Project Piss Off My Neighbors and Set My Condo on Fire

[gregj50]

Looks awesome Trevin!! I gotta come down and check it out! Its nice to see someone just jump in on something alot of us want to do and not worry about people flaming em !!

[gtxracer]

Originally Posted by gregj50

Looks awesome Trevin!! I gotta come down and check it out! Its nice to see someone just jump in on something alot of us want to do and not worry about people flaming em !!

Thanks Greg! Wish I could have made it Kevin's to hang out and see the new TIG but we had to get drunk Your rig is next Come down any time, booze are on me. Your wife/kids are welcome too...we got a Sega. hah!

All I've been doing the last couple days is fighting the pitman arm and collecting tools and parts. 5/8 drill bit, sawzall blades, pitman puller, etc. The puller is still sitting on the steering box with PB Blaster soaking. Still hasn't really budged.

I did make progress on my lower control arm bushings. I ended up having to cut them out with the sawzall. After that they just pressed in easily.


The Rusty's forged 2.63" joint, in it's bare form. 1-1/4" RH threads.


All done with the carnage in the background

[climbit]

where did you get that billet ptiman arm? anyone make one with enough drop for an XJ?

[gtxracer]

Originally Posted by gtxracer

Got a chance to do some work today. Just ordered one of these-
http://www.hipoparts.com/products/NA...ering-Box.html

edit: they're only available with a small drop and straight arm. No idea if anyone else makes one but I doubt it's anywhere near that price.


edit again: I just went out to the shop to get something. Messed around with the pitman arm again and was tapping the bottom of the puller when the pitman arm just popped right off. Glad I had the nut on there still

[climbit]

damn... I was hoping you got one from somewhere that specialized in offroad stuff... they would probably have a better drop.

[gtxracer]

GenRight is the only other place I know that makes a blingin pitman arm. Otherwise I'd say just got a regular drop arm. Or fix the crappy angles of the stock box.

[gtxracer]

Snapped a pic of the three pitman arms. Billet on top, stock TJ in middle, Waggy on bottom


After thinking of how to beef up my link bridge I started making side braces and some cool ideas to put dimples in it, blah blah. Then it hit me...use the three holes already in the pumpkin and tie it into the diff.


After I burn in the link mounts I'll tie them into this gusset and add some side braces over the axle tubes




Still waiting on my swirl ring from Longevity. I think the snow had something to do with it. Should be in my mail box when I get home.

[gtxracer]

Swirl ring came in...school was cancelled today. So I had no choice but to work on the TJ

I spent the better part of the day cleaning up a bit and then dove head first into removing the front track bar mount from the frame. I had given it 10 minutes with a cut off wheel after the plasma quit and I told myself I wouldn't touch it again until the plasma was up again. Girlfriend snuck up on me and took some pics



I hate this thing...as I'm sure most people do. Small cutoff wheel, BFH and chisel go a long way to removing this thing.



Then I bolted up the billet pitman arm, got the axle in place, and tacked in the spring retainer. Then I mocked up the entire assembly at full bump to check for clearances now that the path was clear. I shouldn't have to bend the billet arm. I want a flat straight track bar at ride height so I can't completely build it until then. UPS is showing all my parts from Dirt Fab to be here tomorrow...which is also a snow day

couple pics...I can post more if anyone wants to see a certain angle

[pcoplin]

Make sure you pull the foam bumpstops if you're setting full bump. It'll compress most of the way to the cup on hard impact.

Also, Rusty's joints and rubber bushings? Haven't you learned anything from our builds?

[gtxracer]

Originally Posted by pcoplin

Make sure you pull the foam bumpstops if you're setting full bump. It'll compress most of the way to the cup on hard impact.

Also, Rusty's joints and rubber bushings? Haven't you learned anything from our builds?

Hey Paul! I was thinking about the foam bumps and I really hope they don't compress much. Just by design with stock suspension, shocks, and bumps, it would mean the top of the diff would smack the lower radiator hose and cause damage.

The Rusty's joints were free...so were the bushings. So I'm gonna run 'em Didn't feel like dumping another $250 on joints right now.

[SLOWPOKE693]

I'm in the process of setting up a friends YJ with a 3" stretch, coilovers and a 3 link and I also was shooting for a flat trackbar.......

Closest I could come was a +3 degree angle with the steering box rotated flat, and using an OTK steering setup from JCR Offroad. The trackbar and steering link end up at -4 degrees at full bump (5" up travel).





BTW........ Is that a rug on your garage floor that your plasma cutting on????

[gtxracer]

Originally Posted by SLOWPOKE693

I'm in the process of setting up a friends YJ with a 3" stretch, coilovers and a 3 link and I also was shooting for a flat trackbar.......

Closest I could come was a +3 degree angle with the steering box rotated flat, and using an OTK steering setup from JCR Offroad. The trackbar and steering link end up at -4 degrees at full bump (5" up travel).





BTW........ Is that a rug on your garage floor that your plasma cutting on????

Shag carpet

Thanks for the info on the 3 link. How much room do you have at full bump between the frame and axle tubes? I have about 3" when just touching the bottom of the foam bump.

[pcoplin]

Originally Posted by gtxracer

Hey Paul! I was thinking about the foam bumps and I really hope they don't compress much. Just by design with stock suspension, shocks, and bumps, it would mean the top of the diff would smack the lower radiator hose and cause damage.

Definitely account on them compressing quite a bit. Stick them and the cup in a vice and see how soft they really are. Better put a small puck extension above the cup or on your bump pad.

[pcoplin]

ALso, I don't see how you are going to get a flat track bar when using the y-link steering. Are you going to hi-steer?

If you are going to hi steer you have to watch the draglink and trackbar clearance at the frame. Mine has some angle to it at ride height (~4inches of lift) and gets close at the frame, but I don't have crazy uptravel. I have 2 inches or so poly bumpstop extension.

[Hickeyjones]

Is there some kind of flaw with Rusty's forged/rubber bushed joints? Or are they just not hardcore enough this build?

[SLOWPOKE693]

Originally Posted by gtxracer

How much room do you have at full bump between the frame and axle tubes? I have about 3" when just touching the bottom of the foam bump.

The YJ frame is a bit different in the front than a TJ, but I have about 3.5-4" of clearance at full bump.

I'm going to the shop in a little while to work on it. I'll try and get a few good pictures of the track-bar and steering setup and some measurments for you.

[gtxracer]

Originally Posted by pcoplin

Definitely account on them compressing quite a bit. Stick them and the cup in a vice and see how soft they really are. Better put a small puck extension above the cup or on your bump pad.

Now I see what you mean. Maybe I can find some longer or stiffer ones before I hit anything fast or rough.

Originally Posted by pcoplin

ALso, I don't see how you are going to get a flat track bar when using the y-link steering. Are you going to hi-steer?

If you are going to hi steer you have to watch the draglink and trackbar clearance at the frame. Mine has some angle to it at ride height (~4inches of lift) and gets close at the frame, but I don't have crazy uptravel. I have 2 inches or so poly bumpstop extension.

Not going histeer but can you elaborate? I didn't see anything getting in the way at all. The track bar is above the steering all the time so that's why I'm confused.

Originally Posted by Hickeyjones

Is there some kind of flaw with Rusty's forged/rubber bushed joints? Or are they just not hardcore enough this build?

They're still rubber bushings is what I think he's saying...

Originally Posted by SLOWPOKE693

The YJ frame is a bit different in the front than a TJ, but I have about 3.5-4" of clearance at full bump.

I'm going to the shop in a little while to work on it. I'll try and get a few good pictures of the track-bar and steering setup and some measurments for you.

Awesome, thank you. Still waiting on UPS guy but I got some progress made on gussets and little stuff. There's a good chance tomorrow's classes will be cancelled too. If I still have power...gonna fab through the weekend and push to get it on it's own weight.

Also found a 120 argon bottle...need to pick it up.

[EricsGreen98Tj]

Man with my little Tj on 33's fully stuffed those OEM BS will compress almost all the way into the cup....

Daystar makes some bumpstops like the OEM ones but they are poly and are bout 4" in length..they dont compress as much as the factory ones either and you can cut em down to suit you needs.

[gtxracer]

I think I'm going to just make a small bumpstop extension after I figure out final uptravel.

[pcoplin]

Originally Posted by gtxracer

Not going histeer but can you elaborate? I didn't see anything getting in the way at all. The track bar is above the steering all the time so that's why I'm confused.

I'm just saying you're not going to get a flat track bar with y-link steering, if you're installing it properly.

[SLOWPOKE693]

Back from the shop with some pics and measurments for ya......


This is the YJ at ride hight. 23" from bottom of frame to floor on 37" tires. The track bar and the steering link are both at 4 degree angles and are both 32" long center to center. I was shooting for a flat track bar also, but I would have had to move the steering box even furthur down on the frame to get steering arm to sit level at ride height.



This is at full bump. 5" of uptravel, 18" from bottom of frame to floor. Track bar and steering link are at a -2.8 degree angle. The Frame side track bar bracket almost hits the top of the axle truss and the axle side bracket is up against the frame (it will be notched and plated here). Moving any of this stuff up or down to get a flat track bar angle at ride height will create alot of clearance issues at full bump, and wasn't worth the extra hassles IMO.........





Hope this helps

[SLOWPOKE693]

Originally Posted by pcoplin

I really like your 1 ton TRE axle side track bar mount. Do you have a build thread or some better pictures of how its mounted at the inner C?

[gtxracer]

Now I get what you are saying Paul. I want the track bar to be the same length and angle (as close as possible) to the drag link.

He has some pics but I'll let him post them up. He has a very clean setup!

[pcoplin]

I didn't mean to clutter up your thread...


I drilled and reamed a chunk of 3/4, then welded it on with 3/8 plate that I contoured to the inner C.







Blaine did the inserts on the WJ knuckles. Fantastic job, he tigs in 7/8 chromoly tube that he reams to the small taper.



Doing it again I would have run a single shear hiem a little inboard and a little higher so I could have tucked up the frame side trackbar mount. It's the limiting factor in my uptravel.

Full bump:

[gtxracer]

Well....UPS didn't come today. Bummer...but there's a lot of snow and ice that has slowed down everything around here. Oh well...today was another snow day. And they just emailed us....so is tomorrow

So I spent a part of today's garage time cutting wood for the fireplace in case the power went out. After that I got started on the rear bridge support. Came out well.



Three 7/16 bolts will hold it to the diff near the pinion and I will be drilling four 7/16 holes for plug welds in the bridge itself. Then a vertical 1/4" wall gusset will tie into the entire support all the way up into the two link tabs which will also have supports.

Then I wanted to add a little "flare" to my project. Something I can put a little extra work into that will set my rig apart. I still needed lower coil retainers, so I use some of the 10g aluminum that has been just sitting under my workbench.


Then knocked out some 3/4" holes and dimpled them. Gave it that brushed look and cleaned it up. Not sure if I want the dimpled side down or up.

this side up?



or this side?