LSRGreg's WJ Build... Its ON!

[Fesnak]

quick question are these the new kor sliders?
thanks

[LSRGreg]

nope. old style.

G-

[LSRGreg]

Got the sway loc kit on from Off Road Only. I had to make my own mounts...









Old Vs New:










I thought i would be clever and mount the lever on the driver side, so i flipped it over. Turns out the drag link hits it before full lock, so i had to flip it back to how it was originally. I also had to put a bend into the lever on the driver side to clear the drag link at full steer.. so this is actually on the other side now.

[LSRGreg]

Then when i was out testing the shocks a few weeks back, i bent the front axle housing, just getting a little air, and running through the bumps.. i didn't even bottom out, and it was still bent. It was at about 4 degrees of caster per side, so i came up with this solution to get me by until i can afford a new axle! I was pretty shocked it bent so easily..



I bent it back using this method and a torch to heat up the axle tube, it cooled, and it got the outers perp to the ground again. I was a little worried i would ruin the housing, but it was already screwed up, so i didn't have much to loose!

It was also leaking out the axle seal on the long side, and since i bent it back, it doesn't leak any more!! So i think i will hack together a truss to get my by until i get a new axle.. suggestions??

[LSRGreg]

Here is the final instal on the sway lock.. got it flipped back, the mounts coated, and bent the link arm for clearance on the drag link at full steer:









It works really well.. its almost a little too stiff for the on road setting, and a little too stiff for the flex setting.. but i haven't had it out on the trail yet.. just driving around town.. so we'll see...

[ATL ZJ]

Nice fix. I'm not surprised you bent the 30 that quick. A friend of ours bent a mildly trussed 60 about a month ago jumping it hard.

Are you looking for advice on a truss or a replacement front axle?

[IndyZJ]

Where did it bend? Unless it was way out on the tubes or right at the center section, you could probably get away with a big triangular (tnt style) truss. Look at Jeepspeed stuff for ideas.

[Jeeptech01]

Ugh you suck. Nice shiny new mod as usual...LOL

[LSRGreg]

Nice fix. I'm not surprised you bent the 30 that quick. A friend of ours bent a mildly trussed 60 about a month ago jumping it hard.

Are you looking for advice on a truss or a replacement front axle?

I will throw together a truss myself to get me by, more curious as to axle options. I don't want to go to a dana 60.. way too heavy for what i want to do.. i am thinking doing a fabricated type housing that uses a 9" diff, with maybe 60 outers.. but keep in mind.. more of a desert higher speed runner than a hard core rock crawler.. i don't have any desire to go bigger than 35" tires for streetability reasons. I would like to get away with dana 44 sized outers, but not sure if that is smart or not..

thx guys!

[LSRGreg]

Here is the video that bent the front axle.. and it was slightly bent even before i did this..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFGk_42EV4o

[Jeeptech01]

THAT was awesome! What was the avg speed there? 20-30mph? The vid makes it look like you are running pizza cutters but they are 35x12.5 right?

[leeanderthal]

It looks like it rides well. Like the sway loc, is it worth it?

[LSRGreg]

THAT was awesome! What was the avg speed there? 20-30mph? The vid makes it look like you are running pizza cutters but they are 35x12.5 right?

Yeah.. about that speed.. and yeah.. 35" BFG KM2's

It looks like it rides well. Like the sway loc, is it worth it?

i have only driven the sway loc on the street so far.. its nice and stiff for street,, and when i flipped it to loose position, it for sure is a lot softer.. but not sure if soft enough for trail stuff yet.. i will post more about it once i get it out on the trail and use it... so right now, i can't say if it was worth it or not yet.

G-

[AgitatedPancake]

I will throw together a truss myself to get me by, more curious as to axle options. I don't want to go to a dana 60.. way too heavy for what i want to do.. i am thinking doing a fabricated type housing that uses a 9" diff, with maybe 60 outers.. but keep in mind.. more of a desert higher speed runner than a hard core rock crawler.. i don't have any desire to go bigger than 35" tires for streetability reasons. I would like to get away with dana 44 sized outers, but not sure if that is smart or not..

thx guys!

This is somewhere I can come in with a little info because of all the research I have done on front axles.

First, RuffStuffSpeciaties housing is THA SHIT. Picture is worth a thousand words.
(http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...305d9cbf823f4c)


IF you want to go with 60 outers, in your application I would probably go with the new style with unit bearings (See ryan, RSTrucks build). There is no hub stickout at all vs a traditional 60, on which unless you run a LOW backspacing wheel the hub will stick out further than the wheel. The joints and shafts obviously won't need to be the biggest and baddest on the market with just 35" tires
-Can you adapt 60 outers to 5 on 5? I don't know about unit bearing style, but I think the actual hub is too big on a traditional style.

IF you want to go with 44 outers, I say get RCV shafts. If you get in on their pirate group buy you can get them for around $1000 (for a stock application, different spline counts may change it). They specialize in custom shafts and have no problem putting whatever splines you want on the inner shaft. 31 for a stock 9", 33, or 35 for a full blown build, i asked them about it. At 31 or 33 spline you can find a stock Nodular 3rd member, at 35 spline the only option is an aftermarket 3rd unless you get one of those 35 spline spools that was machined to fit in a small bearing 3rd. The outer comes in a 30 spline variety which should fit warn's 30 spline dana 44 hubs they produced for making rear dana 44's full float. Stock flattops or reid knuckles maybe (High steer assumed)
+5 on 5.5 bolt pattern from the factory, 5 on 5 acheivable through drilling rotor and hub (that's what I run)

Just to throw a curve ball in, both sets of my 5 on 5 wheels were not designed to fit over even a dana 44's hub, I had to take a total of about 1/8" of material off the center hole with a grinder to get them to fit!

[Jeeptech01]

Thanks for the reply Greg

A.P. That housing is nice but it looks huge. Might just be the pic though.

[LSRGreg]

agitated,

thanks for the killer feedback man! nice. I am for sure wanting to stay with the 5 on 5.5 lug pattern, as i don't want to change wheels. It would be nice if i could keep my outer knuckles, brakes, etc.. do you know if they will work with 44 inner knuckles? I thought i remember seeing people switching to jk dana 44 axles, and still being able to use their stock outers.. but not sure. I guess my dream is getting a fabricated housing, like that ruff stuff one, or a diamond or something, get a hi pinion 9" 3rd member, ARB, and those RCV shafts, and use my stock outers.. but i have no idea if that is possible.. i want to keep the weight to a minimum for the best handling at higher speed, and not worry about snapping an inner axle or cv joint doing some decent rock crawling stuff..

G--

[Fesnak]

agitated,

thanks for the killer feedback man! nice. I am for sure wanting to stay with the 5 on 5.5 lug pattern, as i don't want to change wheels. It would be nice if i could keep my outer knuckles, brakes, etc.. do you know if they will work with 44 inner knuckles? I thought i remember seeing people switching to jk dana 44 axles, and still being able to use their stock outers.. but not sure. I guess my dream is getting a fabricated housing, like that ruff stuff one, or a diamond or something, get a hi pinion 9" 3rd member, ARB, and those RCV shafts, and use my stock outers.. but i have no idea if that is possible.. i want to keep the weight to a minimum for the best handling at higher speed, and not worry about snapping an inner axle or cv joint doing some decent rock crawling stuff..

G--

you may have made a mistake on the bolt pattern stock wj is 5x5 and I dont see you added any spacers to change the bolt pattern ?

heres what I want to do... if I ever save up enough money (and the tire size I have and the offroading I do I will prob never break a dana 30)
http://www.jkowners.com/tech/axle/index.php

[chadjans]

After having built a few 9" housings. I would do NOTHING else other than 60 outers. The 44 stuff is no stronger than the 30 crap. And if you are spending all the time and money building a housing...

Bump formed housings are huge. It would be a tight fit on a WJ.

You have an alignment bar and pucks?

[LSRGreg]

thanks for the feedback guys.. chad, what is Doc running on his? he has the dynatrac 60 or something right?

G-

[chadjans]

thanks for the feedback guys.. chad, what is Doc running on his? he has the dynatrac 60 or something right?

G-

Front and rear nine inchers using stock Ford stamped steel housings. Nothing special on the housings. I didn't build his particular housings, it was a long lead purchase and the only thing available at the time was stock Ford stuff. Times are alot different now though.

The front housing is using Ford F150 D44 outers. They are teany. I like the the Teraflex 60 knuckles for rigs that are only going to see a medium sized tire.

[LSRGreg]

has he had any issues with his d44 outers? i don't want to do anything more difficult than he does.. i used to have a full tube crawler, and don't want to end up there again..

G-

[downtowncb]

Here is the final instal on the sway lock.. got it flipped back, the mounts coated, and bent the link arm for clearance on the drag link at full steer:

How did you bend that arm, with a press?

[LSRGreg]

yeah, we have a 45 ton at work...

G-

[downtowncb]

Thanks.

[TN_WJ]

What size wheel spacers are you running on there?