Getting the axle TB bracket welded on today. Little sneak peak of how it will sit, note garage floor has a slight slant:


Getting nervous haha. This thing hasn't been moved since May, and I've done a lot in that time. I hope all my research pays off.

 

I'm excited for you, I think you've done well.

 

Waiting for the steering and axle to dry before I put it all back together. Then pull it out of the garage for the first time since May 2015!

 

So still waiting for the steering to dry. It's a little colder out so I want to give it a day or two.

Also ordered OEM front upper bump jounces from the dealer @ $80 for the pair. WAY more than I ever wanted to spend on a pair of rubber bump stops, but if they fit then I'll be happy. Not going back to poly that's for sure. And dot want to deal with progressive. And the 4 Crown ones I ordered were all loose.

 

Picked up the Dealer bump stops today. There is an ever so slight difference in girth to them. The Dealer ones fit in the towers nice and snug. For whatever reason Crown's replacements are not molded correctly, and even though many have had good luck with them, I couldn't get 4 different ones to fit properly.

 

i dig this build a lot so far, i want to do a full axles off deal like this when i do my ls swap

and the name of the build kills me hahaha

 

Thank you haha! I've been grateful to have the time to actually do it all at once like this.

 

Got everything put together. Pretty happy with how the steering came out, I'm just nervous about bumpsteer for my DD duties. I don't think it will be too big of a problem until I head off-road.








Pending help from a friend to bleed the brakes, I should be able to pull it out of the garage for the first time since May and take it to the end of the road and back!

 

Steering looks good, should be smooth. I'm not a fan of gravity bleeding brakes, but you could do that alone or get some speed bleeders =)

 

I always use the hand vacum bleeder, its sooo easy and cost like 20$ at HF

 

I just don't trust any of the other methods, I know they work, but no substitute for having someone pump the brakes while I physically see the fluid coming out of each caliper. I may shoot over to HF though if my friend ant make it today.

 

Looks really good. Dig the build. What knuckles are you running?

 

I did the WJ swap, using the OEM knuckles and calipers.

 

Nice. That's something I've been considering, although I did just get a ZJ steering setup. Would be strange to run ZJ y style steering on WJ knuckles I'd think. Been watching this build since you sold me that half hooligan light bar mount. Looking really good. Keep up the good work.

 

So, I'm super pumped. Backed her out of the garage for the first time since May 2015! Took her for a spin to the end of the road and back, and even down an old railroad access road. First impressions, AMAZING. The WJ brakes up front, and the Ford 8.8 discs in the rear were very responsive. I didn't want to lock it up too much as it was bouncy as heck with only springs and no shocks. It did sit a little lower in the rear, and I fear when I add a spare it will sag more than I want, so I will be adding back on the leaf I took out.












Something I didn't notice before, because it was never really on its own weight, the shackle contacts the frame. The pic below is when it was flexed a little, but even at ride height there is only 1/2" of a gap. After looking at the angles I've come to the conclusion that its because the HD Engineering relocation brackets move the mount hole forward a couple inches, thus leveling out the shackle angle a little. So to combat this, I'm going to cut off the little lip on the frame, add that leaf, and see where it sits after that, and maybe use the rear most hole. Plus it won't be as bad with shocks on, but will still most likely contact.


Overall I am super stoked the brakes, the steering, the lockers, everything seems to be very functional and correct.