Axle Swap

Looking good Paul. I like how your cleaning everything up and showing the detail. Its going to turn out really sweet.

you can tell he's real good he even keeps his driveway clean. my drive its hard to tell the difference from the dirt and concrete, do to all the oil and mud on it from the jeep.

More done today Got the front brakes installed and brake lines. Took out three leafs in my springs to do a flex test to see what is going to hit. I got to put in some bump stops to keep the tie rod and drag link from hitting the frame. here are the pictures of the test.




Got to put it back together tomorrow and then start on the rear
Heims order yesterday to build the stearing.

Paul you are providing invaluable information for other folks here, aside the fact you are doing a great job. Man there is a lot of detial here, I can almost feel the sweat from all the work your doing. I can't wait to see what the CJ is going to do on the trails. Keep it up.

hey paul are you going to leave the U-bolts going down or are you going to try to do a U-bolt flip kit? Does that hi steer setup get in the way with it spring under axle? Its looking good.

Looks like the tie rod also could be longer so that not so much bolt is showing and provide more sturdiness

Will the CJ tie rod work? It looks like you left the CJ tie rod in. Thinking back on the axles whats the width difference with the stock CJ Dana 30 and AMC 20 vs the Toy axles?

Nester the ubolts a going to stay down for now I using my CJ spring plates with skids that I modified to fit. They have my shock mount on it. Later I have to get ford shock towers and I have a mounting position on top of the axle for the shock this can be done at a later date.
Nester,Tico :Yes right now I have the CJ tie rod there it is too short. They are Big Daddy rods very stout and I'm trying to use them. I just got my heim joints yesterday the inserts will add 1 1/2" to the rod if it works out I have to drill out the rod for the 1" insert then weld them in. The drag link is going to work this way I can use a tierod end on the pitman arm side and will not have to drill the pitman arm out.
Nester the springs are not a issue with the stearing

looks like the ford shock towers are coming sooner that later. The stearing stops are in the way of the stock shock location

What are the Ford shock towers out of? Its is only a CJ thing or do they provide clearance and length for other jeeps?

makitupthehardway wrote:

What are the Ford shock towers out of? Its is only a CJ thing or do they provide clearance and length for other jeeps?

Nester the ford shock tower is an upgrage for the CJ they are taller and you can in stall a longer shock. I'm moving the shock from the spring plate to the top of the axle. This way I should use the same lenght shock with relocating it. The part number I have is a 1988 3/4 ton truck.

So they came off a F250. dud you buy them new for from and junk yard?

makitupthehardway wrote:

So they came off a F250. dud you buy them new for from and junk yard?

order them today from the dealer $27 for the pair they will be in next week.

Update got the tie rod drill out for the heims



Pick up the shock towers today and order the last parts I hope!!!! that I need.

Test fitted the rear diff and getting things ready for my son to do the last of the welding needed

Will the tie rod heim joints be placed in double shear? or bolted through a single hole on one side of the joint?

Rockn93YJ wrote:

Will the tie rod heim joints be placed in double shear? or bolted through a single hole on one side of the joint?

I not sure what you mean by doubble shear. the heim joint will be on top of the arm with a grade 8 bolt through it.

This is a description of double shear, click through the next button:
http://www.ijee.dit.ie/OnlinePapers/Interactive/Philpot/bolted_double.htm

A comparison of single vs double shear, down a page on this link and see illustrations:
http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Screws/Bolted_Joint.html

There has been discussion on many forums about the use of heim joints for steering components and the big argument is "they can be dangerous for street driving if not mounted in the double-sheer format."

Here is a good description "hmmm,how to describe double sheer without a pic?

when the mounting bolt passes thru 1 piece of metal underneath the joint,it is in single shear. if the ball popped out of the joint,it could fall off.there is 1 "shear point" with the bolt passing thru 1 piece of metal since it is not being supported on the opposite end.

if the mounting bolt passes thru a piece of metal,the joint,then another piece of metal it is in double shear. there are 2 shear points since the bolt has mounting supports on either side of the joint. this method is stronger and less likely to bend/break the mounting bolts,and has the added benefit of holding the jiont captive between the mounting points if the joint were to stretch enuff that the ball could pop out.

suspension links like control arms and traction bars are typically mounted in a double shear fasion.

it is much harder to fab a double shear setup mounts for steering linkages due to the limited spaceo nt he knuckle,steering arm,or pitman arm.this is pretty much why my links are all single shear,it was prety much impossible to make them double shear.

what alot of people will do is run a big "last chance" safety washer on the non-supported end of the mouting bolt. this obviously doesnt add any strength,but it does work to hold the joint captive if it stretches enuff for the ball to pop out. i did not even have enuff for this,as the washers would rub the tires-i have a pretty minimal amt of clearance with the steering links in the stock locations on the knuckles.

one thing id like to do is replace my bolts with some kind of grade 9 or better aircraft quality titanium bolts"

http://www.virtualjeepclub.com/showthread.php?t=19312
This shows good photographs of each example.

Thanks Bill I understand now what your taking about. I could fab up something for the double shear. But for right now I think I will do the last chance washer for now. I trying to get this done for the Sept run. The jeep has been sitting in one place to long.

Rockn93YJ wrote:

This is a description of double shear, click through the next button:
http://www.ijee.dit.ie/OnlinePapers/Interactive/Philpot/bolted_double.htm

A comparison of single vs double shear, down a page on this link and see illustrations:
http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Screws/Bolted_Joint.html

There has been discussion on many forums about the use of heim joints for steering components and the big argument is "they can be dangerous for street driving if not mounted in the double-sheer format."

Here is a good description "hmmm,how to describe double sheer without a pic?

when the mounting bolt passes thru 1 piece of metal underneath the joint,it is in single shear. if the ball popped out of the joint,it could fall off.there is 1 "shear point" with the bolt passing thru 1 piece of metal since it is not being supported on the opposite end.

if the mounting bolt passes thru a piece of metal,the joint,then another piece of metal it is in double shear. there are 2 shear points since the bolt has mounting supports on either side of the joint. this method is stronger and less likely to bend/break the mounting bolts,and has the added benefit of holding the jiont captive between the mounting points if the joint were to stretch enuff that the ball could pop out.

suspension links like control arms and traction bars are typically mounted in a double shear fasion.

it is much harder to fab a double shear setup mounts for steering linkages due to the limited spaceo nt he knuckle,steering arm,or pitman arm.this is pretty much why my links are all single shear,it was prety much impossible to make them double shear.

what alot of people will do is run a big "last chance" safety washer on the non-supported end of the mouting bolt. this obviously doesnt add any strength,but it does work to hold the joint captive if it stretches enuff for the ball to pop out. i did not even have enuff for this,as the washers would rub the tires-i have a pretty minimal amt of clearance with the steering links in the stock locations on the knuckles.

one thing id like to do is replace my bolts with some kind of grade 9 or better aircraft quality titanium bolts"

I don’t know why everyone says that the hiem needs to be in double shear to be safe on the street. A hiem joint is very similar in construction to a TRE. These are 3/4" hiems with a 5/8" bolt so it will just as strong or stronger then any TRE on a vehicle.

people say TRE are better for the street because they keep the mud and water out better, easily greaseable and don't make as much noise. but heims will perform better. IMHO

Got all the welding done this weekend now everything should be bolt on
Here are the Ford shock towers

getting closer to being done got the adapters for the CJ driveshafts to toyota flanges

Got the steering done just have to adjust the stops. All the brake pluming is done just waiting on a brake drum that I can bleed the brakes and maybe a test drive sometime next week.

Cool just in time for fall wheeling. I can't wait to see it.