CJ7 Build Part 2 aka Stopping the Flopping

[dirtman13]

Spent the weekend repairing a damaged body mount and decided to try and get the high steer working. I think I finally figured it out. Just trying to shoe horn the ram in there.

[vwtipeii]

So what tires ya get?

[dirtman13]

I went with the MTR's.

[dirtman13]

We have high steer!! Finally think I got it all shoe horned in. Took it for a drive and did some mall crawling with no issues. Need a shake down run.



Unfortunately or probably more fortunately no sooner did I get the front done I decided to pull the rear axle for the shave.
This is what was cut off. Doesn't seem like much but when I got this pig I shaved an inch off it seen earlier in my build.


After finding the correct angle I dunked it in old oil to give me the proper cut line and then marked it.



Got the bottom cut and I'm sending the ring gear out today to get cut down. You want to talk about sweating it? Try cutting up you pumpkin hoping you don't screw it up.

[dirtman13]

Cutting has been completed. This coming weekend I will be welding the plate on. I've decided to borrow our Miller 350P from work which will handle the 1/2" plate a little better than my Hobart 190. The ring gear was sent out to Ballistic Fab to be turned down and I just got an email stating it's on its way back. I was amazed when I opened the invoice to see I was not charged. I guess since I bought their kit the gear cutting was free. I've said it before and I'll say it again. I have had no issues with them and they make great products for all your build needs.


While I have the axle apart I decided it was time to replace the crush sleeve with the solid sleeve on the pinion. This will make is much easier to replace the pinion seal next time it needs to be done.
Solid sleeve compared to crush sleeve.


Sleeve installed.

[dirtman13]

Progress is slow. After preheating the pumpkin prior to welding I decided to replace the pinion pilot bearing and it hasn't shown up yet. Got the axle painted and the pinion preload set. Just need to set the backlash and run pattern and will be back in action.

[dirtman13]

Finally back on the trail.
High steer in the front.

Shaved rear 14 bolt.

King 14" 2.0 all around. Way better ride than the FOA's.

Tomorrow we'll test everything on Holcomb.

[aw12345]

Chucky, what you end with for springs front and rear? Looks good

[dirtman13]

Right now I have 200/250 front and 259/300 in the rear. Just got to North Shore Cafe in Fawnskin and wow what a ride. These shocks are really smooth.

[thrshr01]

Hey Dirtman, me and my buddy met you guys yesterday on Holcomb (I was driving the black 4 door). Sorry to see you on the side of the road with a chippy, just like you feared - hope you didn't get a ticket. Anyway, we found a 3/4" wrench where you guys were airing up and I'm not sure which on of you guys own it. Let me know and I can mail it to someone or we can exchange in a trail somewhere

Sweet build, btw.

[dirtman13]

Hey Dirtman, me and my buddy met you guys yesterday on Holcomb (I was driving the black 4 door). Sorry to see you on the side of the road with a chippy, just like you feared - hope you didn't get a ticket. Anyway, we found a 3/4" wrench where you guys were airing up and I'm not sure which on of you guys own it. Let me know and I can mail it to someone or we can exchange in a trail somewhere

Sweet build, btw.

Yep he got me. Looks like the build will continue with some removable fender flares and w front license plate holder. I believe that wrench is mine. I had one loose in the back and it must have fallen out. I was nice meeting you guys.

[6spdYJ]

Your build looks great! Bummer about the chippy.

[Ol Man]

It is my understanding that you should only need a mud flap that is as wide as the tread on the tire, is that correct?

[6spdYJ]

If you take the time to read and interpret the vehicle code it requires 51% or more of the tire to be covered. The mystery is 51% diameter or width? Just enough ambiguity written in... If I remember correctly it also states maximum frame height at 27" to the lowest point. Does it include transfer case cross-members? What makes it interesting is that the universal Jeep body is registered as a passenger vehicle, but due to the "cargo area" in the back, we get regulated by some commercial rules too.

[aw12345]

Chuck what's the back spacing on your rims? One of the reasons I use the H2 rims is that they tuck the tires in quite a bit more. Don't know if you can run rims with that much back spacing, but you are welcome to try mine to see if they clear the coilovers It makes almost a foot narrower that the racelines I got for my 40's. Other than that for the fix a ticket make removable flares out of rubber or plastic. Once that's done and the ticket is signed of you can use narrower flares and mud flaps and they will leave you alone. Freddy got nailed for it a few years ago. You and Kurt have been lucky so far