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Didn't do anything over the weekend. Got almost all of my parts cleaned and ready for paint ! Going to paint tomorrow while I install the new ball joints. Should bout have the front end wrapped up in a couple days.
Finally got the calipers painted. Should get them back together tomorrow. Was going to paint the knuckles, but I decided to wait to try the KBS paint. I should get a good bit done tomorrow.
Today was going pretty good. Got my splash shields painted. Cleaned up the knuckles and wheel bearing hubs. Cleaned up the axle ends, control arms, shocks, sway-bar and tie rods. Only thing left is to put my calipers together, then just put it all back together. But I can't , because I had to find a new "C"clamp to replace the one that bent ! I found one on ebay. A nice used, older OTC, made in the U.S.A. ! Got it for $35 shipped ! As if that weren't enough , I opened my new front rotors, only to find that one was damaged !!! So, I'm waiting on that too ! I went ahead and ordered a new track bar bushing, it's coming. So tomorrow I'll be changing the tranny gasket, filter and fluid. Then run the long brake line to the rear. After that, replace the short tie rod end of the drag link, them install the new ZJ steering tierod upgrade ! Still have plenty to do till the parts get here ! Should go together pretty quick !
Ready for assembly !
Driver side.
Passenger side.
Also waiting for SSTL brake line clips from England !!!
Didn't do a whole lot today. Mounted my new vanity plate, " XJ 99 " , cleaned off the original dealership decal. Mount a plate up front. JEEP, the two E's replaced with dog paws ! Then removed the JEEP letters just in front of the hood, they were messed up anyways. Was fartin' round waiting for the mail. It came late in the day, but was what I was looking for Got my replacement "C" clamp, so now I can install my ball joints ! Also got a new poly track bar bushing, plus a new bottle of beard oil !!! Tomorrow should be a blast !!! Been looking forward to putting it back together ! Will update each evening!
I didn't work for very long, but accomplished a good amount ! Installed all four new Spicer ball joints. They went in like butter ! Thanks to my OTC "C" clamp. Then I installed the knuckles, no problems at all. Then I slid the axles in. Installed the dust shields and wheel bearing hubs. I used anti-sieze on everything, and reduced the torque specs by 25%. Gave the hub faces a good shot of white lithium grease. Cleaned up my parking brake cable adjuster and the rear brake line clamp on top of the axle. Everything went like clockwork today. Should be the same way tomorrow. I just have to put my calipers back together, install the rotors. Probably get the tie rod ends all done too. Be moving to the rear for the ZJ disc brake swap in a day or so ! Really looking forward to it !!! It's all coming together nicely ! Will take more pics as I go.
Wasn't going to do anything today, but I just had to do this just to see how it looked !!! So, I finished my front caliper rebuild, put it back together and mounted calipers and rotors.
Passenger side, Centric coated rotors.
Passenger side. Sprayed white lithium grease on the hub face !
Rebuilt! Fully loaded with Akebono Ceramic Pro Act Pads !
After, I did both sides, I started looking at the track bar and the drag link bar. I've already replaced the Steering Damper. Was just going to replace the track bar bushing and the drag link end. But after looking at them closer, can't decide to upgrade or just put it back as is with the bushing and tie rod end? Waiting for brake line mount brackets, so I decided to wait till I get those to position the banjo bolt fittings and soft lines the best way ? So tomorrow I may just slap the ZJ upgrade steering tie rod, put the wheels back on up front, tighten the tranny pan bolts to torque, top off the fluid, do some cleaning underneath. Clean up my tools and work area, get reorganized to start on the back axle and brakes.
Last edited by CRLAMBERTJR; 08-20-2018 at 08:46 PM.
That looks sweet too !!! I noticed that the bracket/clamp, on top of the axle for the brake line,,, only has two holes. I hadn't looked at mine closely, I assumed that someone had broken off a bolt ? Your soft brake lines, how did you mount them at the bottom ? I am using all Inline Tube products. My adapters have a 5/8" diam. They're designed just like the line attaches to the long hard line. Push through a bracket, then secure with a clip. Is that what you're using ? Did you weld the tab/ bracket to the axle ? I bought a good dbl flaring tool set. I want to run mine as clean and out of the way as possible. The kit I bought was prebent. The back lines across the axle run all the way to the backing plates. I'm not sure wether I'll shorten and re-flare the lines or bend them ? I bought straight and 35 degree banjo fittings to experiment with. Can you send me close up pics of the mount and connections on the axle ? Also like to see the back side line routing if you don't mind? I am planning on using the Russell's clip mount tabs that bolt on. Wish they came in SSTL ! I was planning on mounting them to the spring plate or one of the spring u-bolts ? Would be really clean to mount to the axle tube. I don't see any reason why I couldn't drill and tap it for the mount ?
Whew! Lots of questions lol... I'll answer as best I can from memory. I don't have the Jeep anymore, so I'll have to see if I can find/edit/zoom in/crop some of the pics I already have.
Originally Posted by CRLAMBERTJR
That looks sweet too !!! I noticed that the bracket/clamp, on top of the axle for the brake line,,, only has two holes. I hadn't looked at mine closely, I assumed that someone had broken off a bolt ? Nope. The axle only had two holes for some reason. Doesn't really need all three though, to be honest. All it's doing is just holding that line in place and it doesn't move around on its own, just making sure it doesn't get snagged. When you're wheeling. Your soft brake lines, how did you mount them at the bottom ? All I did was just bend the hard lines downward toward the bottom of the tube, then attach the soft lines to them and send them up over the top to where they connect to the calipers. Worked out well and kept them out of the way. The tire sticks out enough, there's no fear of snagging them on rocks or anything. I am using all Inline Tube products. My adapters have a 5/8" diam. They're designed just like the line attaches to the long hard line. Push through a bracket, then secure with a clip. Is that what you're using ? Nope.. see above lol... I'm po folk, so there's not a lot of money that was spent. Pretty much just did things the most effective way possible without spending extra money to do so. Did you weld the tab/ bracket to the axle ? No, but that's a perfectly viable option. The way I did it, however, there wasn't a need for it. I bought a good dbl flaring tool set. I want to run mine as clean and out of the way as possible. The kit I bought was prebent. The back lines across the axle run all the way to the backing plates. I'm not sure whether I'll shorten and re-flare the lines or bend them ? Just bend them, man. As long as you're not too sharp with your bends, they won't kink and it will work perfectly. I bought straight and 35 degree banjo fittings to experiment with. Can you send me close up pics of the mount and connections on the axle ? Also like to see the back side line routing if you don't mind? I'll see what I can find for ya, bud. I am planning on using the Russell's clip mount tabs that bolt on. Wish they came in SSTL ! I was planning on mounting them to the spring plate or one of the spring u-bolts ? Yeah, I've seen a lot of guys do that, if you've got 'em, definitely do that. Would be really clean to mount to the axle tube. I don't see any reason why I couldn't drill and tap it for the mount ? Yeah, you could... just make sure you do it at the top to avoid potential leakage or contamination of the diff fluid.
Barring just zooming in on that picture (didn't realize it was that blurry, sorry), these are the only other pics that I could find that might show you what you're looking for...
This was a bear !!! I never in my wildest expectations thought that this would be so tough !!! I finally figured it out !!! Do yourself a favor, take it loose from the frame first ! And make sure you have a ratchet strap on hand to pull it back into position, only after you have fastened the axle side first !!! Now I know !!! Anyways, here's a pic of the new track bar bushing. I replaced the bolt and washer with new grade 8. O'Reilly's didn't have it! Had to go to Lowes !!! I even cut up a tin coffee can to make shims, (inside the sleeve) for the bolt on the axle end. I just felt that it was too sloppy a fit with the 3/8" bolt. But I had to use that size to reuse the OEM nut with the tab that sticks out which can be welded if you like.
I ordered what I thought were black bushings. But I got the blue ones and they are what Moog is selling, so, I'm good with that !
After I did the bar, I decided to just torque the pan bolts on the transmission to 10 ft lbs. Seems like a lot to me ! How in the world, can you break one of those transmission pan bolts at 10 ft lbs torque ??? I did !!! Tomorrow should be a breeze ! Have to install the ZJ steering tierod upgrade, hook up the soft brake lines, finally got my mounts in. Plus I'm going to put abutment clips on my pads up front. The front, will be officially done by tomorrow evening!!! Then it will be on to the rear end !!!
Last edited by CRLAMBERTJR; 08-24-2018 at 06:12 PM.
Ok ! Finally got the front finished! Everthing in the front is new or repaired. Didn't see anything wrong with the drag link, so I cleaned it up and reinstalled it. The tie rod end of the track bar looked good, so I just replaced the bushing on the axle side. New steering stabilzer, new poly sway bar bushings ad Dorman fixed end links, new ZJ upgraded steering tie rod, new wheel bearing hubs, new axle u-joints, new JK shocks and bushings, rebuilt the calipers, new rotors and pads, new SSTL brake lines, replaced the proportioning valve from the ZJ, all new ball joints. Greased everything. Only thing left up front are the OEM control arms. I took a bunch of tires and wheels to the tire store today. Now I have the new American Racing AR23 wheels ready with new Hankooks. I believe that I am just going to get a new set of black steel wheels and some off-road tires later. I'll have two sets, business and pleasure ! Only thing left to do up front, is check the alignment and bleed the brakes. Center the steering wheel. Plus I have to fill the transmission fluid. I'm going to replace the plastic slingers with the tube end seal, put a new Lube Locker gasket on the D30 and change the grease. Next will be moving on to the rear axle. ZJ Disc Brake Swap, Lokka lunchbox locker in the 8.25. New axle tube bearings and outer seals. New Lube Locker gasket and grease for the rear end. This shouldn't be that big of a deal ! I think I may be able to knock it out three days tops, at my snail pace ! Will update as it goes !!!
Abutment clips and instrctions
FATBOY, BEEFY, ZJ steering tierod upgrade. Moog and Spicer parts.
Abutment clips !
Driver side SSTL brake lines ran. 0-4\" Inline Tube parts.
Close-up showing abutment clip orientation.
Passenger side brake lines. Used a 35 degree banjo fitting. Points the soft line, right at the next connection at the mounting clip.
Last edited by CRLAMBERTJR; 08-25-2018 at 09:28 PM.
Today went surprisingly well ! Was only going to top off the transmission fluid and get the rear end up on stands and remove the tires. But I kept pluggin at it ! Got the axle pretty much ready to start putting everything back together. The drum brakes and hardware were so bad, I just grabbed my biggest pair of channel locks an started ripping out the springs and keepers !!! The second side only took about ten seconds to remove !!! LOL Started to go ahead and install the axle bearings and seals, but some dufus sent me the wrong axle bearings !!! It's always something !!! So I just called it a day and quit early. Tomorrow will be mostly cleaning and prep work. I have to finish the rebuild on the calipers, clean one backing plate and grind them both to fit the axle, then put the new parking brake parts back together. Drive the old wheel studs out and install the new longer ones. Then going to clean the necessary areas of the axle before I put it all back together. I bought new bolts to replace the old backing plate retaining bolts, but actually mine were in really good shape ! If they're long enough, I'm considering re-using them. If I get all of this done, I may go ahead and install the LOKKA !!! Will update each evening !!! I'll have to say, this little project has been a cake walk !!! I'm still waiting for the Evil Jeep Demons to raise thier ugly heads !!!
Not too big a hurry today. Waiting for the correct axle bearings ! Took the studs out of the axle tube. Cleaned up the ends. Ground the backing plates to size. Finished cleaning them up and assembled the emergency brake parts. Then I drove out the old lugs from the axles and installed the new longer ones. Started cleaning up the differential cover. Decided to quit early, just too hot !!!
08-13-2018, 07:12 PM
A Little More Cleaning!
