2A frontend

Ok, I haven't been here in a long while. I moved and my jeep has been shoved off to the side. I need help on a few things as I am going to try to redo the front end around labor day weekend.

I need to know what parts to order. I put about 3 inch lift on and it has a ton of bumpsteer. What steering parts do I need. Most of the joints are shot. I beleive it also needs kingpins & bearings. I need to get this thing aligned so it can run down the road! Also, I blew the front axle shafts (closed knuckle) and I have bought some new shafts which have u-joints. How do I make these work. I have never rebuild a whole front end (straight axle anyhow) and I need list of parts and where to get them! If this is to many newbie questions then I am sorry. I work to much to spend alot of time doing this.

Oh and my jeep is 2 1/2 hours away so that is part of the reason why I am being so lazy!

 

You need to do a tie rod conversion to get rid of the bumpsteer. Instead of the inverted Y type tie-rod setup, you use a tierod that goes from wheel to wheel and a dedicated draglink. The conversion can be done with stock Commando parts. You use a commando tierod and tie rod end. with the longer of your 2 exisiting tierods as the draglink.

 

You most likely need some taper shims under the front springs to keep the tierod clamps from hitting your spring wrap clips. See my pictures for the same problem and the look of the conversion parts installed less the shims and the pod going up to the bell crank.

http://home.off-road.com/~artc/images/Pb130018.jpg
http://home.off-road.com/~artc/images/frt_shackle_closeup.jpg

 

Not really, the double rod end on a CJ bends the wrong way and binds. The commando double rod end bends the opposite way.

 

Great information guys. Herme seems to have all the steering parts that I want. I had originally wanted that setup but did not want to hassle with the fabrication. I also might need that dual master cylinder. Anyone have one? That and bigger ford brake cylinder should stop the tires. I'll get my order to Walcks and Herm so I can get set up.

Does anyone know how to swap from closed knuckle (bendix joint) to a open knuckle (u-joint) on a Dana 25? I got the shafts that I think will work but I am wondering about clearance issues. I am also wondering about reassembling the lockouts and hub. I believe the outer shafts were threaded at the end.

 

:? :?

closed knuckle and open knuckle refer to the axle housing and/or knuckle pivot arrangement; D25 and D27 are closed knuckle; D30 is open knuckle

Bendix joint and spicer u-joint, along with the rzeppa style, are 3 different types of joints used on front axle shafts; they are completley interchangeable; no mods are necc; pull the bendix joint shaft out and slip in the spicer shaft; that's really all there is too it.
remove the wheel, hub and drum, bearings, brakes/backing plate, and the spindle; shouldn't have to remove the knuckle unless there is damage from a shaft joint exploding
in order for the locking hubs to work, you may have to cut the threaded portion off the end of each axle; or look for more modern axles.
easy

 

Ok, cool. I was under the impression that only open knuckle had the u-joints. My bendix shafts were threaded at the end and my new spicer (u-joint) shafts are not. I'll try and make it work!

 

Not all of them. For a saginaw conversion, the 2a rod end would be fine. If you are using the stock belcrank arangement you need the Commando TRE. I ran like that for 3 years before switching to saginaw, and a different tie rod setup.