My Heep build... Rear axle wrap?
 

Suggestions on what I should do next maybe performance wise. I run 35/12.5/17 has a cold air intake + intake spacer. Currently over hauling the entire front end! Putting in a grand Cherokee front end as well as a matching rear 3.73 rear with disc all the way around. Has tube doors, 7" lift in front with drop brackets adjustable uppers and lift lowers. 6"in the rear. Rides smoth as can be but have creaking when I pin the gas, axle wrap? Had any one done anti wrap bars? Or an easy fix. I also have a 2" tranny drop. Just hate the
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You may want to re think those grand cherokee axles, zj, 1993-1998 have low pinion fronts that are weaker and either Dana 35 or aluminum 44 rear axles, neither will bolt in. Wj axles 1999-2004 are also low pinion up front with weird axle u joints that are weaker than xj 30s. Wj Dana 30s do have better steering and brakes however but they don't bolt in to xj front suspension. Wjs also use the same rear axles as zjs and also won't work under an xj without heavy modification. Plus 3.73 is hardly a gearing upgrade, you should be running at least 4.56 if not 4.88 gears with 35s.

I have no problem with my gearing. I actually did the the Dana 45 swap a while back due to having a bad time with drums/ having 2 8.35 whining as all hell. I had to get a front lp Dana 30 because the scarce hp 3.73. I have called every salvage yard and would be cheaper in many ways to have a lp than buying a new carrier and ring and pinion. I get city 18 mpg with 3.73 gearing and have decent pick up.
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Well not sure how that worked but you're axle wrap is probably from those huge lift blocks and cheap shocks, I would get rid of those ASAP before you break a leaf spring

Only has a three inch lift block with 2" shackles, the rear axle was stripped and mounted shock mounts and leaf perches. What are the best shocks to run? I have sky zone h20 shocks in the rear right now.

Blocks are bad on Cherokees. Even a 1" block will cause problems on these; they aren't built like full size trucks. Yes, you can build a traction bar. But you won't need one if you take out the blocks and get full lift springs instead. Next project should be removing that 2" transfer case drop and installing an SYE before you finish killing your motor mounts from the stress of running at that angle.

Not trying to be mean here, but you're running a pretty big lift which you took shortcuts to finish. That's the right way to clean it up so it works the way you want.

X2

I have a sye and after market mounts to lower the motor. Hardly any ends were cut short. A lot of money poured into my jeep... Could a bad tranny mount cause that creeking ?

What's a decent lift spring for the rear? Cheaper but still holds quality

if you have an sye, you should ditch the t-case drop. it's very well possible that the mounts cause the creaking, but if you replace them don't continue using a t-case drop.

"Hardly any ends were cut short" yet you're running 6" of lift on short arms and blocks.. i'm not one to criticize someone for not going all in with their jeeps, but with some research it's easy to figure out 4.5" is the max you want to go with short arms, and even with drop brackets ideally over that amount of lift you should get long arms. then you have blocks in the back, that's the worst you can do to lift the rear. ditch the blocks and look into shackles and most likely new leaf springs for that amount of lift. blocks will increase the axle wrap for sure.

edit:

i'm happy with my rubicon express, people also often suggest OME (old man emu) or Zone.

Thanks! Would love to do long arm kit but again not in budget. The drop arm kit and adjustables haven't done me wrong. I only trail ride in Florida so nothing but tree stumps sugar sand ect. Any brands of leaf springs??

NewClown pretty much nailed it for you.


Don't take this the wrong way but I'd like to know the reasoning behind the route you took to modify your jeep the way you did. You have an SYE but are also running a Tcase drop as well as these lowered motor mounts? None of that makes any sense. Sounds a lot like money was just thrown around for a plan that wasn't well thought out. 7 inches of lift is a ton for a short arm even with drop brackets. Don't even get me started with the lift blocks.

A quality lift leaf spring is going to cost you some money. But no shortcuts were taken so that shouldn't be a problem. If you honestly plan on actually wheeling this jeep, you zigged instead of zagged on this build.

When I got my first jeep I totaled it and bought a roller and transferred the motor trans and transfer case and just swapped everything over. Had the sye, and transfer case drop and never had a problem. I personally put the drop arm kit on it and bumped the blocks up from 2" to 3". I finally just bought adjustable uppers. The rear is only 5" lift not 6".
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What's the down fall on having a 6" lift without long arms?

Flex