souske
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- The land of competition
You leave my D30 outta this
-
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my 91 xj build thread
- Thread starter Vanimal
- Start date
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
it is really shiny (probably from being wet with brake fluid)
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
so i'm planning on welding on the tabs for the coilovers on the rear axle. any suggestions on which way they should be oriented? cant find a ton of info on this. i'm not sure if the bolt that goes through the shock eyelet should be parallel to the axle, or perpendicular. i was thinking parallel with the axle, with the tabs facing vertical (on top of the axle tubes)
i would think perpendicular to the axle and parallel to the tires. that way it can pivot on the bolt instead of the heim. but i'm sure their is enough misalignment with the heim that it really doesn't matter.
this is all just from picturing it in my head. i've never actually mounted them. i'll ask my buddy who has them on the front of his yj how he has them mounted
this is all just from picturing it in my head. i've never actually mounted them. i'll ask my buddy who has them on the front of his yj how he has them mounted
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
thats the way i thought, but most of the pictures i've seen have been parallel with the axle
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
so i got a little work done.
got the old spring coil buckets cut off the rear dana 44, and started welding on the coilover mounting tabs.
still kinda new to welding so hopefully they stay on!
also made a housing spreader and got the shims figured out for the eaton elocker. i just want to drill the holes for the brake lines and elocker wiring before i do the final install, so i can clean it out good. then i just got to cut off the old shock mounts, clean the axle up good, and throw some fresh paint on it. cant wait!
i also made some control arm brackets for the front and rear. they're 3x3x12" 3/16" wall tube, cnc milled out, bent, and welded. i made some side plates as well to beef them up some.
i also welded on some heat treated washers to beef it up around the bolt holes. I got a t&t frame stiffener kit on order, which will go on then all this crap gets to go on after!
and in case your wondering, the dana44 is still mounted to the parts jeep. i figured it would be easier to work on that way, especially since the body is cut off all around it for the most part.
got the old spring coil buckets cut off the rear dana 44, and started welding on the coilover mounting tabs.
still kinda new to welding so hopefully they stay on!
also made a housing spreader and got the shims figured out for the eaton elocker. i just want to drill the holes for the brake lines and elocker wiring before i do the final install, so i can clean it out good. then i just got to cut off the old shock mounts, clean the axle up good, and throw some fresh paint on it. cant wait!
i also made some control arm brackets for the front and rear. they're 3x3x12" 3/16" wall tube, cnc milled out, bent, and welded. i made some side plates as well to beef them up some.
i also welded on some heat treated washers to beef it up around the bolt holes. I got a t&t frame stiffener kit on order, which will go on then all this crap gets to go on after!
and in case your wondering, the dana44 is still mounted to the parts jeep. i figured it would be easier to work on that way, especially since the body is cut off all around it for the most part.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
got the old shock mounts cut off and both coilover mounts welded on. all thats left is drilling a few holes then i can go at it with a wire wheel and then paint it. i can't wait to get this thing under the jeep!
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
i'm going to box them in, however they're a lot stronger than they look in the pic.
i wanted to wait to box them in until i got the shocks installed, so i can see how far up i can box them.
i wanted to wait to box them in until i got the shocks installed, so i can see how far up i can box them.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
haha well i dont know about that. i've been asking a lot of questions in the advanced fab area. they've been steering me in the right directions. this is my first off road build for the most part, so any and all advice is appreciated.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
well, i got the gears in, and almost got the rest of the axle buttoned up. the explorer brakes i got were pretty different than what i've seen online, assuming that's even what they are. i got them from someone on craigslist who took them off a d44 that he got for his zj. they do say ford on them. the difference is the backing plate has counterbores where the holes go, which means i had to use spacers to make up the difference. also, i ended up making new retaining plates since i didnt want to take the ones off my other axles so i can use them as bolt in trail spares. i ended up making the retainer plates out of 6al4v titanium since that's all i had in that thickness, and it's a ton stronger than the stock ones anyways. the brakes deemed to be a pain in the ass to install, trying to get the springs in place for the e-brake shoes is hard with the oversized superior axle flanges. they made the job difficult. on top of that, the studs pressed into them have a step and they don't fit through the rotors, so i have to drill the rotors out a little. as you can see, i got the axle clean and painted. i'm not a huge fan of the truss on there, but it looked safe so i left it, as ugly as it is. the welds werent as pretty as mine (not saying much), but it looked good enough. all that's left for this axle is installing the passenger side spindle and brake, and both disks and callipers.
one of the backing plates i made.
damn oversized superior axles!
the counterbores in the brake backing plate i was talking about.
one of the backing plates i made.
damn oversized superior axles!
the counterbores in the brake backing plate i was talking about.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
horray! axle is actually complete. brake lines are on, brakes are set, ready to go. my t&t frame stiffeners came in today, so i should be busy over the next couple weeks.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
so i got some work done on the heep finally. got my frame stiffeners welded on.
modified the trans cross member so that it mounts in between the frame rails since my control arm brackets will mount about where the crossmember normally mounts. i made some brackets that i welded to the inside of the frame rails to bolt the crossmember to. seems solid enough.
started building a rear bumper. webdog from dirt bound made me some sweet bumper brackets for the front and rear so i now have some solid recovery points via the recievers built into both bumpers. im still not done, i want to weld on some pieces that go along the side of the body up to the wheel well and back into the frame rail.
and last but not least, i changed the headliner material. it was sagging so i had to rip the old stuff down, and then it always dropped crap all over whenever someone touched it.
i also got a RE track bar bracket and a rebuilt/modded durango steering box done by old_man on the forum. havent put them in yet, hopefully tomorrow. then it's on to the brake booster/master cyl upgrades and prop valve for the rear disk brakes.
i'll also be welding on the control arm brackets so i can get the new axles and coilovers in. cant wait!
it all needs to be done in less than a month.
modified the trans cross member so that it mounts in between the frame rails since my control arm brackets will mount about where the crossmember normally mounts. i made some brackets that i welded to the inside of the frame rails to bolt the crossmember to. seems solid enough.
started building a rear bumper. webdog from dirt bound made me some sweet bumper brackets for the front and rear so i now have some solid recovery points via the recievers built into both bumpers. im still not done, i want to weld on some pieces that go along the side of the body up to the wheel well and back into the frame rail.
and last but not least, i changed the headliner material. it was sagging so i had to rip the old stuff down, and then it always dropped crap all over whenever someone touched it.
i also got a RE track bar bracket and a rebuilt/modded durango steering box done by old_man on the forum. havent put them in yet, hopefully tomorrow. then it's on to the brake booster/master cyl upgrades and prop valve for the rear disk brakes.
i'll also be welding on the control arm brackets so i can get the new axles and coilovers in. cant wait!
it all needs to be done in less than a month.
Last edited:
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
btw, has anyone noticed that it's excessively easy to spin the tires after adding frame stiffeners? it wants to spin everytime i take a corner a little hot now. nothing else has changed.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
got some templates started for the rear frame stiffeners/coilover shock towers, and picked up the material to make them today. i also got my RE double shear track bar bracket in today, and that helped ALOT. The front end is loads stiffer, i should have done this before! i still need to make a new track bar, this one isnt parellel with the drag link. i think a straight one should do it.
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
so here's an update.
here's a pic of the rear frame stiffener with integrated piece for my coilover shock tower.
here's a pic of it clamped in place with the holes in it for rosette welding
what it looks like inside the cab.
one rear plate is cut out. it will tie into the side of the body, the wheel well, and the floor. the side of the body and floor will be plated in those areas to distribute the load. this plate also acts as the gussets to the top of the floor/frame rail and to the side of the frame rail. this should give it a decent amount of rigidity. the front plate will also do the same thing.
what it looks like from underneath
then i got the front plate cut out, now i think it is starting to look like what i had pictured. the plates are just sitting there now, it will all fit together without the gaps you see in the pics when it's actually secured in place.
i'm planning on adding some windows in the plates so i can access the bolts to take the shocks out and fill them with nitrogen. however, i think using any sort of spanner wrench in there is going to be impossible, so i think i'll have to unbolt the top and lower it to do any adjustments. we'll see when it's all welded up. what do you guys think so far? is it a waste of metal? lol
here's a pic of the rear frame stiffener with integrated piece for my coilover shock tower.
here's a pic of it clamped in place with the holes in it for rosette welding
what it looks like inside the cab.
one rear plate is cut out. it will tie into the side of the body, the wheel well, and the floor. the side of the body and floor will be plated in those areas to distribute the load. this plate also acts as the gussets to the top of the floor/frame rail and to the side of the frame rail. this should give it a decent amount of rigidity. the front plate will also do the same thing.
what it looks like from underneath
then i got the front plate cut out, now i think it is starting to look like what i had pictured. the plates are just sitting there now, it will all fit together without the gaps you see in the pics when it's actually secured in place.
i'm planning on adding some windows in the plates so i can access the bolts to take the shocks out and fill them with nitrogen. however, i think using any sort of spanner wrench in there is going to be impossible, so i think i'll have to unbolt the top and lower it to do any adjustments. we'll see when it's all welded up. what do you guys think so far? is it a waste of metal? lol
Vanimal
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- escondido, ca
ha, i thought i was!
Thanks man
Thanks man
SanDiegoOverland
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- San Diego
Wow, very nice idea's and nice home-grown mods.
Also, I think your welds look great! I've seen a LOT worse on the Intardweb. Those look like they're laid down with just the right speed and heat.
Cheers!
Also, I think your welds look great! I've seen a LOT worse on the Intardweb. Those look like they're laid down with just the right speed and heat.
Cheers!