Str8sixfan's painfully slow 2wd to 4wd SAS project

[brinker88]

You need to finish welding those lower link mounts...

 

[Str8sixfan]

I wondered. I know stock tabs don't have that extra protection return, so I didn't think I had to.

I debated it, but I think I want to get the links in first, so the metal doesn't pull in on itself through the welding process and make it difficult to squeeze them in.

 

[Str8sixfan]

Rented ball joint press from O'Reilley's over the weekend to install my new WJ lower ball joints to accept my knuckles, only to find out that one side doesn't fit in as snug as I want.

It friction fits in, however if I tapped the top side of the ball joint say 3-4 times with a hammer it would slide out the bottom. I don't know if the last pair I had in there fit "too well" and hollowed out the eyelet a little more.

I'm wondering, would there be any negative ramifications if I tack welded that one ball joint in at the top? Other than for when I have to do a replacement next go around, I'd have to grind it off.

 

[982WDRanger]

Been here done that...hahah. Off to a good start. I would beef up your inner "C's" so they don't pull open when off road. Also I'd ditch all that stock bracket junk on the passenger side of the axle. I found it is all useless when doing what you doing. Better off fabricating up your own setup to work with you instead of against you.

Ill post a pic of what I mean soon.

 

[Str8sixfan]

Also I'd ditch all that stock bracket junk on the passenger side of the axle. I found it is all useless when doing what you doing. Better off fabricating up your own setup to work with you instead of against you.

I've actually figured as much, but just reluctant to start plucking things off until I have the axle under the truck and taking a look at where the track bar is coming from and landing. Never know, something might just work out to be left in place, but we shall see.

 

[mr cribb]

I've been following this for ideas. I'm on the explorer forums, and I haven't come across a swap this in depth over there.

I have a 2wd exploder, and have contemplated this exact swap.

A question though:

Why the WJ knuckles vs the XJ?

 

[escort_gts]

The WJ knuckles use larger braked and the passenger side knuckle has high steer.

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[Str8sixfan]

Thanks for handling that for me escort

I'm also finding it hard to locate new bushings for the top links on the axle (diff and the other on top of my truss), anyone got a source other than a Jeep dealer?

 

[Str8sixfan]

Hooray nice weather!

Got the axle back together, and was only going to paint the pumpkin and some of the truss, until my can of POR-15 tipped over on my plastic "drop cloth"...so I had to use it up somehow and ended up painting nearly the whole thing. Was going to leave the end part of the truss unpainted as I'll likely fabricate a track-bar mount off of it on down the road. Oh well, guess there will be some grinding and repainting in my future. Hopefully slag won't go everywhere and ruin too much, but I should have enough paint to redo it should I need to.

 

[escort_gts]

Thanks for handling that for me escort

I'm also finding it hard to locate new bushings for the top links on the axle (diff and the other on top of my truss), anyone got a source other than a Jeep dealer?

http://www.genright.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SUP2100#.Ux3M7fldVSA

I've been wanting to get these. Don't know how well they would work on a radius arm setup.

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[Str8sixfan]

Dang, I just found some on Summit, just went with stock rubber replacements. Oh well.

 

[Str8sixfan]

Ordered my Sport Trac rotors tonight.

Slowly but surely. Gonna get my unit hubs machined to accept the rotors.

Hopefully before April's over I'll have the calipers and pads installed. Then it's pretty much only a tie rod bar left and time to wrap up the axle.

Though I'm still having trouble finding bushings for the top of the axle. Thought I found some on Summit but they were the wrong part. Anyone know where I can get polyurethane bushings for the top of the axle?

 

[escort_gts]

I think I got my bushings from Advance Auto. They were only a few dollars. Only bad thing about the stock bushings is the small bolt hole size. I drilled mine out to take a 1/2" bolt.

 

[Str8sixfan]

thanks man. I don't know why they're so hard to find. My local O Reiley's I think had to order them in I think so I chickened out of that at the time I checked; maybe I'll find an AA in town.

Should be getting the unit hubs machined in the next week, dropping them off Thursday. Got the Sport Trac rotors last night.

 

[mr cribb]

Would it be easier to just get a GC axle to start with if you were going to do this all over again?

I haven't collected parts, still kicking the idea around.