To start things off lets do a little back story. Bought the jeep back when I was 16 when it was more or less stock other than a tired small block Chev. Over the past 7 1/2 years I slowly built it into a more capable PNW style trail jeep. The last year of jeepin it started to become a bit of a hassle with tons of little things breaking/wearing out and I started to worry almost everytime I was gonna be "that guy". Never in its life having a full tear down, it was starting to show its age and I did my best to keep it together by strapping the frame after it broke, tied cage into frame, redid the suspension, etc. Anyways, here's the old girl.
TBI 350
Dana 44's F/R
t18
4.27's w/lunchbox lockers
Dana 20
Spring under rear with yj's
Spring over front front with toyota rears
Chromoly shafts
Redhead steering box
36 tsl's
All said and done I was able to lower the winch 3" and didn't have to extend the rails at all. Plan to turn some slugs and make my tow points at the ends of the front rails.
We're on the same page Jay! haha I left these corners open for drains, but the more I look at them I think they're almost too big. Thinking of plating them in and drilling some holes. Also want to "lighten" up the actual winch plate and make it look a little less blocky
Its been way to long since updating! Got wrapped up in a bunch of side jobs trying to help fund this heep... :shaking: Ordered radiator/fan, got myself 2 bumps for the front and need to pick up 2 more from a buddy, Solid Industries full float kit for the rear is in the mail, and ready to hit checkout on a Wide Open Designs driveline kit. In the mean time I cut my tacks and got the chassis sitting at ride height.
Top of the grill is 48 - 1/2" and with 6" of up travel.
Amazing work on the steering wheel, just like the rest of your project. You need to think about changing you user name. Nothing "Simple" about your build and talent required
Parts showed up! Original plan was as soon as my full float kit showed up I was gonna cut the Torino ends off my housing and slap on the spindles so I could finally roll the Heep outside. However, sorta need to finish the rear rails so I can at make some wood spaces to support at ride height. Unfortunately I didn't take a single pic on rear rails but I'll fill everyone in on them when I pull the tub back off and can get better pics on them.
I more or less didn't touch the jeep all weekend because I was preoccupied with thrashing to help get a buddies rig done for memorial weekend. I squeezed in a little Sunday evening and a little Monday during the day. Anyways, I'll cut to the chase and say a started working on a bumper haha Pics do a better job of telling the story!
Didn't want to replicate a slider and just slap that on the back because thats too mainstream :flipoff2:
Pulled the tub once again so snapped some pics of what i have going for the rear rails. My plan for the front of the rail is to have either have a piece of flat strap or a small pad that will be welded to the top of the 2x4 rail and bolt into the step in the tub.
Also changed up my plans to run two tanks under each seat to running it out back behind the rear seat. Will be even with top of the raised fenderwells and sink through the floor a few inches. Small tube work out back was to help maximize the size of tank I can run.
Going to be a very cool rig once complete! Capable as a buggy but with all the comforts of a jeep when those elements don't play nice up in the northwest!
Been getting antsy to actual get the rear end together so I can block it up and roll it out. Last week I finally found time at work on breaks and lunch to turn down my spindles to sleeve into the axle tubes. When I originally welded the housing I preloaded almost 3/8" and that helped bigtime in keeping it pretty straight. I turned the spindles down so they were 1/8" smaller than the ID of the axle to have a little wiggle room. On to pics!
Wish I would've taken more pics during but was racing to weld during lunch break. Beveled like crazy and ran a 250 amp TIG root with a nice and hot MIG cover to match the rest of the housing.
So the spindle is not an interference fit? 1/8” is a ton of room for that spindle. Relying on the weld to hold it in place is not going to fare well under abuse. It might work for a while but the whole point of the small interference fit is to give the spindle a solid mount with the weld merely acting as the locking feature to keep it in place as a secondary measure. Hopefully it works out for you but that worries me. Just my two cents, I design interference fits with TIG welds daily and we’ve never had good experiences relying on the weld as the main holding component.
I definitely see your concern, but if it was a true interference fit I don't think there would be a chance of getting the shafts in. The housing stayed relatively straight but definitely not perfect. Still plan to run 3-5 plug welds that will act at as pedestals to support further in the tube, but honestly just reassurance. Correct me if I'm wrong, but more or less all semi float flanged axle setups are a butt weld with zero interference and seem to hold up fairly well.
It doesn't matter if the shaft is bolted to the hub or splined into the hub, they are both full float if the bearings ride on a spindle and the axle shaft is not supporting the weight of the vehicle. Hence the term full float, because the axle shaft is essentially floating.
On a semi-float and C-clip axle the weight of the vehicle is supported by the axle shaft itself as that is what the bearing is attached to or riding on. The difference between them is that on a C-Clip axle the bearing is pressed into the axle tube and the shaft is retained using a C-Clip. On a semi-float axle the bearing is pressed onto the shaft and the axle is retained on the outside using a retainer plate. With the exception of the c-clip itself there isn't much difference in strength between the two. Semi-float just offers the advantages of not having to pull the cover and partially disassemble the differential to remove a shaft, plus if you do brake a shaft your axle (and subsequently your wheel) will stay attached to the vehicle. But in either scenario the weight of the vehicle is being supported by the shaft.
All that being said, I share the concern of the spindles not being a press fit into the tube.
Pirate never fails so I'm gonna lay it out for everyone :flipoff2::flipoff2::flipoff2: Would a interference fit been stronger? No shit. My number one concern was to have a as a straight of a housing as possible so I opted for misalignment. If it bothers you cool haha You're not gonna be the one having to fix it IF it breaks off. That being said, I've welded some sketchy stuff and have been astonished on what its put up with in the past and I'm leaps and bounds more confident in this scenario. Jeepdude_Jay and I will be sure to pose with the "trophy" to make all you haters happy!
In all seriousness, I appreciate all the feedback.
Please don't interpret my comments as hating. Your workmanship is beautiful and I don't believe you ever made a sketchy weld in your life.
Carry on.
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