Family Wagon 1996 ZJ BUILD Cantilever Rear Suspension

[UTChavok]

I have 14" x 2.5" coil overs for the front. The set-up will not be as involved as the front. i will be trying to not do a shock hoop like everyone does. i want to build a shock tower that is frenched into the inner fender. it will help keep debris out of the engine compartment and avoid a bunch of gaping holes.

I like that idea, I was looking at something like that on mine. My buddy drew up some shock towers in solid works and had them cut out and I was trying to see how I could run them in the front rather than hoops.

[Stealth Crawler ZJ]

I had a local guy cut me out some frenched towers for mine but I still had to do some heavy modifications because of the limited space and angles I had to work with!
I will say that it's definitely better tower/uni-body over hoops

[Kraqa]

i got the rear gas tank skid support and cantilever support all finished. all i need now to finish the rear off is bump stops and links.





1.125 bolting flange for skid all the way around








i also got the driver side rocker/boat side in place. still lots of welding left.

















still have the factory door seal

[BigDaveZJ]

So much sex.

[bentwrench]

What size tube did you end up using? Looks really good.

[Kraqa]

4 x 2 x 3/16" Thanks. Lots of work for only a few inches. But totally worth it.

[bentwrench]

I hope it is. Is there a reason you did your spacing on supports the way you did? I tried to have mine not interrupt leg room. When i put my interior back in you would never know i even cut the floor.

[Kraqa]

i put the supports where they are to avoid seat mounting and the seat belt hold down.

you shoulnd; tbe able to tell they are there when the carpet goes back in.

[polar_jeep_04]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=437010969785884

Looks cool in action. I can't wait to see it on a ZJ.

[jeepjosh]

And I thought I was a master fabricator when I welded my pre-made bracket kit on the 8.8 haha

It's amazing just to see tech like this going into a build on a ZJ. Wish I knew half the shit you already forgot about building a nice wheeling vehicle

[StinkoMan20X6_]

I like that ZJ's are finally getting the kind of tech that they deserve. Just in time for them to be practically free to own. Almost makes me wanna sell mine and start over.

[bentwrench]

Hey kraqa, what is your axle to frame height: going to be at right height?

[Kraqa]

IIRC around 13" i will double check when i get the axle back under there.

i think i can get away with a 3.5" lift over stock and have about 4.5" of up travel.

[bentwrench]

IIRC?

I think im running 12 inches from the center of the axle to the frame above the stock bump stop.

[Kraqa]

IIRC?

I think im running 12 inches from the center of the axle to the frame above the stock bump stop.

IIRC = if i recall correctly

[Kraqa]

not sure how much i posted of this prior...


but i went from a round bar of 4140 chromoly to a sphere and a shank. then threaded the shank



that one is 1.25". these ones are 1"



then made some custom jaws, turned em sideways and bored them out and threaded them








finished the other side in the lathe and then did some locking rings. 4 flat spots for a set screw and then the counter bore holes for the spanner wrench.





the real magic will be when i make the inner races. i have formulated a urethane for this. 100% memory, great rebound, great impact resistance, no cold flowing like other UHMW and NYLON races. very rigid to keep the firm feel of this style of joint. pics will follow.


everything goes out for nitrite coating and heat treatment on thursday

[Kraqa]

joints came back from heat treatment and surface finishing.





i also got the mold for inner races done and managed to cast 48 races. i pulled 2 from the batch to test fit. the rest are post curing and annealing over night.





the race has a built in lubricant. 100% memory. 25% compression set. 0% cold flow (UHMW has somewhere around 35%). very high abrasion resistance. there is also an internal dust seal cast into the race. currently filing a patent on the race.


love to see the orange in there.



then one of these joints goes into our suspension simulator to get some head to head numbers VS a UHMW race (like the RE joints), industry standard MDI urethane race like the johnny joints and a metal race like an EMF joint.

[Kraqa]

thread should be open again. can someone post to verify that it is open please.

[egg]

Open again

[CRJEeP_wj]

yes.

[jsteves]

Had to wipe the drool of my chin...

[LSRGreg]

Sub'd! Killer build man! Keep it coming!

[Ted_Z]

Got to love the machining pron here.

[Varkyl]

Kris,
Very clean work. It is inspiring me to get out and do some cutting. Now to find the time to actually do it!

I really miss hanging out at this place.

[Kraqa]

thanks. its been a busy month with not much time to be able to spend on the ZJ.

i should be back at it here soon.