Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

Mail man was nice to me today...

The crush sleeve eliminator kit from Jantz Engineering arrived.

It's just a spacer and some shims

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And then a package from @WSS arrived too. The edge trim for the center console was in it along with some GREAT stickers..

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And the misalignment bushing I'd ordered from RuffStuff arrived.

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And I'd also ordered some tabs just in case I'm trying to mount something and needed tabs.

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So I'd say it was a GOOD haul from the USPS today. I've got the tab and drill bit coming from Amazon and found someone who had the case bolts for the ARB in stock. So ordered them also along with a couple spare o-rings. Since I've already installed the lock tabs I'm not sure that I'll take them back out. The way the old bolts were spinning in the old lock tabs sort of make me think they are a one time use item.
 
Well that was easy....

Welded two pieces of angle iron together and then ran a marker up inside the heims and marked where I needed to drill.

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Then I unbolted the high steer arm and set the angle iron onto it with the heim inside and a bolt ran thru to keep everything aligned. Then I tacked it onto the high steer arm.

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Welded on the outside & inside.

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Then I put it all back together.

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Not too bad for 90 minutes of work. It ain't pretty or fancy like some I've seen but I think it's functional.

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Damn a notched frame and other COOL kid stuff. ;)

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But DAMN I've got MC fenders so I'm still an outcast...
What is a double shear bracket? It looks like both heims are still sharing a bolt which I figured it would change but looks like not. How does this help? Sorry if dumb question
 
What is a double shear bracket? It looks like both heims are still sharing a bolt which I figured it would change but looks like not. How does this help? Sorry if dumb question
There are no dumb questions. Double shear is when heim (or other contained bearing, bushing, etc) is secured on both sides of the item. Single shear is when it’s bolted to a plate or bracket from one side. The theory is it doubles the strength. While it does, the limit is still the shear rating of the bolt, dowel, etc.
 
There are no dumb questions. Double shear is when heim (or other contained bearing, bushing, etc) is secured on both sides of the item. Single shear is when it’s bolted to a plate or bracket from one side. The theory is it doubles the strength. While it does, the limit is still the shear rating of the bolt, dowel, etc.
Ah I see, prior to that the bolt head was just against the heim! Thank you for the explanation
 
Tommy answered that really well. He explained what my understanding of double shear is and how it works. I will admit that I do not know how much if any strength it's going to add to this situation on the high steer arm. And then I'm still limited to what is on the pitman arm end which is just a bolt.

The things I've seen where this MAKES a difference is in things like shocks where they had bolt coming off the axle and then it was changed to two tabs off the axle. I can see how this would be stronger.


I thought you might like the stickers. I’ve been putting them in many places. Empty shelves at stores etc.

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Yep I LOVE them. I'll be sticking them on around my home too.


If your like me, this thread is a good place for learning. Many “ah ha” moments.


I figured this was more of a Ah Shit, dumbass..... Glad he did that and not me.. type thread.
 
If your like me, this thread is a good place for learning. Many “ah ha” moments.
Definitely. Like reading a book on practical engineering lol. I keep reading through bits and while I don't understand some of it I'm slowly getting there...

My favorite part is just seeing what you can do with a little skill, trial and error, and tools. Seeing you guys talk about stuff like setting gears like it's NBD gives me confidence it's not "VOODOO" and these things I might work up to one day. I really hope it turns into an unstoppable wheeling machine cos it sure seems like it's going to
 
Tommy answered that really well. He explained what my understanding of double shear is and how it works. I will admit that I do not know how much if any strength it's going to add to this situation on the high steer arm. And then I'm still limited to what is on the pitman arm end which is just a bolt.

The things I've seen where this MAKES a difference is in things like shocks where they had bolt coming off the axle and then it was changed to two tabs off the axle. I can see how this would be stronger.




Yep I LOVE them. I'll be sticking them on around my home too.





I figured this was more of a Ah Shit, dumbass..... Glad he did that and not me.. type thread.
Ah! That is what the strut mount on the axle looks like huh. Cool that makes sense love the example I've actually seen before.

I couldn't even imagine the things you're doing in the first place to screw them up sooo... that's something. Someone's gotta be experimenting at the frontier of offroad deisng (what it seems like to me lol)
 
Definitely. Like reading a book on practical engineering lol. I keep reading through bits and while I don't understand some of it I'm slowly getting there...

My favorite part is just seeing what you can do with a little skill, trial and error, and tools. Seeing you guys talk about stuff like setting gears like it's NBD gives me confidence it's not "VOODOO" and these things I might work up to one day. I really hope it turns into an unstoppable wheeling machine cos it sure seems like it's going to

Thanks. I've really learned a lot myself during this build. The first time I built the rig it was more of a bolt on type build other than a few things. But this build has made me push myself and my abilities beyond anything I'd done before. And even though some feel I wasn't listening to them or the advice given I really was.

If there is stuff you don't understand don't be scared to post up and ask. It's the only way any of us can learn and there just might be another 10 guys/gals who don't know also.
 
Thanks. I've really learned a lot myself during this build. The first time I built the rig it was more of a bolt on type build other than a few things. But this build has made me push myself and my abilities beyond anything I'd done before. And even though some feel I wasn't listening to them or the advice given I really was.

If there is stuff you don't understand don't be scared to post up and ask. It's the only way any of us can learn and there just might be another 10 guys/gals who don't know also.
Yeah, bolt-on stuff is all I can really do ATM and it works but... I definitely see the perks of making it yourself. Like I have what, 2 choices for a tummy tuck skid for my TJ? I'm seeing how worthwhile it is to be able to build it yourself. Can't wait til I have the space.

I am definitely learning a lot just reading - it's hard to ask questions because a lot of it I don't know what I don't know to the point I'm not sure how to ask a question more than "wtf is this" lol. The more experience I get working on my own with the stuff you (and others) post up here the closer I get to knowing what I don't know at least. I'm actually stoked I had a specific question for the first time LOL
 
Well like I said, you are welcome to ask anytime you would like. And don't worry if you can't word it correctly. Heck I've been wrenching on stuff since I was 10 (50 years ago) and there are still things I don't know how to explain correctly or refer to in the right way.
I'm still learning as I go on a lot of this stuff. But for me part of that has always been the curiosity and wonder of how something worked or why it wasn't working like it was supposed to be. I rebuilt a 5 HP Tecumseh engine when I was 10 as a shop class project. It was for a mini-bike my mom HATED me riding.
 
Well like I said, you are welcome to ask anytime you would like. And don't worry if you can't word it correctly. Heck I've been wrenching on stuff since I was 10 (50 years ago) and there are still things I don't know how to explain correctly or refer to in the right way.
I'm still learning as I go on a lot of this stuff. But for me part of that has always been the curiosity and wonder of how something worked or why it wasn't working like it was supposed to be. I rebuilt a 5 HP Tecumseh engine when I was 10 as a shop class project. It was for a mini-bike my mom HATED me riding.
Thank you! Honestly you do an amazing job at detailing your thought process and working process, which really is a hard thing to. So seriously, thanks for that! Sometimes when I have time I'll just pick a random page and start reading :LOL:

Oh wow I looked it up that's awesome! What a great little motor to start learning on that's awesome. Really wish I had taken classes like that in school. I was too busy ditching and smoking pot back in those days LOL. I bet she did 5hp for a kid on a tiny bike was probably quick
 
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Oh wow I looked it up that's awesome! What a great little motor to start learning on that's awesome. Really wish I had taken classes like that in school. I was too busy ditching and smoking pot back in those days LOL. I bet she did 5hp for a kid on a tiny bike was probably quick

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This was what it looked like. I lived in a small village on the north slope of Alaska at the time. Skipping school wasn't an option as everyone would know. That was me once I hit high school. Never did get into smoking pot though. But got kicked out of H.S. 4 times in 2 years and then was told not to come back. I was a good kid :rolleyes: :ROFLMAO: NOT. Didn't get my act together until after I joined the Army.
 
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This was what it looked like. I lived in a small village on the north slope of Alaska at the time. Skipping school wasn't an option as everyone would know. That was me once I hit high school. Never did get into smoking pot though. But got kicked out of H.S. 4 times in 2 years and then was told not to come back. I was a good kid :rolleyes: :ROFLMAO: NOT. Didn't get my act together until after I joined the Army.
Thing is sweet! Nice and simple. Is that no brakes that I don't see?

Oof twice a year lol, sometimes school just doesn't mesh with some mindsets (luckily they can change...). I'm sure you didn't miss out on much with the pot lmao such a waste it was. Glad you found a place to get back on track and have a purpose, then!
 
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Since we were talking about gear install I have been looking for a GOOD install video of OLD type ARB lockers. But I came across this video from BFH Garage. If you don't know BFH is a member here on the forum. https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/bfh-garage.58898/#post-1045097 He does a great job of detailing how to install a newer style ARB in a Dana 30 here.

 
I only have a 5" vise and the Dana 60 carrier is a little bit bigger than 6" I had to get creative with a way to hold it so I could torque the ring gear bolts to 110 lb ft.

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Thank goodness for large strap wrenches.

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And because I have a load bolt in the housing I need to grind the edges of any of these bolt heads that stick past the edge of the machined area on the ring gear.

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So my gear install is a bit different than what's in the video.
 
The things I'm finding really make me wonder about how this axle was setup before. The master shim for the ARB had been ground on and wasn't flat all the way around it. It was only off .002 but that is enough to cause issues with gear pattern.

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So since I'll be pulling this in and out until I get it right I won't install the o-rings until I get a good pattern & have good backlash.

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And this is the copper line going into air fitting.

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The shoulder area is where the shims sit on the older versions of ARB.

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I did get the carrier installed about 5 times but things were really OFF. I was going off the shims count from the previous install. The pinion is WAY too deep. I'll play with it more tomorrow.

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And yes I didn't take a picture of the first pattern. Sorry.