OK. So I got it sitting on it's own weight, and approximately at ride height, so I could finalize the track bar setup.

I threw the existing track bar bracket I have on, and did some rough aligning with my handy ratcheting "track bar".



The angles look pretty good, surprisingly. If you look at the "virtual" position (eye to eye, see the added lines, green would be ideal) of both track bar, and drag link, they are fairly parallel. But, they could be better, which I may be able to easily fix by drilling a new mounting hole lower on the axle-side mount, or frame side.



My big question/concern is the lengths. From what I understand, the lengths of the drag link, and track bar should be roughly the same. Mine are quite different, the track bar will come out to about 28.5", and the drag link is about 35".

Not sure I can do anything about it, so guess I will see how it does. If I drill a new hole, that will give me a tiny bit more length, but probably not enough to make a big difference.

I decided for now, to try to re use my existing RE HD track bar, but shorten it in the middle, about 3.25". Two main reasons- I don't have the funds to build a new one, and two, the angles of either end of the track bar mounts are not parallel. The frame-side mount is angled toward the front of the truck about 10 degrees, so a straight bar may not work. There might be enough pivot in the Johnny Joint, but I don't want to take the chance of binding. The RE bar has a bend in it to account for the angle difference.

Guess I will find out tomorrow, when I try to put the shortened track bar back in.

 

love your first xj

 

Getting pretty close now. Dropped the axle back down and pulled the springs, so I could get in and grind back some of the undercoat I put over the new stiffeners, to be able to weld the track bar bracket on.

Painted up the TB bracket and bolted it in, got the old RE HD TB shortened, and painted, and started building a new straight TB if I decide I need to go that route. Will just re-use the Johnny Joint adjuster end off of the old TB if I do, and poly bushing on the other end.

Waiting on access to the water jet to cut my final brake rotor spacers out of some .083 steel, but will mill some out of some .090 aluminum I found, so I can get it together, and hopefully out of the garage this weekend. Need brakes to do that.

 

Sell me your SA upper and lowers!

 

Funny you should say that. I was planning on throwing my old stuff up on the FS page once I'm sure that I'm done.

I have the old front short arms and related brackets, most of the bolts, the old rear leafs (minus the bottom leafs), stock crossmember, and my stock spring plates for the rear. May be a few other things in there too.

I'm keeping the coils, brake lines, track bar and bracket.

Also have the old front axle, which is a low pinion with 4.56's. Probably needs an outer pinion bearing tho.

Let me get everything together, and be sure of what I have. I'll get some pics, and figure out a price.

 

ill take those CA drop brakets if your sellin them

 

I asked first. Text me 7047976844 want the brackets and arms.

 

you asked first about the arms, the brackets were never mentioned. but thats none of my business.

i wont start any drama tho, that'll be the last i say of it

 

I would rather keep it together, so I'm not left with orphaned parts taking up space in my garage. I'll get pics up here in a few

 

I got some rotor shims built on Fri so that I could finally get it back together this weekend. Ended up making them myself since timing for the water jet didn't work out.

I found some .090 aluminum stock, and sandwiched two pieces between some particle board to support it while i cut it.

3

Then i pulled them apart and cleaned them up with a file. They are a tad thicker than i needed but should be ok.



Got the first weld on the track bar bracket, behind the spring done. Will do the others with the big welder at work. Touched up some paint, painted the rotors, got the brakes together and bled, and put her back together.











Need to make a few tweaks, think I need to push the axle forward about an inch, but have plenty of adjustment in the arms for that.

Then get her aligned and final tighten and that part should be done for now!

 

Oh yeah. Need to sort out the front shocks too. I ordered them based on having a set of BPE's for the front, but they won't fit since the shocks have a sleeve in the stock bushing.

Tried pressing it out but it just started tearing up the bushings. So I'll have to make some up with a smaller pin.

 

Everything is so clean it almost brings a tear to my eye.

 

Dude I can't get over how perfect and clean this build is.

 

i wish i could tear into my jeep like this, but not while its DD status

 

Lol. Yeah its probably too pretty now. Oh well once I start driving it, I'll prob get lazy and in 6 months it will be all rusty crap again. But at least I will be able to say I had a nice jeep once.