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Took the jeep out yesterday with the new sway setup, works perfect. I replaced that heim on the upper link frame side, and my wobbles have almost all but stopped. I get something in the steering wheel occasionally know while getting up to speed, I won't even call it a wobble it's so faint. I'm betting its just tire balance or alignment that got whacked from the loose caliper and the severe DW I had.
Over the past couple weeks I've been helping my brother start to piece together stuff for his build. We talked about what he wanted for his jeep, and decided on a HP30 front and an 8.8 for the rear, sound familiar haha? He wants to build his more budget friendly, so after going over a bunch of options, we decided that we would keep the OEM LSD in the 8.8, and for the front get an Aussie. After doing some thinking I kind of wish I had gone Aussie for the front and saved the money over the Zip. I love the Zip, don't get me wrong. But if I'm honest, I only ever use 4H/L off-road. I have yet to use 4H/L in a city/highway/dd setting. Even in heavy snow I've managed without using it. That and the LSD in the rear would make up for it.
I want to give a shout to Cora at Torq-Masters/Aussie for the awesome deal on the d30 locker. Being a local company to me, I got a special deal on it that pretty much made up my brothers mind on what locker to choose for his build.
So within a few days I found a HP30 from a 94 a couple miles away on CL for $80 for my bro. Got it home, had it sandblasted, and had a few things welded to it: coil buckets had sever rot so had those patched, I already had the Poly Performance weld on sway links, so I gave those to my brother to use since I wasn't going to (he decided he wants Serious UTK steering, so the links will help with the beefier rod and 1T TRE), had some plate welded to the OEM track bar hole, and had some mini skids welded on. The mini skids, if you look, are actually the spacers that come with HD Engineering's No Lift Shackle Relocators haha. I didn't use any spacers when I put the relocators on my jeep, so I had those laying around and they fit PERFECT.
If you look at the third photo above, how the spacer fits on the control arm mount, it hangs off the back side and doesn't touch the axle. Well a mini skid is useless unless it fully boxes the mount and ties into the axle. So my genius idea was to just create a stress cut on the plate with an angle grinder, then hammer it down until it touched. Then weld it all. End result: perfect mini skids, that my brother got for free. I had these damn things laying around too when I bought used JKS mini skids from a forum member for my build. Oh well haha.
Finally got around to installing my CB antenna thats just been rolling around my jeep for the past few weeks.
I wanted in centered in the back, and not offset; i would have installed it offset if the center option didn't work out.
I found an "L" bracket that's meant for mirrors, it was stainless steel, and was $5 shipped. Got it in today, and it fit perfect where I wanted it: Rear tire carrier, right in the middle between carrier and hatch. After mocking it up so I was 100% sure it would contact the rear wiper, I drilled two holes and tapped them. Then just bolted everything up!
In the last photo you can see the clearance between the wiper arm and mount/antenna, plenty of room!
This is a cool build, you are doing everything I want to get done on my XJ I just need to find the time. I was looking at those Vision X pods since I was impressed by the headlights they make when i installed them on my XJ. What beam pattern did you go with on the pods?
This is a cool build, you are doing everything I want to get done on my XJ I just need to find the time. I was looking at those Vision X pods since I was impressed by the headlights they make when i installed them on my XJ. What beam pattern did you go with on the pods?
Welcome!
And yes time is everything. I'm lucky enough to have plenty at the moment haha. Those pods are the 10* beam. They work well so far, I play with them every time I go out at night. I didn't know they made headlights? Befor you buy from anywhere though contact Erin/Eric at Rockridge 4WD (vendor section), they can almost always beat any price you see for the Vision X lights!
Got the oil in the diffs changed out today. Gear guy said to do around 500mi on the new gearsnthen change the oil; I did 650mi. Oil looked good and speckled as it should, changed both out in about an hour, used regular 75/90. I also used RTV, as I always do. The gear guy gave me Felpro paper gaskets, never used them before but after using them I would run them again, they didn't leak one bit. However I still ended up having to scrape them off the covers.
Also got around to installing my Dirtbound U-bolt bump plates, and the Prothane progressive bumps for the rear. I started another thread on progressives and got some good info. If the contact on the frame becomes hard enough that it dents the frame I'm going to plate the frame, and might even do it anyway:
I would have liked to mount them to the frame and use another spring perch as a contact pad on the axle, but as you can see in the pic I had to make up a lot of bump, and for the price of the plates I just decided to get them.
Also trimmed that little piece/flap in the back that was contacting my shackles at flex. I might have a bead put on it, as I don't know if the two pieces that are now separated are critical at all:
you every look into lube lockers? always re-usable
Yeah I had them on the jeep before I broke it down for rebuild. Had one for the 30 and the 8.25. They were definitely nice and I reused them a few times, and I never had a problem with them. I sold them with the axles. Just decided to use rtv as I had a bunch already.
First real snow fall of the year for where I live, got a chance to really play with the lockers:
Did one way with fresh snow, no tracks, in 2wd. Jeep didn't even feel like it needed 4wd. I could feel the LSD engaging both wheels. Then played with the front a little.
So not being terribly happy with where my fire extinguishers were mounted (1lb and a 2.5lb), I am going to experiment with a mount meant for seats with removable headrests, even though mine aren't.
I present, Safari Straps fire extinguisher seat mount:
I bought 2 from Morris 4x4, got them to price match the cheapest place i found, and give me free shipping with whatever Presidents Day deal they were running. Almost cheaper than buying one from other places.
Most likely going to just use a regular strap and loop around the top part of my normal, non-removable, headrest seat. With 2 I will be able to have two 2.5lb extinguishers within arms reach.
Also, too impatient to wait for these 33x10.5 BFG AT's to wear, and can't find a full size spare in the old KO style. So I am most likely getting the MTR with Kevlar this weekend in a 33x12.5. I checked them out in person and liked what I saw. I did a bunch of research too and should be happy with them, as long as I keep up maintenance on them.
The MTR's run truer to size as well. My 33" BFG measures 32" actual. The 33" MTR was about an inch higher sitting next to the BFG; unmounted and without weight though.
I've also been looking at the Duratracs, AND the KM2's.
MTRs are a great tire as you've discovered. I have run KM2s on two different rigs and I have them on my XJ, it's a stick with what works type of thing. I'm a big fan of either though.
Only negative on the km2 at all is the fact they run short for 35s.
MTRs are a great tire as you've discovered. I have run KM2s on two different rigs and I have them on my XJ, it's a stick with what works type of thing. I'm a big fan of either though. Only negative on the km2 at all is the fact they run short for 35s.
Yeah that's what I'm reading a lot of on BFG's in general. If I were to get the KM2 I'd prob jump to a 35 now as the actual measurement is anywhere from 33.5-34.5 haha.
I've only ever driven BFG AT for my entire life of driving, my family loves them so for the first few years of me driving and on my first vehicle that's what I had. Then just assumed they were a good on and off-road tire from then on.
I'm excited to branch out. If I find I hate these MTR's or wear too quick, I'll try the KM2 next.
Subbed, flipped through quick. I'm about to embark on a complete build up too. Where abouts in Buffalo are you? I'm right outside the city off Clinton st
02-08-2016, 01:14 PM
