Surviving the Frozen Northern Yankee Wasteland: ArticRubi's Build Thread - Page 31

**ArticRubi** · 06-28-2012, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by molshove

I like white wheel with black ring...may do the same with mine (red wheel, though), to bring some color back to my black Jeep

Yeah..I saw Planman has white wheels on his rig, can't remember what color ring though. It looks good. I may also do white wheel, bare ring...one time on the trail and I'm going to scratch half the black off anyway.

spedly · 06-28-2012, 08:02 PM

I've been thinking of doing white trailreadys with anodized black rings. I think white and polished would look good too though. I'm jealous of your tires. A guy I wheel with has the 40's and the lugs just wrap around everything. I'm interested to see how the JK axle holds up to the 37" version.

**ArticRubi** · 06-28-2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spedly

I've been thinking of doing white trailreadys with anodized black rings. I think white and polished would look good too though. I'm jealous of your tires. A guy I wheel with has the 40's and the lugs just wrap around everything. I'm interested to see how the JK axle holds up to the 37" version.

After thinking on it for a bit, if I do anything it'll be white and polished. Black rings won't hold up at all...just not going happen. I'm hoping I don't find the weak link in my drive line because of these things. I should be doing the RCV install tomorrow, so I'll have alloy shafts front and rear, same with the R&P and drive shafts. I'm thinking when something goes its probably going to be the locker.

I'm working on figuring out how I want to do 60's now...

There's the junkyard route, and adding the Dynatrac tone ring retrofit kit.

Buying some RJ 60 housings and building the rest myself.

And the obvious (expensive) choice is to get crate axles.

If I blow up the 44's in short order, I'll just repair whatever breaks, I should be able to sell them off for some pretty good coin considering how they're built.
Although the crate route is the easiest, I don't learn much from it. Most likely route is to buy RJ60 housings and setup the rest myself, even if I don't save a lot of money doing so vs buying turn key axles.

**DrHolliday** · 06-28-2012, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

After thinking on it for a bit, if I do anything it'll be white and polished. Black rings won't hold up at all...just not going happen. I'm hoping I don't find the weak link in my drive line because of these things. I should be doing the RCV install tomorrow, so I'll have alloy shafts front and rear, same with the R&P and drive shafts. I'm thinking when something goes its probably going to be the locker.

I'm working on figuring out how I want to do 60's now...

There's the junkyard route, and adding the Dynatrac tone ring retrofit kit.

Buying some RJ 60 housings and building the rest myself.

And the obvious (expensive) choice is to get crate axles.

If I blow up the 44's in short order, I'll just repair whatever breaks, I should be able to sell them off for some pretty good coin considering how they're built.
Although the crate route is the easiest, I don't learn much from it. Most likely route is to buy RJ60 housings and setup the rest myself, even if I don't save a lot of money doing so vs buying turn key axles.

You do learn a lot doing your own gears. Gears where the only thing I had never done before I got my Jeep. I didn't want to spend the 1-2k labor that shops around here wanted to charge. After doing a lot of reading I tackled it with the help of a friend. After doing it I don't know what I was scared of. You learn a lot and realize how simple it really is. Just takes time getting the shims set up.

**ArticRubi** · 06-29-2012, 08:34 AM

Yeah I'm honestly not real intimidated by it any more. There's a great article/how-to on Pirate that was really helpful. The part that is a bit more difficult will be setting up all the brackets and getting that geometry correct.

Currently waiting on the sun to start the RCV/Reid knuckle/Currie tie rod install. Went by Advanced earlier and picked up their loaner ball joint press kit, hoping to be able to tackle this job in a few hours.

**DrHolliday** · 06-29-2012, 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

Yeah I'm honestly not real intimidated by it any more. There's a great article/how-to on Pirate that was really helpful. The part that is a bit more difficult will be setting up all the brackets and getting that geometry correct.

Currently waiting on the sun to start the RCV/Reid knuckle/Currie tie rod install. Went by Advanced earlier and picked up their loaner ball joint press kit, hoping to be able to tackle this job in a few hours.

Have your torch handy... heat helped get the lower joints to bust loose on mine.

**Mol** · 06-29-2012, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHolliday

Have your torch handy... heat helped get the lower joints to bust loose on mine.

This - if you have a decent impact, the puller should pop em out with a little persuasion, though

Don't forget to grind your steer stops down...a little at a time with regular checks, to avoid over grinding

**ArticRubi** · 06-29-2012, 02:16 PM

Very true. Popped the uppers pretty easy, I'm about to break out the Oxy torch for the lowers....I compacted the threads on the press trying to remove them :O Guess I need to get off the roids (joking)

**Mol** · 06-29-2012, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

Very true. Popped the uppers pretty easy, I'm about to break out the Oxy torch for the lowers....I compacted the threads on the press trying to remove them :O Guess I need to get off the roids (joking)

**DrHolliday** · 06-29-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

Very true. Popped the uppers pretty easy, I'm about to break out the Oxy torch for the lowers....I compacted the threads on the press trying to remove them :O Guess I need to get off the roids (joking)

Yeah, just heat the lower part of the C and it will pop out a lot easier.

**ArticRubi** · 06-30-2012, 10:47 AM

Ended up getting everything torn down last night except lower ball joints. Didn't really feel like lugging the Oxy torch up at that point in the day. About to get started on that now, first order of business was to throw 4 racks of my Memphis dry rub ribs in the smoker.

**ArticRubi** · 06-30-2012, 05:25 PM

Pissed. Looks like I received a bad upper ball joint from Synergy. The stud won't move in the ball at all, even tried hitting it with a mini sledge and it still won't move. The angle that's it's seized is too great and the knuckle won't fit over it. Tried sliding the knuckle over the ball joints and hitting the bottom of the knuckle with the sledge and instead of the stud straightening out the ball joint start coming unseated from the C. Tried taking the ball joint out and reseating it at a couple of different angles, same result.

**1222** · 06-30-2012, 05:53 PM

Man that sucks and it always seems to happen on a weekend too. Were you able to call them and have a replacement shipped to you, next day?

**ArticRubi** · 06-30-2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1222

Man that sucks and it always seems to happen on a weekend too. Were you able to call them and have a replacement shipped to you, next day?

Tried calling both Poly and Northridge, no one open today :thumbsdown:

Cant even put the stock one back in, it came apart when I pressed it out.

**TheBoss** · 06-30-2012, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArticRubi

Tried calling both Poly and Northridge, no one open today :thumbsdown:

Cant even put the stock one back in, it came apart when I pressed it out.

I'm sorry I keep looking at the picture of those ribs and can't seem to find a problem here.
Seriously though that sucks ,but I'm sure they will take care of you.