pingpong

From experience, reusing the under the axle, and in front of the axle tube shock mount can be a bad thing. I tried that, and it didnt work to well, so I am not running any rear shocks at the moment :shock: As soon as I pull the bed and build my exo-cage (here in the next few weeks) I plan on incorparating a new shock x-memeber. BTW the reason why I say it didnt work too good is on the drivers side my shock kept hitting the gas tank at full drop :?

I have personally seen the VD axle bend where the disconnect part is, that is why I have a different one in there :D

The weak poits on the D30 are many. First is the weak 260 joints on the older axles, then there is the 297, not weak, but there are stronger options. I went and bit the bullet, and did alloys with super joints :shock: Pricey yes, but I havent broke any more shafts or joints :D The next weak point is the LCA, and UCA mounts. The lowers need to have skids welded on them, and the welds gone over by a compotent welder. The upper on the passenger side should at least be plated over on the front side (opening) preferably with a lil trussing on each side. These are things I have learned over a few yrs. My other recommendation is to do the hub conversion if you don't plan on upgrading your housing. Patrick

I recommend replacing the torx head bolts with an easier bolt. Heck you are probrably going to end up cutting one or two off anyways. Patrick

Pete I like your through the frame design :D I also like the way you turned your tubing sideways. I almost did that, but since my rig was all ready damage in the lower rockers, I figured what for :? I cut my bed to add in the rear to add rear rock rails, plus the rear of my bed was bashed in pretty bad. The departure angle on the MJ's sucks to put it mildly. So if you go crawling, or trail riding protect the rear, with rails, and taillight guards. The local j-yards don't have any MJ's left with tailights cause of me :wink:

You don't say wether or not you have an auto or manual tranny. 33's with 4.10's for an auto is ok, but for a 5spd, expect to do lots of downshifting. I am getting ready to do 4.88's or higher cause of my current tire choice(35), and possibly going bigger later. Patrick

Pete I agree iwth your statement about bringing your jeep home in one piece :D But since I went to Tellico last April, I have learned (bought) a trailer and tow rig to make sure Imake it home under my own power :twisted: I also agree with you on welding your rock rails on. I have to remake, mine, cause I had used 3/8 self tappers to attacth mine, anf they have since pulled out :? I had used 4 per moutning plate, with 3 mounting plates per side. I also used a picnh seam mounting point. It is still in place and holding up well. The pinch seam mounting point also makes it easier to build them, and for mock up purposes. As for where to find pics of my rig http://community.webshots.com/user/cj7xjmj And here is where to find some video as well http://besrk.zippyvideos.com/gallery.z Patrick

I made my own spring perches out of rectangle tubing :D I used a longer braided stainless line on mine, with a hard line extension. As for rear shock mounts.. I am not running rear shocks :shock: :twisted: For pinion angle , if you are running a SYE aim the pinion at the t-case, if not running a SYE, try and keep your pinion angle within 2* of the t-case output shaft. On a side note Warrior products does offer a bolt on SOA kit, but it is designed for a YJ (same principal). I do not reccomend this as a permanent thing, but would be good enough to get you to a shop to weld it up, if you do not have the skill or tools to accomplish this. Patrick

There is a point where cutting more sheetmetal doesnt do you any good :shock: I have cut as much as I can off the front, now I rub on the inner fenders :roll: BTW I am rollings on 35's :wink:

My rig is far from hardcore, but Iam slowing building it that way :twisted: I am getting ready to order my steel for my cage in a couple of weeks, :D Then it is on to deciding what to do with what is left of my bed :roll: As far as my axles and what not... I am somewhat pleased with what I have so I am proprable going to keep that for a while longer. Might do another gear swap though.

I think they were made by Lund and a few other makers back in the day. Some are still available for other trucks, so if you want one call different manufacturers and see if they have any available. Patrick

Eddie added some more video clips to that link. It has a good one of me ripping off my tail light guards :twisted: I am getting ready to dovetail my rig, or remove the bed, just not sure which will be faster to complete :D BTW removing your doors prevents breaking glass :wink:

You might have been confusing DW with speed vibratin or bump steering. All a steering stabilizer is suppose to do is reduce the amount of vibration felt back through the steering wheel. So now that you know the steering stabilizer reduce the problem figure out what was cauing it. Bad wheel bearings and bad front DS u-joints are always where I look first. Then I start looking else where. Dynamiclly balancing your tires (using equal powder, or air soft pellets) will almost always eliminate tire balancing. AS long as you havent bent your steering linkage, it isnt your alignment. Then you just need to use the process of elimanation. Pull front DS, see if the vibes leave. If so replace u-joints(don't forget to regrease the cv part). Then start going onto other parts. Patrick

I like that dovetailed full size :twisted: :D

mine was a rust free, dent free example, a couple of yrs ago :shock:

Have your alternator tested. Then get your battery checked. It sounds as if your alt is not charging, and you have a weak battery. Patrick

A bad wheel bearing, or ball joint will give off what you describe as well. Patrick

You didnt get flamed... I just wanted to know what made them better then what I described. TNT makes some fine products, but when I was shopping for LA's, that couldnt tell me what the differences were in the XJ and MJ. They were more then willing to work with me on my install and all, but I couldn't see shelling out that kinda coin for something that no one knows will work. Now that a major magazine has installed their stuff, they are on the map. I am sure they got orders out the ying now. (I am not bashing TNT). I went with the low end Terra flex kit, and for the most part I am pleased. Now that I have a setup I half way like, I am all ready planning on ways to fix the problems, and to make asimilar setup for my strret rig. Patrick

I am curious about this rig. I don't see any front driveshaft or steering :shock: I think it looks great except for those ubolts hanging down. :? Those are begging to get demolished on rocks, if that is his preffered venue. Patrick

As for making your own spring perches, try using some rectangle tubing 2x4x1/4 and make them as long as you want to prevent spring wrap. Mine are made out of it, and measure 8" long. If you want a wider one use wider tubing. As for extending your wheelbase. MY mj is 121, thanks to my front LA's being extended out some :twisted: I think you need to take a closer look at most of the things on my rig, I have made a good deal of parts on my rig, If you want to pay some one else to make yor spring plates be my guess, but I take more pride in building my parts, and being different. Currently I am working on a new tranny x-member, and belly up skid cause I don't want to pay 2 or 300 bucks for 50 worth of metal. AS for why TNT customs would sell something like that, cause their is a market for it. Not everyone has the same amount of equipment in their garage, or the skills.

All XJ/MJ/ZJ/YJ/TJ are 5 on 4.5, unless the axles have been swapped

I bought mine 3 yrs ago for 1500, but pong was in good shape then, shiney paint, a dog box, the whole nine for a hunting rig, but I couldnt leave well enough alone, now I have a trail beater. Patrick

Thats a CJ5 that belongs to a guy named Eddie. It was rolling on 42's, leafs in the front, and a 4link with coil overs in the rear. He is getting ready to rebuild his rig with a 3 link upfront, and full hydro steering. He ended up cracking his transmision case on this last ride. he got something like 4 foot of air, talk about insanity. Patrick

I disagree, but since you think it is more complicated, please explain it to me.

NIce... :D I am one of those ppl who believes in beating my rig as well :twisted: I notice you don't have a frontlocker :shock: that would have probrabl;y made that hill a lil easier :wink: Here is a link to some videos of where the club I belong too goes. http://besrk.zippyvideos.com/gallery.z My rig is the black MJ :D