Rockfrog Posted June 25, 2016 Author Share Posted June 25, 2016 So, this week's shift at home brings us more excitement ... ... OK, not really, but I did do some crap to the Comanche. Made a new bumper-ish, has a 2" receiver behind/below it. And it's all tied into the stock bumper location as well as the swaybar mounts. Started painting the old girl, started shooting primer, then decided I really liked the color, so gonna hit it with clear coat after. Got this far before the weather went south on me. Cleared the tailgate as a tester and really liked it. Looks like the new wrangler green, thinks it's called Sarge or some such. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddout Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Really like the progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 What primer is that? Looks similar in colour to the 88 I have that's painted with Krylon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 25, 2016 Author Share Posted June 25, 2016 Rustoleum self etching primer. Now if only the damn wind would die down I could finish this mess. Right now the bow is cleared, needs sanding and a re-clear, and the cab forward is still like the previous picture. Also picked up a 3.73 lsd 8.8 for a regear. Will worry about a matching front later down the road. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddout Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 I really like that color. Gonna look bad a** when you get the whole thing done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Thought about doing red tow hooks and inside side of two grille slots ... Kinda trailhawk ish. But I've also been known to have dumb arsed ideas now and again. Like when I wanted to do a bogger tread racing stripe ... Have all the decals in marine grade black reflective for after it's done as well. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 Finished the taillights at least. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Sweet! Truck is looking good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 Went to apply the ebrake yesterday .... SNAP! Awesome, with my luck it's another non existent part. Yay. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 In other news, should have a 3.73 lsd 8.8 in the rear in 2 weeks time. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outlaw star Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Went to apply the ebrake yesterday .... SNAP! Awesome, with my luck it's another non existent part. Yay. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Which cable, the front or two rears? I have part numbers for them as i just replaced all three on mine. Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 28, 2016 Author Share Posted June 28, 2016 Front one, right where it goes into the pedal assembly. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outlaw star Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Alright, give me about 15min here to get to my shed. Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outlaw star Posted June 28, 2016 Share Posted June 28, 2016 Crown part number 52003192. Got mine from Morris 4x4 for 20 dollars. Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted June 30, 2016 Author Share Posted June 30, 2016 Cool, thanks, see if I can find that after this work shift. Good to know it's still available. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Just awesome ... Got a call from the shop, new 8.8 axle is in ... But the wheel base is 3/4" longer on one side, and the wheels are sitting 2" from the frame on the passenger side and 3/8" from the frame on the drivers. And only 11hrs left until I have to go to work, in this truck. Words escape me. Foxtrot Mike ... Out. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 So the axle is about 1 1/4" to the driverside. U bolts were loose, brakes waaaaaaaay out of adjustment. Tightened the u-bolts, and adjusted the brakes so at least it's safe to drive now. The rear frame is square, the perches are properly centered, only thing I can figure is the GM lowering shackles or the springs are twisted somehow. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Ehh, sure the perches are centered? That's way out. It's hard for a leaf spring to get out of whack like that. If the shackles are bent it will be very obvious, and even then unless they're folded right over sideways it's not going to do that. Are the center pins of the springs actually in the pin hole on the perch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Measured them, 42" to center, they are about 4 1/4" from the backing plates to the perch sides. Spring center bolts are in the holes, I can see them there. I'm hoping it'll settle in as some things were loose and I tightened them. Have a good run to work so that should give the rear a good shuffling into place. I'll check and relighting when I get up there and again when I get back home (about 250km each way). I mean it all looks good to me, but something is obviously out. Even measuring off the spring side matches side to side within 1/8" ... I'm totally stumped and no time to dig deeper this week. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 I'll try and snag pictures when the scorching ball of light pops back up again. The upshot though, is with 32's second gear now acts like first gear used with 3.07's. Speedo is waaaaaaaay out, reads about 80km/h at 60 now ... Out come Ulysses Speedometer (android app on my phone). I'll have to figure out what gear I need later. Edit - doing a little research reveals several accounts of YJ's leaving the factory with mismatched wheel bases side to side. Since nothing is bent that I can see .... I'm going to go with it's always been like that and we just taped it out. But, that's an easy fix anyway, 3/8" shorter on one side, 3/8" longer on the other ... Shims for the win. Noticed the passenger shock has a crumpled body now, not saying it was done by the shop, but if the shock is crumpled could an aging suspension and some aggressive driving on the highway have shifted things over time? We didn't really do any beforehand measuring so this may have been like this already and is just coming to light because of the axle swap? I trying to think of anything at this point. I have some spare leaves and a few other sets of Dakota leaves (and some XJ) going to try and make a new set of bastard heavy loaders and check the shackles while I'm at it. They look OK to me so maybe the springs have shifted ... It would only take 3/4" of so to throw the driverside out 1.5" from the passenger. Remember what comes off the one side gets added to the other. Second edit - I was just doing even more research into the issue ... Is it possible he may have tightened things up a bit too much when it was still in the air with no wheels? So when on it's own weight again, the shackle and spring bushings and all that were not allowing for proper settling before final torque down? Or is it even a possibility that my aging stock 2wd spring are just that sagged unevenly and the load assist shocks are just exacerbating the issue? Time for sleep, this stuff's too damn frustrating right now. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyComanche Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Anytime you have a rubber BONDED bushing, you have to torque the bolts with the suspension at 'natural' weight/height. For what we care that means set the truck back on the tires, then tighten everything up. Yes, you can unevenly load the crap out of things by torquing them when they're at a drooped/flexed state. I don't think that is your issue at this point. But for the sake of it, I would loosen everything up as it is sitting there, jump up and down on the bumper a bunch, and just see if it settles out any. Torque it back up in that state. IMHO, my experience with the unibody constructed Jeeps is that they were very much bang on in the critical dimensions. They had very extensive jigs for building these vehicles, as the manufacturing process was nothing like a conventional body-on-frame vehicle. I would highly doubt that the leaf/shackles hangers, which are listed as a critical dimension, were installed more than 1/8" out of true by the factory. Honestly, short of your springs being screwed, which should have been obvious before this, I would start putting an angle finder on that 8.8 axle and see if there's a story that needs to be told. If one end is bent up, and the other down, as can happen easily in a rollover, it might well account for a large amount of the 'out of true' that you're seeing on the tires vs the uniframe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted July 26, 2016 Share Posted July 26, 2016 Iirc I remember someone mentioning that the ford 8.8 pumpkin is offset to one side...maybe the shop measure from center of the pumpkin and went 21"/whatever amount matches the 42" over to each side to set the perches...that could be the reason why one side to set closer than the other.... Here's a write up mentioning it being offset... http://www.stu-offroad.com/axle/8.8axle/8.8axle-1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Nope, I even went and measured thinking the same thing. Even spacing from the backing plates. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 26, 2016 Author Share Posted July 26, 2016 Drive to work was uneventful, even got into a race with a modded 2dr wrangler. He had no chance, like none, zero, two pinpoints in the rear view none. And Fuel economy seems to be up a bit, but my little rocket show seems to have skewed that some. Slight pull to the right though. I mean it all measures fine off the axle and the mounts so Ivm thinking a twisted spring? Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockfrog Posted July 28, 2016 Author Share Posted July 28, 2016 So here's my thought ... Since looking at the pics the axle seems to be more centered than when I picked it up. I had them reduce the shackle to spring torque to 60ft-lbs on delivery. If I loosen the shackle to frame bolts for the return trip and loosen the u-bolts a wee bit and wobble the nuts off it (jump in the box like a mad man) then retighten the u-bolts and retorted the shackles to 75ft-lbs when I get back home. Is it possible that the spring is actually twisted? Or am I grasping at straws? The perches are right where they need to be, confirmed several times by multiple tape measures. The slight pull to the right is consistent with our road crowning here (and with a slight wheelbase discrepancy ... But don't let that cloud the issue, we're concerned with the rear axle only at this point in the game). It's not like it makes an immediate lane change, just a slight slow meandering veer right if I let the wheel go. Nothing dramatic, probably take a few hundred yards to swap a lane so to say. Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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