92 XJ project

sounds like a plan man...how are you gonna attach the joints to the bolt? I welded the bolt directly to the housing of the RE joint. I have found that a lot of guys have done it that way and it worked out well.

Zack
 
thats exactly how we are doing it...welded the bolt straight to the housing of the RE Joint..gonna go work on it today.

Zack
 
please tell me you are putting the rubber bushing for the control arms on the axle end
 
changed the idea a lil bit, gonna run RE joints on all ends. good idea or bad? I have a friend with a Sami on 38s that did this and it rides down the road just fine. Got everything painted and the extended brake lines hooked up today, gonna work on it tom. Pics will be up tom.

Zack
 
YJJPWrangler87 said:
changed the idea a lil bit, gonna run RE joints on all ends. good idea or bad? I have a friend with a Sami on 38s that did this and it rides down the road just fine. Got everything painted and the extended brake lines hooked up today, gonna work on it tom. Pics will be up tom.

Zack
Click to expand...

I thought about doing this but worry about the stability under extreme conditions like avoiding a wreck, heavy breaking, swerving (sp?), etc.
 
uncc civilengineer said:
I doubt it.... Probably the superflex on the axle end and rubber at the frame end. The other way around would does not make much sense to me...
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when is the last time you looked at a long arm suspension. if there is a rubber bushings it is usually on the axle end, very seldom is it on the frame end. absorbs more shock than it would if it was on the frame end. take a look at rubicon express and claytons long arm kits.
 
highrollintj said:
when is the last time you looked at a long arm suspension. if there is a rubber bushings it is usually on the axle end, very seldom is it on the frame end. absorbs more shock than it would if it was on the frame end. take a look at rubicon express and claytons long arm kits.
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Wow, you're right! BUT, he stated earlier that he was copying the Rock Krawler kit....

Also, does it make a difference that all the other kits you have referenced are not 3-linked?

Also, I know it would absorb more shock but would it allow more flex. I know from watching the krawler joints in my arms that if they were rubber I would be replacing them quite often.
 
I just got caught up on the build, I like it man, keep the posts coming, my question is why the sudden change to put in joints all the way around? I have seen plenty of flex out of a joint and bushing. Just wondering, awsome build.
 
haha the 3 link rock krawler kit does use rubber bushing on the lower control arms... on the axle end. my buddy's cherokee is what zack is copying. i know this cus we put that long arm kit on at my house and zack was trying to draw pics of the brackets in our dorm room
 
zack is doing a flex joint on all ends now cus he is tryin to reach the $310 mark for this build :rolleyes:
 
no not really...nowhere near the 310 mark :shaking: . The reason for going to all the RE joints is simple. If we were gonna run the rubber bushing/RE Joint, I would need a custom piece of pipe turned down to 2 1/4" to sleeve the rubber bushing. On the other hand, I have all i need to make the RE joints work.

Zack
 
Alright, well finally we made some progress on this thing :shaking:

Got the RE brake lines installed

ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics004.jpg


After that, we disconnect all the lowers/uppers and put the 4.5" RE coils in.

ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics009.jpg


Heres a comparison shot of the old vs new

ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics003.jpg


Also got everything painted. Control arms have been made. They are 1.50"x.50" DOM sleeved with 1.75"x.25" Dom

ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics002.jpg


Also got some of the RE joints put together, all i need now is the tool for them and I can finish them up.

ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics001.jpg


Well, we have hit a small bump in the road. For the one upper, we have the mount made for the unibody side, but i am trying to figure out how to hook it up to the axle side. here is the joint in question.
 
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics005.jpg


RK's kit has a U-shaped piece of metal that fits over the bushing and then a bolt gets put through it. However, could I just use that bushing or would I need to get a new one....or would I need to cut that bushing off, grind smooth and weld an RE joint to it? Any ideas?

Zack
 
I would probably use that bushing, and if you're on a very small budget...that's what you should do. Otherwise, just replace it and do what RK/RE/everyone does and use the stock bushing. Welding a link mount to the center section--especially with a single upper--is asking for trouble. Only thing that sucks about using it is the tiny-assed bolt that jeep saw fit to use. Make sure it's g8.
 
Make a U shape out of Box steel to go around the axle link for the one link on the Drivers side and use the rubber bushing. If your going with a 3 link. Are you going with 3 links like RK or 4 like the others. Those control arms are pretty beefy. I was trying to understand are they .50 wall or .75 wall? 1.50 won't fit inside of 1.75 with .25 wall. That 1.75x.25 wall would make the inside diameter 1.25. Looks pretty good so far. I am using the 2"x.250 wall and sleeving a piece of 1.50x.25 tubing. I will then drill and tap to fit my 1.25" threaded Currie Joints. Keep in mind I am using radius arms like the ford trucks so I only have 2 links. Pics for reference
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/DugnCrissMercer/Dougsstuff018.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y271/DugnCrissMercer/Dougsstuff017.jpg
 
highrollintj said:
haha the 3 link rock krawler kit does use rubber bushing on the lower control arms... on the axle end. my buddy's cherokee is what zack is copying. i know this cus we put that long arm kit on at my house and zack was trying to draw pics of the brackets in our dorm room
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Not to argue w/ you but I just installed their kit about 2 months ago and it does not have a rubber bushing on the LCA at the axle end.

As a matter of fact the kits before that did not use rubber/poly bushings at all they had krawler joints at all ends.

So maybe your buddy either has a really really old kit or he installed it backwards...


EDIT YJJPWRANGLER.... let me know how the jeep feels w/ the flex joints all the way around. I am considering doing this to my RK arms.
 
YJJPWrangler87 said:
Also got some of the RE joints put together, all i need now is the tool for them and I can finish them up.
ai45.photobucket.com_albums_f62_YJJPWrangler_xjpics001.jpg
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The threads on that look small... What size are they?
 
They are 3/4"x2" grade 8 bolt. Family xj, im postive that those are the correct pipe sizes, took a sledgehammer to make them fit. And thats what i was thinking on how to make the bracket. All we need now are shocks, pitman arm is coming as is a RE HD trac bar/bracket.

Zack
 
Well since im the buddy that installed the rock Krawler kit on my XJ at HighrollingTj's house im going to have to say the you are an incorrect engineer, B/C my kit was brand new with the new high clearence long arms and the instructions clearlt state that the rubber end is on the axle and the flex joint with misalinement spacers go on the frame end. So if you just installed there kit 2 months ago then either you got the old kit or you ignored the dirrections.

but we double checked everything so i know my set-up is right
 
mileshigh said:
Well since im the buddy that installed the rock Krawler kit on my XJ at HighrollingTj's house im going to have to say the you are an incorrect engineer, B/C my kit was brand new with the new high clearence long arms and the instructions clearlt state that the rubber end is on the axle and the flex joint with misalinement spacers go on the frame end. So if you just installed there kit 2 months ago then either you got the old kit or you ignored the dirrections.
but we double checked everything so i know my set-up is right
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Ok something is off here.. Ill scan my instructions today BUT I did just call RK and asked them how they went it. They (RK) said the Rubber bushing goes at the FRAME end and the Krawler Joint at the AXLE.... Their number is 518-270-9822. So something is up here. How does it drive/flex w/ the rubber bushing down there? Have you tested it yet and really flexed the crap out of for a few days? I just wonder how it's holding up.

Also read their text on the website about the "Monster Bushing" at the frame end under the XJ's page.

http://www.rockkrawler.com/

From their website:

Rock Krawler is proud to bring you the new XJ 6.5 X Factor Plus Suspension System. The X Factor Plus Systems are the final chapter ever to be written for Cherokee's on suspension! These systems feature our revolutionary independent 3 link front end with track bar. The 3 link front end with track bar is the very same system used by professional rock crawlers today and is the best articulating front end design for vehicles with conventional steering, bar none!The X Factor Plus systems include our new high clearance lower control arms with the Monster Bushing at the frame to further improve off road performance and on highway ride quality. The rear lift is completed with a new set of leaf springs, heavy duty boomerang shackles and ubolts. This system comes complete with everything you need! All hard parts come with our exclusive abuse proof lifetime guarentee!


So, something is off here...
 
thats just weird. were you able to get the miss alignment spacers to fit in the control arm brackets on the axle? i am assuming you did. but mileshigh tried that first and they wouldnt fit but fit perfectly into the bracket on the frame end. i dont know why RK would put them on the frame end. like i said before every other company that uses rubber bushings puts them on the axle end, with the exception of full traction but theirs look like hard poly urethane almost. i mean my RE long arm rides a lot better than my short arms did and the same with mileshigh's jeep
 
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