Hi all,

I used a couple of tractor steering arms that have a joint similar to a johnny joint but not as good as a JJ. I picked these up from an AG Discount farming store here where I live. Anyhow they go from a 24-36" spread which gave me allot of room to adjust. I hacked the end off of one as you can see and welded them together. I also put an additional piece of tubing in for added strength.

The mounts on the 9" I made templates out of Cardboard and broke out the torch on some 1/4" steel.

The cross bar for the shackle set up is round with a piece of square tubing at each end that sits on top of the frame, attached to that is a flat piece of steel that is welded to the box tubing and is on the outside of the frame for welding purposes. I used one of the trackarm brackets that I cut off the rear-end to make the drop down for the shackles. (see second picture, dont know how to post two pictures in one post sorry) This bracket also has rubber bushings to help with vibration and articulation. Of course used an old set of shackles form the front of the jeep.

My 9" doesnt even budge, allows for great articulation. The tractor steering arms where $28 ea, the rest of the metal was laying around. I love it because I built it. Hope this helps out others that want to make one for there own use.

BlueYJ :cool2:

second picture

it looks good, i am next, i am going to use the tractor equipment as well

Looks really good.. good job.. Its nice to build stuff yourself aint it?
Scott :grinpimp:<><

Looks realy good... now make me one!:D

:massey:

Hey massey, it was pretty easy. just get a bunch of :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: :beer: and go for it.

BlueYJ :cool2:

I would weld up those holes before they fill up with water...

Looks great man! I have those same links sitting in my garage too, waiting to be cut up!
Few questions:
What paint did you use to paint it?
Can you take some pics of the way the cross member tube attaches to the frame? I'm thinking of a way of attaching it so it can be removed if needed. Did you just weld yours on? I guess a drawing would be good too if you don't have pics.

One more thing. What exactly the bar does when the axle droops? From the pictures it looks like the front joint is mounted close to the front spring hanger which is where it should be but doesn't the pinion rotated by the traction bar when the axle droops? Since the front joint can not droop, it can only move fore and aft plus rotate...

Also, what the fuck is up with this fucking floating dodge ad over the page?!! How do you get rid of it?

Hey Kut,

Here is the pics. I have a 2" body lift on my YJ. I didnt have enough square tubing thats why I used round. I put the square tube on the end so that it would sit on top of the frame and potentially take some of the stress of wanting to rotate away from the equation. You can see that I put the flat steel on the outside of the frame. This is the only place it is welded to the frame. I did this in case I needed to take it off at any given time.

When the axles droops during articulation the ladder bar forces the pinion to stay at the correct angle no matter what. Between the shackles, and the rotating joints this set-up works sweet.

Hope this helped. the flying Dodge finally went away. What the fawk was up with that.

BlueYJ :cool2:

Thanks man. But the most important: what paint did you use to paint it? :)

I know this design works well, particularly with CV shaft cuz it forces to keep the inline angle. I was just thinking that normally when a leaf spring flexes under droop it would only change the pinion angle slightly - whatever is allowed by the shackle - cuz both the front and rear part of the spring bends more or less evenly and the only angle change is created by the shackle extending. Imagine a revolver extending. It would keep the pinion close to the same angle during max droop therefore creating a positive angle at the pinion u-joint.
So from this I was thinking that this design would cause the rear half of the spring bend more than the front half. Anyways, who cares I guess the shit works is what matters.
I gotta get on making mine so I can finally take the 4" lift blocks out from the spring pack. My kidneys are talking to me... :)

huy Kut,

4" spring blocks, tell me your joking? I havent payed real close attention to the spring wrap difference from one vs the other. How gives a fawk it works, and when I mash the go peddle at full articulation everything stays put. Gota love it.

The paint is rattle can industrial grey from Orchard Supply. Good luck.

Why arent you in the garge now welding it up, what are you waiting for :beer:


BlueYJ:cool2:

Great work man, thanks for the idea. I will use that on my CJ when I finish the SOA.

JnJ

Originally posted by BlueYJ
huy Kut,

Why arent you in the garge now welding it up, what are you waiting for :beer:

BlueYJ:cool2:

Cuz I can't get it in, you dork! :) :flipoff2:
http://members.home.net/t.molnar/Images/rig.jpg

The 4" block ;) was a reference to the extra full leaf from a 4" lift pack I had to put in my pack to temporarily help with the axle wrap. It helped alright, but now my kidneys are bitching.

Again, thanks for the info. :beer:

Originally posted by BlueYJ
second picture

Nice work man... don't think I am slamming you on this but the crossmember you made is gonna bend/twist/break... My shackle end comes up from the skid plate which is 1/4" plate and it is bending the heck out of it. :eek

Just keep an eye on it closely........

Hey TPI,

Thats cool, then I will figure a way to make it bigger, badder, stronger. I need to get the welder out again, I am having withdrawls.

Hey Kut, dont really like being called a Dork :flipoff2: , so lower the air pressure and push it in. It is Mr, Dork to you :D

BlueYJ :cool2:

Originally posted by BlueYJ
Hey TPI,

Thats cool, then I will figure a way to make it bigger, badder, stronger. I need to get the welder out again, I am having withdrawls.


BlueYJ :cool2:

The problem that I see is basically you have created a lever and no matter how good your welds are they are gonna tear either the bracket or the tubing.. A little brace will do the trick....

Originally posted by TPIJeep


The problem that I see is basically you have created a lever and no matter how good your welds are they are gonna tear either the bracket or the tubing.. A little brace will do the trick....

Along these lines, just thinking here what if the shackle attaches directly to the tube with the joint below it? Basically turn it upside down. You could probably adjust the two rear ends to lower the front joint and weld some tabs that the shackle can connect to directly to the bottom of the tube. As long as the length is OK and the front joint is directly below the tube it should not torque it or twist it and if the tube bends you can always add a lengt of angle iron to the top of it.

:beer: :beer:

Hey TPI,

Where are you suggesting the added brace? I can see a conection point bending on the skid plate, but I have a hard time thinking that the crossmember is going to come appart like that. I guess I will find out after a few runs.



Hey Tup,

I originally had the shackles going down as you described, however for some reason I still got hella axle wrap. You cant see it but there are 2 brackets on the crossmember from trial and error.

Also before I connected the 2 arms as a ladder tried running them as seperate arms up to a dual shackle setup only to discover that this didnt work either.

Benn trying different things. Originally I had home made bar mounted to the spring u-bolt plate and then up to the side of the frame. This worked but my brackets fell apart after about 10 runs. So far this seems to work excellent. It will have to until I go to a 4 link set-up. That is for another discussion later on.

BlueYJ :cool2:

You would be surprised at the amount of torque generated at the shackle end of a wrap bar. At one time I was using a Ford Bronco radius arm as a bar, and just about bent that heavy piece of cast metal at a 90 degree bend at the end. I used a piece of 2"x2"x 1/4" square tubing with reinforcement tabs to the 1/4" skid plate. I have ran it pretty hard up through the hammers a few times, but Only had to mash the pedal a few times.
http://bbs.off-road.com/wwwthreads_uploads/53-567787-MVC-014S.JPG

Hey H8monday,

That is a hell of a beefy mount. I have seen it posted before. Do you have rubber or urathane bushing in all the connect points?

I think I will just start making one and change it over later on. Thanks for the input.

BlueYJ :cool2:

Originally posted by BlueYJ
Hey H8monday,

That is a hell of a beefy mount. I have seen it posted before. Do you have rubber or urathane bushing in all the connect points?

I think I will just start making one and change it over later on. Thanks for the input.

BlueYJ :cool2:


I use the 1" sleeveless poly bushings at the "Goofy Shackle" joints, to keep the overall size of the chackle as small as possible.
At the axle end of the bars, I use 1 1/2" poly bushings.

Originally posted by BlueYJ

Hey Tup,

I originally had the shackles going down as you described, however for some reason I still got hella axle wrap. You cant see it but there are 2 brackets on the crossmember from trial and error.


I can sort of see something. So, are you saying that originally the top of the shackle was attached to the cross member and the bottom of it to the bar? And you still had axle wrap? I'm just trying to see why... I mean, theoretically, it shouldn't matter if you restrict the bar's vertical travel from above or from below it should have the same effect. I was planning to use the bar-below-crossmember design but this puzzles me...
Maybe I need more :beer:

Originally posted by BlueYJ
Hey TPI,

Where are you suggesting the added brace? I can see a conection point bending on the skid plate, but I have a hard time thinking that the crossmember is going to come appart like that. I guess I will find out after a few runs.


BlueYJ :cool2:


I was thinking along these lines, just to add some more welded surface area to spread the load a bit.... I tend to overbuild stuff I am sick and tire of things breaking....

Hey Tup,

Yes that is exactly what I am saying, I dont know why either so rather then drink to many:beer: :beer: :beer: pondering the reasons I made it the way you see it today.


BlueYJ :cool2:

Hey TPI,

Good idea, I am the same way I like to think that I over build rather then under build. Been stuck in the boonies one to many times.

After a while you just like to get a project done. But that is the weakest link......good bye.

Thanks
BlueYJ :cool2:

After some more :beer: I think I figured it out. It has to do with the force vectors. With the shackle hanging down from the cross member as long as it is in line with the force vector it should be fine but as soon as it moves to the side (like when the axle droops) it will create compound angles for the forces to act as a lever to flex the cross member. This effect does not happen when the bar end of the shackle is above the cross member end. So, I think I'll build a low cross member also and point things up. And have some more :beer:
Oh and who the hell is Tup, anyway?

dam tuk, exactly drink more :beer: :beer: :beer: .

Thats right though, during axle drop the shackle are worthless. When pointing up everyone is happy, even my wife.

BlueYJ :cool2:

Just a side note. What did you get your front HP D44 out of?

the HP 44 is out of a 78 ford bronco. Had it retubed because of the casting that are on this one they couldnt be ground off. So the long side I had shortened 3 inches to make the width WM to WM 64" to match the 9" in the rear. Actually not done with it yet so still have the D30 in the front, no driveline, so that I can drive it around.

BlueYJ :cool2:

Are the waggie D44s HP also?

NO, just the early model Fords for 44's and late model 60's.