A Story of Indecision and Frivolous Spending

[jjvw]

How thick is the Ram cover? Do you have a source? As long as it isn't too much thicker, there should be enough play in the brace to work, no?

It came from a junk yard early-2000s Ram front Dana 44. I recall it being 3/16". The kind without the extra rubber plug and with a higher fill hole.

Now that I think through the sequence of events, I added the thicker cover after the mini truss was already in. That is why I needed to thin the cover. I took off enough to just get the bolt holes to comfortably line up again.

It's hard to believe that was two years ago.

 

[Serbonze]

Circling back to the volume vs level when adding diff fluid, does a differential that has a locker installed have less available volume than one with spider gears? If so, is proper volume determined by trial and error the first time?

 

[jjvw]

Circling back to the volume vs level when adding diff fluid, does a differential that has a locker installed have less available volume than one with spider gears? If so, is proper volume determined by trial and error the first time?

...

You'll know when it is too high. The spinning shaft will pick it up and pump it out the breather. Don't worry, when it gets to the right level, it will stop.

I want this to be the answer. Only when the diff stops puking, will you know how much to feed it.

 

[mrblaine]

After reading through it and paying attention to those pages, I would have to agree, those two pages look like the most important ones to pay attention to.

I've been reading about the mid-arm so much, that if I knew how to weld and had the space, I feel very confident I could do it myself.




Part of the low cost had to have been because he said they've been unusually dead this month, so it was very easy for him to get me in this coming week. He did tell me that it might end up costing more, and I've personally set aside up to $4000 to cover this project, just incase.

I sent you a personal email regarding the Wizard brackets. I'm not sure how they'd make it work without those, and I like the fact that the brackets would definitely make it look like a cleaner install.

I'll give the guys (there names are Russ and Him, and they both own the place (RJ's Chassis Dynamics) together. So if one of them gives you a buzz this week, don't be surprised.

I appreciate your help on this. I was going to have Dave install it, but he kept pushing me very hard to forget the Savvy mid-arm and go with his mid-arm. I personally feel more confident in the Savvy mid-arm, only because I've never owned anything from Savvy that I didn't like. In addition to that, it would have taken Dave probably 6-months just to get to my rig.

It sometimes takes me 6 months to get to a rig, I don't have it here though.

 

[mrblaine]

Circling back to the volume vs level when adding diff fluid, does a differential that has a locker installed have less available volume than one with spider gears? If so, is proper volume determined by trial and error the first time?

Theoretically it should cause the fill level to be slightly higher when filled by volume and as long as it isn't getting pumped out the breather, you're good.

 

[Chris]

It sometimes takes me 6 months to get to a rig, I don't have it here though.

That was my gripe. If you told me it would take you 6 months to get to my rig, that would be fine. But if you didn’t tell me that, then took my Jeep and left it in your parking lot for 6 months without even touching it, that’s what would upset me.

That’s what happened to me. I was told to drop it off and that it would take 3-4 weeks at most. I checked in after about a month just to see the progress, only to find out that it literally hadn’t even moved. It was just sitting outside in the rain for close to 6 weeks.

 

[mrblaine]

I would also ask to see previous work as that can show how much shop supplies are used. I personally dislike holding wires into place with lots of zip ties. A padded clamp is much cleaner but costs many times more in parts and labor.

 

[toximus]

View attachment 64912

A great example. Combine with 316 stainless button heads. I think the black lines look cleaner than my stainless lines if I am allowed to complain. I hid mine on the inside of the frame to further hide them (but more difficult to service).

 

[Chris]

View attachment 64912

That looks better than factory. Are these lines that need to be re-located with the mid-arm Install?

 

[toximus]

That looks better than factory. Are these lines that need to be re-located with the mid-arm Install?

Yes. The plastic clips can no longer be used effectively. The rear brake line also needs to be shortened by a few inches. It's a coated steel line and will rust if the coating is broken.

 

[JDS123]

View attachment 64912

Off topic, but what is that thing hanging off the Jeep right behind the door? Looks like it is made by Milwaukee. Is that just a light?

I'm also jealous of how clean that frame is. It looks like it just rolled off the factory floor!

 

[jjvw]

I need to go back in and clean up the brake and fuel lines on mine.

 

[mrblaine]

That looks better than factory. Are these lines that need to be re-located with the mid-arm Install?

Yes. A bit of care so they aren't twisted up, a few Adel clamps, and one of the few places we use self tappers. Special ones, but self tappers nonetheless.

 

[mrblaine]

Yes. The plastic clips can no longer be used effectively. The rear brake line also needs to be shortened by a few inches. It's a coated steel line and will rust if the coating is broken.

We quit shortening them. This is far easier and if you need it to look cleaner, find another hobby besides poking your head under Jeeps.

 

[mrblaine]

Off topic, but what is that thing hanging off the Jeep right behind the door? Looks like it is made by Milwaukee. Is that just a light?

I'm also jealous of how clean that frame is. It looks like it just rolled off the factory floor!

It is a Milwaukee light. The frame didn't start that clean, we just cleaned it up and made it look that way.

 

[toximus]

Yes. A bit of care so they aren't twisted up, a few Adel clamps, and one of the few places we use self tappers. Special ones, but self tappers nonetheless.

What's the reason for the self tappers vs tapping the 3/16 for a fine thread like the stock brake fittings?

 

[toximus]

We quit shortening them. This is far easier and if you need it to look cleaner, find another hobby besides poking your head under Jeeps.

View attachment 64935

Unfortunately my hobby lately has become poking my head under my jeep. This bothered me to the point that I bent up a new one. If anyone else did the work to my jeep i never would have had an issue with it.

I just started poking under it again this weekend and got my shopping list together for finishing my rear end. Hopefully everything ships on monday so I can get everything torqued this week and start on the front end.

 

[mrblaine]

What's the reason for the self tappers vs tapping the 3/16 for a fine thread like the stock brake fittings?

I use a special fine thread self tapper. I don't like button heads because the driver size is too small for the head size. Self tapper is 5/16's for a #12 shank. Button head is 1/8" for a 3/16" shank or proportionate to size selection if you aren't using a 10-24 or 32. It is also fast and very effective. Locate clamp, pull it down tight, zip them in with the Fuel Surge, takes about a minute per clamp.
One of the few places they work well.

 

[mattcogdell]

One would argue in some ways that the savvy TT and 4" of lift would be an extreme angle in relation to stock, or am I misunderstanding about setting pinion angles for the changes to the driveline? I can see filling by volume instead of level, you will have to excuse the ignorance, as I'm used to always seeing transmissions and diffs filled by level as opposed to volume.

This would be a GREAT question for someone to answer.......just saying.

 

[Chris]

We quit shortening them. This is far easier and if you need it to look cleaner, find another hobby besides poking your head under Jeeps.

View attachment 64935

How is that done, is the brake line just twisted in such a way to allow it to sit in that position? Truth be told, I've never tried bending one of those brake lines before. I always assumed if I bent it, it would kink the link, and the brake fluid would be pinched off. Is there a trick to it?