First Jeep build! Here we go...

Don't need to go thru novak, just order from you're local auto-part the kit that came Oem on Cj7 1981-1984 with the four cylinder it's what i did. But if the mechanical linkage doing the job so it's not a problem for you. I add problem because body(fiberglass) and frame use to flex much in the past i i was losing sometime all clutch operation that's why i change for hydroliq.

Also i was looking at you're rear axle did you plan about an axle warp bar?

 

I am going to wait untill I get it under its own power and then I will check for axle wrap. If it occures, which im sure that it will, I will fabricate some sort of wrap bar. I have only had my linkage stick on me a couple times, luckily it always stuck depressed so a little rocking and it came free. I will probably leave it manual and run this years rubicon trip like it is and then go from there wether or not I want to switch it out. Power steering is first on the list though, before the clutch.

 

I have not had any problems with wrap with mine, not enough to cause any chattering anyway but every case is different I guess.

For the record, PS is the best thing I ever did to mine, so much nicer not worrying about a broken wrist off road, lol, and the ratio is much better than manual.

The build is coming along nicely bud. The one constructive comment I have is that front shackle angle looks pretty close to flat. I always thought the ticket was 75-80 degrees at static height was the ticket to maximize articulation and allow the springs/shackles to work properly.

 

yes I do agree with the front shackle angle. I have not been able to get the front axle to cycle fully but even with about 3'4 cycle the shackle is still too angled for my liking. I tried to flatten them out a little more then I wanted for a couple reasons:

*Help to avoid shackle inverting
*Maximize my amount of drop.

As of now, i dont know of another way to straighten up the shackle angle unless i get another two pieces of tube and weld them right to the bottom of my front bumper which would give me about 1.5-2" forward of the current location. That would also bring my front end up a little too i imagine which wouldn't be all that bad considering my front is a good 2" or so lower in the front then the rear.

 

Got a little more done today. Mounted up the winch plate and winch and got the tailgate back on. Missing one of my tailgate hinges so I will have to try and buy one of those. Also took a measurment of my front shackle angle. Right about 36 degrees.

This is of the front shackles.

welded a couple "spacers" to the bottom of my winch plate. Front bumper sits a smidge higher then the cross member which is why i added the spacers.

Drilled two holes to mount the back of the plate to the cross member. The winch uses the 4 outter holes.

Once bolted down, I welded the plate right to the front bumper. I seen how BKD did his and sort of copied it. Sorry but thanks!



Here is a pic from under the jeep looking up. You can see the 4 bolts that mount the winch to the plate and the inner two that mounts the rear of the plate.

All ready to go.

Also painted and mounted the tailgate. Anyone have a tail gate hinge for an intermediate?

 

If you have some scrap flatbar laying around, you can try some test shackles for the front. You could probably get that shackle angle up to around 40 to 45 deg by adding about 1/2" to the shackle length. But you might want to get it driveable and see how they work as they are first. My springs are even flatter than yours, but you can probably get away with that much angle with those springs.

 

Thats my plan. Onces hes on the road, i am going to take it to my buddies grandparents and use his arrigation valves (the big cement boarders) and attempt to fully stretch him out and see how they work. As of the little tests that I have done, the front side that compresses is burried in the fender with the shackle at its bottom point, meaning the shackle aint moving anymore which just allows for the rest of the spring to flex. I figure this way, it limits the amount of spring flex for up travel. My shackles now are purdy long, i think around 7" long or so, i will have to measure.

 

ALso Posi, I went back through your build real quick and wanted to look how your front shackle angle looks. Looks bout like mine is, whats your degree on the front and rear? My rears sit at exactly 45 degrees

 

Ok...was planning on building some sliders today but once I found out the price of 3x3x3/16ths angle iron...I decided to look elsewhere for some hand me down steel. Anyways, got bored and started taking measurments and tinkering with the jeep. Found out the the dead weight of the toyota axles and tires are enough to full max out my suspention. Check it out, these pics are from me hoisting the jeep up untill the tires were about 1/2 inch off the concrete.

Besides...I already have "rock sliders" if thats what you wanna call them.


jeep sitting static with no tension on hoist.

Full weigh of axle and tires hanging from suspension...notice the shackles...maxed!


Front doing the same thing...

Now with full axle and tire weigh hanging...again, notice the shackles! Went from 37 degrees static to 90



still waiting for my shocks and yj brake unit to get here so Will post further progress soon as I get them in.

 

YAY!!! Just contacted a guy who needed a spring over done on his '75 cj5. Called him up and met at his house to talk and for me to check out his jeep. After talking with him for awhile, i guess he was impressed and wants nobody else to do it but me. All I have to do is a basic spring over and he has all the parts and tools needed minus an angle grinder which i will bring, to do the job. Hes paying me $300 to do it and do you know what that means???? JEEP FUND !!!! Also talked him into joining the site. I told him how wonderful it is here and that the grass TRULY is greener over here and that there is a large amount of knowledge here from most everyone which will do him good like it has for all us new ones.

 

I know this is a little off topic, but I'm curious if you know what brand those half doors on your Jeep are?

I think I have the same doors and have been trying to ID them.

 

I have no idea really, they were on the jeep when it was bought. I know it also came with a best top soft top and best top bikini along with the half doors. I will check tomorrow becuase I think i have a tag on the inside of my pockets.

 

Sweet! $300 to the Jeep fund is always welcome! Nice work, keep it up :tea:

 

Ya it will help out for sure expecially with the cost of steel down here. $8 a foot for 3x3 angle with a $5 cut fee.

 

Front shocks arrived today so i got to work making up some mounts for it. Now, just so we are all clear...I have a budget of change at this moment so Im using anything possible to creat parts, brackets and mounts...just to bring you all up to date. With that said, I found a creative way to make some upper shock mounts and lowers. Here are some pics.

Here is a pic of what I started with.

Yes, I am using two spring plates as shock towers. A bolt will be welded through the back of the plate facing out which will bolt the top of the shock to the plate.

made some lower mounts out of 2x2x3/16ths square tube.

Test fit. Put them at a 15 degree angle.

welded up.

Shocks mounted. Will mount the upper mount once I get me a couple bolts for the shock. Its rigged, but everything is super beefy and strong so I have no worries with it other than looks. It is creative though, ya'll gotta give me that!

 

Well, i start the spring over project on that dudes jeep here in the next couple days so i started craigs listing. I found a cargo rack (safari rack) for 50 bucks and a guy selling 1" 40 gauge tube for $1 foot!!! So since I had my gas tank skid stolen basically, my plan is to bend and run a tube from mount to mount under the fuel tank (original fuel skid mounting areas) and then either weld in some center section pipe or plate..which im leaning towards plate. Also, Im going to have to remove that tube bumper in the rear and make my own. My tire will not clear the rear bumper and I do not want to put a spacer on the spare tire mount to try and clear it. Its just bolted to the tailgate and that 35" swamper ssr weighs a ton! Should have some pics up tomorrow of the front shocks finished and maybe a few other odds and ins. Also, the guy who took my steering rods and drive shafts has refused to return my calls now for almost 3 weeks...not looking good and if he does not return them...well im screwed.

 

Was able to buy the bolts I needed and finish the front shocks. Whatcha think? I can rock the fire out of the jeep and it stops as soon as I let go...LOVE IT!

 

Not afraid that the plate move after some good off-road use?

 

Nope. It is welded to the original shock bolt through the plate and then welded the full length of the plate to the frame on the bottom. In order for that plate to move, then it would have to bust the center weld and then bust the 4 inches of weld on the bottom of the plate. I took a 3 pound sledge hammer to the driver side plate and beat the crap out of it with only the center weld (didn't weld the bottom yet) and it never budged besides bending the factory mount a little bit.

 

Brown santa came today again!!! Woohoo!!! My YJ booster unit came in the mail. I bought it used and to say the least...its used! Very dirty and rusty...picture looked different for sure. But none the less, it should work and I get started mounting it in the morning. The YJ bracket doesn't bolt up to my firewall. I have the 4 needed holes already, but the yj bracket is different. In order to have the plunger stick through in the original location, I am going to have to hold it in place while i mark the 4 new holes for the yj unit then I am going to drill an extra 2 holes in the yj unit bracket where the original bolts held the pedal assembly in place. Pictures to come tomorrow.

On another note, I finally got ahold of the dude who was making my custom tie rod, shortening my drag link and shortening my driveshafts. He said they would be done 3 weeks ago and he was not answering nor returning my phone calls so I finally just drove over to his house to confront him (thats over $300 worth of parts I can not afford to loose or be stolen, it would destroy my chance of running the con this year). Pick up my stuff thursday afternoon so i can get it all bolted up. All that will be left is the adapting of the yj MC, to my Cj hard lines to the toyota axles....ya buddy.