Roxanne: 1985 Cj-7

when i installed the rear bumper over a year and a half ago, i didn't realize the enormous stress that that would put on my rear crossmember. I've been meaning to tie it into the rear frame rails for a while. But i was in a real hurry sinse seeing some cracks in the crossmember this weekend.

So i made 1/4" brackets to tie it into the frame on each side.

And while i was at it one bolt on each sides rear spring hangers had broken before i got the jeep so i had to torch them out, weld in nuts and replace the bolts. And while i was at it I put on the beefed up rear sring hangers.

And then i had to address the cracks in the rear crossmember there was one large crack extending almost the entire length of the crossmember vertically. So i welded those up, but i was still paranoid about it. So i made some 3/16" mending plates. So hopefully it won't crack again. I really wanted to make one plate to extend the whole crossmember, but I would have to drop the gas tank about 1/2" to help on the bottom middle. So i compromised with two.

Sorry for the long post!

stock crossmembers will not hold up to anything more than bumperettes. The omix or blackmountain or whatever collins bros has is much better.

i know i cann't believe how crappy those things are made, i wanted to put the m.o.r.e. one on, but the tank, body mounts, and difficulty of removing the old one ultimently stopped me.

diagnosed the weird idling issue last night, replaced the cap, rotor, plugs, and idle air speed sensor. It runs like a new jeep, thanks to flem and robbie for doing all the hard work and cook for comming in at the last minute and stating the obvious.:flipoff2: no really, thanks

i've started the summer collection of all the remaining parts needed to go spring over with cj rear spring packs on all 4 corners. As well as making the dana 30 basically a 44 with all 44 outers, brakes, and steering, with 4340 chromoly dana 30 inners and 297 u-joints.

Went to awesome auto salvage today and got the cv yoke and driveshaft that I will shorten and use as a spare all for $20. The dd driveshaft that i will be using is a long travel tom woods shaft that flem gave me.

to upgrade to a dana 44 now would be a twice what this is going to cost and a hell of a lot more labor. And I really don't think that the ring and pinion is going to break before the 297 ujoint would, i mean its got an arb which beefs up the carrier and only 3.73 ratio so the teeth are still fairly small compared to 4.56 or a lower gear tooth, so i think there is still plenty of contact points to not worry about it. I know that the 7 1/8" ring gear as well as still being 27 spline isn't the most hardcore thing anyone has ever seen, but it is going to be fine for the future plans and for my kind of wheeling.


it also looks like i'm going to get a pair of 4340 yukon chromo shafts with 297 u-joints from an individual off pirate for $100! :gigem:

what experience do people here have with ballistic fab and expecially there high steer arms. I will be having them make me a custom set for the stock cj tie rod ends and would ilke some input as to how reputable they are. Thanks

Top notch fab parts. I've had great service from them and quick shipping.

Balla, they have really gotten their **** together over the last year!

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Originally Posted by 85cj7

the guy with the axle shafts flaked, he sold the whole axle locally. Damn. oh well back to square one on the axle shafts/

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Buy new yukon shafts? I think it was only like 150 for a D44

edit- never mind, Its like 320 for the set I ordered from Broncograve yard and it doesn't look like they are even yukon any more.

If i have to buy new ones, I think i'm going to go with superior, i'll just call them up and see how much an inner set would be.

ballistic fab is shipping the arms and studs/cones/washers out today. The grand total was $206 exactly. Not bad. I ended up getting the tre end holes drilled out to 17/32" and then i'm going to ream them out myself. I think Flem's going to hook me up with a mill sinse i already have the reamer.

A tapered ream? Is it on one of the angled holes? If so you'd better be decent on a mill or else the ream is going bite and shatter the ream. You might be better off using a hand drill.

the arms came in today, they turned out real well except for the fact that they didn't drill them at all. The centers are marked for where holes are supposed to be, but nothing. So instead of shipping them back and dealing with that crap i'll just take the 10 min and drill them myself before reaming them.

i've been searching around for the chromolly inner axle shafts i will need to run the 44 outers and it seens like randy's ring and pinion is the cheapest i can find for driver and passanger side inner 4340 chromolly yukon shafts with 297x760 u-joints its $288 including shipping. If anyone can find me a better deal please post up.

i went ahead and ordered the shafts from randys r&p today , they should be in on friday, the total was like $286 or something. That is the last expense over $50 that i have to do on the soa conversion. But the remaining things are small and plentiful it should take around another $400-$500 bucks to have everything done.

I got the shafts in today from randy's r&p, total cost was $277. And went out and picked up some 297x760 u-joints for $22. I didn't realize how much larger they are than a 1310. No wonder they are the weak link they are down right tiny. Now i'm concerned about having 1310 driveshaft u-joints after comparing them with the 297s.


Is there a large strength increase when using full circle clips instead of conventional c-clips? And if there worth it, where can I buy just the clips?

I wouldn't worry about it, the driveshaft sees only 1/4 of the torque that the ujoint sees

the collection continues.

What are peoples opinions of rotor dust shields? I'm thinking of cutting them off of the caliper brackets, because the ones i have are beat and its just more stuff to get in the way?

every time I go to Gilmer I get rocks stuck between the rotors and shields. I say cut them off, its easy on those since they are pertty much spotwelded to the bracket.

i never even bolted them back on my F150...took them off the Taco when i had it apart...just extra junk to keep crap in and make noise when you drive

also, your question above about the 1310s...its a whole lot easier to change a driveshaft u-joint than it is an axleshaft u-joint so its not a bad thing if its the weak link...gotta have one somewhere

I just kept the shields, never got in my way.

Cut them off on the 4runner, just had to keep the mounting section for the width and left the brake hose mounts.

scout and jeep no have em.

mine still has them....never really been an issue.

where is everyone getting their knuckles machined. The guy that i was going to send it to doesn't have the business anymore. The only other company i have found that does this is parts mike. They are $55. Anyone have an other options?

what're you having done?

machining a d44 flat top for a high steer arm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/DANA-...3911.m14.l1318

comes with an arm that has a keyway machined to match what he does to the knuckle, stronger side to side that way (where you need it)

i tore apart the dana 44 hub and brake components over the past week. . . pressure washed everything, painted it with black caliper paint. So newly painted and cleaned, hubs, spindles, driver side knuckle, and caliper brackets. New locking hubs, calipers, brake pads, wheel bearings, wheel studs, spindle studs, and hub seals.

also new painted rotors, and the "new" spare driveshaft and cv yoke. Also the dana 44 outers aren't in the greatest shape, the pass. side is ok, but the dr. side splines are ground down to pyramids. Im going to get some more outers from colman.

i also contacted the guy off ebay to machine the pass. knuckle, i payed him today i think it was $52 or around there. Just waiting for mailing info. I went and bought a 17/32" drill bit and am going to drill the steering arm today after work. I'll ream them sometime this week.

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Originally Posted by 85cj7

i also contacted the guy off ebay to machine the pass. knuckle, i payed him today i think it was $52 or around there. Just waiting for mailing info. I went and bought a 17/32" drill bit and am going to drill the steering arm today after work. I'll ream them sometime this week.

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its in the ad:

DT Machine and Fab

95025 Spring Valley Ln.

Marcola Oregon

97454

541-206-7717

this is the one he sent me. . .
Paul @ RMQM
3360 North El Paso Unit G.
COS, CO 80907
(719) 578-5805

i've got a question about shackles. Mine now are 1/2" lift 4" from hole to hole. When i make new ones should i keep them 4" or change them back to stock 3". Im certain i won't need the 1/2" of additional lift. But will the added inch of shackle length help in the full range of motion? I don't know what i'm going on and on about, just tell me what to do.

edit: i'm going to make boomerang ones so i know they will clear my bumpers, so i'm thinking i will need the added length of that reason.

stick with the 4

i was messing around a couple of weeks ago and i heard a loud pop and hiss comming from the front axle. I had broke the front arb line, i guess from all the heat the line had just become brittle. So sinse i have the money right now i bought a braided stainless steel one to replace it. It fit really nice and was definently an upgrade, if its not one thing than its another.

I made these at work yesterday, and sense no one else chimed in buy Ryan I went ahead and made them 4” from center to center. They are ¼”, I made a template for them on the pc with dimensions and a guy at work helped me cut them out on the plasma table.

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Originally Posted by rockfrawg

"supposed"

:flipoff2:

did you get your knuckles back yet?

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I only sent out the passenger side knuckle, and it arrived at its destination last Monday. Unfortunately that destination was the Dexter house in cs and not where I am at in Dallas. I guess they sent it to my pay-pal address and not the return address on the shipping form. Oh well, I’ll get it sooner or later.

I ordered "The Source" Co2 air tank last week and it came in today. Its a 10lb unit with an adjustable 400 psi regulator unit with quick release. I mounted it in between the seats on the back of the tool box.

I had to create a spacer/bracket for the Co2's bracket to bolt to because it would have otherwise hit the lid when opened. I also had to move the box more rearward 5" to clear the hinged handles on the bracket.

The pics are kind of crappy but you get the idea. I haven't had time to fill it yet so I can't report on its performance.