Before I tear LJ down again to do gears I figured Id write a "things Ive learned so far" for anyone else considering a "35s done right" build.
- Tools matter - Every time ive gone cheap Ive regretted it. Ive wasted a bunch of time and eventually ended up buying the tool. This is a hobby for me so I dont treat any of this as an "investment" but good tools buy your time back, which is a great deal.
- Check lift height on any floor jacks you end up buying. The ones I have lift to 24-1/4 in which is good enough for 35s w 1.25" body lift. More would be better, but you can get by with that.
- 6 ton jack stands (at least). 3 ton wont be tall enough once you go up in tire size. Learned this the hard way
- Plan everything out - Write it down, and only buy what you need for the next job. Even better, post here and let people tell you what you are doing wrong. A few times Ive acquired parts months in advance, and could have changed build plans to end up with better setup if I had only purchased what I needed for that job.
For example, I had opportunity to acquire rubicon axles this week. I decided against it for a few reasons, but a factor in that decision was parts acquired Id need to rebuy. If I only had bought what is currently installed on my jeep Id probably have pulled the trigger.
- Buying parts in advance has burned me a few times with incomplete kits. Some more experienced people might have caught right away, but I didnt. And companies dont usually help if you email them 6 months after your order.
- Cut off wheel / Sawzall will be used more than you want - I use Harbor Freight cheapo specials and havent had an issue. Get plenty of discs / blades and know pretty much anything you mess up can be fixed (dont cut your frame in half though)
- Parts go quick - Ive seen a few great deals locally, and before I had truck It took too long to figure out how to move them. Dont buy a vehicle solely for this, but the good stuff is gone way faster than you can coordinate a friend or rental.
- Brake caliper bleeder screws always go up
- Double adjustable control arms are worth their weight in gold - In the last week Ive driven jeep, made slight adjustment, driven jeep, slight adjustment, etc. Its 10x easier to adjust without taking arms off, and only slightly more expensive than single adjustable.
- Good parts can be rebuilt. Suspension parts can be expensive, but once you buy once, maintenance should be cheaper. Johnny joint rebuild kits are 30ish bucks. Can't beat that.
- Savvy will take at least 2x as long as you think with an order. Dont rely on them to get your jeep back drivable
- Shops will struggle like you do, but charge $200 an hour while doing it. There is no magic to setting up a suspension. Its lots of trial and error and some general principles you can learn from this website. A shop is going to do exactly what you do. Yes, a lift makes it slightly easier but there is no easy button. You can be the sweat and muscle and spend your money on parts. Or you can pay the shop owners mortgage.
- Organization pays dividends - spend the money on good storage for your tools. I use to spend more time looking for X item in bottom of tool bag then it took to take a part off.
- Shops have "partnerships" with certain companies, and push their parts. Don't trust their recommendations at all. There is a reason companies like currie/savvy/genright/etc are well respected. And random shop owners don't know better than companies winning awards doing this.
Listen to what the owners have to say, but understand they make money on convincing you Rough Country / SkyJacker/ Milestar is worth putting on your rig.
- Watch videos on YouTube (BFH garage) and try to do the job. If you go slow, and use this forum as a sounding board you can figure anything out.
Once you understand the principles in how things work, you can get creative and problem solve just like any shop would do.
- Centering axles work a lot better with 1 of 4 control arms disconnected. The body will slide right over and makes this a 5 minute job. Don’t be like me and spend an hour with all 4 connected
- Lockers can require different carrier bearings/race than an unlocked axle. For example, a LP Dana 30 typically requires 2x LM501349/LM501314. However, if you buy an Eaton E Locker, you now need 2x LM102949 / LM102911 and a shim pack (SK 30214). Learn from my mistakes and research this before you buy a differential regear kit and have extra bearings you dont need
Tools I use and cant live without
- code scanner
- angle finder
- laser level / plumbob would work too
- floor jack / jack stands (as many as you have)
- impacts - resisted buying these for awhile but they speed everything up
- ratcheting wrenches - same as above
- stubby ratchet - so much easier to fit in small spaces (Between track bar and spring for example)
- Motive power bleeder - definitely dont need, but makes it easier to bleed brakes by yourself
- Seal puller
- Pickle fork set
- Tie rod puller
- 1 1/8th socket
- 36mm socket
- Ball joint press
- Bearing / Seal Driver
- Snap ring pliers
- Alignment tool - bolts to lug nuts and makes setting toe easy with one person
- Dial indicator
- Micrometer
- Torque Wrenches - inch pounds, foot pounds
- Backup impact batteries
- Clam shell puller - Haven't used it yet, but got an insane deal so I grabbed it.
- Setup bearings - Make these yourself. Just hone out new bearings MATCHING your gear set install kit. Dont use KOYO setup bearings if your kit has TIMKEN. etc.
- Vice
Probably a bit more I am forgetting but this is a start. Ill add to as I think of new stuff I use a lot.
