OP
i almost spit coffee all over the dogs when i saw Fed Ex pull up this morning.
Someguys 04
- Thread starter someguysjeep
- Start date
OP
it was warm today, so i got out in the garage and got knuckles on, the axle shafts in and the unit bearings too.
had to do a bit of grinding inside the back of the knuckle to allow the big shafts through, but it works.
i also made up some corner protectors for the front bumper. they are 7ga. steel with a 3/8" uhmw bump pad. i need to tweek 1 of the bends, for it to lay nice and flat.
had to do a bit of grinding inside the back of the knuckle to allow the big shafts through, but it works.
i also made up some corner protectors for the front bumper. they are 7ga. steel with a 3/8" uhmw bump pad. i need to tweek 1 of the bends, for it to lay nice and flat.
OP
well part of this wks budget was spent on a Savvy winch plate & fair lead mount. i wasn't sure about a few things but after other's insight/help to sort me out, i went for it.
now i need a hawse with the thimble mount. anybody got anything good BM'd?
now i need a hawse with the thimble mount. anybody got anything good BM'd?
For a combo go with TRE. They are top of the line and recommended by the big names on here.
https://tacticalrecoveryequipment.com/product/safety-thimble-fairlead-black/Many color options to choose from as well.
OP
i peeked that 1.
i like it, but is the extra cost gonna provide me anything? it's purpose is to keep the thimble from being 1st contact into any obstacle. for 20$ more i can use the Savvy winch guard and do 2 jobs. dragging my feet on this 1 as it's not top priority ATM.
i got the winch plate just b4 Cali shut down...thanx guys.
got my body mounts bent, w/ a quick coat of primer.
and took the majority of the skid parts that required painting in and got those blacked. i also reworked the brackets to hang the cross member, since it'll no longer slip over the body mounts.
i used a single inner frame form, and cut equal angles from the top and bottom to give me the pieces i need for both sides and snipped a few small gussets for each from the scraps. after the paint set i wire wheeled the edges and surfaces that'll be welded.
i like it, but is the extra cost gonna provide me anything? it's purpose is to keep the thimble from being 1st contact into any obstacle. for 20$ more i can use the Savvy winch guard and do 2 jobs. dragging my feet on this 1 as it's not top priority ATM.
i got the winch plate just b4 Cali shut down...thanx guys.
got my body mounts bent, w/ a quick coat of primer.
and took the majority of the skid parts that required painting in and got those blacked. i also reworked the brackets to hang the cross member, since it'll no longer slip over the body mounts.
i used a single inner frame form, and cut equal angles from the top and bottom to give me the pieces i need for both sides and snipped a few small gussets for each from the scraps. after the paint set i wire wheeled the edges and surfaces that'll be welded.
The TRE thimble fairlead is just a way to protect the thimble and reduce the Jeep's profile. There are many ways to do it.
OP
well the weather gave me some time yesterday.
so i got all the stuff back onto the fender, that'd been moved for the new shock towers. that's done.
i got some work done on the fuel cell. all the holes are done and it just needs an internal liner now, then it's ready to be assembled.
i got the basement cleaned up. i was beginning to forget what all i have.
today i'm gonna try and get those bead lock rims cleaned up, set up the welder and see if i can get those front frame side link mounts on.
pic of the fuel cell........now i know most would not even attempt to use a homemade cell, but this thing was tested and held 4.5# pressure for over 48hrs.
2 small holes for Crown RO vents, the large center hole is my pump and the large hole in 1 side is for the filler spout. gonna order some tank liner today. the 50-70$ the tank prep costs is the most $ i've spent towards this cell. RO valves were like 15$ ea. and i also have an extra bung for in case the cell needs a quicker vent when filling.
so i got all the stuff back onto the fender, that'd been moved for the new shock towers. that's done.
i got some work done on the fuel cell. all the holes are done and it just needs an internal liner now, then it's ready to be assembled.
i got the basement cleaned up. i was beginning to forget what all i have.
today i'm gonna try and get those bead lock rims cleaned up, set up the welder and see if i can get those front frame side link mounts on.
pic of the fuel cell........now i know most would not even attempt to use a homemade cell, but this thing was tested and held 4.5# pressure for over 48hrs.
2 small holes for Crown RO vents, the large center hole is my pump and the large hole in 1 side is for the filler spout. gonna order some tank liner today. the 50-70$ the tank prep costs is the most $ i've spent towards this cell. RO valves were like 15$ ea. and i also have an extra bung for in case the cell needs a quicker vent when filling.
OP
those body mounts i made up are 7ga. steel.
they were cut as flat blanks and then bent. a 4" channel worked well for the form.
i made this press a few months ago, and it's proved to be helpful for setting my diff bearings and bending all kinds of brackets.
pic of the press and some of the press blades ( a round for aluminum), and a few different beds.
they were cut as flat blanks and then bent. a 4" channel worked well for the form.
i made this press a few months ago, and it's proved to be helpful for setting my diff bearings and bending all kinds of brackets.
pic of the press and some of the press blades ( a round for aluminum), and a few different beds.
OP
i got my frame side front link brackets on today. welded all the way around except for the top side of the frame. i need to lift it just a hair to get a good angle onto those edges. and probably wouldn't hurt if i went ahead and did those body mounts in those locations now as well and make it even easier to reach. tomrw i hope.
and at the advice of mrblaine, i'm gonna cut off the axle end lower CA brackets and rotate them closer to the OE position. this will give me more link separation and better control of axle wrap. my intention of keeping the lower links flat may have been the wrong move. same tomrw i hope.
i changed my mind on the position of the fuel cell and carrying the spare inside. i think i'm gonna take the cell back to the tailgate (similar to a behind the rear seat placement). i'll mount the spare outside,
my jack russell is content riding shotgun, but if my girl goes we gotta bring her mutt, and then we will need the room.
and at the advice of mrblaine, i'm gonna cut off the axle end lower CA brackets and rotate them closer to the OE position. this will give me more link separation and better control of axle wrap. my intention of keeping the lower links flat may have been the wrong move. same tomrw i hope.
i changed my mind on the position of the fuel cell and carrying the spare inside. i think i'm gonna take the cell back to the tailgate (similar to a behind the rear seat placement). i'll mount the spare outside,
my jack russell is content riding shotgun, but if my girl goes we gotta bring her mutt, and then we will need the room.
OP
i never got to the last bit of welding on the frame brackets. after sizing up the body mount brackets on the frame, i may make a few changes, so i'm not ready to cut those out just yet.
i did get the LCA brackets off the axle. i don't have another set ready to go, so i was careful and removed them intact.
since the shafts are in the axle and the unit bearings are seated flat i went ahead and turned the knuckles to the steering stops to see if the axle joints would function clean.
i have 3 spots i need to just touch with the grinder to be clean at the extremes.
rain predicted for tomrw but warm, so i will get the welding done on the axle in the garage.
i did get the LCA brackets off the axle. i don't have another set ready to go, so i was careful and removed them intact.
since the shafts are in the axle and the unit bearings are seated flat i went ahead and turned the knuckles to the steering stops to see if the axle joints would function clean.
i have 3 spots i need to just touch with the grinder to be clean at the extremes.
rain predicted for tomrw but warm, so i will get the welding done on the axle in the garage.
What changes are you making? Or what are you seeing to warrant the change?
Those body mounts look great, by the way
OP
i grabbed the wrong blanks, i made some in 7ga which is about 3/16" and some in 11ga which is 1/8"
i bent the 11's and not the 7's. and the stack of 7ga blanks is at the shop.
now what i made is what the factory used so they could be used, the raised height would protect them and they would fair no worse that a factory bracket if i did get up into 1. i'm on the fence to use them or wait and get the 7's bent up.
i can trim about a 1/2" off the drop wings too.
Whitetrash
TJ Enthusiast
OP
Good thread! Fellow Ohio Jeeper here!
thanx, just tryin not to jack it all up in the process.
OP
poured like a dog yesterday and all night, so everything postponed until this morn.
got those LCA brackets tacked back closer to an OE position. i now have 9.125" of separation at the axle end, this is above 25% of my wheel height.
the bitch is this jacks my suspension guestimates all up. that move brings the axle IC line in. this will likely require an adjustment at the frame side of the upper............it's a work in progress and until it is an issue it isn't, we'll see.
strung the axle to try and line things up best i could. it's just tacked up and going back under the jeep to ensure the lines b4 welding.
pm edit: my motorcycle jack took a shit on me today. made handling that pig of an axle fun.
managed to get it under the rig and close enough to centered to connect all the CA links. the locations look good and they can be welded.
sorry no pics . another storms rollin in and i got bare steel so it's been all tarped over and lashed down until the weather allows.
got those LCA brackets tacked back closer to an OE position. i now have 9.125" of separation at the axle end, this is above 25% of my wheel height.
the bitch is this jacks my suspension guestimates all up. that move brings the axle IC line in. this will likely require an adjustment at the frame side of the upper............it's a work in progress and until it is an issue it isn't, we'll see.
strung the axle to try and line things up best i could. it's just tacked up and going back under the jeep to ensure the lines b4 welding.
pm edit: my motorcycle jack took a shit on me today. made handling that pig of an axle fun.
managed to get it under the rig and close enough to centered to connect all the CA links. the locations look good and they can be welded.
sorry no pics . another storms rollin in and i got bare steel so it's been all tarped over and lashed down until the weather allows.
Last edited:
OP
i was able to get back into it today, got those brackets welded up and shot some paint on um.
tomrw i need to move the upper axle bracket (it's tacked) to a point the calculator suggests might best control pinion angle and castor through the axle travel motion. and i'll attach all the linkage to cycle it and verify the control b4 committing it's location. then it's try and fit the driveshaft or measure for the new 1.
might be pullin those struts out of the box soon.
tomrw i need to move the upper axle bracket (it's tacked) to a point the calculator suggests might best control pinion angle and castor through the axle travel motion. and i'll attach all the linkage to cycle it and verify the control b4 committing it's location. then it's try and fit the driveshaft or measure for the new 1.
might be pullin those struts out of the box soon.
OP
ended up having to rework the upper axle bracket, once i slid it back, it hung over so i made another. i spend most of the day playing with the placement and the best i can pinpoint is a spot that doesn't alter the caster much between 3.5"^ (+1.25*)and 3.5"v (-1.30*) in the travel zone. at the upper and lower limits it moves about +3* and -3* (w/14" travel). gonna weld the bracket up tomrw.
the links are all mounted (everythings hand tight for now), all the steering linkage is in and i was even able to fit the driveshaft back in (it's gonna clip the tranny line on it's way up so that needs addressed).
i think the movements ok. i got few more things to check over, but closer to struts. now i need to find a gas supplier.
i'll detail the front suspension design in the next post.
the links are all mounted (everythings hand tight for now), all the steering linkage is in and i was even able to fit the driveshaft back in (it's gonna clip the tranny line on it's way up so that needs addressed).
i think the movements ok. i got few more things to check over, but closer to struts. now i need to find a gas supplier.
i'll detail the front suspension design in the next post.
OP
well after reading myself stupid on suspension geometry. i had to take a few stiff belts and a deep breath and go back to the basics.
starting with the axle:
the recommended spread between brackets is 25% of your wheel size, i hold 9.12" of vertical separation on the axle.
the LCA brackets are 18.5" off center or 37" apart (up against the C's, clears a full turn 35 w/ 1/4"). @ 15.12" from ground.
the UCA bracket is on the pumpkin truss at 8" off center. @ 24.24" from ground.
the CA length is recommended to be about double your suspension travel, i went with 25.37"/L and 26.5"/U for a starting length (eye to eye).
i borrowed a LCA frame bracket placement by visual reference from a proven set-up. 28.75" from axle center.
@19.5" off ground and 14.5" off center or 29" apart. a 7.4* arm angle at static (5-10* recommended).
now i deviate from the recommended:
the recommended joint separation at the frame side is 50% of the axle side or 4.56" in my case. i did not follow this, and kept quite a bit of frame side separation, to the tune of 7.5", @27" off ground and 12.37" off center. factory links are fairly parallel, i found no reason to change this.
TB is @25.25" from ground on the frame, and @21" from ground at the axle. (37.12", split from center 22.5"/14.62")
my IC spikes 22" behind the rear axle and almost dead on my AD line @ 99.6% AD.
this will be my starting point for tuning i guess.
starting with the axle:
the recommended spread between brackets is 25% of your wheel size, i hold 9.12" of vertical separation on the axle.
the LCA brackets are 18.5" off center or 37" apart (up against the C's, clears a full turn 35 w/ 1/4"). @ 15.12" from ground.
the UCA bracket is on the pumpkin truss at 8" off center. @ 24.24" from ground.
the CA length is recommended to be about double your suspension travel, i went with 25.37"/L and 26.5"/U for a starting length (eye to eye).
i borrowed a LCA frame bracket placement by visual reference from a proven set-up. 28.75" from axle center.
@19.5" off ground and 14.5" off center or 29" apart. a 7.4* arm angle at static (5-10* recommended).
now i deviate from the recommended:
the recommended joint separation at the frame side is 50% of the axle side or 4.56" in my case. i did not follow this, and kept quite a bit of frame side separation, to the tune of 7.5", @27" off ground and 12.37" off center. factory links are fairly parallel, i found no reason to change this.
TB is @25.25" from ground on the frame, and @21" from ground at the axle. (37.12", split from center 22.5"/14.62")
my IC spikes 22" behind the rear axle and almost dead on my AD line @ 99.6% AD.
this will be my starting point for tuning i guess.
OP
morning started of bad. started torquing down the front end axle parts and snapped a unit bearing bolt. it was easy enough to retrieve the stub and move on but had me thinkin the day was doomed from the jump for a min.
axle is 24" off the ground and no touches underneath. that's 1/2" above what i require.
i had to put some additional bend on a tranny line but it's clear by a thick 1/8" now.
axle is 24" off the ground and no touches underneath. that's 1/2" above what i require.
i had to put some additional bend on a tranny line but it's clear by a thick 1/8" now.