I love Christmas.. MOD LIST!

Okay, so this actually has nothing to do with christmas, but that is when im doing this work because i have like a month off school for xmas break... here is what im doing to the xj!!!

opps actually i forgot a few things, i added them to the bottom...
aight here it goes...
front axle, need a new d30 cuz mines done, if i can find a d30 non disco with 4.10s then thats mad lucky, but either that or get my friends for like $250ish with 4.56 and lock right...
Either way the axle is gonna get new MOOG ball joints, gotta get plugs for the ball joints too that or adjustable ball joints to adjust for caster, that stuff is gonna suck, its gotta have good axle seals and pinion seal though cuz im not messing with that. Might do new 297x/760x u-joints not sure, and possibly some new wheel bearings if it needs them. Thats the hard stuff.

Then its gettin JCR over the kuckle steering so i need to ream out the knuckles, when i do the JCR stuff ill align it myself.

Its also gonna need a new slave cylinder, should be easy since my AX15 is a late model so it has an external slave. Also need a new reservior cap for the clutch fluid. Needs AC recharge, also very easy. needs new driver side taillight. getting an exhaust idk what kind yet prob a 40 series, need a welder for that. Then ill have the rear end regeared to whatever the front is to match.

4 new Maxxis bighorns in 35x12.50r15 balanced with airsoft BBs. I also need to ream out the door hinges (i have a doorless mod that sags) and find a good solid quick pin or bolt of some sort to pop in so the doors wont sag. Also need a new passenger door wiring harness. Also gonna get JCR rock sliders and a rock crusher or some ultra tough front diff cover if i have the money, those might wait though.

Also need to install rough country control arm drop brackets and 5.5" rubicon express springs and longer rear shackles might get new shocks too.

Another thing would be bushwackers, also if the budget allows. Im also gonna trim up the rear fenders just a little bit. Also gonna fab up some way to put some 6x9s in the back to replace my back speakers (my brother scott will prob do that for me)..

Its gonna be a big project but it will be cool when its done, the front axle though is gonna suck though cuz im gonna replace all the bushings because i dont want death wobble.


All in all basically budget is about $3,000. That front axle is gonna be my mom, and i know those shackles may cause some trouble too... If i upgrade from the 4.5" tired springs i have on there right now(i have a 1.5" spacer to help make up for my bumper and winch) to some rubicon express 5.5" ones, should i just get 2" shackles out back? not sure if a 5.5 spring from them will net more than 1" increase...


Also what kind of rear shackles?

So here are my big questions:
1. What size shackle for the back? (i have a 1" RE in there now with a 3.5" pack, at about 5" net lift...)
2. Ball joints are gonna suck, but will I be able to correctly set up the camber plugs and their angles?
3. For the drop brackets, will i be able to adjust my control arms using spacers or caster plates or whatever theyre called?
4. How bad are replacing my control arm and track bar bushings gonna suck? Can i do it? I have access to tools
5. How hard will be replacing rear shackles be? Will i have to cut and weld and get fancy?
I tihnk thats all thats really freaking me out, but i need help guys. So maybe you could quote my question list and answer each for me if you like im sure i can get somewhere that way

1. give it some time man... its 12:40am... hold your horses.

2. If the springs/leafs are new, expect more than the stated lift.

3. new shackles are not difficult. unbolt old ones, which may be a problem if rusted... you being in NC probably not that bad. pick a new set of shackles, put them in.

4. continue waiting for more informative help.

EDIT... you just bumped again while I was writing that... go back to step 1... and read 4 again too.

LOL I knew you were going to get yelled at for bumpage.....

emr1101 said:

So here are my big questions:
1. What size shackle for the back? (i have a 1" RE in there now with a 3.5" pack, at about 5" net lift...)

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depends on how much you are going to trim the fenders(if any)and how much bumpstop you are going to use to keep those 35's outta the fenders.

emr1101 said:

2. Ball joints are gonna suck, but will I be able to correctly set up the camber plugs and their angles?

Click to expand...

For a street driven jeep front axle angle takes priority over camber.At that lift size camber shouldn't be too bad.I have 5.5" of lift and I still have return to center of the steering wheel.You will notice that the jeep will want follow the slope of the road more.

emr1101 said:

3. For the drop brackets, will i be able to adjust my control arms using spacers or caster plates or whatever theyre called?

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Not to a great extent.You can use tsome of the factory shims...I ended up using them.But like I mentioned above this will affect the front DS angle.

emr1101 said:

4. How bad are replacing my control arm and track bar bushings gonna suck? Can i do it? I have access to tools

Click to expand...

Not too bad.Do one bushing at a time and you will be able to do it with the jeep sitting on the ground.

emr1101 said:

5. How hard will be replacing rear shackles be? Will i have to cut and weld and get fancy?

Click to expand...

About as bad as the control and trac bar bushings.Get some PB blaster and soak every bolt days in advance.That way when you go about doing all this you won't have to wrestle as hard!

"Its gonna be a big project but it will be ill as shit when its done, the front axle though is gonna suck dick though cuz im gonna replace all the bushings because i dont want death wobble."

Well hopefully it turns out ill as shit or that would suck dick. Loser.

With proper fender trimming and bumpstoppage 35's will fit under 5.5" of lift.
Here is a pic of mine on 34's with RE 5.5 LIFT:

Yeah my front fenders are cut deep, my rears will get some trimming. I dont know anything about bump stopping. im guessing that is gonna be a pain but for the front i should prob do it when i swap out these springs..

Anyone else for the main stuff?

2 camber is non adjustable on solid front axled jeeps...
3 castor is adjusted via adjustable length control arms, if you have them, and/or offset balljoints....
4 what kinda control arms? standard is pretty simple, pound old bushing out the right way, and it should go easy, re-install new bushing slightly nicer. fallow the mfg's instructions for aftermarket joints.


BUMPSTOPING: is very important, you need to figure it out. basically for the front you can buy slightly longer upper bump nubs that screw into the top dong that your coil sits on, as well as add hockey puck style spacers at the bottom (either commercially available ones, like from RE, or even multiple hockey pucks bolted together into the top of the axles coil bucket)

the idea is to provide a solid rubber pad to cushion your axles upward movement at full bump.... right before it.....
a) rubs your tires in the wheelwell
b) bottoms out your shocks... smashes your oil pan... etc

if you run any sizeable lift, and havent installed bumpstop provisions, SOMETHING is stopping your suspension, possibly your shocks or tires?

also, you might get better help if you dont bump like a cokehead, nor post like a sailor. This is not an aol chatroom, nor DELL 24/7 tech support.

also, nobody likes bushwackers, supposedly, they are WAAY OVERPRICED, and break easily.
i am impartial... ive never ran bushwackers, and frankly never will, they look honkey as shit, and are waaay overpriced, and break easily.

CRAP!!!I got camber mixed up with castor.....the above was meant to read castor......sorry it was late when I typed all that....

sorry about the language guys, this was originally an email sent to a buddy of mine i forgot to edit it, i apologize. And sry for the bumps too.

As for camber, it is adjustable with camber plugs, and you can add plates into your control arms to adjust caster even if they arent adjustable, anyone else with me on this?

I really dont wnat to have to go with new LCAs that are adjustable

Why do you think your camber would be off?

the tires are outward at the bottom, the jeep mechanic who told me this runs a place called Four Wheeling of Raleigh, has owned it for over 30 years. He has been in the business since it started. He says that ball joints plugs would fix it, but i dont think it affects anything other than looks (no wierd tire wear b/c of it so whatever...)

anyone know about installin cams to the control arms or ball joints or where ever they go? cant remember which, any info?

should i replace the UCA's bushings when i swap in some new superflex LCAs?

CAMBER WILL AFFECT TIRE WEAR.It isn't just an aestetic thing......(in your case you should see increased tire wear on the inside of the tread only)

I would say screw it and find a fresh dana 30 to replace the tweaked one.If the camber is off maybe the tubes are out of alignment too....then you will have alot more headaches such as inner axle seals/bearings being ate up.

I say start fresh......30's are a dime a dozen.Why put alot of work and money into a tweaked axle???

The "plugs" you are talking about are adjustable ball joints.They can either be used to correct castor or camber,not both at the same time.

Last time I checked the aren't cheap.By that time you buy those adjustable ball joints you could have paid for a straight d-30.....

outlander said:

CAMBER WILL AFFECT TIRE WEAR.It isn't just an aestetic thing......(in your case you should see increased tire wear on the inside of the tread only)

I would say screw it and find a fresh dana 30 to replace the tweaked one.If the camber is off maybe the tubes are out of alignment too....then you will have alot more headaches such as inner axle seals/bearings being ate up.

I say start fresh......30's are a dime a dozen.Why put alot of work and money into a tweaked axle???

Click to expand...

Yeah I know. I will be starting witha fresh one dont worry, i have a $500 setup lined up, d30 with HD tie rod, 456, and lock right and 8.25 29 spline, detroit and 456. so ill be heading in that direction

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!
Alright so i just spent about $1100 online today, heres what i got....
-6.5" Rustys springs, plus a 1.5" spacer to make up for the sag from my front bumper - this should net me between 6.5-7.5" of lift, ideally about 7"
-Rubicon Express adjustable lower control arms... since everyone said to get these instead of caster thingies i agreed, so i bought them for a painful $270....
-JCR 1 Ton steering.... hell yeah
-Rough country drop brackets
-2" blocks for the backs (keep your opinions to yourself on that one, this is temporary)
-Spicer ball joints


PLLLLLLLLEASe dont tell me i need a new front track bar.... ?

emr1101 said:

PLLLLLLLLEASe dont tell me i need a new front track bar.... ?

Click to expand...

OK!, blocks are bad then!