SW VA XJ's/MJ's, Roanoke/NRV to Bristol, post up!
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,516
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From: va
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: i-6 4.0
Hadfield ran a D-44/9" combo on his XJ and beat the living **** out of it for years. He snapped all 4 shafts on different occasions so be prepared to upgrade to alloys if your hard on the skinny.
His D-44 had the radius arm wedges on it so he made some custom long arms that adapted to the radius arms so it was basically a 3 link front end. It worked nicely.
He sold it but here was his rig;
Here are the arms, its the best pic i could find. They are ford radius arms mated to DOM and Johnny Joints at the frame mount. They are fixed length and the caster angle was corrected as it would be on a ford.
And I'm planing on aloys starting out so I should be fine for shafts I hope
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 647
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From: Roanoke VA
Model: Cherokee
Thats not Hadfield, he doesn't have a Jeep at all now, hasn't for about 9 months.
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 4
From: va
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: i-6 4.0
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke VA
Model: Cherokee
I used to have a Toyota pickup and was familiar with his products and reputation in the off road community, but I didn't know he was the man behind RCV as well, or that he had recently passed away(RIP). I broke both shafts and ujoints in July at Harlan and it is worth the price tag just to not have to tear down the front end again and again. My jeep did fine when I had A/T's on it, but the Baja Claws have been blowing up parts like crazy! I've read through hadfields build in the past and I like a lot of the things he did, I really want a 3 link up front, but my fabrication skills and understanding of suspension geometry are too rudimentary to feel comfortable tackling it without assistance.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 647
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From: Roanoke VA
Model: Cherokee
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke VA
Model: Cherokee
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 4
From: va
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: i-6 4.0
Anyone wanna run boblets soon? I know its not pots, but it is a lot of fun, and a good way to break stuff in and test it out? I can probably get parsnip to go for sure
CF Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 1,050
Likes: 2
From: Roanoke, VA
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 647
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From: Roanoke VA
Model: Cherokee
I'm putting my trail rig up for the winter, today, or I would go. I probably won't drive it again until spring.
CF Veteran
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 2,516
Likes: 4
From: va
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: i-6 4.0
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 647
Likes: 0
From: Roanoke VA
Model: Cherokee
Well I have 5 other Jeeps and F/R lockers make for some squirrely driving in the snow/ice. I played with it the first winter that I had it done but its just not needed in the winter
The trail is closed now so i just put it up until spring. If I'm not driving it or wheeling it then I wont have to work on it. I put it on charge, put a drop light against the block on the drivers side to keep the engine warm and cover the whole thing with a tarp.
I drive my Hemi Commander in the winter and my wife drives her little barbie Wrangler.
The trail is closed now so i just put it up until spring. If I'm not driving it or wheeling it then I wont have to work on it. I put it on charge, put a drop light against the block on the drivers side to keep the engine warm and cover the whole thing with a tarp.
I drive my Hemi Commander in the winter and my wife drives her little barbie Wrangler.