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71 Wheeling Rig

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by Fireball, Jan 18, 2021.

  1. Apr 30, 2024
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2018
    Messages:
    6,072
    If I use your plates, I need to fabricate shock mounts. Probably upper and lower. Outside the scope of this current round of work. I do like the plates though.
     
    Jw60 likes this.
  2. Apr 30, 2024
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2018
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    6,072
    I used U-bolts Direct: https://www.uboltsdirect.com/

    Haven't used them before, I just did a web search and they had a decent price for bolts+shipping. The quality seems fantastic.
     
  3. Apr 30, 2024
    timsresort

    timsresort Well-Known Member 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    South Lake Tahoe CA
    Joined:
    Jan 22, 2014
    Messages:
    1,538
    That could almost make a guy want to light one up...
     
  4. Apr 30, 2024
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
    Messages:
    5,913
    I am in the same boat....thinking I might be able to weld lower shock mount onto the plate similar to OEM, but it will loose some travel, but maybe not enough to matter?....if shock length gets too short, that probably means the taller ford style upper mount. In any case, figured I'd never get another chance to get some these for reasonable price, so ordered them and they can sit on the shelf until I am ready to figure it out.
     
    blalp! and Fireball like this.
  5. Apr 30, 2024
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2018
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    6,072
    My problem is that once I start needing to do fab work, I might as well go with YJ springs.

    Scope creep at its finest.
     
    dozerjim, blalp!, 3b a runnin and 2 others like this.
  6. Apr 30, 2024
    Jw60

    Jw60 Safety Control Rod Axe Man 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Trails end,...
    Joined:
    Apr 8, 2008
    Messages:
    5,520
    I'm lucky that my shocks are already too short and holding the drop short. For the front all I need to do is trim the outside flange shorter and weld some round stock with Cotter pin holes onto the outside flange.

    If my shock length were good I would drill the upper shock bracket rivets and shim it up with 3/4" bar stock or tube with internal crush sleeves.
     
    dozerjim, blalp! and Fireball like this.
  7. May 2, 2024
    FinoCJ

    FinoCJ 1970 CJ5 Staff Member

    Bozeman, MT
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2013
    Messages:
    5,913
    Not that it avoids fab work, but I am much more interested in shackle reversal with 1.75 springs than anything yj.
     
    Fireball likes this.
  8. May 28, 2024
    Fireball

    Fireball Well-Known Member 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    Pullman, WA
    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2018
    Messages:
    6,072
    Been busy with other things, but did get the SmittyBilt seat on the driver's side too:
    [​IMG]

    The ride quality is drastically improved with the seats and yanking a leaf from every spring. The shocks didn't seem to make much difference.

    I'm happy with it for now.

    The dogs wanted to go out for a drive tonight, so we did a loop around the neigborhood and then played with a Jeep a bit on the property once we got home:
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    Did a better flex test in our swale. It took a bit of a run to get it to this spot where it was maxed out and rocked back and forth a couple inches. Since I've got open diffs in both ends, it was a bit of a struggle to get it out :rofl::
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    The shorter springs in front definitely don't drop as much as the rear:
    [​IMG]

    The fronts are on the my XJ bumpstops:
    [​IMG]

    If I want a little more flex, it looks like I have clearance to trim another half inch or so off the bumpstop. I'd need to check it steered both ways though:
    [​IMG]

    Great droop in the back:
    [​IMG]

    With the one leaf removed, I'm finally hitting the rear bumpstops while flexed. That wasn't the case before:
    [​IMG]

    Can't really trim the bumpstops back there. Even though there is vertical space above the tire, the back of the tire is pretty hard into the inner fender:
    [​IMG]

    This picture is a good illustration of the chassis/boddy flex in these old Jeeps. Note how crooked the bumper is relative to the grill and how much the top is getting stretched by the body flex:
    [​IMG]

    I still need to get the new U-bolts installed. While I'm at it, I'm going to attempt a re-arch of the front springs to get it to sit level. It still drives me nuts how nose low the BDS springs are. We'll see how the re-arching goes.
     
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