pingpong

Jeff, it can be welded with a correct setup. The metal at the LCA mount is thicker then ppl give it credit for. I think with all the sandwiching it is close to 5/16-3/8. After you weld it back to the body, you might want to reenforce it with some more material.

To answer your question.. Link ends such as Johnny joints start at about 30 bucks a piece, and the price goes up from there. In order to make a stong link it needs to be at least 1/4" wall if not 3/8" DOM. I know ppl are going to say that you can use HREW or some othe kinds of tubing but DOM is the only way to go in my opinon. Then there are Coils/airshocks/ coil overs to think about. Air shocks are about 250 +/-, Coil overs are about the same, but then you have to figure out what coils you need, and that is where it can get pricey. Or lastly there is the captured coil setup, and that is just about finding a set of coils that work for you and building a good set-up, but thenb you need regular long travel shocks. So to answer your question... If your rig is all ready like mine.. it is going to cost me around 700-1000 to link my rear, depending on what kinda deals I find. Keep in mind this is not including building the rear axle truss.

I can tell you from experince the rear 4 door ones will not fit and look right. I am not sure on the 2 door Xj's cause I have never tried, and my rig no longer has a bed. I can tell you I have seen the 2dr XJ bushwacker flairs on a MJ, and they looked all right.

I had the problem when my LCA needed fixed. it sucks. At one time or another we have all had nagging woman, or some one elses child.... around while broken on the trail. The whole key to any successful fix on the trail, is to be self sufficient, and carry spares :D or at least be able to wrench on your crap. I have seen way to many times.. ppl break, and the driver having no clue/tools/or parts to fix their rig. Then they try and get in your way cause they don't like the way your are wrenching on their rig :eek: Thats when I pack up my tools, and spare parts and walk away :brows: This is when they come back and appologize, and I tellthem I am drinking :cheers: my tool bag is there, just make sure you clean the tools and they all make it back in the bag :D

That leaf pack is doomed. Look how flat it is before you wheel it. No arch at all :eek: Also I see a problem with axle wrap, especially with the longer shackles. Like Brett all ready said contolling axle wrap with leaves, and having good flex is almost impossible

That might be it

I love all the buzz about a new Jeep pick-up. Its great for the Jeep brand. Here is the bad about it. It will probrably be priced in the mid to upper 20's for price. Also I am not sure about other parts of the United States, the dealers in my area of VA are voiding factory warranties if you lift your rig, change gears, or do anything that we as Jeep owners decide to do. So instaed of spending 20 large on a new jeep gladiator, go find you an old m715 or j series truck and put a new drivetrain beefier axles, and tires on it, and bash it to your hearts content. These are just my opinion and not the views of this forum :D

Sorry to hear that man. Glad to see you are alive, and achance for a recovery. That roundy round racing scares me worse then me climbing a 60* rock face with to strap hooked up. Anyways best wishes, and hope you get better soon. BTW how did the other driver fair?

I am speaking from experience.. once you remove the bed.. evil things can happen if you aren't careful :brows:

Speaking from experience.. I seen Henry a guy in our club destroy his in the walmart parking lot, while showing off how he could lift the front tire off the ground. I can tell you how I bent a d35 housing at tellico in april of 05, on lower guardrail :brows: Some ppl have good luck with the d35, while others just seem to destroy them. Personally I wouldnt put anymoney into one, but like everyone has said.. there are plenty of spares out there. Keep in mind.. that unless you are running stock rear parts, it isnt as easy as ppl make it out to be to change an axleshaft on the trail

CW.. You must not believe in uptravel, cause most leaf packs can safely compress 8-10"... even more if you are running longer then stock shackles.

It has to do with the fact that the MJ floor angles up after the tranny hump area. That is why the XJ seat brackets make the seats sit higher and angle down towards the front. I did some research, when I had a stock XJ, and before I totally went wild on Pong

Not to bag on you Derek... but on a MJ/XJ, I would not be worried about the breaking of a re-used u-bolt, especially if you bought a good QUALITY one to begin with. I would be more worried about the 3/8 inch bolts holding my upper control arms in place. Or the one holding my track bar in. I have yet to break a u-bolt, but I have broken a few trac bar and UCA bolts that I re-drilled them to accept 1/2 bolts, and went with different bushings. When I re-link my rig... I plan on using 3/4 grade 8's just for the added security

I have always thought that those Xj owners were not wrappped to tight

Keep us posted all the same :D

I say bull poopie on never re-using u-bolts :brows: I have re-used some of my u-bolts many times. The problem comes in when they are rusted, galled, or just in plain old bad shape, or they are re-used on a different size axle, and they don't fit properly. Good quality u-bolts are not cheap, and use lock nuts. I replace the lock nuts, but not the u-bolts.

:smart: I have run a set of Rusty's LCA before, as well as a set or Procomp Lca's. Both where made out of thick tubing.. as for strength I never wheeled either rig... so I don't know. :dunno: I can tel you Pro comp used urathane bushings, and they did not wear out, where as Rusty's used stock style ones and they were slam wore out after a yr of strret use :smart:

Who needs AC on a trail rig anyways driving :nanner:

I like I like driving I will make a few small suggestiong though. 1. get a fuel cell and a MSD fuel pump part#2225 (i think) I have one on my truggy, and have had zero issue with it. 2. Put some sorta cage in it :brows: we al know why you should do that.. At least if it was my righ I do :nuts: 3. Make sure it will fit out the garage door.. clearance looks a lil tight :eek: Besides that.. awesome rig

I think I might have a 4.0 rad in my garage.. I will check tommorow for you. Wish I would have seen this on Sunday cause Norm from TW4 was over here picking up a D/S

How about you reinforces the radiator support with a 1/4 plate behind it, and turn your angle iron around, and build your mounts like Rigid Co does for hhis front bumpers, and mount your winch on the front side with te winch bolted to the back side of your bumper, and recess the fairlead into the front, to help with the approach angle. I hope I explained this well, cause this is what I am going to do to Pong or Casper here soon

The only bad thing I know about Rusty's control arms is that he uses stock XJ/MJ/ZJ/TJ rubber bushings, that wear out quickly when overflexed or used alot

use rustoleum flat black.. it comes out the same color everytime :brows:

Make me an offer, It isn't doing me any good. I know the shipping on it was like 26 bucks, but pm me an offer and your zipcode and I will find out how much it will be

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