Project M_ans J_eep

xraidedj · Oct 12, 2008

well, I busted ass today and finally got to drive the MJ. This morning I woke up and fixed my bullshit ubolt problem, filled all the fluid, bled the brakes, busted out and painted the steering and wired my switches for the manual shifting of the AW4...set my alignment close to good, and drove the bitch all over dodge....I only have found one problem so far....the output slipyoke on the driveline is binding up with the driveline....the slipyoke came off of a cherokee and the MJ drive lines are much bigger...so they must not be compatible(BUT I WILL MAKE IT BE!) I just need to pull it out and grind down a nice 1/8 of an in half circle on both sides that don't have the ujoint ears of the yoke....may have to pull the u joint to do it, but we'll see...i'll take pictures when I do it so everyone know what i'm talking about.

NotMatt · Oct 13, 2008

xraidedj said:
the output slipyoke on the driveline is binding up with the driveline....the slipyoke came off of a cherokee and the MJ drive lines are much bigger...so they must not be compatible(BUT I WILL MAKE IT BE!) I just need to pull it out and grind down a nice 1/8 of an in half circle on both sides that don't have the ujoint ears of the yoke....may have to pull the u joint to do it, but we'll see...i'll take pictures when I do it so everyone know what i'm talking about.

Either that or you could just swap the YJ slip yoke I have sitting here on there, it's got a lot more room and will swap right on to your DL. I'll bring it over tomorrow and we'll compare.

I ground the one on my old cherokee and I had no problems after that, so grinding it will work, but I got the "right" part that you can have if it works.

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

NotMatt said:
Either that or you could just swap the YJ slip yoke I have sitting here on there, it's got a lot more room and will swap right on to your DL. I'll bring it over tomorrow and we'll compare.

I ground the one on my old cherokee and I had no problems after that, so grinding it will work, but I got the "right" part that you can have if it works.

Thats sounds good to me...I already ground at it tonight and put it back in...but...I think its still making contact while at "full bounce" with no shocks on it...Thanks for the lugnuts!:kiss:

So whats different with the yokes, why?

zukkev · Oct 13, 2008

Cascade_Crawler said:
shackles forward is the only way to go. I did a shackle reversal and it sucked! Tons of pinion movement and it did weird crap when climbing obstacles.

I also prefer shackle forward for a sprung wheeler....:awesomework:

xraidedj said:
You know....I considered doing shackles on rear but after mocking it up(roughly), I decided that I liked the way it sat with shackles forward...plus I'm gonna be putting even smaller than stock wrangler shackles up front...my angles are good. Plus I'm using the stock driver purch built into the diff on the hp44 and if I put shackles rear my pinion angle would be WAYYYYY off...as it sits it will be close to "right". The leaf angles are sitting good also as if I had a shackle reversal on it now...so ride/handling should be pretty sweet also. I just hope this **** turns out good altogether...I got in pretty deep with this project...much more extensive than I have ever done at one time.

2wd to 4wd
5sp. to auto
coil to leaf
d44 to d60
nothing to hp44
one t-case to two
spring under to spring over
low steer to high steer
computer controlled auto to full manual shifting(with rocker switches)
changing out all the shift linkages
going from a 89 4liter to a 91 tranny(flexplates differ due to CPS pickups in the 90 and earlier to 91 and newer)

alls I can say is I hope this bitch rolls down the road when I'm done let alone wheel good....haha

Yeah, I agree on the shackle forward also---It's just alot of people talk about doing shackle reversal on their rigs.... Also, if you want to 'tighten' up the front end, you can build a custom track bar that will hold the front axle in place and keep the shackles from 'twisting', yet still allow flex:awesomework: ....

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

This is me cutting down the stock ford tie rod, I'm reusing it trying to save some funds for now...had to cut it down 2.5in. Its a sold piece...should be plenty strong.

This is with the draglink painted and installed.

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

This is with both tie rod and draglink done.

Some random pics from underneath.

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

painted up the steering box brace...

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

pics I took while I was filling up the last of the tranny fluid.

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

did I already say that the switches for the auto's selenoids(manual shifting) work slick!?

xraidedj · Oct 13, 2008

Hopefully going over to liberty this Saturday...I still have to finish:

Driveline issues
Shocks
highlift mount
change out u-joints and install front driveline
install steering box brace
cut rear fenders
front bumper
minimal rocker protection
make removable mudflaps
find spare
Bolt a tool box in back

NotMatt · Oct 13, 2008

Hey... so I was thinking about Liberty.... here's my thought: We load your rig up on your trailer, tow it with my truck up to Leavenworth saturday night, go to Oktoberfest with the crew and the NWW people coming over, then head out bright and early on Sunday and go to Liberty and wheel with Denny and all them for a while on Sunday.

If this sounds like a good plan, we'll bust out all the little stuff this week and get 'er done on time...

BTW, did you get tabs yet? Or you could get a trip permit for the trailer I think... might be worth asking about if you can't get ahold of the guy for tabs. Or we could ... "like nike, just do it" and hope we don't get in front of a cop.

xraidedj · Oct 14, 2008

Finished the rear shocks and installed the steering box brace with some modification...must have been a different steering box in the xj or frame a tid bit different, anyways...the back of this pile is completely done....onward to the front...needs shocks and front driveline.

xraidedj · Oct 15, 2008

Ended up changing out the yoke for the high angle YJ style....bought it new because "somebody" didn't have one when they said they did.

Finished the front driveline...spent some time going through that thing...

Good clearance between the crossmember...no modifications necessary.

Good driveline angle, just enough slip either way for full articulation.

Jeep at the end of tonight.:kissmyass:

xraidedj · Oct 15, 2008

Also, bolted on the license plate and put on the Sams offroad windshield sticker, can't see it because its camo'd into the top of windshield(black)

NotMatt · Oct 15, 2008

Where the flex pics?

So just front shocks left to do then?

I'm pretty sure the YJ yoke is in Leavenworth.

Don't let me forget to give you the other axle strap for the tie-downs. I noticed the chain hoist was hanging from it still last night. I'll bring it and that brake controller over tonight.

xraidedj · Oct 15, 2008

NotMatt said:
Where the flex pics?

So just front shocks left to do then?

I'm pretty sure the YJ yoke is in Leavenworth.

Don't let me forget to give you the other axle strap for the tie-downs. I noticed the chain hoist was hanging from it still last night. I'll bring it and that brake controller over tonight.

Just front shocks, hilift mount, toolbox in back, wire and plumb the compressor for OBA, still have to get a spare also, adjust draglink to make my steering wheel strait and I got the boots for the tie rod, so I have to pull that off and put those on. And, bleed the brakes again. I went back through the hole jeep the other night and retorqued all he lugnuts and ubolts...I'm gonna check all the bellhousing bolts again also.

hwcurtice · Oct 15, 2008

xraidedj said:
Finished the rear shocks and installed the steering box brace with some modification...must have been a different steering box in the xj or frame a tid bit different, anyways...the back of this pile is completely done....onward to the front...needs shocks and front driveline.

I almost asked, What does he need shocks like that for the tailgate?

But I stopped myself...