ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 22, 2012 Author Share Posted July 22, 2012 went to harbor freight friday with a coupon and picked this little badboy up for $90. it'll run a sawzall or grinder like a charm. then went to the JY yesterday and thanks to my new generator i had a dana 44 w/ disc brakes on the ground in minutes. brought it home and started cutting the zj brackets off and getting it ready to weld the leaf spring brackets on. got all of them cut off except for one and was getting hungry and running out of energy so i called it a day. i can't wait to get this thing put in and see how it looks with the spring over axle. unfortunately it'll have to wait about a week before i make any progress since i'm having to house sit for someone while there on vacation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 lol i know i said it would be a week before any progress or updates but i got done early at work today and came by the house today for a little bit to work on it before going to house sit(i'm addicted, i can't go a day without showing one of the jeeps some attention lol). so i finished cutting the last bracket off then started grinding the remaining metal off the axle tubes. i got one side finished and started on the the other here's the clean side and i also left a portion of the old coil spring brackets so i would still have these mounts for the brake lines Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 You know that diff is a D44HD with the aluminum center section right? It is a good diff if you truss it and get a really strong cover for it. The gear ratio and lockers are limited though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 You know that diff is a D44HD with the aluminum center section right? It is a good diff if you truss it and get a really strong cover for it. The gear ratio and lockers are limited though. i'm not super concerned with having a strong axle. just wanted something better than the turdy five and something with disc brakes. i never plan on wheelin this thing, that's what my zj is for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shelbyluvv Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 Just watch over loading the truck with it in there. It can bend the axle. I have beat the hell out of a 44hd and never had a problem with one. They are a stout piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 Just watch over loading the truck with it in there. It can bend the axle. I have beat the hell out of a 44hd and never had a problem with one. They are a stout piece. haha yea, don't have to worry about putting too much of a load in there only having the 2.5 lol. although i did manage to get about 1200 lbs in the bed of it last time i hauled a load of scrap metal haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 stopped by my house for a bit again today before going to house sit. i cleaned the axle up a little more today, getting really close but still not quite done. and...the brown santa came to visit me today. got my leaf spring perches from quadratec. i did a little test fitting with them and it looks like they should work perfect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 made some progress today. i finished grinding on the axle and got the new spring perches welded on. not the pertiest welds but the feed was acting up on my welder a bit today and i'm not the most skilled welder anyway. i gave them the BFH test and they passed. then i went and bought some new u-bolts and i reversed the sides the u-bolt plates were on so that i could still use the existing shock mounts on them. dana 44 in, but still need a drive shaft, shocks, and brake lines and then i get to start on the front lol. so here's the out come of my spring over axle lift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MancheKid86 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 looking good, what pinion angle did you use? and did you prep the area where you welded? that surface corrosion will create a problem down the road :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 looking good,what pinion angle did you use? and did you prep the area where you welded? that surface corrosion will create a problem down the road :thumbsup: i just slid the driveshaft in and kinda eyeballed the pinion angle. used a 2x4 to tilt the axle around until i got it to look nice and then tacked them into place. most of the area was prepped since i had to finish grinding the old mounts off in those areas this morning but there was probably a small amount that wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 3, 2012 Author Share Posted August 3, 2012 33's? and i just ordered a set of these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomguy310 Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 what are you going to do with the red set of front control arms? i am close to you in nky... looking like you need to turn the heat up on your welder or preheat them, but thats just my thoughts, but look nice what you have done so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 what are you going to do with the red set of front control arms? i am close to you in nky... looking like you need to turn the heat up on your welder or preheat them, but thats just my thoughts, but look nice what you have done so far trying to sell them, make me an offer if your interested Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 well i went to the jy yesterday for a bit. found a lifted xj and a lifted zj there. I stole these rear shocks from the zj. not sure what brand they are but they're some pretty nice shocks and they have the nice big rubber bump stops at the top which i like. got them home and touched up the silver paint a bit. and then from the lifted xj i stole this adjustable tracking arm and the bracket. the best part is, i got all of these parts for only $22 bucks :banana: . although i might have got a little wet from a short storm that decided to pass through while i was there i think it was well worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 well i got my new shocks on this morning. I knew it was probably gonna take some fabricating, and it did but not much at all. I just relocated the shock mounts to the axle and used the existing upper mounts. it worked out pretty good, after i got it off jackstands and on the ground i still have about 6" of upward travel and i'm not even sure how much down travel(A LOT i'll just put it that way lol). i couldn't help myself so i got in the bed and jumped around and i do believe she's gonna ride quite nice. can't wait to finish everything up and drive it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 bought some 33's already mounted on cragar soft 8's today. been trying to get these things from a guy on craigslist since thursday. finally got them, and for only $200 :cheers: got 2 of them on the back already, just getting an idea of how it'll look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 well if you all remember this picture below is what brought me into this crazy rear end swap/lift. after getting the rear end in and the lift done on the back. i finally decided it's time to make this thing pull itself again. you can't see it so well in the pic, but the ears on the yoke were ground down so much that it wasn't able to hold in a c-clip anymore. but with a little determination, my welder, and a dremel tool, i managed to repair it. i welded a bead around the grounded spots on the yoke an built it back up to where it should be. then used a dremel to grind them back into shape somewhat and clean out the holes where the u-joints would be going in. then finally used the dremel again with a small cutting wheel to cut out the grooves that the c-clip sits in. i know this may not seem like much to some ppl, but i'm only 23 years old and just now starting to get alot of fabrication under my belt. and i have to say, i'm very proud of myself on this one. most ppl would have taken it to a shop, or thrown it out and went to the junkyard for another one, or had a new one built at a shop. but i was bound and determined to make it work and i did. and here she is after her test drive. this thing rode smoother than it ever has since i've owned it. i'm very happy with how it's went so far, i just hope i can still say the same after i lift the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomguy310 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 what are you going to do with the red set of front control arms? i am close to you in nky... looking like you need to turn the heat up on your welder or preheat them, but thats just my thoughts, but look nice what you have done so far trying to sell them, make me an offer if your interested I'm not sure what they would be worth to you, and i am close to you, so just curious what you would take Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 6, 2012 Author Share Posted August 6, 2012 i've got them on craigslist right now for $100. like i said, make me an offer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randomguy310 Posted August 6, 2012 Share Posted August 6, 2012 i've got them on craigslist right now for $100. like i said, make me an offer is that the springs also? if so thats a fair price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 7, 2012 Author Share Posted August 7, 2012 no i'm using the springs on my mj. i think $100 is still a fair price for uppers and lowers, and the lowers have the poly flex joints. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 well i got my parts in today. 4-6" rough country shocks for the front, got one of them as a scratch and dent for only $12.00. not sure what was wrong with it, can't find anything so far. and i got my adjustable control arms from a guy on ebay. very impressed with these things. i wasn't expecting to unwrap something so BEEFY! love these things, i might even sell the full set i have for my zj and buy a set of these. once i got done having a mini christmas morning on the tailgate of my truck, i got to work. anybody wanna buy a 2wd dummy axle?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExTrEmEmJ86 Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Nice keep a eye on them arms for me I was checking them out on ebay also :brows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 12, 2012 Author Share Posted August 12, 2012 went to the JY today and got a d30 with 3:73's to match the new d44 in the rear. didn't get much done after that. was kinda feelin lazy today. i took what was left of the upper control arms off and knocked the old bushings out of the mounts. i also took the brakes off, since i'm gonna go back to the JY next weekend and get some WJ knuckle's and brakes for the bigger brake swap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZJ_flexxxer Posted August 15, 2012 Author Share Posted August 15, 2012 nice little update for today... so i noticed today, one of the lower control arm mounts somehow got bent either at the JY or in the process of getting it home. so i'll have to get that fixed. :fs1: got some more old parts removed including the knuckles and axles/hubs.(not very good pics, i worked late tonight) i also picked up some new cv axles so today i came up with a little plan to make my sway bar links disconnect if i want. i used a speed bit to make my bolt holes a little larger and i picked up some 3 point tractor pins from TSC. worked out pretty nice i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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