jbennett

Thanks!

Thanks, the angle was at a perfect 45, measured with an angle finder. It was too high in the shackle boxes though, there was very little up travel before bind. I lowered the shackles to the lowest hole and raised the spring mount in the upper shackle hole. Seems to have better travel now and still a good angle. Once I get the lift done and bumpers and tire carrier and everything loaded, I'll check it all again. I'll probably end up with different shackles in the end, but it's a good start for now.

Picture isn't a great angle, but it's on it's own weight here, minus a couple hundred lbs, so it will sit a little lower once it's done.

jbennett

I made the much dreaded trip to the junkyard today. Wow, what a horrible experience!! Not because it was hot and humid, but the damn employees are idiots and have no idea what customer service is!! Only one guy finally stepped up and made things acceptable and I was able to walk away with my WJ knuckles and calipers. Glad to have these parts, now I'm committed to doing the upgrade. Picking up some DOM tubing in a few days, then I need to figure out how I'm going to tap them and decide what TRE's I'm going to use.

Still a lot of homework to do on this swap and a lot of other things to do before I really dive into it. Trying to decide what wheels will work without spacers and without too much trouble. I want 15" aluminum, not sure if that will happen though.

Anyways, here's what I got today, nothing special, but been looking for a few months and finally found a good donor vehicle.

MWMahoneyJr

Nice update. Clean XJ!

jbennett

I've been working on the front end for the past month and I finally got wheels and tires. I was having trouble deciding on 15" or 16" wheels. I really wanted to stay with 15's, but decided to go with 16" to be sure the WJ calipers and offest TRE's clear the wheel. Overall I'm pretty happy with how they look so far. I went with LT305/70R16 Mastercraft Courser MXT's and Pro Comp 1069's, 16x8 w/4" backspace.



I pulled the front axle and I'm trying to do everything I can while it's out and I have clear access. I figured I'd change the rear main seal while the axle was out, it made it pretty easy having the axle out. I was surprised to find some of the oil pan bolts only hand tight and two of them were loose, not even hand tight!! It wasn't leaking though, so that's even more surprising. I'm also changing the oil filter adapter o-rings, they weren't leaking, just figured I'd do it since it will probably leak sooner or later.

The steering gearbox looks to be leaking pretty bad, so I ordered a seal kit for it and I'll try and re-seal it and see how that goes.

I also trimmed the front fenders, cut off the lower control arm brackets and installed the front frame stiffeners. I didn't take any pictures until I was finished.

Passenger front frame stiffener


Trimmed the lower control arm bracket, didn't completely remove them


Passenger fender trimmed


Drivers side bracket trimmed


Drivers frame stiffener done


Drivers side fender trimmed


The rear end is high here, it should sit much lower once it's on all 4 wheels

jbennett

Front axle is next, I ended up finding a high pinion D30 with 4.10's out of a YJ and decided to make it work. It is a disconnect axle and I think I'm going to use the two piece shaft so I can have 2-low. If I don't like it, I can always put a one piece axle in, but I think I'll use 2-low a lot around here, we'll see.

I cut off all the brackets and prepared it for the Iron Rock truss. It has the coil buckets built in and I bought the HD lower control arm brackets.





The truss is made for non-disconnect axles, I had to trim it for the disconnect housing


The YJ axle doesn't have the upper control arm bracket, I had to make few brackets to weld it to the truss as I didn't want to weld it to the pumpkin




Truss installed along with C-gussets and lower control arm brackets








I still have to figure out how I'm doing the track bar brackets, I'll have to mock the axle up a few times, it seems that everyone does this differently for the WJ swap. I'm thinking of going with this Genright frame side bracket, anyone have any other suggestions?

jbennett

This front axle/WJ swap has been kicking my ***!!!!

Finally seeing some light and hoping everything comes together with no issues as I think I've worked out all the fitment issues I've had with nearly every single mod I've done on this axle!! I hope all this work is worth it.

The upper link hits the floorboard before my shocks would bottom out, so this might be limiting up-travel with the CavFab kit. Anyone else have the upper arm hitting?



Long story short, I wasn't planning on running a sway bar, but I wanted the option available. No way to make stock set up work with my custom frame track bar mount. Bought a universal Antirock kit and I think I've made it work, but everything hasn't been mounted at once, so we'll see if everything clears as I start assembly.





Custom over the axle track bar mount and you can see the sway bar link mount just over the knuckle and below the starter in this picture. Hoping everything clears.



Custom frame mount bracket for track bar, it extends in front of the coil spring to get a little length on the track bar. I should be within about 2"-2-1/2" difference in length between drag link and track bar.

TFitzPat87

Nice work! Looking forward to seeing how all this works out!

cbs_24

Awesome XJ!

mrshaft696

Nice build, I understand using the yj axle for the gearing but I would have ditched the vacuum box (2 piece) and just went with a 2 low kit. You have to run smaller u joints with those shafts too? (260x), no idea what kind of wheeling you do but with the tire size I'm sure you will break a few.

jbennett

Thanks, me too!!

Thanks, can't wait to get her on the trails!

Thanks, I've heard hit and miss things about the 2-low kit. Main reason for using this axle was cost and availability. I was looking for months and months and they were either crazy asking prices or just plain not available. I actually almost preferred getting the disconnect axle just for the 2-low capability, I can always do a one piece axle, but don't think I'll need it. This is out of a '95 YJ, so it has the 760x ujoints, no issues there.

jbennett

She's on her own weight for the first time in months!! I like the stance overall, I think I want the back a little lower and the front will probably sit a little lower after the bumper is installed. I think everything is clearing so far, hard to articulate without a forklift, so I'll probably have to wait to check everything until I get it out on the trails. Still a lot of work to do before it's on the road though.











Track bar mount bolted up, I will weld it once I know it's done. Just clears the spring.



Should clear the sway bar arm, still have to add the rod end, I think there's just enough clearance.

Jeepology

Looking good. Maybe I missed it, but what frame side track bar mount are you using?

jbennett

Thanks, I made both track bar brackets from scratch, it wasn't fun! Redesigned them half a dozen times before everything finally cleared and angles were right or close enough!

jbennett

I installed the calipers for the first time yesterday and of course, they don't fit!! Funny thing is, most write ups I read said that using newer XJ hubs with Explorer sport trac rotors need to shim the caliper away from the knuckle for it to be centered on the rotor. Well, mine was too far away and the pad clips were rubbing the inside of the rotor. I either had to shim the rotor away or somehow get the caliper bracket closer to the knuckle. I chose to file the knuckle down where the bracket mounts. I spent at least an hour filing and took about 1mm off the knuckle and the pad clips clear the rotor now, so I think I'm good!



Hard to see, but that's the pad clip touching the rotor





Also had to clearance the stop on the brake hose mount as I'm not using Cherokee hoses, I think they are for an older Chevy c/k, not even sure, I can get part #'s if anyone is interested.

jbennett

Finished a few things up, bled the brakes and figured I'd drive her around the block. No lights, no shocks, no muffler, no bumpers, but couldn't wait, had to get a feel for the steering and check for bump steer before I finalize everything. She bounced up and down a ton since there were no shocks and there was ZERO bump steer. Good sign so far, I can't imagine it will ever drive any worse on road, so I think I'll weld the track bar bracket and tighten all the bolts and call it good.

I have to say, in just the short, slow, around the block drive, this thing drove beautifully! Compared to my last XJ, this just felt a million times better around the block. Now we'll see if that changes with shocks, sway bar and getting it on the highway, but I'm pretty confident it will only get better. There were a few little noises and something was loose up front, but I didn't tighten all the bolts on the steering and suspension, so hopefully that goes away with final torquing of bolts and joints.

It got dark by the time I washed all the months of grinding dust on the poor girl, but I got one picture that turned out ok.



I should be getting a muffler tomorrow and ordered front shocks, still need to order rears, not sure of length for rear, need to figure that out quick. I need to modify the sway bar location a little as it rubs the tire at full lock. Still need to build front and rear bumpers and tire carrier and need to do some interior work/projects. She's getting close though, I might be able to drive her on the road soon, really just need exhaust and shocks. She can't be ready soon enough, it's finally cooling off here and coming into prime wheeling season, hopefully be out on the trails soon!!