YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

Last night I bent and plumbed the rear brake lines on my Pro Rock 60
axle. In installing the shocks, there was interference with a metal
cover on the drivers' side (protects the brake booster?) so I removed
the cover and cut a semi-circle in it for clearance.

With the Spring Over/ 2.5" Lift spring/Teraflex shackle setup I have,
I'm looking at 7 inches of travel, from full extension to at-rest, empty
vehicle load. I figure another 3 inches for compression under load and
shock compression.

However, it looks like, in compression, my fender wells will be bumping
my 37" SuperSwampers. I would like to even it out more, and possibly
kluge up an air spring/ bump stop setup. I would be looking for a more
lifted "normal" height, maybe split 6 inches extension/4 inches
compression. Any thoughts?

Also the stock right side e-brake cable was long enough, but the left
side wasn't, so I fabbed up a 12" long cable extension, using 5/8"
electrical conduit as a housing, and custom-machined brass ends on the
aircraft cable. These were affixed using a solder pot. The new extension
fits tight over the old housing and bolts to the hole where the old
housing went.

Also, when I installed the JB Conversions SYE kit, and had put the
silicone on and the front/back case parts together, there was binding in
the shaft. Wierd, I thought. After the bell housing went on, and I
torqued down the rear output yoke, I heard a SNAP that was NOT the
torque wrench! All of a sudden, the shaft spun very freely. Aaaaaaaaaah!

I knew I'd busted something but didn't know what. I decided to wait a
day for the silicone to harden up, then open it up again. What I'd done
was mis-aligned the "ears" on the "oil pump" disk, and the cast aluminum
tabs had all snapped off. So I had to fabricate replacement tabs from
..200" thick 6061 Aluminum. Drilled, tapped, and held on by Loc-Tited
8-32 stainless button head screws, the new tabs did the trick. I checked
meticulously for proper alignment, listened closely while closing the
case, and things went (finally) smoothly back together again.

I still have to install/plumb/route the ARB compressor, tank, solenoid
valves, and lines. Where do you guys mount your ARB compressor to keep
it high and dry? I'm thinking of removing the scissor jack and putting
it there, or else inside on top of the left rear wheelwell.

I haven't even started on the front axle.

So! How was YOUR weekend?

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:26:58 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:

*snip*
>So! How was YOUR weekend?

I was busy screwing up a header install. :-)

Dave
http://home1.gte.net/res0p2es/david/index.htm

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:26:58 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:

*snip*
>So! How was YOUR weekend?

I was busy screwing up a header install. :-)

Dave
http://home1.gte.net/res0p2es/david/index.htm

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

David C. Moller wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:26:58 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:
>
> *snip*
>
>>So! How was YOUR weekend?
>
>
> I was busy screwing up a header install. :-)
>
> Dave
> http://home1.gte.net/res0p2es/david/index.htm

Excellent! Did ya fix it so ya can't fix it?

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

David C. Moller wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:26:58 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:
>
> *snip*
>
>>So! How was YOUR weekend?
>
>
> I was busy screwing up a header install. :-)
>
> Dave
> http://home1.gte.net/res0p2es/david/index.htm

Excellent! Did ya fix it so ya can't fix it?

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 20:04:08 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:

>David C. Moller wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:26:58 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:
>>
>> *snip*
>>
>>>So! How was YOUR weekend?
>>
>>
>> I was busy screwing up a header install. :-)
>>
>> Dave
>> http://home1.gte.net/res0p2es/david/index.htm
>
>Excellent! Did ya fix it so ya can't fix it?

Hehehehe naw, we seem to have recovered.... only time will tell. :-)

Dave

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 20:04:08 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:

>David C. Moller wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 14 Sep 2003 18:26:58 -0700, Cal Wheeler <cal@whee.ler> wrote:
>>
>> *snip*
>>
>>>So! How was YOUR weekend?
>>
>>
>> I was busy screwing up a header install. :-)
>>
>> Dave
>> http://home1.gte.net/res0p2es/david/index.htm
>
>Excellent! Did ya fix it so ya can't fix it?

Hehehehe naw, we seem to have recovered.... only time will tell. :-)

Dave

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

Gerald G. McGeorge wrote:

>>I did, and haven't installed them yet, but I'm talking about actually
>>making physical contact with the actual edges of the wheel well metal;
>>with fenders off. If I grind away the edges I'll be playing peek-a-boo
>>with the rear passenger compartment, so it's either do a body lift or
>>get more distance between axle and the frame.
>
>
> I might be confused here, but it sounds like you haven't yet cut the front
> fenders and tub for the TJ flares. If you have, then yes you'll need to add
> a body lift.

Haven't cut anything yet, and my bad, I didn't actually get TJ flares, I
got a set of wide Xenons. Apologies.
>
> When you cut for the TJ flares you'll gain about 1 to 1 1/2 clearance in
> front and 1 1/2 to 2" in the rear. In the rear I really cut mine back, all
> the way to the little bulkheads. In front I did about the same. The front
> hads a spot where the inner and out fenderwells may separate. I cut past
> this and then TIG welded the two panels together.

Ha ha, yeah, that's what it's looking like I'd have to do on the back.
I'd have to play around with my TIG settings on some scrap identical
thickness metal; I don't normally weld with steel that thin.
>
> A club friend did a relly clean installation of TJ flares on his CJ7. He
> installed YJ front fenders, made the flare edge profile marks, then cut so
> he could have the tub and fender edges rolled under like a factory
> installation. Relly sweet.

Nice.

> (Mines not quite that clean, but who's looking,
> anyway? ;-)

The guys at the local Jeep club! The guys who help you get unstuck? ;-)

My axle/wheel combo is so wide that not even the Xenons will make me
legal. I'd have to add another 2.5" in width on each side; something I'm
thinking about doing with aluminum channel in between the Xenon and the
body, notched so I can bend it to the right curvature. I could anodize
it black...
>
> One clearance problem I've had with the D60 has been the diff cover slightly
> rubbing on the fuel tank shield under compression. It was worse before I
> installed an RE kit. The RE spring pin locations move the axles towards
> vehicle center slightly which gave me some more room, plus over time it's
> develped a sort of "self-clearance" by putting a small dent in the shield.
> There was no chance of penetrating the tank or bending the axle so we just
> let it go. Anyway, you may want to use a fork lift or something after
> everything's installed to see how much room you've got. With a SOA setup
> this may not be a problem for you .

If I install my bumpstops correctly, it won't! With the SOA, the diff is
a lot lower than the tank. I have just 3" of compression and the rear of
the diff almost kisses the "armor".
>
>
>
>>Ah, I didn't get the rears with disks, just drums.
>
>
>>Wow. I installed it all but didn't yet push on the e-brake pedal. Maybe
>>the drum brakes won't have that problem. I suppose I can always relocate
>>the cable pick point further down the length of the pedal. What did you
>>do to solve it?
>
>
> I don't think you'll have any e-brake problem if you stuck with drums, and
> you may even be able to keep the stock master cyl & booster. All I can do is
> adjust the e-brake cables until the levers on the calipers are just at the
> point where they'll engage. Even then I have marginal holding power and have
> to mash the e-brake pedal as far as it will go to hold the thing on the
> mountain trail grades around here. I had the e-brake pedal assy replaced
> per the recall and that helped a bit as well.
>
> My YJ's brakes weren't very good to begin and got more weord with the new
> calipers & disks. I eventually replaced the master cyl & booster with a
> Master Power Brakes disk/disk kit to improve brake pedal resposne. (The
> brakes rock now.) The travel with the stock MC was excessive and the booster
> was way too weak to handle the increased front caliper capacity,
> particularly at altitude.

Which part number did you get? I've been recommended the 97 Grand
Cherokee Master Cylinder as the replacement model to get. Did a salesman
at Master Power set you up?
>
>
>>Gotcha. Thanks for the inspiration!
>
>
>
> No sweat. Good luck & post some pics!
>
Thanks. I plan to soon! I mounted the ARB compresson onto an aluminum
plate, which rides on rubber grommets on top of the AC mount. We'll see
if the grommets melt! I took off the jack and determined my mini-tank
will fit there, with clearance for elbows, fittings, and hoses. That'll
keep most of the plumbing and wiring in the engine compartment and the
rest of the install cleaner and easier.


I got a new CV driveshaft from Tom Woods, but in comparison to my
transfer case shaft, and the new rear axle, it looks like the weak link
in the drivetrain now. I know there's a 5.13 gear ratio protecting it,
but that sliding splined shaft looks kinda skinny. How's yours look?
>

Re: YJ to Rock Crawler: The Continuing Saga
 

Gerald G. McGeorge wrote:

>>I did, and haven't installed them yet, but I'm talking about actually
>>making physical contact with the actual edges of the wheel well metal;
>>with fenders off. If I grind away the edges I'll be playing peek-a-boo
>>with the rear passenger compartment, so it's either do a body lift or
>>get more distance between axle and the frame.
>
>
> I might be confused here, but it sounds like you haven't yet cut the front
> fenders and tub for the TJ flares. If you have, then yes you'll need to add
> a body lift.

Haven't cut anything yet, and my bad, I didn't actually get TJ flares, I
got a set of wide Xenons. Apologies.
>
> When you cut for the TJ flares you'll gain about 1 to 1 1/2 clearance in
> front and 1 1/2 to 2" in the rear. In the rear I really cut mine back, all
> the way to the little bulkheads. In front I did about the same. The front
> hads a spot where the inner and out fenderwells may separate. I cut past
> this and then TIG welded the two panels together.

Ha ha, yeah, that's what it's looking like I'd have to do on the back.
I'd have to play around with my TIG settings on some scrap identical
thickness metal; I don't normally weld with steel that thin.
>
> A club friend did a relly clean installation of TJ flares on his CJ7. He
> installed YJ front fenders, made the flare edge profile marks, then cut so
> he could have the tub and fender edges rolled under like a factory
> installation. Relly sweet.

Nice.

> (Mines not quite that clean, but who's looking,
> anyway? ;-)

The guys at the local Jeep club! The guys who help you get unstuck? ;-)

My axle/wheel combo is so wide that not even the Xenons will make me
legal. I'd have to add another 2.5" in width on each side; something I'm
thinking about doing with aluminum channel in between the Xenon and the
body, notched so I can bend it to the right curvature. I could anodize
it black...
>
> One clearance problem I've had with the D60 has been the diff cover slightly
> rubbing on the fuel tank shield under compression. It was worse before I
> installed an RE kit. The RE spring pin locations move the axles towards
> vehicle center slightly which gave me some more room, plus over time it's
> develped a sort of "self-clearance" by putting a small dent in the shield.
> There was no chance of penetrating the tank or bending the axle so we just
> let it go. Anyway, you may want to use a fork lift or something after
> everything's installed to see how much room you've got. With a SOA setup
> this may not be a problem for you .

If I install my bumpstops correctly, it won't! With the SOA, the diff is
a lot lower than the tank. I have just 3" of compression and the rear of
the diff almost kisses the "armor".
>
>
>
>>Ah, I didn't get the rears with disks, just drums.
>
>
>>Wow. I installed it all but didn't yet push on the e-brake pedal. Maybe
>>the drum brakes won't have that problem. I suppose I can always relocate
>>the cable pick point further down the length of the pedal. What did you
>>do to solve it?
>
>
> I don't think you'll have any e-brake problem if you stuck with drums, and
> you may even be able to keep the stock master cyl & booster. All I can do is
> adjust the e-brake cables until the levers on the calipers are just at the
> point where they'll engage. Even then I have marginal holding power and have
> to mash the e-brake pedal as far as it will go to hold the thing on the
> mountain trail grades around here. I had the e-brake pedal assy replaced
> per the recall and that helped a bit as well.
>
> My YJ's brakes weren't very good to begin and got more weord with the new
> calipers & disks. I eventually replaced the master cyl & booster with a
> Master Power Brakes disk/disk kit to improve brake pedal resposne. (The
> brakes rock now.) The travel with the stock MC was excessive and the booster
> was way too weak to handle the increased front caliper capacity,
> particularly at altitude.

Which part number did you get? I've been recommended the 97 Grand
Cherokee Master Cylinder as the replacement model to get. Did a salesman
at Master Power set you up?
>
>
>>Gotcha. Thanks for the inspiration!
>
>
>
> No sweat. Good luck & post some pics!
>
Thanks. I plan to soon! I mounted the ARB compresson onto an aluminum
plate, which rides on rubber grommets on top of the AC mount. We'll see
if the grommets melt! I took off the jack and determined my mini-tank
will fit there, with clearance for elbows, fittings, and hoses. That'll
keep most of the plumbing and wiring in the engine compartment and the
rest of the install cleaner and easier.


I got a new CV driveshaft from Tom Woods, but in comparison to my
transfer case shaft, and the new rear axle, it looks like the weak link
in the drivetrain now. I know there's a 5.13 gear ratio protecting it,
but that sliding splined shaft looks kinda skinny. How's yours look?
>