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2M views 41K replies 369 participants last post by  Joe Dillard 
#1 · (Edited)
Looking to hook up with some beginning to intermediate off-roaders in the San Diego area.

I am a newb to jeeping but not to common sense. I bought a jeep to try, and if I like it I will buy another and give this one to my daughter.

I am truly a quick learner and looking for other beginners or some old salt that is just willing to share the wisdom of their experience.

I would like to go jeeping at least once a month and of course more during the learning stages.

Currently, fire roads are all I have found around hear and a few construction areas.

What I am proposing is that all the way south newbs UNITE... if we can find some old salts to come along we can all learn faster. But I say lets get this thing rolling...

WHO IS WITH ME....?

Current jeep is

88 YJ
31x10.5.15 BFG ATs
I6 258 carbed
Pretty good condition but I am replacing all the parts that should have been replaced ages ago. (Hoses/clamps/Top etc...)
(The jeep sat for 3 years so I'm shaking out all the cobwebs...)
 
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#25,982 ·
Headed out to LW today for the first time. The plan was to head out to the desert but a few of the guys were running late. Now I know why the Marines rely on the Sailors to take them places.... we can get them there on time!!!!

We ran into a group of FJ's who told my Marine buddy's of a mud hole. An hour later after their jeeps are caked with mud, they start to overheat... My CJ is clean and running cool. We had a good time. Wanted to look around a little more but the overheating jeep needed off the trail.

Maybe next week....
 

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#25,983 ·
I was out there yesterday with speed-freak and we found some pretty serious climbs with deep ruts and 3 foot boulders that we decided to save for another day. If anybody wants to head out tomorrow I'm sure we could find them. They were on the complete other side of north gate that over looks the golf course.
 
#25,984 ·
Steve, whats the location of the home depot ?
The one on Balboa at Clairemont Dr

How many amps was that machine? Looking for a 40 or 50 amp, I cut a lot of thick aluminum so I need a big one..just curious.
It was a 20 I believe, not quite enough for that

BTW anybody have any suspension springs and shocks for a lift about 3" for cheap? I need to do something to the the Jeep temporarily to get some travel until I do the Coilovers, tired of bouncing off the bumpstops all friggin day long. its getting REALLY old.

Anybody?
I have a set of 4" springs you can have, no shocks though

What do you think of my new Samari axle?
It looks,

schizophrenic
 
#25,985 ·
Motorep said:
That sure makes it easy for me :2thumbsup:
Do you live in Ramona?
 
#25,987 ·
What do you think of my new Samari axle?
I don't like the angle of the U-bolts, or how steep the front of the leaf sits...shackle angle looks wierd, could be the pics though.... and do yourself a favor, run crossover steering, I have inverted T similar to that, it sucks.

there are people making histeer arms for the BJ knuckles if you need them... look around on pirate.

other than that it looks very cool. wide axles make me happy.:laugh: any plan to delete the disconnect axle?

sorry about the GTG rik..few really seemed interested or available on such short notice, I am game for friday? Stone?

we worked on my junk until around 1120pm at Joe's...but finally got the shocks in.

joe has pics on his camera when he gets around to it.

I am posting this at 424 am because when the power came back on at my house, the fire alarm decided it needed to go off and wake me up... its not like I don't have to get up at 6am:rolleyes: why does that happen?
 
#25,990 ·
I am also not a big fan of the spring angle. Thats what happens when you do a shackle reversal and forget to changge the measurement. I am up in the air on if I want to pull the axle back out and make all new mounts now or take it wheeling once first to see what it does. right now the axle swings back a little like a toyota with IFS. The only major downfall I see is that it may push my driveshaft through my Tcase. Either that or I can go back to having shackles in the front and just put new perches on.

As for the high steer I could not find anyone that made anything for the Dodge axle. I would love to change it out but this is working fine for now. My plan for the future is probably to swap it out for a Kingpin D60 so I don't want to sink a bunch of cash into this one.
 
#25,991 ·
I am also not a big fan of the spring angle. Thats what happens when you do a shackle reversal and forget to changge the measurement. I am up in the air on if I want to pull the axle back out and make all new mounts now or take it wheeling once first to see what it does. right now the axle swings back a little like a toyota with IFS. The only major downfall I see is that it may push my driveshaft through my Tcase. Either that or I can go back to having shackles in the front and just put new perches on.

As for the high steer I could not find anyone that made anything for the Dodge axle. I would love to change it out but this is working fine for now. My plan for the future is probably to swap it out for a Kingpin D60 so I don't want to sink a bunch of cash into this one.
I think some rework is in order. The spring setup is funky, the shackles could very well flip and destroy the springs. The steering will give bump steer in a bad way, might as well fix it right.
Should kinda look like this, you want the draglink flat at ride height for good street manners with a leaf spring setup

 
#25,992 ·
I am also not a big fan of the spring angle. Thats what happens when you do a shackle reversal and forget to changge the measurement. I am up in the air on if I want to pull the axle back out and make all new mounts now or take it wheeling once first to see what it does. right now the axle swings back a little like a toyota with IFS. The only major downfall I see is that it may push my driveshaft through my Tcase. Either that or I can go back to having shackles in the front and just put new perches on.

As for the high steer I could not find anyone that made anything for the Dodge axle. I would love to change it out but this is working fine for now. My plan for the future is probably to swap it out for a Kingpin D60 so I don't want to sink a bunch of cash into this one.
I vote for going back to front shackles. seems to me that would be the easiest way to get the shackle angle correct and the springs more flat.

is it possible to put ford super duty BJ outers on that axle? I know somebody on pirate has done histeer on those, machining is required...

although if you can find a KP axle then you are set :laugh:
 
#25,993 ·
I wish i could join you guys at Joe's tomorrow but I have to work. I'll try to stop by on Sunday.
Feel free to stop on by. You can help me move around a couple axles. :teehee:

What do you think of my new Samari axle?
Thats a BIG Sammy! :highfive:

Like what Taylor mentioned, we were discussing the current set-up yesterday and the concensus was that it appears like you'll be addressing some things in the future once you get it out & do some testing.

Pics of Taylors new shock mounts in a moment...............
 
#25,994 ·
Taylor, Andy & I played in the garage most of the day/evening, while Steve, Justin, Jason and his son stopped on by to critique things. :D

Taylors "can opener" bumper. :thumbsup: I let him tell THAT story. :laugh:




New Bling-steins:



We plasma'd the lower mounts off the axle:



Added a piece of HREW tube to the lower control arm mount which allows access to the control arm bolt with a deep socket.




Clamped things in place & added a gusset:



Then made sure the spacing was correct for the shock tabs & did the welding:





We also fabricated up these upper shock conversion mounts from angle iron & some bar stock I had laying around:



Driver shock mounted:




Rinse & repeat for the passenger side. :)

All in all it was a very productive day while hanging out in the garage.

It was real nice to have met some neighbors (Jason & his 2.5 year old son) and have Andy, Justin, and Steve stop on by & chew the fat. :highfive:

Andy got lunch & dinner (mexican food & pizza) for us which was SUPER nice of him & I certainly appreciate that. :cool:
 
#25,995 ·
Taylor, Andy & I played in the garage most of the day/evening, while Steve, Justin, Jason and his son stopped on by to critique things. :D

<snip>

All in all it was a very productive day while hanging out in the garage.

It was real nice to have met some neighbors (Jason & his 2.5 year old son) and have Andy, Justin, and Steve stop on by & chew the fat. :highfive:

Andy got lunch & dinner (mexican food & pizza) for us which was SUPER nice of him & I certainly appreciate that. :cool:
Thanks Joe... Stealing for my Build :D

thanks to everyone that helped out... I owe you guys.
 
#25,996 ·
Quick question,

I noticed yesterday that my sway bar disconnects are different lengths. I had the local 4x4 shop install them when I had the lift done. Is this normal? I had a hard time getting them back on after the trail run yesterday. The guys that were with me said they should slip on and off. I was also on level ground when putting them back on and it was still tough.

Ideas????
 
#25,997 ·
Yep, right off the 67 near Mt Woodson.
Thats the cross street a mile or two (guesstimating horribly i assume) before you get to main street right/the main drag of town?

Jeep's gonna be at her place off Steffy & 8th (or some number, whichever one the Chevron is at).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So how do I disconnect the NP231 from the TF999 with both of them still in the Jeep? I know the following:

Disconnect Rear and Front Shafts
Disconnect Speedogear
Remove Shifter Linkage

I assume I have to unbolt the bracket that holds the Tcase/Tranny up on the skid plate?

How do I unbolt the NP231 from the TF999 I can't even see the bolts. Do I need to take the skid plate off?

Rik, if I can't figure this out tonight (since I also have a ton of homework to do) then I guess we will have to postpone this for a couple weeks.
 
#25,999 ·
Quick question,
Ideas????
I had a swaybar with quick disconnects...I always debated removing it all together. After a couple years I finally forgot to disconnect the swaybar one day while doing some light offroading and while driving out of the lake bed I went over a 28 inch rock (estimated by comparison) and while trying to flex a little on it heard a metallic shattered and watched something literally rocket out from the wheel well and shoot about 300 feet away...

Needless to say my sway bar and disconnects decided to remove themselves :laugh:

Take my advice, ditch the bar. Freeway driving hasn't ever been an issue without it, just don't go crazy on sharp turns. I actually like the added rocking effect of it being gone.
 
#26,000 ·
no need for a sway-bar on a leaf sprung rig... however... do not worry about equal length. who says your frame mounts are exactly the same, who says your jeep sits perfectly level over the axles, who says the mounts are exactly the same.

get your jeep as level as possible (axle and body) and adjust the links so they slip on easily and are not bound.
 
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