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My latest axle build/swap and front leaf conversion


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Remember to set you caster to what ever the caster angle was on the donor vehicle, other wise you will have some crazy handling issues. I am still chrunching numbers to figure out which leaves I am going to use as well. I plan on running a shackle reversal with a square driveshaft driving vibes don't matter on my rig, as i t is a trailer KING anyways :D

 

More then likely I am going to ditch my front bumper for one with a better approach angle, I was also thinking of dovetailing the front :nanner: As I will no longer need my coil bucket area, plus it will allow me to run bigger tires :eek:

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Well, I picked up some SJ front leaves today.

 

 

Set 'em in place to looksee at things.

 

 

Looks good so far. Just gotta wait for the machine shop to be open again (buy steel).

 

 

I also got a ZJ pitman arm. Is there a way to pull a pitman arm without the puller? Can I BFH it?

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As an update:

 

I shaved the stock front crossmember, and pulled apart alll remaining steering (pump, box) as it is just in the way.

 

 

I bought steel, but, realized I'd screwed up.

 

 

I bought 32.75" of 4x4x.250 angle to make the front crossmember to hang the leaf pockets from. Later I realized that my spring centre-centre is 32", and the springs are 2.5" wide. Tomorrow I'll buy 35" of 4x4x.250 angle.

 

 

I also bought various flat bar. Two peices were 12x4 to be the outside supports. After looking at it I realized that if I made them 12x5.5 they'd serve dual purpose as a steering box brace.

 

And I bought assorted 3x3x.250 HSS (square tube) to cut open and make the leaf hangers out of. These I think will work.

 

 

The idea is to weld the crossmember and supports to the front of the truck, and bolt the leaf hangers to them. This will allow me to easily 'do away' with them if I decide to at some point. Unless I get lazy and just weld them in place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh, and I trimmed the front fenders on my XJ there was some rub with the 31s. Then I relocated the flares higher, like the MJ. Then I decided to bedliner the lower quarters on it, but didn't quite get around to it. I've also decided to put my LAs on it, as my buyer backed out. I think it's scared of me already.

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Oh, and I trimmed the front fenders on my XJ there was some rub with the 31s. Then I relocated the flares higher, like the MJ. Then I decided to bedliner the lower quarters on it, but didn't quite get around to it. I've also decided to put my LAs on it, as my buyer backed out. I think it's scared of me already.

 

laughin that thing isn't gonna last as a daily driver, my gut tells em. Are you mounting the leaves far enough forward that you don't loos any approach angle with a winch (as in the winch tray is the front leave hangers crossmember)? That's what it sounded like.

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The winch is going under the radiator, behind the stock crossmember. The new crossmember is getting built over the old one, with the 4" part of the angle plating the front, and the 8" part going back towards the engine.

 

 

I will lose approach; over my old setup at least. But not much, depending how things work out. I will be running stock MJ rear shackles in the front, which aren't very big.

 

 

However, my wheelbase will be stretched by maybe 2" by this, so that will make up for the loss of approach.

 

 

Departure angle still owns me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the XJ has GOT to stay DD. Or, at least work when the MJ doesn't. Or I'll lose my job; which would be annoying as it gets me hella discounts on tools/hardware. Not to mention I'd be broke.

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Progress is limited because I fubared my arm.

 

 

 

However, I did some things, and even took pics (after the sun had set).

 

 

I purchased a peice of 4x7x.375 angle to make the front crossmember out of. It was as close as I could get. Then I welded some nuts into the stock front frame rails so I could bolt the crossmember in place for fitting/welding.

 

 

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I'm going to need to clean a few things up to get it to fit better. And if the steering is going to clear it will be an entirely different matter.

 

This is the winch I intend to put behind it.

 

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It's cheap. But it's the same as a ramsey 8000, just under a different name.

 

 

Not much space back there. Even with no fans in, and the steering and belts all gone, I could not get the winch in through the top.

 

 

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This means that to remove the winch I would have to either pull the crossmember, or pull the engine! Obviously, it's starting to look like I should make this crossmember bolt in, if I can. Unfortunatly, the nuts I have already welded in are not ment to be structeral.

 

 

 

This also got me thinking that I probably could have used a better design than just a peice of angle, and probably avoided these issues. Live and learn.

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it sounded from your post that you probably have to cut a tab/semi circle for the steering box to fit...

 

What about making a semi circle "bite" out of the passenger side that gives you enough clearence to push the winch up an through and slide it over. Or to remove slide it back and pull through the half hole.

 

If it takes too much out of the angle iron you might be able to come up with reinforcement... I guess it just depends on how much clearence you need/have on the pass side.

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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

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This is gonna work, I just need to get stronger. Or pull the rad.

 

 

The crossmember with the winch bolted to it weighs god knows what... I'm NOT benchpressing it in place. I'll have to come up with some crazy redneck system to lift it up for me. Or install studs into the alignment nuts.

 

 

But, I got the steering to clear. Just took a little notching.

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It fits. Steering, winch, rad fans...

 

 

But, I've decided to do things a little differently.

 

 

I think I will make the winch tray portion removeable, and weld the rest of the crap in. This should be easiest in the long run, and I don't mind buying MORE steel!

 

 

Oh, and, in case you don't know; using 6011 stick for cutting out bolts doesn't work too well. It just seems to weld the whole mess together. Serves me right for being lazy...

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