New bling...

Just a small update. Some of the parts I ordered came in. I got my Gen-Right 3-link brackets. They got here super fast and the quality of the brackets is awesome. Mad props to Gen Right for their insanely fast service and hight quality.

I'm still waiting on my Ballistic Fab backets and joints, but I just ordered them the other day. I cant wait to get them as well. I've always been impressed with Ballistic's service and quality. I need to get a hold of TnT Custsoms to find out about their front stretch kit. I will more than likely be ording that as well provided it does what I want.

Update...

I've got a bit of an update. I've ordered the majority of my front suspension parts. I have Ballistic spring pad/shock mount/LCA combo brackets ordered, Ballistic link tower, 3 Ballistic weld in flex joints, 3 regular Ballistic Flex joints, jamb nuts, and Gen-Right 3 link frame brackets ordered. I'm up in the air as far as link material. So I need to figure that out before I order tubing adapters. I have awhile until the Jeep will even go down to be worked on, so its not a big deal. Oh yeah, I also need to call TnT Customs about their front stretch kit. That will basically allow me to stretch my front end 3". If I remember correctly it will relocate my steering box, coil spring perches, shock mounts, and all that good stuff. Essentially taking out all the guess work for me. If the price is right and its everything I remember it being before they took it off their online store, then I'll be ordering that very shortly.

If I can swing it, I want to push my front axle forward 3" and push my rear back 5". That would give me a 101" wheel base, which is the same as an XJ. It should be a heck of a lot more nice in the steep crazy stuff compared to 93.4". If the turning radius does bug me, well, I think I still may do cutting brakes for the rear even though I have a HPD44 instead of the HPD60 I planned on. I'll just have to go easy on sharp turning.

Any way, that is my update. When the parts come in, I'll post up some pictures.

More planning.

I know. I know. Every one likes progress and there isn't any at the moment. My plans have changed. Shocker. This time it is not because I cant make up my mind, but actually something totally out of my control. My wife decided that she wanted to take most of the tax return money set aside for the RCV shafts and drive flanges and buy a king size bed. Oh well. I still have enough money to start on suspension, so that's where my plan changes.

I've decide that I'm more than likely going to run a combination of brackets. I'll start with the front suspension. I'm considering running the Poly Performance 3 link brackets on the frame end, the Ballistic Fab TJ combo brackets on the axles, and the to save money running my upper on the passengers side with either a Gen-Right or a Poly link tower. The reason for flipping sides with my upper is simply because the link tower costs less than a truss and a link bracket and my HP D44 obviously has no CA mount cast into the diff. I can see why I would want the upper on the side with my diff though. To combat the urge to break, I'll run the same side rod ends that I'm going to run for the lowers (as big as I can afford more than likely 1.25") and I'll run 2x2x1/4" square tube for the link. The only reason why I decide against the Ballistic link tower is that I wanted to be able to adjust the height of the link. I have yet to measure and see what tower I'll need, 6" or 8".

This setup will let me keep my coils and cut down on a lot of work. I'd love to do something a little more crazy, like a 4 link and full hydro, but that's just not in the forecast for now. I will however modify the shock towers to run the longest travel shocks possible in the space I have. The lower frame side brackets are angled 10 degrees out and are in-boarded to the inside of the frame rails. I plan on pushing the brackets back as far as possible to give me as long of a link as possible before I start having problems with the links contacting the frame. I plan on running 2x2x1/4" square tube for control arms as it is extremely cheap here and its beefy. I'm still up in the are as to what I want to run for rod ends. I want to stick with a set of 2" coils, but I need to first do some research. My coils and shocks have to compliment each other. I want this suspension well dialed in and stable in the off camber stuff.

I think with this plan I will have an amazingly flexy front suspension. It should be awesome. With any luck I'll be buying brackets soon. I'm going to hopefully get onto cleaning up my 3/4 ton axles very soon as well.

Planning... whats that?

Plans are always good... right? Of course they are. Its just that some times its hard to stick to them for one reason or another. I am one of the most horrible people in the world when it comes to making a plan and sticking to it. I always come up with a plan and shortly after change my mind for one reason or another. Usually I have an idea that I want to incorporate or change because I think I've found something better.

I have a 5.9L V8 that I plan on using. I do have a HPD44 and a D60 as well. High line fenders are also in the plans and yes, I do have a set of Rokmen hi-lines. So what does this equate to? Something low, that has decent power, and a decent amount of beef. Perhaps some bigger tires are in order, but only as long as I get no taller than I already am.

Now here is where I'm stuck. How do I want to put my axles under my Jeep? Rokmen has some awesome Jeeps on short arms and very minimal amount of lift. They're Freak Jeep is awesome to say the least. So is that the way to go? Short arms and beefy stock style brackets? Perhaps. It certainly isn't cheap if I buy prebuilt short arms. Same with a long arm kit. They're way too expensive and honestly there aren't many that really impress me. Do I buy a bunch of Ballistic Fab brackets and build a long arm suspension? That is perhaps the best bang for the buck, but is it really for me?

I'm really stuck as far as figuring out what I should do. I may have a daily driver soon and if that is the case, then perhaps building might be a good option. Either way there is a lot to consider.

More parts for the pile....

As I hinted at in my last post, I have collected some more parts for my pile of parts. As some people might know, I've searched the vast interweb for years looking for an affordable 78-79 Ford HP D60 for a long time. I've found some and every time I've had the deals fall through or some one would beat me to it. Frustration set in and I decided to compromise. I told myself that if I could find a 78-79 Ford HP D44, then I'd go that route as well and just settle for being 3/4 ton instead of 1 ton. To my dismay, those axles are also hard to come by and go quickly. They are quite a bit more cheap though. I hit craigslist and found a F250 that was being parted out. Not just any F250, but a 79. I immediately called the guy and told him that I would take the front and rear axles (even though I already had a read 60 in the pile). I got them for a pretty reasonable price and with some help, I got them home to the pile.

I can now scratch off axles from my parts list. How ever relieving this may sound, I can now add more stuff to my list. I plan on ordering a TnT Customs truss and brackets for the front axle to get it bolted into the Jeep. Any old TJ brackets will work for the rear for the time being. Locker are a must. I don't think that I can go back to open diffs after being locked front and rear. I've toyed around with the idea of throwing a set of Spartan lockers in the axles to hold me over until I can afford some selectable lockers. It wouldn't be any worse that the two Lock Rights that I have right now. I have disc brake brackets for the rear to weld on so that I can run rear discs. I'd love cutting brakes while I was at it. I couldn't really use them right now as I don't have the ability to twin stick my t-case, but why not get them out of the way while I have to redo my brakes? Better to do it once than twice, I think... I need to regear them as well. I'm up in the air about the ratio right now. All I know is that I lack the tools and know how to do a proper install. I need to find some one to educate and help me with that one. I think I am set on a Jana 54 kit. Yup, 50 R&P in a D44. Why? Because I'd hate for the R&P to be the weak point after I decide to splurge a my next tax return on a set of RCV shafts. Well, that's if my wife lets me.

Any way, I'm really excited that at least two more things are crossed off my big list. This is going to be a really slow build, but at least its moving. One step closer to one of my major life goals. Build a decent Jeep and wheel it on the Rubicon... It feels good.

And so it begins....

I have never had a build thread for my Jeep on any forum... period. My TJ has never been anything special to any one, but me of course. It's fairly cookie cutter as she sits. She started life stock, went from 30's to 33's and then finally to 35's. Shes now locked front and rear as well. For what my rig is, it does fairly good. I cant complain one bit really. I've been a little out of the game lately and I've always had some big plans. It hasn't been until lately that I've been able to really collect parts for my big plan. Honestly, the plan is always headed in a certain direction, but how I get there and what I plan on using always seems like its up in the air. The plans are big either way. I'm accumulating parts slowly and the pile is building up. The pile has some nice parts in it as is, but it just keeps getting better and better.

Its late, work comes early, and tomorrow I pick up more parts.... You'll just have to wait and see what they are.