The Weekend Fun Build

The front set of Savvy control arms are in now.

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I swapped the new control arms in before removing the springs for the rest of the setup, and the improved articulation made it much easier to get the springs out. In the end, it was not a difficult job. But then breaking down the suspension gets a lot easier after you've done it a few times.

The one interesting challenge was tightening the jam nuts on the frame end of the front upper control arms, especially on the passenger side. There just wasn't enough space to get a crescent wrench in around the exhaust or drive shaft. So I ended up removing the upper control arms to tighten the jam nuts.

While I had the springs out, I borrowed a friend's spare 33x12.50r15 wheel and did a bump stop check.

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It doesn't fit as is, but that's to be expected. However, it looks like it would fit with a 1.25" BL. It was nice to see that the 3.75" BS on the wheels provided just enough clearance for the inboard sidewalls. And it's clear that 32x11.50 tires would fit with my current setup if I had wheels with enough backspacing.

I'm still sticking with 31s for now, though. If I do get bigger wheels, it will be after I regear and get lockers and that's not even at the top of my list of potential upgrades.
 
Axles are out for u-joint replacement after confirming that the passenger side u-joint was bad. (See https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/clicking-popping-from-front-axle-during-sharp-turns.32327/.)

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Everything came apart very easily. I guess there are some benefits to owning a native SoCal Jeep.

While it's all apart, I repacked both the hubs. I have had a feeling that the passenger side hub is going as well. It turns more freely than the other hub, although it's not rough or loose in a way that would indicate that it has failed. It also looks noticeably more aged than the other hub.

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I've suspected it was responsible for some of the driving noise, so we'll see if a fresh load of grease makes a difference. And if the noise comes back, I'll know it needs to be replaced.

New 5-760X u-joints came late today. I may get a chance to install them on Sunday.
 
The new u-joints didn't fix the clicking problem. I did decide that the passenger-side hub was bad, so I replaced both hubs. That didn't fix the clicking problem either, but it did get rid of some bearing noise that had been bugging me.

I managed to score a complete Dana 30 front axle for cheap. There are some odd things welded onto the housing, but the internals seem to be in reasonable shape. This will be a good source of spare parts, like a spare set of axle shafts.

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I tried swapping the spider gears from this axle into my front axle, but that also didn't fix my clicking problem. It seemed like reasonable preventative maintenance given the condition of my gears, though.

Next up, we'll see if the ball joints from this axle are any good. If that fixes my problem, I can spend the money on some nice new ones.
 
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Seems like the clicking/popping noise was coming from the mounts for the engine skid plate when they shifted slightly during sharp turns. Readjusting the mounts seems to have fixed the problem so we'll see.

Next up is some preventative maintenance.

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I've heard some squealing noises on a couple of cold starts, and I don't suspect the accessory belt because the belt and pulleys are fairly new. I do have the 05 4.0L, so it could be the OPDA. I figure I'll replace it while its still good rather than let it die.
 
I've read that you'll want to pull the OEM mopar sensor out of your original and install it in the new unit.
 
FWIW, the OPDA replacement was trivial. The only thing that made any of it difficult was working in a tight space.

However, we've been on lockdown since March 20. That's cancelled a couple of major cycling events I was training for, and our annual vacation. So there's a whole new set of priorities for the rest of this year. Big things are in the works.
 
It's about time I got caught up on this thread. Along with it being a tough year, the Jeep went through a pretty rough patch starting with a regear and locker installation. I didn't want to mess this up, so I took the Jeep to a highly regarded local shop.

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After they put in the new gears and lockers, I had really bad driveline vibrations starting at about 45 MPH. So, we figured the slip yoke and single-cardan rear driveshaft had to go.

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While I was at it, I upgraded the transfer case shifter. Tough to see, but that's the Savvy shifter in there.

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Unfortunately, that didn't solve the problem with driveline vibrations. After checking all the angles and talking to Adams, they sent me another rear drive shaft. That helped a little, but not much.

Along the way, I broke a rear sway bar end link while flexed out on a rutted climb. That was dramatic and worth a laugh when I figured out what had happened.

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Crown came through with warranty replacements, but I decided to switch to the metal Moog links for durability.

I started messing around with the front driveshaft to see if that was contributing to the vibrations. A local shop tried to rebalance it and found that it wouldn't balance properly. So I ended up with a new front drive shaft. That helped a little, but not much.

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For kicks, I tried driving without the front drive shaft, and even without the front axle shafts. I picked up a scrap Dana 30 for cheap and tore it down for parts, so I had the outer stub shafts from that axle installed. That did a lot to reduce vibrations, but 2WD is not a permanent fix.

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The whole point of the regear was to run 33s, So I put in a Savvy body lift and got new wheels and tires.

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Everything fits nicely, with only a small amount of rubbing on the front fenders at full flex. Larger wheels slightly changed the speed at which the vibrations started, just because the drivetrain RPMs came down a little. But the vibrations were still a problem.

I'm actually really happy with the wheels and tires, though. The wheels are the cheapest ones available from Discount Tire. I think they look pretty good, although they might be a bit heavy. The tires have been very good. I went for the Kumho RoadVenture MT71s, which were just released in 2019. The tread pattern is a lot like the Patagonia's, which a lot of people here like. They handle well on the road, and the road noise is maybe a little less than my old AT tires if that's possible. They've been good on the trail so far, and I like having the sidewall lugs for the rocks around here.

I finally got around to installing the rear lights that I got for Christmas last year. They should help cut through the desert dust when we have a group of Jeeps out on the trail.

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The last step in fighting the driveline vibrations was getting the transfer case rebuilt. That helped a bit. For what it's worth, here's what I've been through while fighting driveline vibrations:
  • Regear - vibrations started
  • SYE and DC rear driveshaft - helped a little
  • Second rear driveshaft - helped a little more
  • OE Front driveshaft rebalanced - didn't work out
  • Front driveshaft replaced, twice - helped a little
  • New wheels and tires - no change
  • Gears reworked - no change
  • Transfer case rebuilt - helped a bit
The pinion angles are right where they should be. I've been through the full range of adjustments there and my local shop has double checked the setup.

After all that, I can get to 60 MPH without any noticeable vibrations and only minor vibration up to 65 MPH. Things are bad at 70 MPH, though. I wish it was better, but I can live with that. The Jeep does great on the trails, though.

received_378444036731031.jpeg
 
It's about time I got caught up on this thread. Along with it being a tough year, the Jeep went through a pretty rough patch starting with a regear and locker installation. I didn't want to mess this up, so I took the Jeep to a highly regarded local shop.

View attachment 212997

After they put in the new gears and lockers, I had really bad driveline vibrations starting at about 45 MPH. So, we figured the slip yoke and single-cardan rear driveshaft had to go.

View attachment 212998 View attachment 212999
View attachment 213000 View attachment 213001

While I was at it, I upgraded the transfer case shifter. Tough to see, but that's the Savvy shifter in there.

View attachment 213002

Unfortunately, that didn't solve the problem with driveline vibrations. After checking all the angles and talking to Adams, they sent me another rear drive shaft. That helped a little, but not much.

Along the way, I broke a rear sway bar end link while flexed out on a rutted climb. That was dramatic and worth a laugh when I figured out what had happened.

View attachment 213006

Crown came through with warranty replacements, but I decided to switch to the metal Moog links for durability.

I started messing around with the front driveshaft to see if that was contributing to the vibrations. A local shop tried to rebalance it and found that it wouldn't balance properly. So I ended up with a new front drive shaft. That helped a little, but not much.

View attachment 213022

For kicks, I tried driving without the front drive shaft, and even without the front axle shafts. I picked up a scrap Dana 30 for cheap and tore it down for parts, so I had the outer stub shafts from that axle installed. That did a lot to reduce vibrations, but 2WD is not a permanent fix.

View attachment 213015 View attachment 213016

The whole point of the regear was to run 33s, So I put in a Savvy body lift and got new wheels and tires.

View attachment 213018 View attachment 213019
View attachment 213020 View attachment 213021

Everything fits nicely, with only a small amount of rubbing on the front fenders at full flex. Larger wheels slightly changed the speed at which the vibrations started, just because the drivetrain RPMs came down a little. But the vibrations were still a problem.

I'm actually really happy with the wheels and tires, though. The wheels are the cheapest ones available from Discount Tire. I think they look pretty good, although they might be a bit heavy. The tires have been very good. I went for the Kumho RoadVenture MT71s, which were just released in 2019. The tread pattern is a lot like the Patagonia's, which a lot of people here like. They handle well on the road, and the road noise is maybe a little less than my old AT tires if that's possible. They've been good on the trail so far, and I like having the sidewall lugs for the rocks around here.

I finally got around to installing the rear lights that I got for Christmas last year. They should help cut through the desert dust when we have a group of Jeeps out on the trail.

View attachment 213024

The last step in fighting the driveline vibrations was getting the transfer case rebuilt. That helped a bit. For what it's worth, here's what I've been through while fighting driveline vibrations:
  • Regear - vibrations started
  • SYE and DC rear driveshaft - helped a little
  • Second rear driveshaft - helped a little more
  • OE Front driveshaft rebalanced - didn't work out
  • Front driveshaft replaced, twice - helped a little
  • New wheels and tires - no change
  • Gears reworked - no change
  • Transfer case rebuilt - helped a bit
The pinion angles are right where they should be. I've been through the full range of adjustments there and my local shop has double checked the setup.

After all that, I can get to 60 MPH without any noticeable vibrations and only minor vibration up to 65 MPH. Things are bad at 70 MPH, though. I wish it was better, but I can live with that. The Jeep does great on the trails, though.

View attachment 213025
Nice build! I'm making my way down a similar path. Curious, which transmission do you have and what ratio did you go with on the regear?
 
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Pretty much where I'm at vibe wise.
I've read your thread from beginning to end a couple of times.

Just to add to where I'm at, the front hubs and u-joints were new shortly before all this started. And I had the rear axle bearings done with the original regear. I had the shop double check that and the rear axle runout and there's nothing wrong there. So I can say that everything in the driveline from the transmission output to the road is new or rebuilt. Except the actual axle housings, that is.

If I have anything more to contribute, it looks like the official thread is the place to do it: https://wranglertjforum.com/threads...ler-tj-vibrations-after-re-gear-thread.32445/
 
Nice build! I'm making my way down a similar path. Curious, which transmission do you have and what ratio did you go with on the regear?
42RLE. I actually went with 5.13 gears on the first pass and 4.56 gears on the second pass. Reducing the driveline speed changed the road speed at which the vibrations start but didn't affect the vibrations in any other way.
 
42RLE. I actually went with 5.13 gears on the first pass and 4.56 gears on the second pass. Reducing the driveline speed changed the road speed at which the vibrations start but didn't affect the vibrations in any other way.
Good to know, thanks. Getting ready to lock and regear and I'm in the midst of the big decision whether to stick with 31s or bump up to 33s.
 
Good to know, thanks. Getting ready to lock and regear and I'm in the midst of the big decision whether to stick with 31s or bump up to 33s.
I'm happy with the new 33s, but I ran 31s with lockers for a while this year and that was a killer setup.
 
I'm happy with the new 33s, but I ran 31s with lockers for a while this year and that was a killer setup.
I've seriously considered going that route. A well set up TJ on 31s is more capable than most realize and it's been great being 'the little jeep' that surprises people.

The kicker is that I also plan to do a tuck, and figure if I'm going that route for the extra clearance, may as well do it with 33s. 🤷‍♂️
 
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CEL came on during a run in the desert:

P2098: Post Catalyst Fuel Trim System Too Lean bank2

Fortunately I've been collecting O2 sensors whenever I find them on sale. I just ordered the last one from Rock Auto so I can swap them in when that gets here. If it fixes the problem, great. If not, I'll probably take it to the shop.
 
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I've seriously considered going that route. A well set up TJ on 31s is more capable than most realize and it's been great being 'the little jeep' that surprises people.

The kicker is that I also plan to do a tuck, and figure if I'm going that route for the extra clearance, may as well do it with 33s. 🤷‍♂️
Agreed but the clearance causes a lot of crunching and dragging underneath and requires a lot more touch up and abuse on parts. It almost seems less convinient then just having a larger lift and tires.
 
42RLE. I actually went with 5.13 gears on the first pass and 4.56 gears on the second pass. Reducing the driveline speed changed the road speed at which the vibrations start but didn't affect the vibrations in any other way.

Sounds like your use of the Jeep is very similar to mine. How is the crawl speed with the 4.56, and if you didn't have the vibrations, would you have stayed with 5.13?

With the stock 3.73's and 31's, I find craw speed is too high (too little power on steeper climbs and not enough 'holding back' on decent - even in 4lo and 1st gear, I occasionally need to augment with the brakes).

I assume the 5.13 would drastically improve in those areas, but I'm looking for significant improvement there, while maintaining good on-road drivability since it's typically a 1-2 hour drive to get to/from the trails.
 
Sounds like your use of the Jeep is very similar to mine. How is the crawl speed with the 4.56, and if you didn't have the vibrations, would you have stayed with 5.13?

With the stock 3.73's and 31's, I find craw speed is too high (too little power on steeper climbs and not enough 'holding back' on decent - even in 4lo and 1st gear, I occasionally need to augment with the brakes).

I assume the 5.13 would drastically improve in those areas, but I'm looking for significant improvement there, while maintaining good on-road drivability since it's typically a 1-2 hour drive to get to/from the trails.
It might not be a popular opinion, but I didn't see that much difference between the 5.13 and 4.56 gears. Sure, I rarely wanted to reach for the OD Off switch with 5.13s. But I don't need it that much with the 4.56 gears anyway.

If anything, the 5.13 gears had a little too much torque for crawling, which made it easier to spin the tires. I feel like it's a little easier to go slow with the 4.56 gears without locking up the torque converter.

But I wouldn't say any of that makes a huge difference. You might notice it, but it's not big deal either way.
 
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