Family Wagon 1996 ZJ BUILD Cantilever Rear Suspension

[Kraqa]

Now that I have a family and my wife that keeps bugging me to build something we can all go wheeling in, I pulled the trigger. I hummed and hawed thinking I should get something with a real frame, but in the end I’ve really wanted to build another ZJ.
I paid $1400.00 for a 1996 5.2L V8 full load limited. It has all the option except the sun roof (which I didn’t want) and heated seats (which I will be adding)
The plans are:
-37” toyo stickies
-1 ton axles, shaved.
-radius arms front
-4 link rear
-bumpers
-mild cage

I want to try to keep this as low as possible. 4” lift max.



Popped the bumper off to start cutting. I plan on tubbing the front wheel wells. The last time i did this I could almost fit a 37” with no lift with the axle moved forward.

[BigDaveZJ]

Really looking forward to seeing what you do with this Kris, especially the cage. I'm hoping to start working on my new build this winter once the shop is up and running.

[Kraqa]

Really looking forward to seeing what you do with this Kris, especially the cage. I'm hoping to start working on my new build this winter once the shop is up and running.

Dave, my goal with the cage is to hide as much of it as I can under the head liner and in the a,b,c,and d pillars. I want to have an X behind the front seats. The interior cage will likely be 1.5” DOM to help it be easy to hide. The exterior rub rails will be either 1.75 or 2” DOM and bolted through the roof into the internal cage so it will look like it sits on top of the rood sheet metal. I bought a tube roller so I want everything to hug the body lines.
I want to make the bumpers and fender bars out of 2” aswell. I haven’t crunched the numbers on weight yet. I don’t want to add a shitload of weight but I think 2” will be a nice size relative to the body style. I always felt 1.75” looks small on these things.
Eitherway. It should be a good build.

[Kraqa]

i got the inner fenders in the front all done.


this is how it was with the bumper cut off.



here is the drivers side done














one side





passenger side









both side

[scott]

Looking good

[Kraqa]

thanks. just painted my basement suite with the wife. gonne get back out to the garage to put the front end back together and rear into the rear;

i'm waiting on my 2" for the bender to come back from a friend then i can start on the bumpers.

[Kraqa]

hmmm home made corn dogs.




OK back to the truck.


I got the rear plastic removed because i'm going to have to modify the inner fenders at some point.








i did some minor trimming (not worth showing)


but this is a 37" tire at ride height, axle woudl need to be moved back 3"





i think i will run 4.5" lift coils to have about 6" of up travel once the fenders are trimmed.

[Kraqa]

oops thats actualy a 39.5" KRT

[Kraqa]

well i made the decision today that i'm going with a cantilever shock set-up for the rear of the ZJ.


i have to call Radflo tomorrow and make sure my bell crank set-up will work with an 8" 2.0 shock. i might have to go with a 2.5" we shall see.


this is going to be fun. i've always wanted to do a set-up like this.


similar to this, except i want the pivot point to be the sway bar.

[Ken L]

That is going to be cool! I am looking forward to seeing the progress.

[lostagain]

I know a couple people running that setup. One is a JK another is a work in progress willys. I've thought of that for the zj a few times I love the way the JK rides with it.

[Kraqa]

I know a couple people running that setup. One is a JK another is a work in progress willys. I've thought of that for the zj a few times I love the way the JK rides with it.

do you know the length and body diameter on the coilovers for the JK?

[lostagain]

14" travel Fox emulsion 2.0's he says

[Kraqa]

interesting. . they claim 14" travel with that kit. so if thats the case using a 14" shock the bell crank isn't changeing the ratio of trave between the shock and the axle. SO you could get away with a 2.0 emulsion. I'm going to be running a 1.7:1 ratio which is going to be hard on the shock.

even with my sponsorship deal through Radflo i can't justify buying new shocks. a 8" 2.5 remote res is 370 my cost. thats a good price but i was hoping to find a set of used ones for around 400 a pair.

lots of used shocks for sale on the desert sites.

not sure if i said it yet but i got my axles last night. so this weekend is goign to be spent stripping them and possibly cutting brackets of the frame of the ZJ. shoudl be a fun filled day of grinding.

[Kraqa]

went into work, i had to cut this monstrosity off the rear dif.





i got the front all cleaned up as well. this week will be spend grinding and taking measurements for the suspension brackets.


i also got a smoking deal on some rims. i didn't originally plan on going this route but the price was right.





i will keep an eye out for some Stauns.

[Kraqa]

i'm thinking i might not put the stauns in these rims. i'm going to run them for a bit but i will eventually get some steel beadlocks for it.


the rear axle is cut out



the sterling 10.5 is under it ready to take some measurements



and just cause i wanted to see what it will look like



i'm hoping to have the subframe and rear link mounts all in this weekend. i dont have rod ends yet. i may try to make some....i may buy some. we shall see how motivated i am and how busy our CNC machines are in the week.

[Kraqa]

and just cause i can......


i decided to make my own rod ends.


4140 chromoly.






in my lathe





............







I haven't decided on if i will be doing weld on ones of threaded bodies.

[Kraqa]

yaaaaa

[scott]

I'm Jealous, how long did it take you to make each one?

[Kraqa]

run time on the CNC is 6 min per piece.

the bodies are going to be way longer. plus a few op's need to be done on the mill. i will be orderin gup my 4140 for the bodies tomorrow. i need 100" of 2.75" solid bar. NOT CHEAP!

[FortCollinsZJ]

Think you could make those rod ends cheaper than the alternatives and still make a profit selling some?

[Kraqa]

I suspect it wouldn't be worth it. i will eventually do a check on my costs when they are done. who knows.

i'm sponsored by EMF and am also one of their suppliers. so becoming competition wouldn't be the best idea for business.

[UTChavok]

Badass man, having that lathe must be nice. Those wheels look good on the ZJ. I have a guy coming to pick up my 96 white stock limited today hopefully. This build makes me want to start cutting that one up and having a clean ZJ.

[Kraqa]

i actually decided against those wheels. having them in hand i don't think they will be strong enough for offroad abuse. Look like i will be going with regular steel wheels and weld n beadlocks.

[downtowncb]

I've wanted to put a cantilevered coil over setup in the rear of one of my ZJs for quite a while. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. I was inclined to run the coil over body the opposite direction towards the rear on either side of the gas tank, with the center of rotation of the lever just below the frame rails where the stock tow hitch bolts. I like the setup you referenced though because of how they kept the lever in double sheer, pretty critical to the design due to the forces it will see.