Project: TJ rear leaf spring conversion

[bburris]

Originally posted by BMFScout
hey check this out, think that was a friday axle, or do you think it is a legit concern?

http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/axle/ford8_8/

When I get the axle back from the gear guy we're going to throw some stitch welds around the tube so I can prevent that from happening. Thanks for the article.

[Fredo]

You call that frame under your jeep a "real frame"?

[J Cooper]

... why leaves? why go through all the trouble for just leaf springs... i mean theres nothing wrong with them, but why go backwards, why not a tj long arm kit or something?

[bburris]

$

[fbronco86]

jeeps have a frame. I thought that was sheet metal. haha

[BMFScout]

just 4 bushings to wear instead of 8 (and they wear out pretty quick), the upper arm mounts for the TJ elongate if you actually wheel it, leaves are hella cheap, long arm and the like are not. Now he has to worry about spring wrap, but a wrap bar will take care of that. He doesn't have to drop 300 bones on a bracket kit to get the 8.8 in there. It is defintiely the low buck way to go, It should flex pretty similar to a 4"lifted TJ if he gets the packs set up right. I think the TJ system works ok, but the links are far too short, and it makes the front lift from what I have seen. I mean if you turn Lissa's one way or the other and hit the gas the tire will go sky high, that can't be good. I think the leaves will fix that without spending the big skrilla on a long arm.

Here is the most famous of this conversion, I think it is a good low buck fix anyway, go to the bottom and click on the TJ-7 link...
http://www.kilbyenterprises.com/

[BMFScout]

Originally posted by fbronco86
jeeps have a frame. I thought that was sheet metal. haha

cause Bronco frames are the epitome of strength, ask Tate how many times has he BROKE his frame...

[bburris]

Originally posted by Fredo
You call that frame under your jeep a "real frame"?

I'll try to get a pic of it sometime. It's more than enough for a 4000 pound Jeep, whereas the unibody crap under Cherokees and Grand Cherokees has to beefed up a whole lot to obtain the same weight to beef ratio.

[J Cooper]

thats cool, i just thought he already had a 4" lift ... im all about the leaf spring... and yes they are cheap as it gets.

[bburris]

Alrighty...have some **** done now. After almost a two day hiatus as a result of my eyes being non-functional we made some noticeable progress tonight.

Here's a pic of the spring main eye hanger.


Here I am letting Blake know what I think. This was pre-eye injury. That was a ****ty Optometrist visit. He came at me with a drill...


This was checking out how the shackle mounts were going to work out.


Here's a fine example of Paul's porn-star style of welding.


And Blake's stick welding practice. He sat for who knows how long being worthless playing with these pieces of metal.

[bburris]

Here's the passenger side all ready for the first fitment of the axle.


The XJ leaves flattened out...more than I wanted, so it'll need an add-a-leaf to keep them from getting negative arch.


TEXAS TILT BABY!!! I guess I'll be going with a little more lift in the front...

[bburris]

This is a 28 spline 8.8 shaft in the 31 spline side gear. There's a BIG difference. I'm glad mine is 31 spline...


Cool pic of Paul welding.


Here I am hard at work...


Putting some paint over all the new **** so it won't rust too fast.

[BigRedFord04]

i've got some 31 spine side gears you can use for spares for the low low price of 1 beer each

[bburris]

It should be getting a free (plus the cost of a rebuild kit) Trac-Lock...

So I, too, will have some 31 spline side gears.

[BMFScout]

looks great, did you take one eyed willie to the optometrist?

I have found out the hard way twice to wear GOGGLES not glasses when grinding underneath a vehicle. The optometrist dremel tool thing with the rotary eye drill attachment sucks...