GummiBeer Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 oh no...$#!&ty deal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Well... haven't heard anything back from the guy selling the roll cage. He said that he would talk to the guy who has it now and get back to me, but I'm started to get my doubts. What a big time drag. Originally I wasn't even going to run any cage just because I know I'd be knocking my knees all over it getting in and out of the truck. Knowing that I most likely missed this one, now I want one! Who knows... if I end up putting one in, I'll probably end up making one up. On the up side, I just picked up my brass bushings for the leaf springs! :banana: The limited slip clutches went in the dana 44 without any problems and they're just waiting on me to pick up a couple seals. It'll probably be another week at the earliest before I get the axle back, so I'll probably hold off on mocking up the suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted March 10, 2013 Share Posted March 10, 2013 Any updates on this monster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 10, 2013 Author Share Posted March 10, 2013 There really should be, shouldn't there? It's been a frustrating experience waiting for my axle to get done. It's been in pieces for a couple months now at the school I work at because I was asked if I would help aid in someone's education and let a student take it appart and put it back together. Not sure if I donated it to a flunky, but I will say that I'll never do this again. I met up with the kid who is supposedly working on it last week and asked if I could have it back before the end of the week. This week is spring break so I figured I could get something done on it. No... not so much. The axle wasn't even touched all week so I very nicely asked where everything was at so I could put it all back together myself. I noticed that I needed pinion bearings yet, so I got those on order. Yet another set back as any parts store counter jocky in my town doesn't seem to understand urgency or even how to do their job properly. Currently, I'm waiting on the last of the parts to come in. Now I'm getting all worked up again... :soap box: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted March 11, 2013 Share Posted March 11, 2013 Sorry bud, i can understand your frusturation though......don't lose hope, just keep in mind theres some crazy fan like myself thats counting on you. Hahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 11, 2013 Author Share Posted March 11, 2013 Thanks dude. :cheers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 I got my axle back!!! :banana: New bearings, seals, and limited slip clutch packs. I know... it's all sorts of crusty, but it is a MN axle after all. Not sure how crazy I'm going to get with cleaning it up before tossing it under the truck. I'd like to get the suspension mocked up and go from there. Besides that, I'm not 100% sure what I'm doing for brakes just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Looks pretty good to me. :cheers: Scratch it up pretty good with a wire wheel and give it a good coat of red primer and a couple of coats of satin Rustoleum. Might last through a couple of MN winters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 No winters for this truck, Don! :no: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Good plan. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Looks pretty good to me. :cheers: Scratch it up pretty good with a wire wheel and give it a good coat of red primer and a couple of coats of satin Rustoleum. Might last through a couple of MN winters.The Rustoleum on my front axle did not survive me sneezing on it in a temperature controlled dry garage. Better than Krylon, but still has issues with chemicals. I am giving VHT a chance on the rear. So far it does not immediately scratch off when using a jack. Neohic, it will take maybe thirty minutes to spray the axle with wax and grease remover, sand with a red scotch pad, and clean again with the wax and grease remover. Then spray it down with about three coats of paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 The Rustoleum on my front axle did not survive me sneezing on it in a temperature controlled dry garage. Better than Krylon, but still has issues with chemicals. I am giving VHT a chance on the rear. So far it does not immediately scratch off when using a jack. Must be a leaker/seeper then. Also helps to use a pad on the jack contact plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbmxj24 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 hey I'm currently in the process of a full restoration to my 88 mj and would love that body kit do you know if he had more laying around? or where i could find it? thanks-rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 hey I'm currently in the process of a full restoration to my 88 mj and would love that body kit do you know if he had more laying around? or where i could find it? thanks-rob They're still around... sorta. Contact Archer Racing in Duluth, MN but don't expect to get too far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbmxj24 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbmxj24 Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 22, 2013 Author Share Posted March 22, 2013 Looks pretty good to me. :cheers: Scratch it up pretty good with a wire wheel and give it a good coat of red primer and a couple of coats of satin Rustoleum. Might last through a couple of MN winters. The Rustoleum on my front axle did not survive me sneezing on it in a temperature controlled dry garage. Better than Krylon, but still has issues with chemicals. I am giving VHT a chance on the rear. So far it does not immediately scratch off when using a jack. Neohic, it will take maybe thirty minutes to spray the axle with wax and grease remover, sand with a red scotch pad, and clean again with the wax and grease remover. Then spray it down with about three coats of paint. Okay... you win. On to some good stuff... It was a big day that started with some measurements of what I was starting with. Keep in mind that I'm starting with botched front and rear suspensions. Front: Rear: Forgot to pick up a coil spring compressor... so: Then there was the super sketchy coil spacers. They're just 3" pipe that was welded to the top of the coil seat. Fortunately, whoever put them there did a terrible job of welding them in, so they came out without too much fuss, I had to stitch back together a couple spots where they clearly burned through. What a mess: Then it was time for the new coils. Full droop: Compressed: I didn't put the shocks in or even really go through the rest of the suspension. What I wanted to do was get it on the new suspension to see what all, if anything, needed to modified. At ride height, the bump stops are a little more than 1" from bottoming out: I was thinking that I'd need to cut the front axle. At ride height, I think there's plenty of room with the bump stops where they are: The front went pretty quickly. Having a small space to work in meant that the truck needed to get turned around for the rear. That's okay... good for picture opportunities. The truck doing its best stink bug impression: On to the rear which was a bit more complicated. This poor truck must've been beat around in a field at some point: Then it was put in the pile of misbehaving 35s: Then this stuff happened: Of course the driveshaft wasn't going to fit right. Even just going from a 35 to a 44, I'd have to shorten it. Add in the mystery number that the truck was lowered and I got my measurement. The driveshaft needed to be shortened 2". I'd never shortened one myself, so I did some research on the interwebs and called some local shops. Sounded easy enough to me, but I don't know if it'll balance right. From what I was told, it should be close if not the same as what it was. Why not? I'll try anything twice. Started with a timing line and some measuring: ... then some cutting: ... then a quick check before it was set in stone: ... weldy, weldy: Sadly, I didn't have any hugger orange sitting on the shelf, so just some bland, gray primer will have to do for now: Same deal as the front, full droop: Compressed: Then what? This: The end result according to the tape measure: Comparing it to my other 2wd, it's not quite 2" lower in the rear than the '91, and about the same in the front. Overall, I don't think I'm totally sold just yet. I think it needs more low! Comparing pictures from the glory days of Jeep racing, I think it's just about right. Really... why shouldn't it be? This is the same suspension setup that was used in the SCCA. I don't know... maybe it just needs to grow on me. Could be the tires too. Currently, it's running 215/75/15s which I know are too tall. It does get me thinking about what tire size to run though. If I were to go with a 205/60/15, that'd drop the truck another inch and a quarter or so. Anyway... I think it's cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexia Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I would not worry about dropping the suspension any more unless you are purposely going for a flush look. Stadium trucks still needed enough suspension travel to absorb rough bumps! Are you going to get that drive shaft rebalanced now that you shortened it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComancheKid45 Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Wow that is awesome! I too agree the height looks perfect, with a different tire/wheel package itll sit just how you want it to. Super cool!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepcoMJ Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Sweet! I've wanted a lowered MJ for awhile now... Those front brakes look sketchy. If you have 4x4 knuckles floating around, and unit bearings, calipers, and rotors with pads, I have the proper 2wd stub shafts to put in them... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 I would not worry about dropping the suspension any more unless you are purposely going for a flush look. Stadium trucks still needed enough suspension travel to absorb rough bumps! Are you going to get that drive shaft rebalanced now that you shortened it? I'll have it balanced if I need to. It'll be a while before it'll see any real road time. If there aren't any vibrations, I'll probably just leave it alone. Wow that is awesome! I too agree the height looks perfect, with a different tire/wheel package itll sit just how you want it to. Super cool!!! Thanks dude! Sweet! I've wanted a lowered MJ for awhile now... Those front brakes look sketchy. If you have 4x4 knuckles floating around, and unit bearings, calipers, and rotors with pads, I have the proper 2wd stub shafts to put in them... I agree that there really isn't anything about the brakes that should be considered race ready. I've got another couple axles around and was hoping to change it over to unit bearings. I'll send you a PM on the shafts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
87Warrior Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Looking good! I absolutely love the stance as it is. Some lower profile tires would be the icing on the cake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 Me too. ^^^ It's just begging for a custom rolled pan on the rear end. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 23, 2013 Author Share Posted March 23, 2013 Me too. ^^^ It's just begging for a custom rolled pan on the rear end. :thumbsup: Sorry, Don... as much as I agree it'll probably get a tubular push bumper. ... probably size it down some though as I don't plan on anyone trying to bump draft me. :crossfingers: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 23, 2013 Share Posted March 23, 2013 I used to have one of those. You could always do both, si? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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