Mac's YJ build with tons and 42's.

muahahaha...you got yourself a trade good sir, i'll be in town all weekend so we can get shit done, bringing the 44 with me so if we get a chance get it buttoned up...haha like that'll happen
 
The high steer arms are on, the tie rod is done, the drag link is done, and I got the pittman arm reamed out to fit the 1-ton TRE, I also had it reamed backwards so that the TRE can drop in from the top, instead of the bottom, creates a WHOLE LOT better steering geometry.

Moved the radiator back up to stock location, just took out the drop brackets that came in the body lift, and mounted the Taurus Fan. I moved the radiator up, so that I can let the axle compress 5 inches instead of 3.5

Drilling/tapping the steering box tomorrow

Waiting on a plate to get welded on the doubler setup

Halfway done with the rear disc brake stuff, im changing out all the old parts w/ new stuff

My 78 Mercury Marquis 4Wheel disc master cylinder is here

The bastardized front and rear springs are done

I forgot to order Jam nuts for the TREs, but they are on the way

The DOM clamp, to mount the Steering ram to the tie rod, is on the way

Fox 4" Air Bumps, and mounting cans are on the way


Just still chugging along
 
jeep is sitting above ride height, still have one jack stand under frame, and these are w/ 38's. Just to give an idea of the wheelbase.
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Here is a shot of the underside of the bastard front springs the pack is made up of
1st leaf - XJ main leaf,
2nd leaf - Ranger rear main leaf w/ eyes cut off
3rd leaf - Ranger rear 2nd leaf
4th leaf - Ranger 3rd leaf

really works out great, It carries the weight great, gives me a good ride height, i dont have to worry about bending the main leaf, and they are SUPER flexy, I'm really happy w. the way they turned out.

O yeah..... the air bumps are on the way

A shot of the tapped steering box.

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^ x2. Really impressive though man, doin great. Give us some updates!!
 
definitely need to get some clamps on them, if I droop it out in the driveway, theres like 5 inches b/t the 1st and 2nd leaf at both ends....not good. Im just trying to figure out a good way to attach the clamps to the springs so that they dont slide front to back, kinda been a little bit of a builders block. Any ideas?

Air bumps got here today, and theyre the wrong ones, cleary says 4" travel on the invoice, and I got shipped the 3" travel ones, so theyre getting shipped back out for the correct ones.

i have all the part #'s to finish all my brakes, just need to call jegs and summit and place the orders. Found the guy on ebay that sells pre-bent exhaust sections, just need to figure out what i need and order them...

I'm supposed to finally get the doubler back tomorrow, guy called and said he finished welding the block off plate today, so hopefully I can FINALLY get teh x-member/skid plate/traction arms built and get that out of the way

Talked to chase (Cperry) and hes got everything in stock except for the front gears, so i'll prolly get that ordered the first of the week, once I get paid...

Instead of doing a fuel cell in the bed, for now i'm going to mount the stock tank in the bed, and save some cash. When I get it rolling and start testing how everything works, i'll do the cage/seats/fuel cell that way I can mount both the seats and the fuel cell to the cage structure.

It's coming along, slowly but surely. Its a big task, but I just keep chipping away at it, and the list will just keep getting smaller and smaller.

O and by the way... Ballistic takes FOREVER to ship anything out....totally blows
 
Nice build...How far forward did you push the front axle with the spring pack you made?
Also how far back did the rear spring give you and are they stock XJ springs?
 
my wheelbase is at 106" at ride height, about 6" rear stretch, and about 7" front stretch. Front springs still use the XJ main leaf, as does the rear. The rear spring packs consist of
1st - XJ main leaf
2nd - CUCV rear pack second leaf
3rd - CUCV rear third leaf
4th - xj second leaf

This combo of springs gives me an even ride height but the rear springs are definitely softer than the front. I got 7" of front stretch b/c of the new hangers w/ the shackle reversal.



Thanks CYJkrawler, I'll prolly give that a try, already seems like a better idea than any I have had. and a whole lot less work too.
 
Mac5005 nice, I will be building an 89 YJ when I get home from Iraq in Feb09. I will be using Dodge Dakota rear springs and I am thinking Waggy springs for the front. The rear springs should be about 10" stretch and the front about 2" stretch. Not sure how the XJ springs up front will work, I am going full hydro steering so it might not make a difference lol.

Keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming, your build is inspiring me to get hot and heavy on mine when I get home.
 
When you made the angle into your springs... were you able to twist the shackle bushings enough to run the spring like that or are your shackle hangers mounted at an angle?
 
I would imagine that the shackle end would be a lot more accepting of the angle on the spring, but how about the spring hanger end? Did you run into any problems with the spring eye hitting the hanger or anything? I'm sure setting that bolt was a bitch.
 
I'm tossing around the idea of re-doing my front suspension, possibly looking at a 3-link, but I'm running a dodge 60 (32.5" spring pad width), so I'm curious if I were to do a shackle reversal with the shackle hanger frenched into the frame and then have an angle built into my leaf spring up front would work. It would accomplish about 3/4" of an offset over the length of the spring, as opposed to 1/2" with the chevy 60, and I'm not sure if that would be too much.
 
336wheeler said:
I'm tossing around the idea of re-doing my front suspension, possibly looking at a 3-link, but I'm running a dodge 60 (32.5" spring pad width), so I'm curious if I were to do a shackle reversal with the shackle hanger frenched into the frame and then have an angle built into my leaf spring up front would work. It would accomplish about 3/4" of an offset over the length of the spring, as opposed to 1/2" with the chevy 60, and I'm not sure if that would be too much.
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I dont think it would be too much at all. even though 3/4" offset seems alot, that amount is offset over the entire length of the spring, so you still have a low angle of offset. Im curious to see if I notice any binding through the suspension movement, but I doubt I will. I just hope I will not have to go back and add a track bar, but do not think I will have to b/c of the offset.
 
Let me know what you come up with as far as binding goes when you cycle the suspension.
 
Mac5005 on yout front springs do you think that set up will work on the stock set up?
 
AQHA, I do not see why it wouldnt work, the effects you get from running the springs non parallel, by the books, say that it will enhance the off cornering ability, and help to control body roll. So, if they ( the books) are talking about running the springs 2-6" out of parallel, then my little 1/2" or so, really isnt much at all. Then I came to the conclusion that if teh springs are always in a little bit of a bind, then this would help to locate the axle side to side and eliminiate the need for the track bar. I'm not talking about binding to the point of no flex, just a little bit. But i do not see why it wouldnt work on a stock setup. If you go around a parking lot and check how many leaf spring vehicles actually had fully parallel leaves, the number is staggeringly low. I was suprised about how many car manufacturers run non parallel leaves in the rear. Im just doing it in the front.

Although, keep this in mind as a disclaimer to all. What you do to your jeep is your business, I'm not telling anyone to go and change their leaf springs just to become unhappy with them. As soon as the jeep gets rolling thats the first thing i test, and i'll be sure to report my findings here. HAHA


AQHA, I sometimes work with a guy out of stedman. JTL services, He does mold inspections/duct cleaning. Good guy.
 
Any updates yet.
 
hows it comin? Not sure if you've chosen a front locker yet, but if not, I would recommend the OX. No lines or anything to fail, 100% mechanical. The only drawback is that it takes a few rotations of the tire for it to lock/unlock...well that and the price.
 
Any updates on your build?

Also qhat year Ranger did you get the springs from?
 
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