Classic XJ and trying to keep it that way

[Rainman77]

The Jeep hit 200k today! Thought I'd celebrate with some maintenance and improvements. I did the 5k mile oil change, transmission drain & fill and replaced some nasty old spark plugs. Some of them were 0.060" burnt out!

I also got around to changing the single shear trackbar to a double shear bracket. The old rod end was super worn out and needed to be replaced so it was time for change anyway. I snagged a Rubicon express 1665 bracket as well as a replacement rod end and 3/4" to 1/2" misalignment spacers from Barnes 4wd. The bracket fit pretty well and only drops the mounting point 1/4" so it shouldn't affect bump steer much (might actually reduce it, who knows). I still need to test interference with the axle, but it looks like it should clear just fine. Afterwards we did the alignment to get steer ahead dialed in and double checked the toe.

Overall it handles a bit better than before. I'm glad it all went down without too much issue. I'll have to test clearances later, but I think it'll work alright.

 

[Trailhawk88]

That double sheer is nice.  I should have gone that direction with mine.

 

[1989comanche]

Check for clearance with your coil bucket. I had to notch mine a little to clear.

 

[Rainman77]

Good call. Right now I think the bumpstops would keep it from contacting, but I also won't be mad flexing anytime soon either. I'll make sure to give it a look

 

[1989comanche]

Good call. Right now I think the bumpstops would keep it from contacting, but I also won't be mad flexing anytime soon either. I'll make sure to give it a look

I just did this today. I swapped out the track bar a year or so ago but it has been bugging me so I finally did it while working on a few other things.

 

[1989comanche]

Today?s project, suspension work. Added extended bump stops on the front end

 

[1989comanche]

Then fixed clearance on track bar.

 

[G Beasley]

I have welded up a bracket like that ,but hadnt seen the bolt on version . Looks nice , and applied ahead of time should keep the frame from tearing as well .

 

[Rainman77]

Wow this is a way better setup. On the highway it tracks dead straight and never wanders. I doubted the strength of the single shear setup from the beginning, but it's all I could afford at the time. Having a single shear rod end to take up a large portion of the cornering and steering reaction forces put a lot of strain on it. 

I have about 7* caster in it right now, but might want to take it out a little since I have very little road feel. The only loose spot in the steering now is in the box. Hopefully the steering box brace will tighten that up too. 

Before that I may need to get the engine/trans mounts replaced since all 3 are really shot. The driveline rattles against the body if it's under a ton of load. Hopefully that will be next months project and nothing major will come up until then. 

 

[1989comanche]

I don?t know how my post?s ended up here. I thought they were in the 3 pictures thread

 

[Rainman77]

Tonight I went and picked up a set of Fox Adventure series 2.0 IFP shocks for a steal of $75. They should fit pretty well and last long enough. After months of barely driving the Jeep it'll be nice to wrench on it a bit. I'll try to find a place to take advantage of the added front travel, even if it's just a loading dock.

Reviews I've seen compared them to Bilstein 5100s, but ride a bit smoother. Unlike most Fox shocks, these are steel bodied and can't be rebuilt. They were discontinued a while ago since the Performance series isn't much more expensive. They should hold up a lot better with the larger bore and shaft sizes. I really hope these don't blow in a year like every other shock I've owned  😀

 

[G Beasley]

Heck of a deal...  :D

 

[Rainman77]

Heck of a deal...  :D

 Thanks, Master Enabler  😉

 

[Rainman77]

I slapped the shocks in today since I had nothing better to do. The bar pins needed to be pressed out of the front and one of the rears needed to be replaced, so that was fun to do without a press, vise or clamps to use. They eventually got in with a lot of anger and sketchiness.

I do have to say, they ride pretty well on my not-so-happy suspension. They're pretty firm, but not harsh in any way. I like them and I hope they last longer than the usual year I have a set of shocks. 

 

[cescuzzy]

I slapped the shocks in today since I had nothing better to do. The bar pins needed to be pressed out of the front and one of the rears needed to be replaced, so that was fun to do without a press, vise or clamps to use. They eventually got in with a lot of anger and sketchiness.

I do have to say, they ride pretty well on my not-so-happy suspension. They're pretty firm, but not harsh in any way. I like them and I hope they last longer than the usual year I have a set of shocks.

Points for creative sketchy shade tree press shenanigans.

 

[Trailhawk88]

I want to try out some full size fox's sometime.  I've liked all the small ones I've ridden on that were in snowmobiles and sxs's.

 

[G Beasley]

Sketchy jack press / shrapnel launcher is ingenious!

 

[Trailhawk88]

Sketchy jack press / shrapnel launcher is ingenious!

I definitely filed that one away in my book of sketch for later use.

 

[jrainman13]

If it works, it works. I think the screw type coil depressers are more dangerous than this contraption. I will definitely use this at a later date! Your engineering degree is paying off!  👍

 

[Rainman77]

And now the Jeep will sit filthy, dusty and paint cracking another month to magically fix all of its other suspension gremlins.... I'm really hoping this craziness dies down so I can get a job and properly fix this pile