~ The Barnacle ~ [CJ-7]

[Jeep-Power]

oh man--

Just when I thought I was gonna get this thing on the road this year, I got the Ledder/Kosinski tag team on me again... :p

I know wheel-hop well-- as well as killer axle-wrap. It will be nice to get rid of both in one shot.

My concern with the 4 link rear is getting the geometry dialed in. It took tons of trial & error with the mini-crawlers.Anti-squat & torque twist can be a bitch to get under control. That is not something I want to do on a full-size rig.

Are the kits offered designed with all this in mind?

[Guest]

Pete,
Setting the rear link geometry is not bad at all. let me know if you decide to do it, I would be glad to help get you out of the stone age.

[Kledder]

oh man--

Just when I thought I was gonna get this thing on the road this year, I got the Ledder/Kosinski tag team on me again...

I know wheel-hop well-- as well as killer axle-wrap. It will be nice to get rid of both in one shot.

My concern with the 4 link rear is getting the geometry dialed in. It took tons of trial & error with the mini-crawlers.Anti-squat & torque twist can be a bitch to get under control. That is not something I want to do on a full-size rig.

Are the kits offered designed with all this in mind?

Very simple Pete. The kits from Ballistic, Barnes or Poly are idiot proof. Set the wheelbase, position the brackets and weld. Its that easy. All the geometry is taken care of for you. Mini crawlers are tough because the power to weight ratio and center of gravity are completely unrealistic.

[Jeep-Power]

I just priced this out-- it is looking like $1500-$2k. That's going with coil-overs, as it has to be daily-driveable.

This is not going to happen right now.

Keeping in the focus of this build-- I want to keep from breaking axle shafts & parts. The old suspension was capable of giving me plenty of smiles. It will have to stay, for now.

besides, when I school you guys on the trail, it'll give you something else to scratch your heads' about....

[cj8mike]

using the proper springs for a soa will keep the wrap under control. Alcan, RE and full traction make SOA springs. RE's only come with a an additional 1.5 lift. Full tractions are a reverse wrap/military wrap with 0 added lift and alcans need to custom ordered to your app.

[rocksteadyrobk]

I just back from the land of bad suspension geometry.. Big Dogs. i just realized. I have yet to see a rig with the aftermarket kits perform bad. Everything that works like junk seems to be home made with no thought into design. ( Short Uppers, No Seperation, Poor triangulation, bad shock mounting)

The aftermarket kits take alot of the guess work out of it.

[rocksteadyrobk]

Any spring over SOA is gonna wrap with a granny gear trans. The shorter the wheelbase, the deepers the gears the worse its gonna be. I have first hand expierence with this. It cost me a top 3 finish at the finals in Neuroc and the embarrasment prompted me to build bucky.

If its budget keep the rear spring under or go coils.. I have 2.5 skyjacker coils you can have.


I am digging for a vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW_RSxBaaxY

[ne14jpn]

I am digging for a vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QW_RSxBaaxY

Wow, that is horrible....and shift!

[Jeep-Power]

I was doing some research on leafsprings & stumbled on the 'spring sliders'.

anyone hear anything good about them?

here's a Pirate thread on the topic.

[warthog_cj7]

I had looked into those a while ago. One of the big problems is they kept binding on twist and you also had to watch out for the unload on hills like the coils do.

[Guest]

I have also read that binding was a problem when the leaves were twisted. I've heard (read) that they work well when used in a desert racing rig for the go-fast stuff. Think Jeepspeed.

[Jeep-Power]

Thanks for the info guys. They seem like a great idea, but too far on the complicated side. Shackles it is , for now.

[Jeep-Power]

The body got put on the frame today-- HUGE thanks to Bill (howcycling), Handsome (Hamster) Dave, Phil, Larry, KJDave, $2Bill & Dana, Mike & Deb, Paul & Melissa, and of course Joanna! Sticking with "An eating club with a Jeeping problem" (or something like that), the atmosphere was more picnic than tech. Dana & bill strolled over with 4 dogs & the 4 boys kept everyone on their toes-- Powerwheel Jeeps tore up the lawn.

The tech of it: the body & drivetrain are too close-- a lower set of motor mounts & some sheet metal trimming will help that. I will also drop the trans cross-member a half inch or so.

The ride height seems tall-- the frame rail bottom is at 23.5"

[Kledder]

The ride height seems tall-- the frame rail bottom is at 23.5"

Spring the front under and link the rear...if coilovers are too salty run coil springs or air shocks. The air shock myth of not being able to run them on the street is rediculous. 2.5's in the rear will definetly handle street driving. Coil springs would be very easy to setup and much more cost effective. Frame height should be in the 18-20 inch range on 37-39's

Congrats on getting the body on... must feel nice to see it look like a jeep again

[Jeep-Power]

link the rear....... Frame height should be in the 18-20 inch range on 37-39's

Congrats on getting the body on... must feel nice to see it look like a jeep again

Thanks Kevin-- it does feel good. It also opened up the next can of worms.:p


I was thinking more about linking it last night. I've been going back and forth on the idea long before we brought it up here. I know how much leverage was on the ladder bar with the 4.5" spring under setup I had before. The leverage on that thing is going to be alot higher now.

Any suggestions on coilover shocks-- specifically what size & length? I'm gonna start looking for something scratch & dent.

What is the argument against using airshocks? Why is it said that they are less desirable for street? Again-- what size/length to look for?

I really want to stay away from another set of 4.5" spring-under leafs. They ride like ***. I know you guys were running 2.5" spring-under leafs on Mikes' YJ. It seems that will require some sort of custom hood & fender work. The other issue is that the front axle housing will need the perch to be created if I run spring-under-- another PITA. I think I'll just leave the front as is & run a flatter leaf, if need-be. I rally can't determine/tune for true ride height until the thing is drivable. The rest of the body/winch/etc will determine all that.

This ride height is with 33" tires. :o I do have the rear upper shackle mounts on the bottom of the frame. They need to be raised about 2". The springs are your old 2.5" BDS springs.