[Angler1979]

I busted my Dana 30 again this past weekend so I decided to start my build a little early, I had planned to take the YJ off the road after the first of the year but I could see no reason to pay money for parts to fix an axle that was going bye bye in a couple weeks.
A list of things I am going to be doing

Swapping out the D30 and D35 axles for Dana 44 front and ford 9inch rear
the axles have 5.38 gears and the Dana 44 has a full spool and warn premium hub's 9inch rear has a Detroit locker.

Spring Over axle conversion

compcut the tub ,lat fender the front

Slip yoke eliminator and custom built CV drive shaft.

install hand throttle, and CB radio

I am going to be running 38X12.50 15 swampers

Today I put the jeep on jackstands, removed the tires and removed the rearend, It took me about 1.5 hours to do this bymysefl with hand tools
I will be working on the jeep in the afternoons after work and hope to have it finished in a couple weeks, I have helped with a SOA and Slip Yoke eliminator before so I am familiar with the process. I will post pics and lessons learned as the build progresses.
well I spent about 3 more hours on my jeep today got the front axle out, all shocks, sprigs, track mars and sway bar off I am kinda at a stand still not till I get parts in the next thing i am going to do is install the slip yoke eliminator kit.

This is the damage from croom third break for the D30

Track bar begone!

I basically bench pressed the D35 out from under the jeep but the D30 with the steering was going to be way to heave so I used 2 floor jacks to support the axle and unhooked the drag link, shocks, brake lines and springs then lowered the axle down and drug it out and dissembled it.

It tough to work when you got the boss breathing down your neck

I could not get a bolt to break free so I had to call in some real muscle

she is ready for the new springs and axles

well so far I have 4.5 hours into the build just need some parts to get here!!

 

[scumby]

angler- are you going to consider installing hub fuses on the front to preserve your shafts?

amara8- set up a small burner assembly with a frying pan and preheat your tools, you're hands will stay warm.

 

[1BLKJP]

Nice work on the build. Are you going to stretch it out at all?

Buddy of mine is getting ready to buy an old used YJ and we are going to do the same thing the day after he buys it.

But damn man, you going to wheel that thing with a spool up front in the 44? Since it'll have hubs won't be a problem in 2wd, but I wouldn't imagine you'd be able to turn it worth a poop in 4wd?

 

[Angler1979]

Nice work on the build. Are you going to stretch it out at all?

Buddy of mine is getting ready to buy an old used YJ and we are going to do the same thing the day after he buys it.

But damn man, you going to wheel that thing with a spool up front in the 44? Since it'll have hubs won't be a problem in 2wd, but I wouldn't imagine you'd be able to turn it worth a poop in 4wd?

not gonna strch it, I dont really do any high speed driving when I wheel mostly crawling, I had the aussie locker in the front of my 30 and basicly it did the same thing as a spool when under power, I am going to try it out and see how it does and if its to much to handle I will take it out and get an open carrier and a aussie locker, I am real impressed with the aussie locker I broke a ring and pinion and 3 axleshafts with the aussie locker in and it never failed. i took it out of my yj and am going to install it in a friends tj soon as my build is over.

 

[Angler1979]

Update: Today I removed the pitman arm, this fought me a little, I had been soaking it with PB blaster for a few days I could not get the nut to come off, I have a 28inch long breaker bar but when ever I would put the wammy on it I thought the jeep was going to tip off the jack stands, I dont have air tools or a compressor so......... I went and borrowed a 3/4 inch impact gun and a hose and hooked it into the air tank that supplys air for the brakes on my work truck (mack semi) this made short work of the nut, then I soaked it with blaster again and put the pitman arm puller I bought at autozone on and tightned it down and wacked the end with a 2lb hammer like the directions said and nothing so I tightned it more and still nothing, well I was not going to break the puller so I used a small mappgas/oxygen rig like a plumber uses to heat up the pitman arm, after the pb blaster was finished catching on fire I put the puller back on tightned it down and POP off it pitman arm came, I got the brakelines,shocks, spring pirtches, and shock mounts in the spring pearches they sent me are elcheepo so I ordered the 2 1/2 inch wide 7 inch long antiwrap spring perches from bluetorch fabs shouls be hear next wednesday. I got to go pick up my axles, rims, and tires tommrrow. I am having trouble disconecting the stock brake lines from the hard lines on the frame, they want to round with a regular wrench, went and got a set of made in china flare nut wrenches and they are so junkey they try to round also, tommrrow i am going to go get a set of craftsman flare wrenches and give her a try, if they still fight me i am going to use the torch to heat them up a little.......unless anyone has a better idea
_________________

 

[Angler1979]

12/24/06
I got alot done today, first thing I did I went and picked up the stock springs. when I got home I focused on cleaning up the axles I grinded the old spring pearches and shock mounts off.

then after that was done I washed the axles real good with degreeser

while i was waiting on the axles to dry I worked on the brake lines i went to sears and bought a 3/8 flare nut wrench damn thing cost 17.99 for one wrench, the fittings still tried to round so I got the torch after them, they came off easy after I heated them up. this byfar has been the biggest PITA of the project so far.

after the axles were fininshed drying I gave them a nice cote of rustolem primer

when I had finished painting them I removed the lift shackles and installed the stock shackles and rear springs

when this was done I called it quits and cleaned all the tools up.
Time spent today 5hrs.

 

[Angler1979]

Today I installed the front springs, I also reconed the place I want to mount my new CB, I am still waiting on the spring perches from Bluetorch Fabs to come and of course the ongoing saga of the SYE kit. I should have the perches bu friday and be ready to install the axles this weekend. As for the SYE kit if I dont recive it by this weekend I will have to buy one and if the other one ever shows up from the e-bay seller I will just sell it.

 

[daddyjeep]

Are you sure about the 7" spring perches with fiberflex springs???? The article in 4wheel and off road shows those srings flexing into a negative arch. With the longer perches this could propose a problem. You may want to check with Teraflex to make sure this will be ok and not void their warranty.

 

[Angler1979]

i am running stock yj springs not fiberflex

 

[daddyjeep]

You know...I even saw the stock springs in your pics. Must have been someone else that was talking about running fiberflex. Sorry

 

[Angler1979]

1-09-07

Well I finally got Pay Pal to refund my money from the Internet scammer on the SYE kit, Another SCFL member has a terraflex SS SYE kit he bought and never used so I am going to buy it from him on Saturday, I had to call and Raise He!! with Blue Torch Fabs about my Spring Perches and finally they decided to overnight them to me only took 3 weeks to get them which is pretty chitty. Today I pulled the Transfer Case in order to be ready to install the SYE on Saturday. I am going to do a separate write up on that install there are a few good ones out there already.

First I had to pull the skid plate and when I did I found the other half of the clay pit from croom that was missing LOL

My floor jack would not go up high enough to reach the t-case so it was back to the old Bench Press

This is the rear of the AX15

And the T-Case minus jeep

My goal which is pretty big is to install the SYE and put the tcse back in on Saturday, Sunday I want to install the axles, shocks, and brake lines.

 

[1BLKJP]

You shouldn't have a problem doing the SYE and installing the TCase on Saturday. Hell you already got it out. Might as well crack it and remove the old tail housing and output shaft so you are just ready to slap the new output shaft and tail housing in there. Only thing with the Tera is to pay attention to which direction you put the tone ring on. It's pretty obivious which way it goes, but it will fit on there backwards also.

 

[Angler1979]

Well the UPS man just came bearing gifts

these perches look real nice and beefy

This is how they compare to the Elcheepo ones 4wheel parts sent, what a joke!

I am pleased with the Bluetorch product although I problibly will not order anything else from them because of the hassle I went through to get it.

 

[Angler1979]

1-15-07

Well I did not get as much done this weekend as I would have liked to but still made allot of progress. Saturday had a giant cluster-F about getting the SYE kit and did not even get started on it till about 4:30, I don't have a Garage so I am limited on building time by the sun. I did not finish the sye kit and had to finish it up Sunday morning.

SCFL member Tboz stopped by for a few hours and helped me manhandle the axles into place so I could start lining them up.
I decided to start with the rear axle and get it done so I could order the CV drive shaft.

I had to final fit the spring perches

I then put the axle under the jeep and centered it and squared it with the frame, after this was done I bolted it up put the tires on and lowered it to the ground so it could sit at ride height so I could set the pinion angle.

Once the pinion angle was set I tack welded the perches and shock mounts in place and then unbolted the axle and removed it from the jeep so I could weld everything.

After I welded the perches on I let it cool and then reprimered the axle.
I called it a day after that. tomorrow I am going to bolt the axle back in the jeep and then start on the front axle.

This is the jeep at ride height in the back the front axle is laying the ground I jacked up level and rolled the front tire kinda where its gonna go just so I could get an idea how its gonna look.

 

[mrbigjeep]

what size tires? very nice writeup.

 

[Angler1979]

38X12.50-15
yes I am cutting the fenders

 

[daddyjeep]

Looking good

 

[18derrick]

Do you have the 4.0 or the 4cyl. ?
Never mind I looked it up, you said you have the AX-15
you have the 4.0

 

[amerijeep]

It's gotta be a 4.0. No Sahara came with the 2.5.

 

[Angler1979]

1-17-06

Today I set the front axle welded it all up and then bolted the front and rear axle in, I also hooked up the drag link, Now my list of things to do is Install the Shocks, hook up the brake lines, bleed brakes, top off all fluids, install front and rear driveshafts, and cut the fenders. shouls have one more full day of work before I can test it out.