[TomA]

Looks like you lucked out. Just switch out that yoke for whatever flange or yoke you need to work with your driveshaft and you should be golden.

 

[Jl1023]

Looks like you lucked out. Just switch out that yoke for whatever flange or yoke you need to work with your driveshaft and you should be golden.

Heck yeah! Good to know. It almost looks like its a high clearance cv yoke now that im looking at the pictures. I need to compare some pictures.

 

[TomA]

I don't think that yoke will work with a CV joint. And it's definitely not a 1310 u-joint, which I'm guessing your new driveshaft has.

 

[Jl1023]

I don't think that yoke will work with a CV joint. And it's definitely not a 1310 u-joint, which I'm guessing your new driveshaft has.

No driveshaft yet. Im going to try and set this pinion angle without it somehow and measure for one. About to order some new extended brake lines for the front and i guess a used cv yoke from whatever jeeps have a 231j and double cardan front driveshafts... just threw on the new calipers and rotors. My drop pitman arm will be here Monday. Hopefully ill get this front and steering finished up next week and then im doing the new crossmember and SYE on the transfer case. Then the rear differential. Getting there.

 

[Jl1023]

Is this drag link and tie rod angle okay? Its at full droop in the pictures so they will almost be in parallel with each other at ride height. But is it okay for the Y between them? This is with the Astro box and ruff country drop pitman arm. Should i swap to the factory box? I think it will kick the drag link back to almost an X.

 

[Jl1023]

Made a spacer and swapped the drag link to the top of the M.O.R.E. bracket to get plenty of clearance over the leafs. And it also get the drag link more level at ride height. Just need to pickup a bolt about 1/2 longer and drill for a cotter pin, I measured for front shocks and just ordered some 33-5125 bilsteins for the front. The 28" SS brake lines will be here tomorrow for the front. I am going ahead with the Astro box and rough country 6605 pitman arm so thats in there now. But i found out i dont like rag joints so i ordered a universal joint steering shaft from summit and that should be here in a few days and ill get the wheels as straight as possible and steering wheel as straight as possible. Im debating on using the stock front driveshaft if it extends and retracts enough. Once thats done im pulling the axle and leafs out one last time to weld the upper and lower shock mounts and leaf pearches and painting it all then final assembly.

 

[Jl1023]

Much better, dulled all my bits trying to drill a cotter pin hole...smh need some quality bits.

 

[Jl1023]

Brake lines went in perfectly. These are the Rubicon express 28" YJ SS brake lines. I was able to use my factory upper brake line tabs and the new kits spring lock. Front hard lines thread right into the SS brake lines. Have just enough slack at full droop. Super happy. I may look into limiting straps in the future just to be sure.

 

[Jl1023]

Got the shock mounts and tabs done today. And got my universal joint steering shaft to ditch the rag joint one, just need to install it. Waiting on limiting straps to come in the mail. Then moving to the transfer case and rear differential. Then i should be about done. I need to make one more gusset for the drivers side upper shock mount. Then going to drop the leafs and drag link and finish primer and paint.

 

[Jl1023]

Got a little more done today. Flipped the rear axle. it still needs welded and I guess I need to bend some new brake lines and get an extended soft line and set the pinion angle. I need to get some 2" lift blocks I believe, as the front sits a tad higher. I took apart the front to paint. Front axle still needs caster set and then welded in. Got both the shocks in there.
Tomorrow I'm measuring and marking for my limiting straps for the front and trying to get an idea on the caster. I need to clearance the front ubolt plates for the new shocks, because it looks like the shock body will just catch the corner of them. Need to measure for rear shocks. The body on the rear ones seem a bit to long. They only have about 4" of compression left. I did rebuild both drum brakes and moved the ebrake lines so they still work. Progress.

 

[TomA]

If you don't want to buy new shocks, you can weld shock mounts down a little lower on the axle tube so they're extended more at ride height. Even if you are going to buy new shocks, it will let you use longer ones.

 

[Jl1023]

If you don't want to buy new shocks, you can weld shock mounts down a little lower on the axle tube so they're extended more at ride height. Even if you are going to buy new shocks, it will let you use longer ones.

Yeah I'm still debating on it. I did cut the shock tabs off the dana30 pretty clean, I could use those. As you see I just flipped the ubolt bracket and swapped sides. I definitely want to get some matching Bilstein B8 for the rear, just need to see if they have a model that will work with where the lower shock mounts are now.

 

[TomA]

Yeah I'm still debating on it. I did cut the shock tabs off the dana30 pretty clean, I could use those. As you see I just flipped the ubolt bracket and swapped sides.

It looks like that worked pretty well. I don't really know how strong those stock shock mounts are, though. If you're going to be bouncing around much, you may still want to upgrade to some heavier-duty welded ones. I usually buy all those kinds of parts from Ruffstuff Specialties because they're closest to me, but WFO Concepts and Barnes 4WD are also good.

 

[Jl1023]

It looks like that worked pretty well. I don't really know how strong those stock shock mounts are, though. If you're going to be bouncing around much, you may still want to upgrade to some heavier-duty welded ones. I usually buy all those kinds of parts from Ruffstuff Specialties because they're closest to me, but WFO Concepts and Barnes 4WD are also good.

I agree with you now that i slowed down and thought about it more. If i leave them like they are i wont have much shock anyway i look at it. The fronts fully extended are 34" with 14" travel, if i leave the rear ill be looking at half that in travel in the rear. It would be nice if i need the same length for the rear as the front and just order another set of them. I dont plan on flexing about like alot of these builds. Being in Florida the most flexing it will see is crossing downed trees and rivers and ditches. And the occasion sand hill. Mostly we see deep water and mud. Do you like the bilstein shocks? I read fox are better but wear out faster. I went with the happy medium.

 

[TomA]

Do you like the bilstein shocks? I read fox are better but wear out faster. I went with the happy medium.

I think the ones on my Blazer are Skyjackers. Not even the gas ones, just the cheapest ones. 99% of what I do is rock crawling, so they don't really matter that much. But they actually ride decently on the street, too.

My Super Duty (yeah, I know. It's a Ford) has Bilsteins on it, and I love them. They were a huge improvement over the Pro-Comp shocks they replaced.

 

[Jl1023]

That rock crawling stuff looks really fun. I figured people get the same excitement as i do riding mud and trails. My mom lives in Virginia. I was thinking next time i go see her trailer the truck up there with me. Even though i have no idea where to go lol. About those fab parts, i really like Ballistic fabs stuff. Ive only used mountain off road and extreme terrain and a few others. But really like Ballistic.

 

[Jl1023]

Wondering if i bought the wrong yoke... i got my driveshaft today it looks to be the perfect length. But the double cardan is threaded. And in the picture of the yoke i ordered it looks like its threaded too... did i order the wrong thing? I dont see how it would torque/clamp down like that... any help is appreciated.

 

[Jl1023]

I think i figured out how i messed up. I bought the front yoke to the inside of the double cardan and not the front yoke to the front of the transfer case. So ill be returning that immediately once it gets here Monday or Tuesday. Im about to order the correct one now. I just pulled off the yoke thats on my truck and butted it up to the new driveshaft and where the bearing caps ride is to deep so i do still need the correct front transfer case yoke output. Looks like i need the short shaft one. Hope i get this right this time...

 

[Jl1023]

This is the one i ordered. Hopefully it's right this time!

 

[TomA]

That appears to be the right one. I guess you'll know soon enough, lol.