92 XJ project

YJJPWrangler87

YJJPWrangler87

New Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2006
Location
Raleigh
Well, the time has finally come to start the buildup on Amanda's(xjgirl92) cherokee. The specs will be: Rusty's 6.5 leafs for the rear, RE 4.5 Coils up front with a custom 3link kit and 33's to start off with. We still need shocks, extended brake lines, most likely gonna do a RE HacknTap
Heres what we started with...
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We built the LCAs at a friends house, he did all the welding for us. Hes built race cars/dune buggies all his life...so the welds shouldn't break...Welding up the LCA Mounts
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And here is the LCA mount with the RE builder ball mounted in it
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After we fabbed them up, we bolted them up to the unibody
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_RandomPics034.jpg


After that we stitch welded them into place. After the LCAs were mounted, we started to fab up the one UCA mount...since its a 3 link, if the top link fails..buh bye front axle. We had planned on making the RE Joint horizontal but couldn't b/c it hit the DS so we came up with another idea to run it vertical...Here is the UCA being fabbed up. It will be held on up 3 grade 8 bolts that bolt through the unibody.
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_RandomPics036.jpg
 
After fabbing up the UCA it was time to drill the holes...we used 3 existing holes that were already in the Unibody..so we had to drill 3 more
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_RandomPics035.jpg

After all this was done, we took the jeep back to Amanda's shop and proceeded to tear off the rear suspension while the control arms are being built. Even Amanda helped out:bounce:
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Here are the "new" 6.5 leaf springs compared to the old ones
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_RandomPics054.jpg

And this is where we are as of Wed. Night.
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_RandomPics055.jpg

Will update as work is done.
Zack and Amanda
 
I would be concerned with those bolts ripping out of the frame without some stiffners for the upper arm. I am getting ready to do mine as well and ordered some frome stiffners from TNT customs to strengthen the frame. That is a lot of abuse on the frame and that metal is weak. At least that is what I have been told. I am not taking any chances as I know what it's like to be broke on the trail. Did she get tires yet? I might have mine for sale in the near future.
 
No tires yet...that did occur to us as those bolts ripping out..we haven't bolted it up yet...but it would be pretty easy to plate the outside of the unibody.

Zack
 
looks pretty similar to the RK 3-link minus a few bolts... I would seriously put a plate on the outside frame rail. Otherwise those bolts will just pull though the thin walls when tightened.

What mine looks like:
plate002.jpg


Also, just curious, has the person you are building this for ever wheeled? If not, this seems like a pretty extreme setup for the first time out. Just wondering...
 
yeah amanda has pretty much maxed out the abilities of the stock xj...shes actually a really good driver, so this setup should work out for the best...it will be a 75% Trail only type vehicle..so it won't see much road time.

Zack
 
dumba** says what?

I dont mean to be hateful but it sounds to me son you dont know what in the world you are doing....i have been rebuilding jeeps for off roading and restoration for 37 years and i think you are gonna kill that girl in that jeep. in every one of your post you dont know what you are doing asking for help on everything.....do you really think you should be doing this yourself? sounds like you need a real mechanic.....
 
chiefcherokee51 said:
I dont mean to be hateful but it sounds to me son you dont know what in the world you are doing....i have been rebuilding jeeps for off roading and restoration for 37 years and i think you are gonna kill that girl in that jeep. in every one of your post you dont know what you are doing asking for help on everything.....do you really think you should be doing this yourself? sounds like you need a real mechanic.....
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ok listen...maybe i wasn't born with the end all knowledge of jeeps and offroading...we all have to start somewhere right..sorry i don't have 37 years of experience in the field...I have spent 4-5 MONTHS just researching how to build it. I know what will happen if this setup fails, so does she. Thats why I haven't gone and slapped it together in a weekend. I have been planning and gathering parts for MONTHS..i have been modeling this kit after my roomates RK kit. Tell me..do you think RK would manufacture a kit that would be unsafe...Yes I have been asking questions about various types of control arm setups....why? b/c I am more familiar with leafs. The guy doing the welding? 40 yrs + experience building turn key race cars and dune buggies. I didn't take this step without knowing what COULD happen and she hasnt either. I'm trying to build this so that it will be the safest that it can be. What a great first post BTW, if one of the more experienced members or whoever on here sees any design flaws in this plan..please speak up..but not with dumaass ur gonna kill her and everyone else..get a real mechanic...but with helpful tips and suggestions....

Rant over.


edit...no oneton...no tires yet...whatcha got?
Zack
 
chiefcherokee51 said:
I dont mean to be hateful but it sounds to me son you dont know what in the world you are doing....i have been rebuilding jeeps for off roading and restoration for 37 years and i think you are gonna kill that girl in that jeep. in every one of your post you dont know what you are doing asking for help on everything.....do you really think you should be doing this yourself? sounds like you need a real mechanic.....
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people like that piss me off .. lets see some pics of your builds
 
chiefcherokee51 said:
I dont mean to be hateful but it sounds to me son you dont know what in the world you are doing....i have been rebuilding jeeps for off roading and restoration for 37 years and i think you are gonna kill that girl in that jeep. in every one of your post you dont know what you are doing asking for help on everything.....do you really think you should be doing this yourself? sounds like you need a real mechanic.....
Click to expand...
so i see you are new here you should shut-up and sit in the shadows for a bit
 
chiefcherokee51 said:
I dont mean to be hateful but it sounds to me son you dont know what in the world you are doing....i have been rebuilding jeeps for off roading and restoration for 37 years and i think you are gonna kill that girl in that jeep. in every one of your post you dont know what you are doing asking for help on everything.....do you really think you should be doing this yourself? sounds like you need a real mechanic.....
Click to expand...


OK hold on.. PLEASE Explain to me what he has done wrong so far on this build??

All he has done ( or atleast showed us ) is they made some hangers and that is it.. the rear on an XJ is leaf sprung.. and he is not using any lift blocks so how is he gonna screw that up...

Please explain ..
 
BRUISER said:
OK hold on.. PLEASE Explain to me what he has done wrong so far on this build??
All he has done ( or atleast showed us ) is they made some hangers and that is it.. the rear on an XJ is leaf sprung.. and he is not using any lift blocks so how is he gonna screw that up...
Please explain ..
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Thats what I want to know too...what exactly have I done wrong..PLEASE tell me what I am doing wrong or what you THINK I am doing wrong...:shaking: :shaking: and yeah bigwaylon a few yrs ago RK was bad quality but their new 3 link is good stuff.
 
yeah rk's new stuff is pretty bad ass. i wish rubicon express would come out with some high clearance stuff so that i could upgrade before i even finish my current build.

i probably need to go over and check on all of zacks work to make sure he isnt screwing anything up. :)
 
highrollintj said:
yeah rk's new stuff is pretty bad ass. i wish rubicon express would come out with some high clearance stuff so that i could upgrade before i even finish my current build.

i probably need to go over and check on all of zacks work to make sure he isnt screwing anything up. :)
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This coming from a guy who has been working on his stuff for......5-6 months maybe?:lol: :lol:

Zack
 
6 months to be exact, and yeah if i didnt have so many set backs and problems with things that i could not control then yes i would have been done a long time ago :fuck-you: :fuck-you: :fuck-you:
 
look here all i gotta do is walk 2 feet to where you are sleeping and kill you in your sleep. haha
 
I think what you have so far is exactly like RK's kit. The welds look a little buggery but thats not a big deal as long as you have good penetration but not burning through. Just curious.. how much do you have/will invest in these Longarms? RK's kit shipped is around $400.00.

I think a better approach to the hangers would have been to break the steel as opposed to welding it but I guess its as strong.

Im sure in the next few posts this thread will break down into a RK bashing but after installing their kit over the past week or so it looks to be really good quality and fit together amazingly. I know they had a bad design 5-7 years ago but it seems like its improving.

If I had the time to do it over again I would just have gone coilover though... Maybe next winter...
 
for now...all we have invested is...234 bucks...so its coming in way under RKs kit...pics are misleading tho....welds are good...good penetration and all that...it WILL hold.

Zack
 
Hey dude! Looks good, keep up the good work! Who cares what anybody else says, if they want to come do the work, hand them the tools!! I bet you'll get no replies!
 
chiefcherokee51 said:
I dont mean to be hateful but it sounds to me son you dont know what in the world you are doing....i have been rebuilding jeeps for off roading and restoration for 37 years and i think you are gonna kill that girl in that jeep. in every one of your post you dont know what you are doing asking for help on everything.....do you really think you should be doing this yourself? sounds like you need a real mechanic.....
Click to expand...


Are you the girlfriend's dad???

That's the only logical explanation I can see for this :lol:
 
hey man i've been viewing your posts and your stuff looks okay. I have held several accounts with this forum and other jeep forums for a few years now and I have seen some real idiots and I have seen some really good ideas. I hope maybe I can give you some insight on what you might run into and can stop before it happens. I have a CJ7 and a Cherokee. I put a homemade 6" lift on my XJ and I had some trouble with it. I am a licensed welder and do custom machining. Like you said the welds will hold, but other parts do not do so well. When the suspension gets under stress as I found out about 3 months after installation stuff snaps. I snapped 3 grade 8 bolts and the UCA mount bent and broke off one side. I also had trouble getting the universal joint to work. I tried about 5 different ones and it just wouldnt do right. I wish yal the best with your project!
 
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