SOA progress (now with pics)

[Snitty]

started turning wrenches again today... i found that i have a broken leaf in the passenger rear (explains the sudden sag)... and i need to replace a tie rod end on the draglink...

I got the pitman arm swapped out... i didn't feel like messing with a puller so i grabbed the angle grinder and chopped the old one off, not a tough job...

i need to figure out how i'm gonna mess with the rear brake hose

 

[laneiac]

Thats my least favorite thing to work on, brakes.

 

[Snitty]

i found today that i have another crack in the frame.. and i broke off a brakeline up front... i have to replace it all the way back now

 

[currupt4130]

wow, tough luck. just roll around the junk yards and see what you can get. are you doing your soa on stock springs? the rear brake hose isnt too hard to deal with. if your replacing it just cut it off and deal with it when you have to get around to it. on the inside of the bracket, the side where the hardline mates to the hose, theres a clip that locks the soft line into the bracket. pop that off and then turn the wrenches and get the line off

 

[Snitty]

too late on that clip... i fought with it for about 20 minutes and decided to break the bracket off... the hardline that goes all the way back broke under the driver floor.. i'll be replacing that all the way back so i'll be relocating it to accomodate the soa...

I couldn't get the draglink seperated from the tierod... and i already began (for a reason unknown) to put the draglink back into the newly installed dropped pitman arm... and the stud started spinning around in there so i can't tighten or loosen the nut anymore... so i cut the end and i'll deal with all that later...

The pitman arm was cut off instead of dealing with breaking all sorts of pullers.. i've dealt with that too many times... the Grand Cherokee pitman arm slid on with no problems at all...

Couldn't get the bolt out of the tracbar in the front... so i went through 3 cutting wheels to get the head cut off the bolt and finally got that off..

Front shocks wouldnt budge, so i cut them out...

Parking brake cables wouldn't cooperate so i cut them...

I traced my ubolts (which are in surprisingly great condition) onto my perch blanks tonight and gave them to BBJ so he can cut them out with his new plasma cutter...

Here are some progress pics

Here is a pic showing the broken leaf... I still have to find a way to go about fixing this problem

Here is a pic of the aftermath of the easiest method of removing a pitman arm

The rear axle removed and dropped below the springs.. you can also see where I welded a crack in the frame and ground it flat... as soon as it rusts more, you won't be able to tell... but as for the inside... that will NEED to be plated... ill plate the outside as well... I heard from a guy that once I plate it, smear some roofing tar on it and toss some mud on it... an inspection station will never know

Here is a full side shot of the progress so far

Here is a frontal shot showing the front end removed and dropped out of the springs

If things go right, i'll be welding the perches on when I get out of work. Either way, I think I'll be looking into relocating the front brakelines.

Issues to asolve yet: rear brakelines... parking brake cables... front brakeline relocation... another frame crack... BROKEN LEAFSPRING (big problem)... brake line from front to rear...

Tires are mounted and ready.. i just have to drive to PA to pick them up... and a corsica won't do the job... but i won't be needing the tires for a while... if i get them.. i'm gonna want to cut corners and get it done faster... i don't need that...

 

[laneiac]

What tires are you getting?

 

[mingez]

Hey Snitty. Your axle fell off man. You might wanna put that back on. :mrgreen:

Anyways, sorry for that horrible attempt at humor. Looks like you have your work cut out for you. Rust sucks, everything's having to be cut off. Uhhh, I just realized that's the first time I've ever seen your rig!

 

[Craig]

CV driveshaft alignment???

What are you gonna do about steering? Are you gonna go high steer or a curved draglink? If you're gonna make a curved draglink, can you take some pics cause I think that's the route I'm gonna go if I ever get the time to do it.

 

[Snitty]

at first... i'm gonna see how the DPA does for steering... then if i need a bend... then i'll thread some pipe and make a bent draglink

on BBJ, we cut the stock draglink and kept the ends inside the last 4 inches of the adjuster tube at each end... then we welded the tube ends inside a piece of pipe that we bent to accomodate for the springs... it works well

 

[jps4jeep]

at first... i'm gonna see how the DPA does for steering... then if i need a bend... then i'll thread some pipe and make a bent draglink

on BBJ, we cut the stock draglink and kept the ends inside the last 4 inches of the adjuster tube at each end... then we welded the tube ends inside a piece of pipe that we bent to accomodate for the springs... it works well

For steering, I am assuming that you are using the truck springs, I would use the DPA as well as a Hi-Steer conversion from I think either Rubicon express or Currie, Can't remember. That should do the trick!

 

[Snitty]

nope.. no highsteer for me... it would take me years to afford that

 

[Joopin]

No highsteer for me... OR dropped drag link! I'm fine with the dropped pitman arm and welded track bar.

 

[Snitty]

good to know... i already have the dropped pitman on there... that is comforting to know

 

[currupt4130]

my drop pitman works well, i need a bent drag link and i think i might try what you were saying to do with cutting off the ends and such. i might make a tie rod like that too! i jsut cant turn all the way to the right thats why i need the bent drag link. rubicon express sells hardline extensions that arent very expensive and adds about 6 inches to your hardline length. i have them and the ss lines and i have plenty of brakeline to hang myself with even when flexed. you can also try pulling and slightly bending the hard liens so they run under the frame, but thats risky buisness. good luck, i can take pics of mine if you need any visuals

 

[Snitty]

why order extensions when you can just buy a foot or so of hardline and fittings from a hardware store to extend the hardline?

 

[currupt4130]

cuz theyre like ten bucks? i just found it easier to do that while i was ordering my soa stuff tho

 

[TwistedCU]

Damn Snitty! I would never have the time to do all that!!! Looks like alot of fun though. When I get settled into the house in PA I'm going to start building my YJ. I'll no doubt be referring to this thread :wink:

BROKEN LEAFSPRING (big problem)

Maybe not. Would you want to use 4 stock springs from a '91 YJ? They're in real good shape. My buddy lifted his and gave me the set of 4 stock springs to do my SOA, but my YJ's springs are alot better than I thought they would be. They were on a '91 YJ with a 4.0/3 sp. Auto if it matters.

If nothing else it would give you plenty of spare leaves to work with.

I'm not going to use them so let me know if you want them.

I could snap a few pics if you'd like...

 

[Snitty]

i could certainly use them... but can't afford anything right now... shipping or anything..

 

[TwistedCU]

Let me find out how much it would cost to send them to Olean, NY. I'll get back to you. Where there is a will, there is a way.