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Vanilla Gorrilla blog

GordoSmasho

Nevada Raisins
NAXJA Member
I though rather than starting new threads all the time, to ask questions of the local knowledge base, I'd just start a build blog thingy. So here goes.

I bought the gorrilla for well nothing. I traded a crappy guitar for it really. It had not been well cared for and had a blown head gasket and a cracked head. A few solenoids out in the trans and had been roughed up a bit by other cars. In the long run after finding low oil pressure I swapped in a 92 motor and took it wheeling. I had most of the suspension bits and tires laying around from another jeep. Threw it together and started actually wheeling it about 1.5 years ago.

Current specs
97 2Door Auto 231 White

Engine Stuff
92 Motor ~165k on it
thor cowl intake
99 intake
tube exhaust header
stock cat
super 40 with a turndown

Front end
3.5" re springs
Extended bumpstops with one hockypuck on the pads
12" doetsch shocks Very stiff
RE 1600 trackbar
Currie Steering over the knuck on the driver side
No Sway Bar
2" Wheel Spacer
Dana 30
Stock Shafts 760 ujoints
stock 4.10 gears
Stock brakes
chevy brake lines
third hand used Lockrite
RE Drop brackets w/ braces
RE adjustable uppers
RE Solid Lowers

Rear end
Dodge Van 1ton Bastard Pack
Shackle Relocation boxes
IronMan4x4 adjustable shackles
12" Doetsch Shocks Very Stiff
Cross Enterprises shock hoop
durango center brakeline
Explorer 8.8
Stock Disks
stock 4.10 gears
LSD diff repacked tight with carbon disks
1.5" wheel spacers
extended bumpstops
Leaf plate bump pads


Body
C-ROK4X4 Rear bumper and Tire Carrier
JCR gas tank skid
rigidco front bumper
timken rocksliders welded
35" bfg all terrains
Stock Eccos Wheels

Here are a few pics from its first year of wheeling (and mine haha)
uvedube8.jpg

guhydy8y.jpg

2ezaqytu.jpg

vedubu2a.jpg

6etyqeby.jpg

haju9yba.jpg

eberetub.jpg






So had some issues at RenoFest.
Trackbar bushin was fubar at only 300 miles.
Bent a read drive shaft.
Broke the passenger inner shaft on the d30.
So I have a few issues I need to address before Sierrafest.

I desided to go ahead and regear to 4.88s and rebuild the front diff. Then Lincoln the rear(short term). I'll be pulling these axles this winter so they will be gone through again and will be getting a rear locker at that point.

Also going to replace the heim on the track bar and control arm bushings.

Oh yeah and a fuel pump haha.


Future plans include flat belly and mini boatsides. Front midarm 3link. Dana70 / 14b.
Ax15 swap with 231/d300. That's all to come over the next few months.

My carnage from RenoFest and fuel pump put me way behind schedule.
 
So I stripped the axles and suspension this weekend.
ratu8a8y.jpg

Tonight I started tearing into the d30. To find a bit more damage than I had hoped for.
za3ede3a.jpg

ru5u3yze.jpg

e6e4ypud.jpg

Man o man am I glad I pulled the shafts and the front shaft for the drive home from Reno. That would have been epic on the freeway when it started to let loose.


So now I'm debating time and money to either throw another carrier from rustys for 80$ or try and grab a grizzly for 500$. Either way I am scrambling right now with only 4weeks till sf.

What do you guys think. Remember thes are not long term axles for me.
 
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Man thats bad. well I am glad you didnt drive on it!


also rwkhaus on here has decent prices on d30 carriers and fast shipping and good shipping prices. I think another open carrier and slap the locker in for now and call it good since you don't want to dump a ton of money into the things.

if it was a more permanent setup id say grizzly all the way. hell, it'll be fine for the con, SR, and DV
 
Woah! Thank god you pulled the shafts out. I agree with Sam, if it's short term go for the cheaper option and throw the monies at bigger things.
 
grizzly say 500$ shipped. open carrier say 80$ shipped. save the 420 for better things.
 
You can do it!
 
Thanks haha.


So what is everyone with stock ish axles doing for upper axle control arm bushings? Poly, rubber, joint. I have stock mounts on the axle and destroyed the bushings I put in last year in just a handful of runs. They were rubber. I have been looking at a few other options.
 
Yeah I was looking at those but I would have to modify my re arms to work. They are a wider joint than stock bushings. Re makes a retrofit kit and uses their newer bushings. I would just need to tack the sleeves in the axle mounts then squeeze in the bushings and sleeves. Currie also makes a Johnny joint retrofit but supposedly it's only for the drivers side.
I wonder if poly joints would be an option?
Metal cloak is working on a retrofit for their bushing/joints but it's not ready yet I guess.
 
Thanks haha.


So what is everyone with stock ish axles doing for upper axle control arm bushings? Poly, rubber, joint. I have stock mounts on the axle and destroyed the bushings I put in last year in just a handful of runs. They were rubber. I have been looking at a few other options.

If you want cheep, I'm pretty sure I have some stockers for the axle end. I think they are TRW's, but??? Anyway, they're yours if ya want em.
 
Sent ya a pm. They are TRW's and I have 4 of them. That should hold you over 'til you get that 70 done.
 
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