Inside-Out Build—2006 LJ

[freedom_in_4low]

Holy scope creep. My wife got me this 12" light bar for Christmas to mount on my fairlead and I'm just now getting to install it.

I mentioned a couple of posts up how I wasn't wild about little dinky wires and inline fuses hanging off my battery terminals, so this light bar has turned into what's possibly the biggest case of scope creep I've ever had. A normal, rational person might have tucked the wires away and tied them into the PDC, finishing the install in under an hour but not me...I bought a 6 circuit fuse and relay box to run it into, cut apart the harness from lights I installed 3 years ago, and started building a one piece off-road lighting harness with fabric loom and heat shrink.

Just a sample, this is where the ground wire splits off to the firewall ground and the main feed for the fuse box goes to the PDC.

I stopped counting the hours I have in this project but I reckon I have at least a couple more.

I mounted the box on the ABS tray.

Relay 1- triggered by parking light circuit, output feeds the 12V+ supply to both switches
Relay 2- triggered by switch 1, KC spots on A pillar
Relay 3 - triggered by (3 position) switch 2 down, main circuit on light bar
Relay 5 - triggered by switch 2 up, DRL circuit on light bar

This way, none of the lights will come on without the headlight switch being at least to the parking light position, making it impossible for me to leave lights on without ignoring the headlight reminder chime.

Relays 4 and 6 are spares. I may never use them but but I'll leave their wires handy so I can use them without having to cut the heat shrink..same with the NC output wires from relays 2, 3, and 5 which I haven't identified a use for.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

All done. Had the heat gun in hand to do the final shrink and then realized I should do a function check. It all worked, but I'd bet it wouldn't have if I'd done the shrink first.

Yellow with the red tracer runs over into the factory harness to catch the white/yellow wire from the parking light circuit.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Looking into what my joint replacement options are to get rid of the creakiness I regularly get from the Johnny Joints.

Front UCA axle end
these are my least favorite JJ's to service because I have to do the entire process on my back in an awkward position under the rig. From what I've gathered on this thread it looks like the Synergy JK kit will fit into the holes but just take a larger bolt. Since i have a CAD-eliminated HP30 I don't need the big weld-on mount. Metalcloak makes a kit too, for about the same price as the Synergy.
Options: Synergy DDB 8012-18 or Metalcloak DF 7349
EDIT: The bushings themselves out of the Synergy kit are 4326-02, which saved me $50 off the whole kit which includes the cast bracket that I would just throw away.

UCAs
I have Savvy arms and would be fine just threading new joints in...but they're 3/4"-16 shanks and I haven't found anybody else making housings that way. I may end up having to replace the arms entirely, which pretty much leaves Metalcloak because I'm not interested in anything that isn't double adjustable.
Options: Metalcloak 7056, 7057 or ???.

Rear LCA - Updating my Rough Country arms, again
I replaced the X-Flex joints 2 years ago with Johnny Joints, and Clayton has a forged housing that will thread in the same spot. Metalcloak has a "rebuild kit" that actually installs inside the JJ housing, so I just need to decide whether having the Giiro is worth $40 more than the MC.
Options: Clayton Giiro RED-FA2501-1914.3 or Metalcloak DF 7350. Rancho's D2 housing has a 1"-14 shank so that won't work.

The fixed end has a Clevite with an OD in the neighborhood of 2.2 (rough measurement sticking my calipers between the mount and the arm) so it might be the same 2.267 as stock and in that case has a Clayton equivalent. I believe I've read that you can pair Clevites and DDB's on the same arm but I'd feel better about having DDB's on both ends.
Options: Clayton RED-R70029-14.3 or Synergy 4320-01

Front LCA
This gets a little more expensive because the RC arms have a massive 2" body which means my 35s start kissing them 1/4" earlier than they would with Savvy or MC which use 1.5", and Rockjocks are even skinner at 1.25". So replacing could actually get me some turn radius. Right now I can bury the arm between the tire lugs even with 2 washers on the steering stops and I'd like to get some of that back without adding scrub radius. When I need tires I'm gonna go with KM3's because they appear to have a narrower tread and I think they'll stay out of the arm a little better than the STT Pros.

I don't like the idea of buying Rockjocks which are already the priciest of the bunch, just to spend more replacing all 4 joints. Savvy doesn't position me much better. Rancho with the D2 has 2" tubes just like my RC's so that would be pointless. Clayton arms with Giiro joints don't show their tube size in the drawing or specs but they look about like 2". If I found a sweet deal on used Currie/Rockjock with no joints that would be the bees knees, and I could put DF's in both ends or just the fixed end and put a Giiro in the threaded end.
Options: Used Rockjocks with no joints or Metalcloak 7054 or ???

Altogether this endeavor is gonna end up running me about $1200 minus whatever I can sell the Savvy UCA's for. I'll start with the joints I can replace individually to get a start before really diving into the expense.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I went and ordered a pair of Synergy DDB's for the front axle housing.

Rock Krawler lowers for TJ's have an Adventure series in one end, but it's still the Krawler in the other, and just based on appearance the tube looks pretty thick so it probably won't help my tire clearance issue.

Here's what I'm looking at for the lowers - sorted by ascending tube diameter because that's the only reason I would wholesale replace them vs just upgrading the bushings.

"Clearance Offset" refers to whether the axle end joint housing is offset on the arm body to make more room for droop before the body hits the back edge of the lower shock mount. I've already trimmed mine but I trimmed it for RC arms that have an offset. The whole point is smaller tubes, so hopefully it won't come into play.

If RK offers Adventure joints in the same shank sizes they do the Krawler joint then I should be able to salvage my Savvy arms, so I still have hope. They've been saying those parts would be available "this fall".

For my Savvy uppers:

For the Rough Country lowers in the rear, they may offer the Adventure in a housing equivalent to the Krawler joint below, but I can replace a few pairs of $29/ea Duroflex inserts in a JJ housing for the price of those...

 

[PRNDL]

I'm following along. I appreciate the work you're putting into figuring this out.

The JJs in the LCAs aren't so bad to service, but I hate pulling the uppers. Reducing the number of joints that need annual service would be a welcome change.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

The video below is why I seem to have somewhat of a preference for the RK joint, if I can ever get some. I'd rather they have answered "how many points of force is required to achieve x degrees of misalignment" instead of "how many degrees of misalignment results from 100lbs of force" but it stands to reason that a joint that deflects more under the same force should require less force to achieve equal deflection. I don't really have a good feeling for whether the stiffest option has any increased likelihood of tearing a mount and most of what I've read seems to say no but if I can easily reduce the mount load, why not?

To skip the video: 100 pounds on what's probably a JK or JL LCA with a 2.625" joint resulted in the following degrees of misalignment:

stock Clevite - 12
Teraflex IR - 7 degrees lol
Metalcloak DF - 14.5
Synergy DDB - 13.3
RK Adventure - 17.5

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I'm following along. I appreciate the work you're putting into figuring this out.

The JJs in the LCAs aren't so bad to service, but I hate pulling the uppers. Reducing the number of joints that need annual service would be a welcome change.

I agree, especially since I only have 4 there, and at this time I have no plans to change anything with the front track bar which also has a JJ.

The rear track bar has whatever JKS calls their spherical joint and it hasn't given me any problems, so far.

The 8 in the UCA's are a time suck.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I've been gathering the parts to replace my axle end front upper control arm joints.

I've got the Synergy 4326-02 which is technically for the JK and takes an M12 bolt. The JK bolt is stupid expensive, like $40 total for the nuts and bolts from Mopar Parts Giant. So I've been fruitlessly trying to source the hardware locally, at Tractor Supply and two locations of Ace Hardware.

Tractor supply had nothing.

Between two different Ace Hardwares, I was able to find 10.9 class M12x80mm bolts in both 1.25 and 1.75 thread pitch at both of them. I have a preference for fine thread because it's more resistant to working loose, which is a characteristic I like in a suspension bolt.

First Ace Hardware had no 1.25 thread nuts, and no M12 washers, so I got the bolts and 7/16 grade 8 washers.
The second Ace Hardware also had no 1.25 threaded nuts, so I thought I could settle for coarse thread but the only M12x1.75 nuts in 10.9 were not locknuts.

I went home and started an internet search, and it turns out M12x1.25 class 10.9 stover nuts are not that common and don't seem to exist unless you want to spend $15 plus $10 shipping on a 10 pack. Might as well have bought the JK bolts at that price.

Finally settled at Bolt Depot and ended up ordering both bolts AND nuts in a 1.5 thread, which is what Jeep used for the JK. Inlcuding shipping was barely more than I spent on the 1.25 bolts.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

First two are down... Put synergy DDBs in the front axle housing UCA joints.

I hope these things last because as bad as I thought it was to get the JJs out of that location to clean and regrease them, holding all the adapters and spacers in place while pressing these things in with a ball joint press was way worse. If they ever fail the JJs are going back in and I'll just have to find some better c clip pliers.

I find it interesting these are the only JJs I've never greased, they've been in since 2019, maybe 20k miles, and have basically zero preload. One of them even feels like it might have a hair of slop. The lesson I'm taking from this is that if you ignore the squeaking and just keep driving, the poly does wear down and lose preload. This is only marginally better than the 15k miles I got out of the Rough Country X-flex joints I had in my LCAs. The difference being they took grease and stayed quiet and when they lost preload I could have tightened the adjusters and got some more life out of them. I also wheeled them a lot more than I have the JJs.

 

[MountaineerTom]

What c-clip pliers are you using? I have some Knipex and feel like they work really well.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

What c-clip pliers are you using? I have some Knipex and feel like they work really well.

They're knipex but I think the nubs on the jaws are exactly the same size as the holes in the clip. It works great for the 2.5" joint but it has to be dead on perfectly straight for the 2" joints and even then it takes a few attempts for the ones I do on the bench. Under the rig and it just doesn't work at all. So I need probably the next smaller size, and angled jaws would probably help, too.

 

[MountaineerTom]

They're knipex but I think the nubs on the jaws are exactly the same size as the holes in the clip. It works great for the 2.5" joint but it has to be dead on perfectly straight for the 2" joints and even then it takes a few attempts for the ones I do on the bench. Under the rig and it just doesn't work at all. So I need probably the next smaller size, and angled jaws would probably help, too.

Ah, I see. I have 4 or 5 different ones that I catch every now and then marked down on Amazon. If I remember correctly, I bought the smaller sized ones once I got the control arms in hand and seen they were different sized C clips.

 

[02GreenTJ]

I’m running synergy ddbs on the frame side lower control arms. I’ve had no issues. I only run them because I used to work there and got them really cheap. They’re nice because they don’t require servicing. I know lots of guys with heavy rigs like dodges that wear them them out but know plenty of jk guys that set em and forget them.

 

[MountaineerTom]

They're knipex but I think the nubs on the jaws are exactly the same size as the holes in the clip. It works great for the 2.5" joint but it has to be dead on perfectly straight for the 2" joints and even then it takes a few attempts for the ones I do on the bench. Under the rig and it just doesn't work at all. So I need probably the next smaller size, and angled jaws would probably help, too.

I meant to post this earlier but forgot. These are the two pairs of Knipex I use on the Johnny Joint C clips.

The smaller size. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UHUDCA/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I meant to post this earlier but forgot. These are the two pairs Knipex I use on the Johnny Joint C clips.

The smaller size. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003UHUDCA/?tag=wranglerorg-20

View attachment 477273

Perfect, thank you! Got them on my list.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

I've ordered Rockjock LCA's for the front to help with my tire clearance, and a pair each of Synergy DDB's and Metalcloak DF's to put in the Rough Country rear LCA's. After placing my orders for the Metalcloak bushings on Tuesday before leaving cell service, I got a voicemail from Metalcloak on Wednesday, personally acknowledging and thanking me for my order, and letting me know the expected ship date. That's pretty cool.

I'm excited to have them 3/8" farther from the tire and the turning radius that brings back. I'll be satisfied if my 2 washers behind the steering stops keeps the tires out of the arms entirely, I'll be thrilled if I can actually remove one from each side.

I'll grease the JJ's and run them in the new Rockjock arms until they need greased again - figure I might as well get some use out of them since I paid for 'em. The JJs that got Energy Suspension Formula 5 prelube feel basically dry so I'm going back to petroleum based, high moly for all of them. The joints I used CV2 on are ~ok~, at least compared to the silicone, but I do realize Currie/RJ recommends a non synthetic so I'm still waffling on whether to stick with CV2 or try a conventional moly grease.

 

[Wildman]

I've ordered Rockjock LCA's for the front to help with my tire clearance, and a pair each of Synergy DDB's and Metalcloak DF's to put in the Rough Country rear LCA's. After placing my orders for the Metalcloak bushings on Tuesday before leaving cell service, I got a voicemail from Metalcloak on Wednesday, personally acknowledging and thanking me for my order, and letting me know the expected ship date. That's pretty cool.

Every time I've ordered something from MC I've gotten the same. And when one item was going to be 6 weeks before being available they were very helpful with canceling that one item since I needed it sooner. For all the dislike of them IMO their customer service is great.

I'm excited to have them 3/8" farther from the tire and the turning radius that brings back. I'll be satisfied if my 2 washers behind the steering stops keeps the tires out of the arms entirely, I'll be thrilled if I can actually remove one from each side.

I'll grease the JJ's and run them in the new Rockjock arms until they need greased again - figure I might as well get some use out of them since I paid for 'em. The JJs that got Energy Suspension Formula 5 prelube feel basically dry so I'm going back to petroleum based, high moly for all of them. The joints I used CV2 on are ~ok~, at least compared to the silicone, but I do realize Currie/RJ recommends a non synthetic so I'm still waffling on whether to stick with CV2 or try a conventional moly grease.

I sure hope I don't have as much issues with mine. I'm not looking forward to having to disassemble them yearly or more often to regrease.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Every time I've ordered something from MC I've gotten the same. And when one item was going to be 6 weeks before being available they were very helpful with canceling that one item since I needed it sooner. For all the dislike of them IMO their customer service is great.

It's my first time buying from them so I was particularly surprised given it was a $58 order for two bushing rebuild kits. If I'd bought a $3500 lift kit, sure, but dang.

I sure hope I don't have as much issues with mine. I'm not looking forward to having to disassemble them yearly or more often to regrease.

Yeah I hope so. And it may be overblown, as we all have different tolerances for that sort of thing. The season of life I'm in doesn't leave as much Jeep time as I'd like, so I want to spend as much time as I can driving it and modding it...maintenance and repairs take away from that.

 

[Apparition]

It's my first time buying from them so I was particularly surprised given it was a $58 order for two bushing rebuild kits. If I'd bought a $3500 lift kit, sure, but dang.

Placed several orders and they've always been quick and responsive.

Had an issue with a marker light and they immediately sent me a replacement.

They do have their sales, service and, as much as it annoys some, their marketing figured out.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Working on getting the DDBs installed in place of the clevites in my rough country lower arms now.

It looks as though I may have misjudged that the size matched the OEM bushing OD. I'm measuring about 2.243 for the hole and the outer sleeve that came out of it. Of course none of these measurements were possible until I destroyed the bushing during the removal process so now the Jeep is disabled until I figure something out.

The DDB is advertised at 2.249 though I'm measuring about 2.28, and I found a drawing that showed it at 2.267 but now I can't find it. It looks close by eye and the chamfers are nice to help guide it in but I haven't been able to get it started at all and I don't think it's gonna squeeze down by .37.

So I'm thinking I'll need to take my arms to a machine shop and have them opened up a bit but I'm not really sure how big to tell them. Or can anybody tell me what the opening measures for an OEM clevite?

Or maybe I just need to man up and force it in there with the right setup of adapters? Which brings me to my next thing...im very interested in the existence of an installation tool. My 36mm socket is about the only thing that hits the outer sleeve without trying to press the inner part out but it's so deep I'm gonna have to get some threaded rod to rig up a press. So far I've tried to get it started with a clamp, a large Johnny Joint service tool and a ball joint press but none of the adapters I can fit in there (because theyre not as tall as the 36mm socket) will stay centered.

Any tips @Blackjack ?