s a great little tester trail. Jeep performed amazingly. I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without hydro assist. It straight up made wheeling more fun. I could maneuver and position myself exactly how I wanted, whenever I wanted. Never had to work to turn the wheel. I cannot wait to revisit some spots that have challenged me in the past and to wheel some new harder stuff!
