Truss and rear shock cage! ZJ

Cache96 · May 9, 2010

Whats up fellas, thought i would share some pics with you guys. trussed front and rear axles (HP30)-(D44a) with 4.56 gears. finished rear shock cage.

Finished up the front and rear diffs, the pic of the front diff was taking from behind, thats why it looks a little weird.it pretty much looks like the rear.

Starting

R&P with master install kits (not shown)

here is the rear shock hoop, eventually i will tie in my cage onto it.

And the rear shocks

...they are 16" travel 2.5" King shocks

GrimmJeeper · May 9, 2010

I run the same shocks, they work great

nice build. I gotta warn you thought, I think my shock hoop played an integral part in the current state of my XJ. I would get your cage built and tie into that hoop or do something to stiffen up the back end before you really start using the travel that those shocks are going to allow you to have.

I'm not sure if the grands are the same, but on my XJ the rear hoop I built is tied into the tops of the "frame" rails, and from the looks of the floor in the back now, it seems that the hoop pulling up on the rails has really done a number on that area. the entire rear floor is buckled and even shows some creases in some places, and the top of the body in the back is pulling spot welds out and coming away from the unibody. If I were to do it again with no cage I'd do something to brace the frame rails together from underneath, maybe run a couple re-enforcement bars across from rail to rail under the floor.

But, like i said, not sure if the grands are the same I've never crawled under one.

Ryan93 · May 9, 2010

Looks good, keep us informed as you go!
Cant wait to get my 16s in either.. they have been sitting in my room for 6 months taunting me

grandrunner · May 9, 2010

yeah its above the frame. loooks to be in the same areas as mine. except mine is on top of the coil tower in back and on the frame up front. looks good man!!!! i wish i woulda trussed my axles on bottom woulda saved me about a grand. lol lookin good man, i should be ordering my steering next week so then we can go play. o wait i still need to gusset the c's and make new shock mounts. dammit. end of the month.

Cache96 · May 9, 2010

yea the shock hoop is right on top of the unibody, i'll keep an eye on it after i give it some use. The jeep wont be ready until Thursday, a friend of mine is installing the gears and the front axle. i'll snap a couple more pics when everything is installed, its going to be the longest week of my life..hahaha

DieselSJ · May 10, 2010

GrimmJeeper said:
I run the same shocks, they work great

nice build. I gotta warn you thought, I think my shock hoop played an integral part in the current state of my XJ. I would get your cage built and tie into that hoop or do something to stiffen up the back end before you really start using the travel that those shocks are going to allow you to have.

I'm not sure if the grands are the same, but on my XJ the rear hoop I built is tied into the tops of the "frame" rails, and from the looks of the floor in the back now, it seems that the hoop pulling up on the rails has really done a number on that area. the entire rear floor is buckled and even shows some creases in some places, and the top of the body in the back is pulling spot welds out and coming away from the unibody. If I were to do it again with no cage I'd do something to brace the frame rails together from underneath, maybe run a couple re-enforcement bars across from rail to rail under the floor.

But, like i said, not sure if the grands are the same I've never crawled under one.

That is good info for the TOTM thread. I don't think anyone has touched on reinforcements on that area yet.

Cache96 · May 17, 2010

Oright finished everything up... I didnt get pics of the rear shocks installed it was getting dark when we finished.. i'll take some tomorrow.

lowicz96 · May 17, 2010

Dont people usually truss on the top so not to lose ground clearance? Just saying

Pics of the whole jeep!!!

98xjjeeper · May 17, 2010

lowicz96 said:
Dont people usually truss on the top so not to lose ground clearance? Just saying

Pics of the whole jeep!!!

Crawling and go fast are two different animals.

Cache96 · May 17, 2010

Here is the rear shock cage, i just need to mount the reservoirs on the crossbar.

GrimmJeeper · May 17, 2010

98xjjeeper said:
Crawling and go fast are two different animals.

^this. Although I have seen people do both top and bottom, It is more common to see the bottom trussed on prerunners. At least, from what I've seen.

GrimmJeeper · May 17, 2010

looking good man!

how close are those shock bodies to the sheet metal? mine have about a half inch of clearance, and they still are hitting the body somehow on the inner edge. There is a lot of side to side play in the rear end, more than I accounted for when I cut the holes for the shocks.

edit: also be prepared for a decent amount of road noise and exhaust coming in through those holes. I wrapped old t-shirts around the shocks and pushed em down over the holes as a temp fix until I could find something to make a boot out of... then I took my hatch off and figured who cares about holes in the floor when the whole back is open lol.

DieselSJ · May 17, 2010

GrimmJeeper said:
^this. Although I have seen people do both top and bottom, It is more common to see the bottom trussed on prerunners. At least, from what I've seen.

Yes, bottom is common, but we try not to let anything hang below the diff. When you have the unlimited class buggies and trophy trucks creating nice ruts with their 39" tires, us small tire guys sometimes plow the center ridge with our diffs. Ground clearance is important.

He did a great job on his truss, but we'd have something welded to the cover to help it slide up and over. That tube hanging down is just going to catch all the big stuff that is sitting in the center of the course.

GrimmJeeper · May 17, 2010

DieselSJ said:
He did a great job on his truss, but we'd have something welded to the cover to help it slide up and over. That tube hanging down is just going to catch all the big stuff that is sitting in the center of the course.

ah, a small skid plate perhaps?

Cache96 · May 17, 2010

GrimmJeeper said:
looking good man!

how close are those shock bodies to the sheet metal? mine have about a half inch of clearance, and they still are hitting the body somehow on the inner edge. There is a lot of side to side play in the rear end, more than I accounted for when I cut the holes for the shocks.

edit: also be prepared for a decent amount of road noise and exhaust coming in through those holes. I wrapped old t-shirts around the shocks and pushed em down over the holes as a temp fix until I could find something to make a boot out of... then I took my hatch off and figured who cares about holes in the floor when the whole back is open lol.

Actually the driver side has about half inch of clearance and the pass has about 1" i still need to cut and hammer a little more..haha.. I still thinking what i can cover the holes with but i will be taking my hatch off so i am not to worried about it yet! its not my DD so i can handle the noise

Cache96 · May 17, 2010

GrimmJeeper said:
ah, a small skid plate perhaps?

i was thinking of a skid somewhat like this..

DieselSJ · May 17, 2010

GrimmJeeper said:
ah, a small skid plate perhaps?

Yes. We have serious beef added to our front diff cover and it acts as a skidplate to move the diff up and over stuff. It has taken some serious impacts! I'd hate to see what would happen to a stock diff cover.

GrimmJeeper · May 17, 2010

I've seen stock D30 covers get smashed hard enough against the ring gear to show the imprints of the teeth in it from the outside, from hitting a rock in a silt bed at speed. they are paper thin. Got a pic of your setup Diesel? I understand if you don't want to give away your ideas though

grandrunner · May 17, 2010

go to a semi truck parts store and buy a rubber shifter boot. self tap it over the hole and run the shock through it. thats what im gunna do to keep the dust and mud out.

DieselSJ · May 17, 2010

GrimmJeeper said:
I've seen stock D30 covers get smashed hard enough against the ring gear to show the imprints of the teeth in it from the outside, from hitting a rock in a silt bed at speed. they are paper thin. Got a pic of your setup Diesel? I understand if you don't want to give away your ideas though

No pics. But not because it is some secret. It is basically the same thing that T&J's sells.

Truss and rear shock cage! ZJ

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