DirtyComanche

Oh, when I looked in the shock category all that was listed was ranchos overpriced crap. Guess I missed that.

Gears must be set-up properly or they'll be non-existant by the time you test-drive it around the block. But, you can swap them from one axle to another using the same shim stack-up about 90%~ of the time... Providing the housings are the same casting.

Can't risk damaging the seals in the ram... At least, I'd rather not risk it. They're ony good for a couple hundred degrees. But it's out, so, w/e.

I got it out. A little filing and then the vice grips got 'em. Now to figure out how to mount this bloody ram.

Rounded head, that is. Turns out the ignoranus who put the one of the plugs in my ram tightened it down way too much, then they painted over it. As it was an internal wrenching (allen) head plug, it's now round. Really round. I can't cut it. The surface behind it has to be flat for the fitting to seal. Do any of those reverse cut bolt extractor things work? I'm really thinking of just taking it back and bitching. But, I didn't buy it locally, so it'd burn up time. I'm gonna go try the vice-grips before bed though. I wish...

I need a vendor too if nothing else. PORC only had expensie stuff... I'm leaning towards cheap. My $30 rusty's shocks dampened really well. When you've got front leafs ride is really quite irrelevent anyways.

Well, the catch is they need to be 12" travel minimum. 14-16" would be great.

Bad.

Sure? I thought they converted later? Maybe not? Anyways, one way or another I think this is a bad idea.

Need ideas. I had a little clearance problem with my rusty's and the front leaf springs. I noticed things were riding a little funny, then I went and looked and realized they were getting kinda '>' shaped. Stiff as hell works for me. I'm probably going to get creative with the upper mounts.

If I wasn't lazy I'd throw the 37s on mine to show you...

I'd look in Eagle's yard/driveway. Bound to find one or two there :brows:

Mmm... 9/16th Gr8 SAE will be close I think. Providing those bolts are 10.9s - not 12.9s. If they're 12.9s, go to junkyard and get 'new' ones. But, that's going by memory.

What warn bumper/winch? They don't weight THAT much. I've been through this before but... If you have 150lb/in coils, you'd need to put 300lbs on the front end to compress the coils 1"! A lot of the aftermarket ones are of an even higher rate than that (upwards of 180). My front bumper on the XJ only weighs about 35lbs. It's not 'light-duty' either, as it's all .250 or .500. My 8k winch (100' of cable) weighs maybe 60lbs. You shouldn't need to add a 1.5" spacer to the front! Measure from hub to fender flares to see where you're at. Smart people on this site know what stock measures.

It's not the rust that bothers me, it's the major PITA that it brings. I changed the oil on the XJ, and that ment bringing it into the garage. Since it is 18*C in there the snow melted off of it... Lying under it with dirty water dripping on you. Very fun. (Which also brings me to the tangent of jeep's vertically mounted oil filters. WTF is up with that?) I should have just left it outside and done it.

Actually, depending on how bad it is, they can... But, it is NOT FUN!

He's only 61" - If that front axle is the same as mine (it should be).

I always weld with the battery hooked up. The only time it will cause a problem is if there is already a problem (short), or you put the ground in a bad spot.

Is the cage in the front portion going to be endo or exo? I'm looking around for people with exos that are narrow. I'm the same width as you, and I've found the exo'd XJ guys get caught up on everything. I figured mine isn't going to be doing the best job of saving the sheetmetal. But that's okay. As far as your axle strength goes... I think the 8.8 will do alright; depending on what your final weight comes in at. That tube bed doesn't look the lighest (did you say what wall size it is?). I know of many 8.8s in relatively light jeeps running 37s and 38s that are successful. I think if you're going to be really worried about the 8.8 you should start worrying about the D44.

You take it to one of those autoparts stores and ask them to test it... But, I just go by looking at the gauges with it running. Tunr the key to on and you should have about 12V, start it and it should go up to 14-18V.

A 40 of crown. I can fix anyyyyyyyyyythiun'.

I got a bunch of hole saws... Well, the good ones are like $10 each, so considering I got about 15 of them I can't complain. But, to celebrate I went out and bought a hydraulic ram, and had some hoses made. Hydro-assist is now in the works...

Well, ARBs don't like being subjected to extreme cold. Otherwise I think they're fine.

I think they sell bigelows... They're for tractors - 42* of joint operation or something. Problem - $1600 for a rear driveshaft. I'm sure he'll deal with it though! He's got sponsers; the lucky bastard.

Jeep cheaped out and went back to a LP front axle for unknown reasons. Yeah, TJs have driveline angle problems. But, the front is actually better than the rear normally... My buddy's YJ now has a front driveshaft length of 48", and a rear length of 18". I think he's going to have to run a bigelow shaft in the rear.