1 Ton XJ Build......

SwamperXJ

Active Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Location
Greensboro NC
Ok guys, let me start this off with the reason for the build.... I bought a 91 Cherokee last year for a build with stock axles, and to run 38's (Insane but possible) So I started the build off....... I used the factory open dana 30 HP/dana 35 C-Clip open and regeared with 4:56 gears. Decided to do a whole Custom DOM Long Arm Kit with Johnny Joints and a Custom 3 Piece Crossmember. The Lift was a brew of 9" Rustys Coils with 3" Poly spacers, the rear was 8" leafs with 3" blocks, which ended up nice and level F/R. Its Roughly a 12" Lift.
Ran This setup for about 6 months/went to URE/Local Trails without any problems, then got offered a set of mild built stock axles to swap in, so I took the deal. Front dana 30 HP with 4:56 Gears/Lockright Locker/Chromo inner & Outer Shafts/Spicer Joints. Rear was a Dana 35 Non C-Clip with 4:56 Gears/Lockright Locker/Stock Shafts. This setup worked great UNTIL I started shearing ring gears completely off, after the 2nd ring gear died, I replaced it one last time. Once this was done, it was great for a few months on the trails around here, UNTIL I went to URE again. Thats when all hell broke loose. It started when my rear locker exploded, following that I started to beat on it to get up the ledge, thats when both front U-joints Exploded and sheared the Ears off the inner Chromo shaft, then Sheared the Shaft and Splines off the Short Side Chromo in the carrier, and twisted the Long side splines. At this point I just needed to get out of the trail, and when trying to do this, both passenger Side ball-joints sheared off and the wheel folded under the Jeep. Needless to say, we dragged the jeep out from Daniel on 3 wheels.....
This is the reason for the 1Tons. I got tired of dumping money and getting nowhere. Start Date 1/13/12.
Feel free to chime in during the build.
Parts so far for the build:
-Dana 60 Kingpin front
-14 Bolt FF rear
-Eaton Detroit No Spin Front Locker
-Dana 300
-42x15x15 TSL's
Still waiting on more parts to arrive.
I'm going to post pics and details as we go along and try and keep everyone updated.
Heres pics of the jeep before the build and during the teardown.
ai115.photobucket.com_albums_n284_tofsttobeslow_jeep8.jpg

ai115.photobucket.com_albums_n284_tofsttobeslow_jeep3.jpg

ai115.photobucket.com_albums_n284_tofsttobeslow_jeep4.jpg

ai115.photobucket.com_albums_n284_tofsttobeslow_jeep2.jpg


Starting the teardown...
ai115.photobucket.com_albums_n284_tofsttobeslow_jeep9.jpg
 
Its a horrible idea keep the tiny danas.....


Sent from my Tapatalk using iPhone.
 
Any thoughts on how you'll tie it all to the tin can?

Build sounds awesome, I've got a 60/10.25 sterling at work I've been dying to throw under one of my jeeps for a long time.

I know if I were gonna throw tons and 42s under one of my XJs and planned on using it, there'd quickly be a subframe, relocated shock mounts to hoops of some sort, etc going on.

Maybe comp cut the rear 1/4s, do something to open up the front of the rear wheel well up a bit more? I think where you can trim a fender or rocker and lose some lift height, the better. That rocker is easily replaced with some 2x4" or 2x6" steel. Between tons and 42s that's a load of weight down low. Might as well take advantage and keep the COG as low as you can. You could probably cut your lift height in about 1/2 - 3/4 and run the 42s, esp since they're gonna be on fullwidths.

Don't know jack about how you've got it set up now but the tie rod and track bar look to be made of moo, beef is always good. Just wondering does the track bar tie into the long arm x-member or back to the "frame" via another bracket? Does the long arm x-member attach to anything but the folded sheetmetal framerails? Does your front bumper tie into your steering box?

I'm not tryin to be one of those chicken-little types telling you your rig is gonna fold like a taco, XJs will handle a shocking amount of abuse. But personally I'd be doing something to think about isolating the suspension/steering and recovery forces from the body. With XJs that pretty much means really spreading the load out across the uniframe or making a ladder-type subframe to base everything off of.
 
So it begins Jon. Plan on an endless amount of unibody bracing, interior cage probably need to lower it down and do a lot of trimming.

You've got a nice headstart on parts collecting.
 
SwamperXJ said:
Archdukeferdinand said:
Any thoughts on how you'll tie it all to the tin can?
Don't know jack about how you've got it set up now but the tie rod and track bar look to be made of moo, beef is always good. Just wondering does the track bar tie into the long arm x-member or back to the "frame" via another bracket? Does the long arm x-member attach to anything but the folded sheetmetal framerails? Does your front bumper tie into your steering box?
But personally I'd be doing something to think about isolating the suspension/steering and recovery forces from the body.
Click to expand...
Where the Crossmember mounts to the frame is 2ft of L-Channel Steel which is welded directly to the frame, and the crossmember is welded to that. I plan on running Bolts Directly through the L-channel right through the frame and putting plate steel on the back to Sandwich it for strength. All the steering is .250 wall DOM with Chromoly Heim Joints, which is getting reused on the Tons. The Long Arms are also .250 wall DOM. The bumper is welded directly to the frame and bolted for added strength. I plan on Plating Alot where the steering box is. The Track Bar is running back to the frame also, which I plan on plating, bolting, and welding. So the overall plans for bracing are going to be plating, sandwiching, welding, and bolting. I had no problems for 2 years with my previous setup, but it wasn't Tons, so I agree with you on the bracing, its going to be a MUST.... I plan on tying everything together with an internal or external cage, not decided yet.
Click to expand...
 
XJfreakHO said:
So it begins Jon. Plan on an endless amount of unibody bracing, interior cage probably need to lower it down and do a lot of trimming.

You've got a nice headstart on parts collecting.
Click to expand...
I Plan on doing a nice, clean, comp cut in the rear. Debating on the exo cage or just an interior cage, depends if I feel like bending a ton of tube or not :lol:. I dont know if Im going to drop it yet, still cant make up my mind.
 
Chevy 60 and 14 bolt, gonna have to run a Dana 300.

Interior cage will do more for strength than an exo. I would do interior cage and a few exo bars too. Spiders tied into cage, tube fenders tied into from bumper, a bar from sliders over the hood.
 
im working on chevy 60 and14 bolt now. i think my 300 is clocked up to high so my front shaft maxes out to quick.

are you going to do a triangulated 4 link or a 3link with panard bar?
 
userbmx1315 said:
im working on chevy 60 and14 bolt now. i think my 300 is clocked up to high so my front shaft maxes out to quick.
are you going to do a triangulated 4 link or a 3link with panard bar?
Click to expand...
Im running a triangulated 4 link. The T-case sounds like it might be to high, especially since your at a crazy angle like that. I havnt mocked mine up yet, but im probably going to run in to something along those lines also.
 
XJfreakHO said:
Chevy 60 and 14 bolt, gonna have to run a Dana 300.

Interior cage will do more for strength than an exo. I would do interior cage and a few exo bars too. Spiders tied into cage, tube fenders tied into from bumper, a bar from sliders over the hood.
Click to expand...
Already got the 300 laying in the garage, forgot to list that. Also running twin stick setup on it, and line lock rear (Griggs Idea) for front diggs.
 
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