Well I Went & Did It.. Rocky Road Conversion On The Way.

Placed my order for a the Rocky Road YJ spring conversion..Gonna be a while as some of the brackets are yet to be made. I have been toying with this for like 5 years or so.... Looks like I will have a winters project..

 

Pictures please, I'm very tempted to do this.

 

I'd be interested in following along too ... though unlikely to do this myself. I'd do a transmission swap waaaay before suspension now.

 

buy several 1/2" drill bits, you will need to drill a lot of 1/2" holes. each spring anchor has three to be drilled - two in the side of the frame, one in the old spring anchor.

i have already made one bit dull drilling for the rear anchors, and i still have to drill holes for the front anchors. there are also 1/2" holes to be drilled in the front shackle hanger/frame.

as it happens, for some of the smaller holes, i've found that a multi-stepped drill bit works exceedingly well. i was impressed with how quickly it drills holes. i was prepared to be underwhelmed by the stepped bit (i've never used them before), but now i am glad i bought some. if you are careful, you can use the stepped bits to drill some of the 1/2" holes after starting them with "normal" 1/2" bits.

 

I've done allot of chassis and truck frame work and these tapered Bridge Reamers are the hot ticket to enlarge a small hole to the given shank size without all the wrist braking torque of a drill bit catching.............with little or no pressure using a lube like WD-40 these cut through even tempered chassis steel like butter.

1/2" DIA | 1/2" SHANK | BRIDGE REAMER | BLACK & GOLD | USA | QTY: 1 | eBay

 

do those bridge reamers wander at all while drilling?

that might be a much better thing for drilling those 1/2" holes. i might just order one.

 

It is yet to get here. So far just put on order officially.. Tranny swap was one of the first things I did. 4- speed and 6:32 granny gear.. Terra-lo'd the xfer case a few years later.. As for bits I usually use smaller bits and work up to the 1/2 inch size.. Probly have to re-engineer the front bumper mount a bit.. I built a tube bumper and winch mount several years ago..Though stopping to take a lot of photos eats time./ BUT, I am a an amateur photographer so I may just break out the Nikon..

 

No wander.............the taper keeps it self-centered as it enlarges the hole...................obviously these shine where your needs are to enlarge a hole..........

 

Looking forward to watching your swap, I have a feeling we'll be doing it at the same time. For enlarging existing holes, I've had great luck with these Titanium High Speed Steel Step Bit Set 3 Pc

 

Got a shipping email today. Parts on the way.. Just not sure what.. The OME springs are drop shipped.. So we'll see..

 

that is the set i'm using.

 

I'd love to see the project when you start. I like the idea. I use the harbor freight step drills as well. I have bought the more expensive step drills , but they seem to only as long as the HF anyways.

 

in no way attempting to hijack zila. for those interested in the RR install on an intermediate cj, my RR install photos/summary start here Wally's 75 Cj-5 Rebuild and here Wally's 75 Cj-5 Rebuild as part of my rebuild.

 

Thanks Wally I'll be a studying that. Couple of box's of parts arrived.

 

Parts are all here. Springs arrived today. Now to get the heap to the carwarsh and then get started. Anybody got a box of ambition layin around

 

Ambition on factory backorder....

 

I did mine myself 3 years ago, I would love to help but I am afraid I am a little too far away.

 

Same for me. At lease you have a CJ. My M38a1. I had to reverse the shackle reversal. So glade I did, it is so much safer.

 

I believe I read your post.. I have a couple of other projects to finish first. I make knives and am behind on my xmas orders..

 

To add on to Tarry's post, the tapered reamer starts out in the 3/8 hole and cuts it out to 1/2 inch. They don't cut their own original hole at all, just make an existing hole bigger. He is also spot on, they don't catch and need very little pressure to cut well. For virgin 1/2 inch holes, I'd buy a good quality 1/2 inch bit, and if you keep it lubed and go slow you'd probably need only one. I don't mind 1/2 inch holes, but I kinda get tired drilling 3/4 and 1 inch holes in truck frames when I'm moving a rear or installing a liner. Sometimes I break down and rent a magnet drill, which is slick as owl poop, but sometimes I just tough it out. Now and again, I pay my son to wrestle with the drill. lol