Tinky Winky: A Build Thread

So after having a bunch of pictures and Bill (RCMan) yelling at me for not having them in a single spot, I decided to finally start a build thread. We'll see how long it takes before I don't feel like updating it anymore .

Started out with this '92 4.0/AW4/231 D30/8.25 grandpa mobile complete with running boards for $1500. I can't find the pic of right when I bought it so this will have to do for now.

My brother oh-so-affectionately named it Tinky Winky and now everyone calls it that :roflmao:



Stripped my old '91 4.0/AW4/231 w/ HD SYE D30/D44 for parts as it was starting to rot away. Not evident by this pic though...



Swapped the front axle (had a lockrite in it and 760s), tcase (SYE), as well as the suspension (RE 3.5" SR with RE SF Adj UCAs) and tires (31" Kumho MTs) from my 2 door over and held onto the D30/D44 combo to build up in the future.

Wheeled it like this for close to 6 months.



Now came the next "stage" where I built up the 30/44 combo I had on the side, along with all new suspension/steering/brakes and 33" BFG A/Ts (freebies).

D30
Yukon 4.88s
Lockrite
Ruffstuff Cover (countersunk bolts and drain plug)
760s in stock shafts modded with full circle c-clips (and a set of spares the same way)
WJ knuckles
JKS steering
JKS track bar kit
TNT coil buckets/LCA mounts
MOOG WJ ball joints

D44
Yukon 4.88s
No-slip (courtesy of Mark aka Begster on here)
Ruffstuff Cover (countersunk bolts and drain plug)
8.8 rear disc setup
TNT UBEs 0.5"

Front Susp.
RE 5.5" coils
TNT radius arms
Bilstein 5150s

Rear Susp.
RE 3.5" leaves
TNT 1.5" greasable shackles
TNT UBEs 0.5"
Edelbrock Performer IAS (cheap from a friend, NIB )

Wheeled it like this for probably about 4-5 months and was tired of popping sidewalls on the BFGs (popped 3 in this time).

Not wanting to BUY another set of 33"s, I bought my friends set of 35" MTZs for $700. Still had decent tread.







I think I wheeled it like this for about 2-3 weeks when this happened...(yes that was my D30)



I went to see Bob at Baystate Offroad, and he agreed that I had 2 options...

1. Regear the D30 again and be gentle rattle
2. Go bigger

He said that Liza had a HP44 already narrowed that just needed 4.88s and steering to be ready for an XJ. It was sitting under an XJ behind his shop already.

Needless to say, I bugged Liza everyday until she finally caved and sold it to me for $1000.



Had a regear party at my house with a bunch of people, Ross (foxwar71), Mark (Begster), Bill (RCMan), and Adam (reelbigdundy87) all came by.

Finished it pretty quickly, but came out with this pattern.



After some discussion with Bob, he noticed the pinion was too deep (I'm new to this).

Bill and Ross generously (AGAIN) gave up some of his Friday night to help me fix that (don't worry Bill, there were plenty of distractions at my house I don't blame you )

So this is where I am now. I have to finish up the steering with Ross (going with an OTK inverted-T for now) and do some little things to finally get it under my jeep (shock bolts, wheels, etc.)

I'll post those up as I get them.

I'm still laughing at the thread title.
Nice to see this all in one spot!

MoparManiac said:

Bill and Ross generously (AGAIN) gave up some of his Friday night to help me fix that (don't worry Bill, there were plenty of distractions at my house I don't blame you )

Click to expand...

There was no generosity on my part. I still blame myself for that mess, I can't believe I wasn't my usual 'detail/nitpicking self' and overlooked that. No picture of the "new" pattern?

Why don't you get this thread derailed off topic and post pictures of what those distractions where? (for those who have no idea, two of them just might be under those car covers in the second picture)

MoparManiac said:

So this is where I am now. I have to finish up the steering with Ross (going with an OTK inverted-T for now) and do some little things to finally get it under my jeep (shock bolts, wheels, etc.)
I'll post those up as I get them.

Click to expand...

I got the cash from the delivery courier (thanks Travix!). The tubing for that will be ordered very soon as you already know.

RCman said:

Why don't you get this thread derailed off topic and post pictures of what those distractions where? (for those who have no idea, two of them just might be under those car covers in the second picture).

Click to expand...

Friends '69 General Lee clone in the middle, and my bro's '68 Charger R/T on the far right.



And my bro's '74 Roadrunner clone.



I don't have any pics of my dad's '70 Challenger R/T 426 Hemi, or the '70 Duster 340 4-spd though...

RCman said:

I got the cash from the delivery courier (thanks Travix!). The tubing for that will be ordered very soon as you already know.

Click to expand...

Sweet dude! Yeah I can't wait to wheel again, and am so pumped for NACfest.

sweet colin, glad to see you finally started a thread.

where's the list of what's left to do?

Thanks Anthony!

Balls I should do that shouldn't I...

To-Do List
Mock up steering
Ream pitman arm and ES2233L TRE
See if my track bar is long enough
Get the correct banjo bolts to fit my RE lines and the D44 calipers (thanks to Starboard for that one)
Mount my 35s on the new wheels
Press on the bearings on the new rear superiors
Drill out some rear ZJ rotors to 5x5.5
Order another D44 Ruffstuff cover and lubelocker
Figure out front bumpstopping (probably going to use Daystar EVS bumps)



I think that's about it...hopefully...

why the daystar EVS when hockey pucks are so cheap?

and elaborate on the correct banjo bolts, if you wouldn't mind...

(build threads are for helping others get through the same problems you may have had, so time to fess up )

asp387 said:

why the daystar EVS when hockey pucks are so cheap?

Click to expand...

I planned on getting these beforehand, just ran out of time and wanted to wheel .

The main reason is when I'm flex out, the upper bumpstop misses the hockey pucks. It annoys the hell out of me. Probably isn't too important at slow speeds like crawling, but I like the insurance. I may use hockey pucks as well to soak up higher speed bumps, though I rarely do anything that would need it.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/16021_10X_PG.htm

asp387 said:

and elaborate on the correct banjo bolts, if you wouldn't mind...

Click to expand...

I have yet to look into this problem, but it has to do with the diameter of the hole in the RE brakeline being smaller then the factory banjo bolt that threads into the D44 caliper.

Check out Starboards Bolt-in High Pinion D44 build up thread.

asp387 said:

(build threads are for helping others get through the same problems you may have had, so time to fess up )

Click to expand...

Haha, hinting at something?

asp387 said:

and elaborate on the correct banjo bolts, if you wouldn't mind...

Click to expand...

I'm guessing he read it from Starboard's D44 build thread.

But the Chevy/FSJ calipers need a 7/16" banjo bolt, where as the stock XJ calipers require a 3/8" banjo bolt.

I had a fun time tracking down the correct size for the calipers when I did mine, as I had nothing to go on.

Begster said:

I'm guessing he read it from Starboard's D44 build thread.

But the Chevy/FSJ calipers need a 7/16" banjo bolt, where as the stock XJ calipers require a 3/8" banjo bolt.

I had a fun time tracking down the correct size for the calipers when I did mine, as I had nothing to go on.

Click to expand...

I remember your horror story about that, didn't you take a few trips to Crown?

Yeah I went on Starboards thread, as the whole banjo bolt issue slipped my mind.

MoparManiac said:

I remember your horror story about that, didn't you take a few trips to Crown?

Yeah I went on Starboards thread, as the whole banjo bolt issue slipped my mind.

Click to expand...

After having the Jeep on jackstands for 6 months, all that was stopping me from driving it was 2 bolts.

Ya, I took some trips to Crown, went to Napa where we tried a few but couldn't find one (there was a burr in the first capiler I brought), wen to Autozone (they didn't know what a banjo bolt was), then finally found one after bringing the other caliper back to Napa.

Oh, and how did the issue slip your mind? I told you about it, remember...

why not bore the hole in the RE line bigger?

MoparManiac said:

I planned on getting these beforehand, just ran out of time and wanted to wheel .

The main reason is when I'm flex out, the upper bumpstop misses the hockey pucks. It annoys the hell out of me. Probably isn't too important at slow speeds like crawling, but I like the insurance. I may use hockey pucks as well to soak up higher speed bumps, though I rarely do anything that would need it.

http://www.quadratec.com/products/16021_10X_PG.htm


Haha, hinting at something?

Click to expand...

hehe no not hinting, playing devil's advocate.

but FWIW, hockey pucks act more like solid metal and i really don't think they have any give to them at all. if you want give i suggest looking into airbumps...

Looks good! Are you interested in selling the Wj steering setup?

Sooo... colin.... can we cut the roof off this one too? I mean, Bill's is chopped, every day that I walk past mine it begs me for the grinder.... What say we add another Jeep to the list??














...and Anthony thought HE was playing devil's advocate.

So, are you going to like, post anything cool in here?

not if he wants it to be anything like my thread, he won't. :nono:

Begster said:

I'm guessing he read it from Starboard's D44 build thread.

But the Chevy/FSJ calipers need a 7/16" banjo bolt, where as the stock XJ calipers require a 3/8" banjo bolt.

I had a fun time tracking down the correct size for the calipers when I did mine, as I had nothing to go on.

Click to expand...

MoparManiac said:

I remember your horror story about that, didn't you take a few trips to Crown?

Yeah I went on Starboards thread, as the whole banjo bolt issue slipped my mind.

Click to expand...

Keep in mind I have not actually finished the brakes, so I dont know 100% that they will work, but from eyeballing it, they should work.


If they dont work, let me know, and I will return the ones I have, and get those, and pretend like I never gave out false info




Begster, do you remember what you used for your 44? I seem to remember you having to drill out your brake lines or something?

asp387 said:

why not bore the hole in the RE line bigger?



hehe no not hinting, playing devil's advocate.

but FWIW, hockey pucks act more like solid metal and i really don't think they have any give to them at all. if you want give i suggest looking into airbumps...

Click to expand...

Could definitely bore the holes in the RE line bigger, was just hoping for something "plug n play".

As for the EVS bumps, I don't need them to be incredibly stiff as they won't need to do anything for high speed stuff. I just want them to keep my shocks from bottoming out. I'll end up going with the black EVS bumps though.

DansGreyMj said:

Looks good! Are you interested in selling the Wj steering setup?

Click to expand...

Thanks! I will be selling the entire front end in about a month. Hopefully together as one unit, but would split up the housing vs. the knuckles/brakes/steering.

5spd_xj said:

Sooo... colin.... can we cut the roof off this one too? I mean, Bill's is chopped, every day that I walk past mine it begs me for the grinder.... What say we add another Jeep to the list??

...and Anthony thought HE was playing devil's advocate.

Click to expand...

Haha I have no desire to cut the roof off...






















yet :firedevil:

cmelo said:

So, are you going to like, post anything cool in here?

Click to expand...

Nah just dumb stuff.

MoparManiac said:

Could definitely bore the holes in the RE line bigger, was just hoping for something "plug n play".

As for the EVS bumps, I don't need them to be incredibly stiff as they won't need to do anything for high speed stuff. I just want them to keep my shocks from bottoming out. I'll end up going with the black EVS bumps though.

Click to expand...

i was considering the EVS for mine for a while too and couldn't decide if i wanted red or black. i'm going to let you get yours and see what you think.

my only hesitation is that shocks aren't made to hold the weight of the vehicle up, and if you bottom out with these, that's essentially what will be happening.

in terms of the brake line, i'd probably do whatever is easiest, to be honest. if you can find a banjo bolt that's got the right dimensions ahead of time and easily, i say go for it. if not, i say modify the lines.

I traded Travis a brand new 3.91+ D44 carrier (I'll get that to you when we come to regear your axle ) for two practically brand new AR-767s.

I went on Summit Racing and ordered three Cragar D-Windows (look exactly the same to me) and they shipped out yesterday. Are going to be at my house tomorrow :shocked:.

Also, the rear Superior Evos were supposed to have shipped yesterday as well, no tracking number yet however. I'd imagine they should be here by the end of this week or early next week.