I used that method yesterday with a 30mm socket and was able to get about 1/4” of clearance. All vibration and noise is gone. It feels just like my 231 did before. Thanks for the advice!
Mildly Out of Hand 02 Sahara Build
- Thread starter 02GreenTJ
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I used that method yesterday with a 30mm socket and was able to get about 1/4” of clearance. All vibration and noise is gone. It feels just like my 231 did before. Thanks for the advice!
I also refreshed my steering the other day with a synergy drag link. I worked there part time when I was in school and snagged this one out of the scrap bin. I still live locally and was able to pick up fresh tre’s for the drag link and tie rod. I added a psc clamp I had laying around and she’s done. No more binding on the track bar bracket and hopefully less bending issues. The Currie unit served me well but would constantly bend after hard wheeling sending the tie rod smashing into the tb bracket.
Welded up:
Under the jeep and aligned:
If anyone wants a pretty well used Currie steering setup with a black magic ram mount let me know. It is very beat but some work with a press and some new ends might make it worth it for someone. I’d let it go very cheap.
Welded up:
Under the jeep and aligned:
If anyone wants a pretty well used Currie steering setup with a black magic ram mount let me know. It is very beat but some work with a press and some new ends might make it worth it for someone. I’d let it go very cheap.
Just a small update:
Jeep passed its biannual cali smog check which gets more and more stressful every year. It also just hit 190k miles so as a reward for its service I finally dragged home the jk44s for it!
I will need everything related to brakes for it so if anyone has upgraded their jk brakes or knows of a set laying around for sale please let me know!
They have stock lockers 4.88s chromoly shafts and the front is already trussed sleeved and gusseted. The front truss isn’t terribly bulky but it will all get modified to work with the midarm. I also still have a set of 12” coilovers and will be shooting for 50/50 travel bias on 37s, 4ish inch lift and as much front stretch as I can without moving the box. I don’t plan on pulling my current axles until fall so that I can still get summer wheeling in.
Jeep passed its biannual cali smog check which gets more and more stressful every year. It also just hit 190k miles so as a reward for its service I finally dragged home the jk44s for it!
I will need everything related to brakes for it so if anyone has upgraded their jk brakes or knows of a set laying around for sale please let me know!
They have stock lockers 4.88s chromoly shafts and the front is already trussed sleeved and gusseted. The front truss isn’t terribly bulky but it will all get modified to work with the midarm. I also still have a set of 12” coilovers and will be shooting for 50/50 travel bias on 37s, 4ish inch lift and as much front stretch as I can without moving the box. I don’t plan on pulling my current axles until fall so that I can still get summer wheeling in.
Did a few small projects on the jeep to get ready for some summer wheeling. It seems like packouts and access panels for fuel pumps are controversial on this site, but whatever haha. I replaced my fuel pump with a Delphi unit since I couldn't find a bosch replacement. I have an extra pump that lives in the jeep so in the event the Delphi unit dies I would prefer not to have to drop the whole tank on the trail especially it has a decent amount of gas in it. I cut a small hole in the floor and reused the factory floor panel as the cover. I'm planning on hitting the rubicon with some friends over the 4th of July.
Unfinished fuel pump access (only pic I took)
On top of that I used a packout mounting plate for some boxes that hold specifically selected tools and spares. After years of wheeling this thing I think I have everything I need to take an entire tj apart. The small top box holds spare nuts/bolts, zip ties/hose clamps, JB weld, wiring stuff, spare u joint straps/u bolts, etc. The bottom and middle has spare ball joints, u joints, radiator hoses, tie rods, hydro assist hoses, brake lines, pulleys, all the hand tools I need and few power tools. The only things I couldn't fit are my spare axle shafts for the front. Then I used some spare angle and flat bar to make a rack for my spare fluids and ice chest. The whole setup requires zero straps and is all easily accessible without having to move stuff around. Next to the toolboxes and below the rack will be reserved for camping stuff food etc. This is mainly for dealing with years of BS tetris on trips to the rubicon and sierras. Trips to the desert like JV and other places where we camp in one spot I can use a lighter setup.
Cooler rack and tool boxes are all easy to access and open without removal from the jeep.
Fluids crate has oil, gear oil, coolant, atf, PSC swepco, brake fluid, stop leak, brake clean, torch, and rags at the bottom.
The access panel for the fuel pump is covered by the packout mount but that is quickly removed by the bolts that are fastened to nut serts in the floor pan.
Unfinished fuel pump access (only pic I took)
On top of that I used a packout mounting plate for some boxes that hold specifically selected tools and spares. After years of wheeling this thing I think I have everything I need to take an entire tj apart. The small top box holds spare nuts/bolts, zip ties/hose clamps, JB weld, wiring stuff, spare u joint straps/u bolts, etc. The bottom and middle has spare ball joints, u joints, radiator hoses, tie rods, hydro assist hoses, brake lines, pulleys, all the hand tools I need and few power tools. The only things I couldn't fit are my spare axle shafts for the front. Then I used some spare angle and flat bar to make a rack for my spare fluids and ice chest. The whole setup requires zero straps and is all easily accessible without having to move stuff around. Next to the toolboxes and below the rack will be reserved for camping stuff food etc. This is mainly for dealing with years of BS tetris on trips to the rubicon and sierras. Trips to the desert like JV and other places where we camp in one spot I can use a lighter setup.
Cooler rack and tool boxes are all easy to access and open without removal from the jeep.
Fluids crate has oil, gear oil, coolant, atf, PSC swepco, brake fluid, stop leak, brake clean, torch, and rags at the bottom.
The access panel for the fuel pump is covered by the packout mount but that is quickly removed by the bolts that are fastened to nut serts in the floor pan.
Some day I'll get around to making an access panel like that. Handy to have.
What tail lights are those?
They're just generic internet trailer LED's. They have a built in reverse light which is nice. The access panel is nice to have unfortunately I've already had to use it when my float stuck on my new delphi pump. I was able to have the pump out and back in in about 20 min which sure all hell beats dropping the tank especially solo.
30 years ago I had a datsun pickup with one of those in the bed from the factory. All the rust in the tank I'd occasionally have to pop it off on the side of the road and blow the line out. I don't see why it wouldn't be handy on a tj.
I don't want to be the guy blocking the whole trail with some time consuming fuel pump swap. Now that I switched to a delphi pump which has my research has lead to believe its not the most reliable unit, I think it's well worth it to be able to swap from the top quickly rather than fight a potentially fully beat up heavy genright tank in and out of the Jeep in the middle of a narrow trail where nobody can pass. I guess if it were to fail and for some reason the tank needed to come out I'd be curious to hear other peoples' experiences. I know its probably rare, but I'd probably try hoisting the tank with ratchet straps or maybe a series of bottle jacks but it doesn't really sound enjoyable.
With the Tuffy storage drawer It'd take me a while to remove it if I had an access panel. Are the Bosh pumps unavailable anymore? What about other brands that have a better rating than the Delphi?
I wouldn't want to try dropping my tank on the trail but mine isn't easy period.
I wouldn't want to try dropping my tank on the trail but mine isn't easy period.
Aeromotive Stealth 340
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/aei-11542/make/jeep/model/wrangler/year/1997
I decided to go with delphi since I'm running one in my truck with no issues and they have a good reputation in the GM world. I couldn't find a bosch pump with the float assembly and I don't trust amazon with all of the counterfeit sensors and parts on there. I have a spare so I should be good. The tuffy drawer is a bit of factor for you so it may not make sense in your scenario. I may be a bit paranoid haha, but it was easy to do and I saw no reason not to add a panel in my jeep.
I think I'd have done the same... Hope you don't ever need it.
I’ve been chipping away at the jk axle swap, but in the meantime I think I got a killer deal on a set of 5 37” Bfgs complete with Mickey Thompson jk wheels. Definitely motivating to get the swap done after summer wheeling.
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Channeled my inner @JMT on the rubicon over 4th of july weekend on the Rubicon trying Soup Bowl again. The hole was a little deeper and I flopped the ole girl. No damage except my grill is dented from the steel fender hitting on the rock. I also broke a stock dana 30 shaft with 760x joints tack welded to the ears in little sluice. That was an easy 15 minute swap with my spares and we were rolling again.
The leaky rig ahead of me left the rocks covered in PS fluid on soup bowl FYI. My new cooler/tool/spare fluids/spare parts rack kept everything inside the rig during the flop.
Edit: the 4:1 tcase was a great upgrade. The jeep had a lot more control in the rocks.
The leaky rig ahead of me left the rocks covered in PS fluid on soup bowl FYI. My new cooler/tool/spare fluids/spare parts rack kept everything inside the rig during the flop.
Edit: the 4:1 tcase was a great upgrade. The jeep had a lot more control in the rocks.
Glad you're OK... and only minor damage to the Jeep.
I appreciate it Rick. Wasn’t too bad. I’m glad I had all the armor on the jeep. The rear fender kept the body just far enough away to save the top and windshield. I’m also very impressed with how well the stock seat belts support someone in an event like that.
I’ve been slowly tinkering on the jk axles and figured I’d post a small update. I’m starting with the rear since it’ll be an easy swap. I’m using basic universal builder parts and doing custom mods to keep identical geometry to my savvy trusses that I have on the tj axles. I have all the bracketry needed for the swap. I plan of adding to this Barnes truss I picked up to tie it into the top three diff cover bolts similar to the savvy truss. I also managed to get a set of brand new dynatrac ball joints (amazing deal) for the front axle to hopefully help it hold up to the 37s.
I also plan on bringing my travel bias back down to 6” up 6” down instead of my current 8”ish up 4” ish down. This should help with not having to recut my wheel wells again, but we’ll see.
I’ll pull the axles after my next wheeling trip which is Labor Day. It should be a good farewell tour for these stock axles that have served this jeep well since 2002.
I also plan on bringing my travel bias back down to 6” up 6” down instead of my current 8”ish up 4” ish down. This should help with not having to recut my wheel wells again, but we’ll see.
I’ll pull the axles after my next wheeling trip which is Labor Day. It should be a good farewell tour for these stock axles that have served this jeep well since 2002.
I took the jeep on the Dana 30 farewell tour wheeling trip. It did great and even towed a broken jeep that was 1 wheel drive out of swamp lake. We hit red lake to coyote lake and finished the weekend with swamp lake. My girlfriend also got some seat time and loves the 4:1 t case.
Here’s what got done since my last post
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