JK and K5 build threads Bc you can never have too many toys

[iwaxmyjimmy]

What are your thoughts on behemoth? I've been debating between them (either the 1356 box or 205 shorty) and nwf (titan box) but all of the negative reviews have me on the fence about behemoth.

I’ve ordered a few things from them, and I’ve had a few conversations with Jacob. He still seems sketchy as hell and besides the price stand point. He couldn’t give me a lead time on a crawl box at behemoth. But supposedly he’s gotten better about shipping.

 

[Jody Treadway]

What are your thoughts on behemoth? I've been debating between them (either the 1356 box or 205 shorty) and nwf (titan box) but all of the negative reviews have me on the fence about behemoth.

I trust wet, single ply toilet paper after eating Taco Bell and washing it down with Milk of Magnesia more than Bohemoth.

 

[YJKrawlin]

I’ve ordered a few things from them, and I’ve had a few conversations with Jacob. He still seems sketchy as hell and besides the price stand point. He couldn’t give me a lead time on a crawl box at behemoth. But supposedly he’s gotten better about shipping.

I messaged him and sent an email and for the standard length BW1356 doubler DIY kit, he quoted me a 3 week lead time. If it weren't for all of the stories of people waiting 6 months to more than a year for parts I would have jumped on it, but the negatives still have me on the fence, although I've seen a few posts of people getting better service. Theres always old customers and others who have bad experiences.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

I ordered some brackets for 205 cable shifters through him. Was gonna build my own actually shifter as a fun project. They arrived pretty quickly from him. So I’ve given him a chance, and he did good by me on that. I’ve been tempted to order his bearing retainers for 205. If that goes well I may consider ordering his strong box. I still feel like I’m playing with fire doing this. But I’ve strongly considered ordering a ORD magnum box or integrated black box.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Got my hose reel mounted, and I’ve gotta head back to Lowes, I’m out of Teflon tape. Plasma works but I’m gonna switch the plug to 220v so I stop tripping my breaker for the garage receptacles, the compressor runs off 110. I can deal with unplugging the welder and plugging the plasma in for cutting. I know that dryer isn’t going to catch all the moister so I’ll likely have to drain the tank once a month or so but it’s there and seems to already caught a little moisture.

So far I’m happy with these, plus I like my Milwaukee tools. I’ll keep cleaning up the garage tonight and I’m thinking tomorrow I’ll tear down the 14 bolt and start putting the gears and Detroit in it.

Also got a traction bar setup minus the DOM for the rear. Gonna look at doing a small truss just to tie the tubes together, and I’ve got a pinion support I’d like to make it tie into the truss. Then build my track bar off of that, not only to be strong and tie the traction bar into both tubes, but also so it doesn’t see a bunch of misalignment in the joints/bushings with it being more center mounted. Sounds good in theory, no telling if it will help.

 

[Loganwayne]

What are your thoughts on behemoth? I've been debating between them (either the 1356 box or 205 shorty) and nwf (titan box) but all of the negative reviews have me on the fence about behemoth.

A guy on here has a 203/205 double for sale


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[iwaxmyjimmy]

I’ve got some 60 housings in the garage that I need to clean up, I figured I’d just build one, and swap it under the k5 instead of fighting setting up the gears on a creeper. Been feeling pretty old lately with my back giving me more trouble. So it’s a lot easier setting them up on my axle stand.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

So I started measuring and plotting the 4 link for the JK today. Found a few things I'm going to have to cut out to make my upper links fit. Mainly some floor supports I may have to cut into the floor a little bit, but I'll make a patch panel to cover the upper link mounts. This is based of a belly height of 20 inches, I feel I can maintain 7 inches of uptravel and 7 inches of down travel. I know I'll have to cut fenders when I finally get some 39.5s or 42 TSLs for it. I also plotted it based on a 36" height to compensate for aired down and offroad. Full bump and full droop its 78% anti squat, and 72% at ride height. I'm still learning this stuff so if you see anything out of wack or have any suggestions I'm all ears. Here are the screen shots of what Ive plotted so far.
full bump:

at ride height:

full droop:

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Area of the floor that will need clearance

Clamped brackets in place just to pull a tape of them and see where about my links will end up after seeing the lengths on the calculator.

Gonna run enduro joints at one end and bushings at the other

Mainly because I’m Jewish and I figured when I either build myself a fuel tank after I learn to TIG weld I’ll look into adding enduro joints in place of the bushings so I can also stretch the rear another 4” that way. I’ve thought about sleeving the lowers with some 1.5 x.120 wall DOM, mainly Bc I’ve got some laying around. It would likely be complete overkill though.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Tweaked my numbers in the calculator some more last night. I feel pretty happy with how it will be and 3 adjustment holes for the uppers will in theory help if I go wheeling out west and need less bite, or if it’s slick as eel shit I can up the anti squat if needed to get more bite.

Made one of my lower links, just tack welded the bung for right now till I verify all my crap will clear. Got the DOM cut for my uppers and the barrels cut so I can make my bushing ends. Realized my harbor freight chop saw sucks a big fat one so it was easier cutting it with a cutoff wheel. Also my POS notcher can’t handle 2” DOM, so learnt myself the chopsaw method, which turned into chop saw scoring and finishing with the cutoff wheel of notching tube.

It’s official, no more rear track bar. Glad I finally bought a plasma cutter. Even if this ain’t the fanciest one, sure beats the black lung from using nothing but cutoff wheels and sawzall like I have for the last 6 years.

With the axle pushed back 2 1/2” I’ll be 2” from the factory bumpstop at full stuff. And just so happens the lower link mount will be fortified with a bumpstop pad and eventually I’d like to run coilovers and hydro bumps out back. But not in the budget for this phase.

I’ll have to relocate my relocated evap canister to clear upper link mounts. I only threw this truss up there because I had it in the garage. I’m planning on building my own and hopefully it’ll be kinda nifty.

And I really should go ahead and figure out if I want to do a shaved rear gear and cut the bottom of the 14 bolt. This is suppose to be my wishing to keep up with buggy’s and truggys kind of rig. At the least it’s getting a Barnes4wd 13 bolt cover. Thank god busted knuckle came out with one so they lowered their price. Was hovering around $190 but it’s down to $140. Oh and it clears with a TJ tank pushed forward 2 1/2”. Really if you used the factory crossmember out back to mount the tank, you could get 4-5” of stretch outback on a JK. I’ve also convinced a buddy to go the TJ tank route in his JKU. Mainly because it’s more cost effective to gain 3” in the belly by going to a TJ tank, then going tons and 42s for the same belly clearance.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

last night after mocking up a link, I really didn't want to over complicate things too much with the lower link cross member. My driverside lower link would have ended up about an inch from the Tcase to keep the enduro joint straight in the 10 degree lower mounts. I would either have to change my lower links to hang down below the frame, or build frame outriggers and complete the cross member above the Tcase. So I was curious how much it would change things if I took 2 inches out of the control arms, added a little more axle side separation, so now I can build a lower link crossmember behind the Tcase. Ive got a stick of .188 wall 1-3/4 DOM I plan on building my lower link crossmember out of, and I was gonna building a crossmember to tie the upper link mounts together. luckily my uppers are about 32inches and lowers are a little longer than 36. Plenty of adjustment with the 4" threaded shank on these enduro joints. I also ran the numbers of stretching the rear another 4" when I either build a tank or buy one. Anyway, this afternoon I hope I can get a little more done, its raining so thankfully el rubicon is in the el garage-o.

I also haven't started cleaning up one of my spare 60 housings to assemble it before I swap it in the K5. I really wanted to build a traction bar for the rear of the k5, maybe Ill get around to that next week if I can get the rear of the Jeep so its back on all 4s. Likely wont have the shocks mounted up yet, and Im extremely tempted to rob two of the Fox smooth bodies I was gonna use on the K5, to use on the back of the Jeep. Slightly butthurt because I'll have to cut out the shock towers I welded in back in 2014, but I need it back on all 4s before I do that. I aint trying to buckle the frame back there since I've got some stands under the very back crossmember. My plan is to eventually put some coilovers out back, and I'll likely back half the frame then. Hell I may go trailing arms out back by then and depending on how the geometry works for me this go around, might lower the anti squat so it'll carry the front tires in whoops. Can you tell I'm good at bench racing and trying to figure out the phases of my builds? lol.

I do need to diagnose either a bad ground or sticking relay for the fuel pump of the k5. Sometimes the pump doesn't cycle on, but this is after figuring out under 1/3 tank, or 8*9 gallons, and I goose it in L or 1st gear, it'll slosh the fuel so bad it'll starve it. I'm hoping the pump aint taking a shit on me, mainly because I just filled that asshole up and I'll have to pick up a few gas containers to siphon the fuel out, 93 octane really puts a hurting on the fun tickets. Its got an EFI tank with baffles, but talking to a few others with the similar problem, the baffles aren't high enough fuel will slosh over top of them and end up outside of the baffles. So my plan is to get a holley hydromat so it will suck the very last drop out of that tank no matter what. I also wanted to slap another fuel filter in it before I get the tune messed with again.

But for fab work on the K5, I've started bouncing around ideas and researching how I want to do the cage. Im not a fan of the B pillar hoop and halo style with A pillars welded to the halo. I think I want to do A pillar to B pillar, splice it at the B pillar and sleeve to so its supported by the B pillar. then spreader bars, dash bar, I do plan on putting harnesses and some suspension seats in it. Ill see if I can sketch up my ideas for the design during lunch. This will be the first cage I do from scratch. Ive welded in a few sport cages, but its a little new. Ive got a money making side project I wont start till next week or this weekend if I can get my jeep on 4 wheels and roll it out of the garage. It'll buy a few sticks of DOM and I'm looking at picking up an evolution chop saw. I'm so tired of that POS harbor freight saw that struggles with .120 wall material.

 

[nc_jk_crawler]

last night after mocking up a link, I really didn't want to over complicate things too much with the lower link cross member. My driverside lower link would have ended up about an inch from the Tcase to keep the enduro joint straight in the 10 degree lower mounts. I would either have to change my lower links to hang down below the frame, or build frame outriggers and complete the cross member above the Tcase. So I was curious how much it would change things if I took 2 inches out of the control arms, added a little more axle side separation, so now I can build a lower link crossmember behind the Tcase. Ive got a stick of .188 wall 1-3/4 DOM I plan on building my lower link crossmember out of, and I was gonna building a crossmember to tie the upper link mounts together. luckily my uppers are about 32inches and lowers are a little longer than 36. Plenty of adjustment with the 4" threaded shank on these enduro joints. I also ran the numbers of stretching the rear another 4" when I either build a tank or buy one. Anyway, this afternoon I hope I can get a little more done, its raining so thankfully el rubicon is in the el garage-o.

I also haven't started cleaning up one of my spare 60 housings to assemble it before I swap it in the K5. I really wanted to build a traction bar for the rear of the k5, maybe Ill get around to that next week if I can get the rear of the Jeep so its back on all 4s. Likely wont have the shocks mounted up yet, and Im extremely tempted to rob two of the Fox smooth bodies I was gonna use on the K5, to use on the back of the Jeep. Slightly butthurt because I'll have to cut out the shock towers I welded in back in 2014, but I need it back on all 4s before I do that. I aint trying to buckle the frame back there since I've got some stands under the very back crossmember. My plan is to eventually put some coilovers out back, and I'll likely back half the frame then. Hell I may go trailing arms out back by then and depending on how the geometry works for me this go around, might lower the anti squat so it'll carry the front tires in whoops. Can you tell I'm good at bench racing and trying to figure out the phases of my builds? lol.

I do need to diagnose either a bad ground or sticking relay for the fuel pump of the k5. Sometimes the pump doesn't cycle on, but this is after figuring out under 1/3 tank, or 8*9 gallons, and I goose it in L or 1st gear, it'll slosh the fuel so bad it'll starve it. I'm hoping the pump aint taking a shit on me, mainly because I just filled that asshole up and I'll have to pick up a few gas containers to siphon the fuel out, 93 octane really puts a hurting on the fun tickets. Its got an EFI tank with baffles, but talking to a few others with the similar problem, the baffles aren't high enough fuel will slosh over top of them and end up outside of the baffles. So my plan is to get a holley hydromat so it will suck the very last drop out of that tank no matter what. I also wanted to slap another fuel filter in it before I get the tune messed with again.

But for fab work on the K5, I've started bouncing around ideas and researching how I want to do the cage. Im not a fan of the B pillar hoop and halo style with A pillars welded to the halo. I think I want to do A pillar to B pillar, splice it at the B pillar and sleeve to so its supported by the B pillar. then spreader bars, dash bar, I do plan on putting harnesses and some suspension seats in it. Ill see if I can sketch up my ideas for the design during lunch. This will be the first cage I do from scratch. Ive welded in a few sport cages, but its a little new. Ive got a money making side project I wont start till next week or this weekend if I can get my jeep on 4 wheels and roll it out of the garage. It'll buy a few sticks of DOM and I'm looking at picking up an evolution chop saw. I'm so tired of that POS harbor freight saw that struggles with .120 wall material.

Glad to see you’re upgrading the HF saw lol. It’s paid it’s dues. Can’t wait to see it play out

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Glad to see you’re upgrading the HF saw lol. It’s paid it’s dues. Can’t wait to see it play out

I can’t wait to get off bed rest and get back to working on either one. I spent the day trying to see how hard it would be to swap it over to a 4L80e in the k5 because I couldn’t even drive it to the VA today.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Definitely bummed Bc I jacked my back up pretty bad, see the Doc the day after thanksgiving to see how bad it is. But I’ve told myself if I really can’t comfortably drive a stick anymore everything is getting a 4L80e swap once I can get back to moving around decent. Figured out some ways to keep the HVAC functional in the JK if I were to LS swap it. Worked on some of the numbers for the 3 link front, but I’ll need to take some more measurements and get the 60 under the front to make sure it’ll all jive. I just can’t really get around worth a damn right now. I think my avoiding back surgery for the last 6 years has now came to an end. Definitely butthurt I can go out there and bend up my lower link cross member and get atleast the spring perched and the lower link mounts burned on. Now I’m just watching Finnagen’s garage because I’ve already watched everything decent on motortred.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Had a friend swing by to lend me a hand with the heavy lifting yesterday. Feel like I made decent progress, little sore but I’m pretty close to taking it on it’s first 5.38s and Detroit test drive.

I put a diff cover on the k5 before I took it wheeling in April/May. It was dark out and I was on day 4 or 5 of a 2 week thrash session working 18-20hrs a day on it to get it ready. Well I guess I missed the fact it’s got a g80. Thankfully I’ve got another 14 bolt in my garage so I robbed the open carrier out of it to slap my Detroit in it.

Sort of glad I did find the g80 because I’m wanting to go ARB in the back of the JK and I’ll throw he g80 in there for the time being. Other then that little hiccup no real surprises besides nailed the spacer height for the pinion bearing bearing preload on the 2nd guess. I’ve got to finish cleaning up the housing, then install the new 3rd pinion bearing and install my carrier and pinion gear to see what kind of shit pattern I can cook up.

Also my bench went from clean to cluster fuck very fast.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Forgot to take a picture of the pattern, but wasn’t too bad. I was rushing trying to get it done before it started raining. It’s all buttoned up now just need to fill it full of gear oil and take it on a test drive. Hopefully that’ll be in the morning if I can get around alright. Only picture I got before I threw the cover on.

Hopefully I’ll start getting a 60 cleaned up tomorrow. I’ll be happy with at least getting it cleaned up, maybe get the gears and locker in there. But doubting I’ll be a be able to get that far, with how I’m getting around. The 14 bolt Carrier kicked my ass trying to scoot myself under the fuel tank and get it in. Thank for adjustable collars because if I had to go back and forth with shim I’d likely not get crap done tomorrow.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Test drive went great this morning. Contacted my tuner so I can update it. Gonna double check the plugs, and put the new valve cover/PCV on it today probably. I’ve got to take my step up box on the speedo cable off, knew that was gonna happen anyway. And a bunch of clean up so I can start the front axle build. The Detroit hasn’t been to noticeable unless I goose it in a corner. Then you can feel it lock, 1st gear or low, is pointless, knew it was gonna be. 4th cruised fine at 55/60. I don’t think I’d push it 70 without losing a lot of fuel mileage.

Oh and new goodies just arrived from WFO. I started using their products when I was stationed out in Cali, and honestly its good quality and I know the pitman arm and steering arm were the correct lengths. I went with springless to see how they are on the street, still the stock style bushings. Wasn’t too sure how the bronze ones would be over kill. I just need to get the housing on the axle stand and get it cleaned up and painted today. Then we can see what kind of shit pattern I can make. I’ll get a picture of this one so I can be judged.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Also my bench went from clean to cluster fuck very fast.

No matter how big or small the project, every time my work bench ends up in a cluster.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

No matter how big or small the project, every time my work bench ends up in a cluster.

If I would finally get those caddy calipers on the 14 bolt under the Jeep and swap them on the back of the k5 I could create more space.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Cleaned up some to get all my parts gathered up from their various storage places in the garage. Need to just put the housing on the axle stand so I can wire wheel it, clean it inside and out, paint it, then 5.38 gears, USA standard rebuild kit, Detroit locker, 4340 Yukon shafts, spicer Forged non greasable joints with full circle clips, WFO springless arms, spicer king pin rebuild kits, new spindle bushings, some used spindles from a member on here, and some used knuckles I’ve got laying around. I’ll have to swap over my lug nut 4x4 3/4 ton brake setup and my SRW hubs. I’ve got some Yukon hardcore hubs since the stubs are now going to be 35 spline. I’m planning on upgrading the u joints once I got to 40s or 42s. Figured I was safe on 38s but I sure need to get a 1410 slip yoke for the rear driveshaft, that way I can ditch those straps and bolts and get a 1410 u joint with u bolts.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Got the 60 on the axle stand today, so I could start the tear down

Everything came apart great. Need to clean the tubes out and I’ll throw a stock 60 cover on it, then start wire wheeling the housing to clean it up. If I can get it painted tomorrow and start reassembly I’ll be stoked. Thursday afternoon I’m getting the k5 tuned again. Took the step up box for the speedo cable off. Reading 60 at 55mph so not too bad. Cruises great around 60mph. Doesn’t feel like it has to try hard to propel the k5 down the road at all. If you let off the throttle hard it’ll change lanes from the Detroit unlocking but it’s easy to anticipate.

Overall pretty stoked I’ll finally have lockers front and rear and be able to wheel it pretty decent. Still need to finish up my mini boatsides and relocate my battery to the back. Then I can do my inner fenders, even though I can’t decide if I want to do those without doing then front clip portion of the cage first.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

I made a little more progress on getting the housing cleaned up, got side tracked when my gf kept wanting to help in the garage. Which just turned into me cleaning up the garage, putting a scary amount of stuff on my storage area and organizing my under table storage better. I am wanting to change my layout some in my garage to make better use of space. But it’s gonna have to incorporate an axle stand, and I need to get rid of some junk or make some parts find their way into a project vehicle. But anyway here are a few pictures

Got most the bulky stuff off, probably have another hour or two with a wire wheel tomorrow then I’ll clean it up with some acetone best I can. Hopefully I can get some paint on it tomorrow and it’ll dry so I can assemble it tomorrow night.

Finally put more stuff up in my loft area. I need to rob the good parts off that 350 back there and probably ditch it. Unless if I want to have a rebuild project with my GF. I’ve got a buddy picking up a set of Tacoma struts I replaced with some coilovers, and I’ve got 3 axles I need to figure out a long term storage plan.

Also that 5.38 pinion really ain’t much smaller than the 4.56 one. But still making me wish I would have just linked the front and retubed a high pinion 60 housing, lol.

I’ve still got to clean up that pig too, after I get a few more things done on the k5 I’ll get back into linking my Jeep and swapping the tons under it.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Got the housing pretty cleaned up and painted. Waiting for it to all dry and I’ll be starting the reassembly tomorrow most likely. Tuner canceled on me and wanted to reschedule for Sunday. I’m hoping I can have this axle built before then, get the tune mid day, then swap the axle in that afternoon. Then hop back in the mini boat sides before the clubs “crawl in”. Havent made it to the last few for various reasons.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Had to rob the knuckles off this asshole. Had to beat it off, I even used both hands.

Got the lower kingpins together. Nice little paint run too, that’s the bottom though. So screw it. I’m debating on ordering up some knuckle gussets. $50 and some time ain’t too bad. Or I can stare at some for a bit and get some flat stock and make my own instead of being a lazy ass. I can’t justify Reid’s yet. That’s $600 in knuckles. I’m not planning on wrinkling it like a tin can. But one weekend I feel like beating off my knuckles, with both hands, I’ll throw them in the oven to piss of my ginger girlfriend.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Well finally got the k5 retuned. It’s finally running like it should. Fixing the vacuum leak with a brand new GM FPR vacuum line instead of the cobbled together parts store crap actually did work. It’ll light those 38s up on pavement pretty well. I did start setting up the pinion but got side tracked when I had a friend pop in for a visit. Need to remove some shim to up the pinion bearing preload some. Then I need to set my carrier up and get some backlash measurements so I can check my pattern. I’m not fancy yet and haven’t bought a pinion depth tool, I do the trial and error method till I get a good looking pattern. There’s over 200 Dana’s in my 2 car garage right now. And are they full strength Dana’s if they don’t have and guts?

And I really need just would feel better setting up a truss in the k5 tying the pinion to the tubes and run a traction bar off that until I link it, whenever the Jeep is done and on the road wheelable. Haven’t done a full pop the clutch and see if it’ll do a burn out. I’ve just been rolling into the throttle around turns and enjoying a little bit of throttle induced over steer. 60 is without a doubt all she wrote on the highway though. Better make sure I stay in the slow lane. Maybe when I link it, I’ll put a 4L80e in it then so I can stay at speed with traffic. Thankfully a buddy wheels an XJ and pulls it with a 1500 z71 he’s lucky to do 65 on the highway.