Brown santa showed up today. :thumbup:

Gonna be a long night after work in the weld / fab shop.

http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/7007/1104091703.jpg

So I finally got some time last night to start working on my front axle. I'm going to a 3 link so I do not need one of the upper links. I am building custom cross over steering, and a custom track bar, so I cut my factory track bar bracket off and the bracket for the steering shock. Drilled my knuckles out to a 5/8" hole. I built a custom track bar bracket. Built a new bracket on the passenger side to replace the one I tore off wheeling. So here's some pics:

Cut the old track bar bracket off, I won't be needing it
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/9145/1104091935.jpg

Passenger side upper link gone, won't be needing it anymore.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/237/1104091935a.jpg

Cut off my sway bar brackets, the passnger side one will be in the way of my new steering when it's done.
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/5955/1104091935b.jpg

Control arm bracket torn off.
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/1819/1104091937.jpg

Cut some new brackets out.
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/323/1104092042.jpg

New track bar bracket.
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/557/1104092205.jpg

Left the mount longer than needed.. hopefully. I'll have to adjust my track bar angle to match the drag link so I left it a little long in case. I'll cut it down once I know where my hole needs to be.
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9128/1104092252.jpg

Drilled to fit a 5/8" bolt. :D
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/4640/1104092313.jpg

Some thick wall tube... should be plenty strong.
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/9616/1104092333.jpg
http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/2408/1104092336.jpg

Drilled some new holes for the control arm.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/7630/1105090033.jpg

And that's as far as I got last night. Next will be to finish the other end of the arms, build a cross member, and bolt it all up. :head:

So, as usual, another weekend with a list of honey-do's so long I barely had time to sleep. In between projects I did get the T-Case pulled out. (1/2 hr. job) Pulled the rear bumper off, started doing a little cutting, trying to decide how much I want to cut out of my quarters. I love the look of a comp cut, but I feel if I cut too much I'll have to lower it a couple inches to make it look right. My Dad dropped a hood off a Liberty he was putting a motor in, so I fixed and painted the hood. He in turn is going to do my SYE. So one less thing I have to worry about.

I'm also still toying around the idea of full widths. Then i'd have to sell my axles, wheels, and tires. Anyone want to make me some offers on them?

Maybe you guys can throw out some ideas, pics of comp cuts or severely trimmed XJ's.

Well here's a couple pics...

T-Case out....
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/220/1106091535.jpg

http://img694.imageshack.us/img694/1152/1106091253a.jpg

http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/2111/1106091253.jpg

This the best pic I can find of what i want to do with the rear. i think mine will be similiar. My axle will be a few inches further back than this, I think that will help fill in in the larger wheel well. I want the inner wheel well to angle out more at the top, Hopefully I can get some time and start cutting soon to give you an idea of what I really have in mind.

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5967/dsc0043t.jpg
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5051/dsc0006hq.jpg

Well, I changed my mind again. This time it's for good, Full widths here I come. Went and picked this little axle up yesterday....
https://img132.imageshack.us/img132/7950/1115090735.jpg
79' Dana 44. 4.88 gears, Full detroit, heavy wall DOM tie rod and drag link with 1-ton CHev tie rod ends, a superlift adjustable track bar, warn hubs. Everything recently gone through and the axle looks brand new! :headbanger:

sweet build im subscribed

WOW
 

That is a great looking jeep, even with the ugly things it had on it before it looked great. and now after the facelift and everything, that is a BEASTLY lookin rig. Hopefully mine will look that good soon enough. Anyway, mad props dude thats a sick ride. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

I've been too busy lately to really make a ton of progress. I did get the SYE installed and the Case back together, had to purchase new shift forks as mine were shot and ready to take a dump on me. Also picked some Pre-Runner front fenders, these should help the tire cover on the front while running no flares.

Here's a couple before and after pics of the shift forks.

Attachment 392815

Attachment 392816

Attachment 392817

Attachment 392818

Fenders....
Attachment 392819

T-Case....
Attachment 392820

Hopefully some real progress in the next week, I want to get the 44 under the front bad.

That thing's gonna be a BEAST! (as if it wasn't already) Keep up the good work!

Further proof that an XJ is never done. Amazing build thread man, keep it up. SUBSCRIBED!

Do you have any pictures of this open. Very nice by the way.

[QUOTE=X1994J;338693]I've been too busy lately to really make a ton of progress. I did get the SYE installed and the Case back together, had to purchase new shift forks as mine were shot and ready to take a dump on me. Also picked some Pre-Runner front fenders, these should help the tire cover on the front while running no flares.

I switched that crappy aluminum shift fork with and 88 steel shift fork cause i shattered that thing when a leaf spring bolt came out and drive line stuffed the transcase.

Alright, well things are finally starting to roll. Having this thing drivable by the last week of January is my goal.

Monday night I finally re-installed my t-case, about time since it's been done for like two weeks now.
After I had the T-Case bolted up back into place I decided to work on the spring hanger with the broken off bolt in it. I didn't look like too much trouble to simply remove the hanger by simply drilling out spot welds and using an air chisel to peel it back, so back to the famous saying that Uni-Bodies suck.. here's what I ended up with. :o

Attachment 392821

Spring Hanger...
Attachment 392822

I am going to clean things up, re-plate that area, remove the broken bolt and nut, re-weld a nut to the back side of the mount and weld everything back into place. Shouldnt be too bad. Once that is done I can bolt in my leafs backwards, hang my 9", and measure for a rear drive line.

Look what showed up yesterday for the 9". :headbanger:

Attachment 392823

And my gears have been here for a week now. If you remember the front is already geared and locked, so once I get the spool and gears finished the axles are close to done.

I got ambitious last night again and decided to tear the 9" apart.
Attachment 392824]

The ring gear is not much bigger than my 8.25 was, the 9" axle shafts are much bigger than I expected. Compared to my 8.25...
Attachment 392825

And standing side by side...
Attachment 392826

So hopefully I'll have the gears installed thursday, get the 9" hung on Friday and hopefully get my stiffeners welded up. Next thing i'll need to get done after that is the cross member so I can mock up the front axle and arms.
:headbanger: my brothas.

Dang holidays. i didn't get crap done this weekend. Here's a shot of the new spool and gears going together for the 9" I was glad to get these out of the way. Cant wait til these holidays are over, then it's on like Donkey Kong!

Attachment 392827

And done....Attachment 392828 :head: