[LSU_TJ]

Got some welding done on the sway bar links while the suspension was completely off and out of the way. I was gettting some bending and breaking on the brackets I fabbed up out of 1/4" plate steel. Supprised at how much vertical force is applied to these brackets.





I got some 5/8" bar stock and cut them to match the contour of the brackets then welded them up. Need to clean them up and paint them but they should not brake again.


Thanks jsnolan99.

[smithtime09]

Originally Posted by LSU_TJ

Ok, don't know if you have ever heard of this trick but I just learned about it from a friend and am amazed at how well this works. I thought you might find it useful.

After the ride last weekend the under body was covered in mud. I stopped at the car wash and pressure washed it pretty good but that does not get it really clean. To give it that new look I drove it up on ramps so I could get underneath with extra room to move around and sprayed everything, I mean everything, with a good coating of this stuff.





You will need 3 - 4 cans of this stuff and I sprayed everything that was below the red body paint, tires and wheels inside and out and every piece of suspension, brake, frame, everything front to rear. Let this stuff sit for an hour or two and eat away at the dirt then hit it with a pressure washer and it will look like new with a nice light shine to everything. That dull mud look that stays inside and out on your tires will go away as well. I will also start spraying everything under body down with this stuff before muddy rides to give it a protective layer that will help keep the mud from sticking as well and make it easier to get clean after a ride.

I would think any tire foam cleaner will work for this and use the cheapest stuff you can find as you need a few cans. It is the foam that is the key. It just sits there and eats away at the dirt. You can see it penetrating and eating away at it as it sits. I got this from O'Rielly Auto Parts but you can find this kind of stuff anywhere. Just make sure it is the Foam stuff and not just tire shine spray.





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Hey man I just wanted to say thanks for this tip, I tried it out this morning after a wheeling trip yesterday and I was amazed at how it just ate the dirt off my undercarriage. Thanks again!

[LSU_TJ]

Originally Posted by smithtime09

Hey man I just wanted to say thanks for this tip, I tried it out this morning after a wheeling trip yesterday and I was amazed at how it just ate the dirt off my undercarriage. Thanks again!

Agreed. I could not believe how well this stuff worked after I heard about it. Spray it down before a ride and it will help it not stick as much also.


Glad it helped.





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[Ajl9791]

cool thread,awesome jeep. enjoying the build

[LSU_TJ]

Thanks Ajl9791



Made some good progress tonight. Finally coming back together. Had too many little things to tackle while the front was apart. Will post up some pics shortly.



Man I need to go for a ride.....

My therapy is lacking....





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[LSU_TJ]

Ok, I have been going back and forth on what to use to touch up frame and suspension parts and have been following Idaho-Jeep's build and was very impressed with his so I went with what he did and used the hammered black paint.





Cleaned up the welds on the new supports and painted all of this area.





Finally time to go back on with the springs.





Now this is streched....





And springs didn't come out.





On the passenger side I also welded up a new stabilizer mount to relocate it to a much better more permanent spot than where it was on the freakin' diff cover from the PO. Now I can also get rid of the universal axle mount I was using in the meantime. This had it in a bit of a bind so it should be good now. Just need to order a new stabilizer with the correct mounts for my new setup.





And both back on.





Getting somewhere now. Hope to get the new front shocks on tomorrow.


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[sardog12]

Originally Posted by LSU_TJ

Thanks Ajl9791



Made some good progress tonight. Finally coming back together. Had too many little things to tackle while the front was apart. Will post up some pics shortly.



Man I need to go for a ride.....

My therapy is lacking....

Lookin good!

Ride next Saturday night! Better make sure it's ready.

[LSU_TJ]

Originally Posted by sardog12

Lookin good!

Ride next Saturday night! Better make sure it's ready.

Thanks. I'm getting there. Just slow go sometimes.


Yea, I should have it back together enough to ride it tomorrow for the deal out at the dealership. Then I'll spend the rest of the weekend tackling the rear, which will not be as involved.

LF has really been talking up the night ride next weekend.





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[LSU_TJ]

Well as usual one setback after another. Always something slowing you down. So, doesn't look like I will have her ready for the get together at one of the local dealerships tomorrow but rushing is not something I like to make a habit of. I try to be a member of the do it right and do it right the first time club so I will make sure I am not cutting any corners and if I get it finished in time great, if not, oh well. I will get to the cause of this setback later, on to better news.


I did get the front shocks together and they are now on.

Here we have what they all said can't be done. Rancho RS9000XL Pro Series Remote Reservoir Adjustable Shocks on a TJ without a Rancho Brand Rockcrawler lift.






After much research in deciding what shocks I wanted to put on my jeep I was told by numerous Rancho distributors that with my setup and suspension lift it was not possible.

What??????

Don't tell me it can't be done, I will go in fabrication mode if I have to......

Everyone said you had to have Rancho's suspension lift to use these shocks. I already had a perfectly good suspension lift so why would I want to take this off and waste the money on a different brand lift just to run a new set of shocks. So I called a Rancho Engineer and challenged him. I first just told him I was interested in their TJ Rockcrawler suspension lift then asked him what the lift did to change the mount position of the shocks. He said "nothing" so I replied "then if I am interested in the RS9000XL Pro Series shocks why can you not mount these shocks on a TJ without your lift?" He paused and said "well, you can, but you just need to make sure the travel of the shock meets the specs of what your suspension does." Since it did I then called a Rancho distributor back and told them the model number of the shocks I needed and told them I checked with Rancho Engineering and verified the specs and that they would work, order them.


They make it sound like you have to use their suspension lift to use their shocks when in reality all it is, is that they are only verifying that the travel of their suspension matches up with the travel allowed by these TJ shocks. Still very important and needs to be checked before ordering any shocks with a lift but does NOT mean you CAN'T mount or run a shock because of a brand of lift. The lift does nothing to change how a shock is mounted it only changes the extended, compressed and travel values of a shock. While this must be verified it does not automatically mean a certain shock will not work without a specific brand suspension lift. Where there is a will there is a way. I wanted these specific shocks because they were the only remote reservoir shocks that have adjustable stiffness capability, and remotely at that.....

Here are a couple more shots of these before I put them on.









Can't wait to see how they ride. I know it will be much improved since the old Superlift ones were shot.


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[inutero1212]

adjustable sweetness, wish i had more time to spend with my jeep before i am off to work for uncle sam

[LSU_TJ]

Originally Posted by inutero1212

adjustable sweetness, wish i had more time to spend with my jeep before i am off to work for uncle sam

Thanks Man.

But more importantly thank you for what you do.


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[inutero1212]

np, you could just thank me by flying up to ohio and finishing my engine work for me

[LSU_TJ]

OMW. Has got to be cooler up there.


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[LSU_TJ]

Got held up late yesterday on the front end when the bottom two bolts on the front diff cover were so chewed up from rock bites that I could not get them broke loose. Went back to it today in good light and got a good bite after beating a socket on the bolt head. Broke right away, back to work. Should not have the same problem with this diff cover since they are recessed.





I always use Permatex RTV and for the diff cover I use the Ultra Black Hi Temp. Put a nice bead around the cover and give it about 10 minutes to set.





Then put it on and start all the bolts but don't torque them down for about 5 more minutes. Then with a torque wrench tighten all down in a star pattern to spec. I will let this sit for 24 hrs before filling with fluid. Might not have to wait this long but if I have the time I like to.





Did not get a whole lot done today because we had a show-n-shine at the local Jeep dealership. Had a good turnout and a lot of nice rigs, live band and boiled crawfish.








Really wanted to take my rig but did not want to rush this project. Do it right the first time.


Then kept stopping to watch the baseball game.


The Tigers are back in Omaha!!!


Go TIGERS!!!!!!


And a Win.


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[inutero1212]

good shizzle man, I am admiring the clean work you do