Jeep Build- Jeep YJ Unlimited / family wheeler

[idahoyj]

I certainly haven't done much on this in the last 7 months!
I started some shock hoops and gathered a few parts, but that's about it. This Sunday I have some of the guys from our off-road club (Southern Idaho Off-road Association) coming over to help me get some progress and get a fire under my ass again. I'm really trying to get this thing out on some dirt soon!

This weekend, I hope to complete the front shock mounts, build grille mount, design radiator mount. If there's enough of us, maybe start on the boat side rockers or rear floors.

On my shock mounts, which way should the bolts run?? I thought I heard somewhere that one bolt went in/out and the other was front/back, but all the pictures I see on line show both bolts front/back...
Currently I have them set up with the top bolt running front/back and the bottom bolt running in/out. Will this be a problem?

This is the most recent pic I have. The top mounts are built and mocked in.

 

[bryson]

I think you'll be fine with the shock as-is. If you had it to build from scratch I'd turn the lower mount 90*, but I don't think it's worth changing it now.

 

[mbryson]

Gitrdun

 

[idahoyj]

A few of my SIORA Club friends came over on Sunday. With their help and a borrowed tube bender, we were able to get some good progress and planning for the next steps. The help and progress has definitely helped get me motivated on the project again!

 

[idahoyj]

As usual, I haven't worked on this much over the last several months. I did finally get the radiator mounted last night. Then I took it all apart and final welded everything. Feels good to finally make some progress. There's a long way to go though!

 

[Bart]

Good progress.

 

[Greg]

Looks great with the SBC sitting in there! What's next on the list?

 

[idahoyj]

Looks great with the SBC sitting in there! What's next on the list?

I've got to mount the water pump and try to find some rad hoses. And figure out how the accessories bolt on this engine. The next thing on the actual list is fuel system. But I can't mount the tank/pump until I get the floor mounted in the back half of the tub. But...., I need to do the boatside rockers before I do the floor.
So, the next big piece will probably be rockers! I will be happy to have those things mounted and out of my way on the garage floor!

 

[Bart]

Sounds like you have the puzzle pieces sorted out in the right order. It will be nice when its finished.

 

[poorboyzdreamz]

Really like what you got setup here. Definitely has me wanting to get mine down a couple of inches. I was just curios why you stayed with the forward shackle and not reverse?

 

[Jinx]

Really like what you got setup here. Definitely has me wanting to get mine down a couple of inches. I was just curios why you stayed with the forward shackle and not reverse?

I am not sure about Idahoyj's reason for not going shackle reverse but I can add why I didn't...

Shackle reverse works well for pavement and driving at speed, but for mainly offroad driving the shackle in the front seems to give better traction because the suspension doesn't "unload/swing back" like a shackle reversal will. Plus no need to do the driveline and sometime frame changes necessary to make shackle reversals work right...

 

[mbryson]

I am not sure about Idahoyj's reason for not going shackle reverse but I can add why I didn't...

Shackle reverse works well for pavement and driving at speed, but for mainly offroad driving the shackle in the front seems to give better traction because the suspension doesn't "unload/swing back" like a shackle reversal will. Plus no need to do the driveline and sometime frame changes necessary to make shackle reversals work right...

I'd agree with that with my old setup (shackle fwd)

 

[idahoyj]

Really like what you got setup here. Definitely has me wanting to get mine down a couple of inches. I was just curios why you stayed with the forward shackle and not reverse?

I am not sure about Idahoyj's reason for not going shackle reverse but I can add why I didn't...

Shackle reverse works well for pavement and driving at speed, but for mainly offroad driving the shackle in the front seems to give better traction because the suspension doesn't "unload/swing back" like a shackle reversal will. Plus no need to do the driveline and sometime frame changes necessary to make shackle reversals work right...

That pretty much sums it up. I've seen both work and they both have plenty of pros/cons. One other reason for me was the height. I felt like it would be easier to stay low with shackles in the front. My dad has reverse shackles on his and kept it low. He loves his..... I'll probably never wheel this thing anyway!

 

[Bart]

I've seen both work and they both have plenty of pros/cons.

I was going to give the other side of that but this statement pretty much says it all.

I'll probably never wheel this thing anyway!

Hey now, get that thing done. You know you'll be wheeling it.

 

[Jay5.9L]

I kept my shackle forward on the CJ after taking to Dave at Dave's Customs Unlimited. Sure he was selling me on his outboard kit but he made some good points. One big one was the nose dive when breaking hard and the vehicle wanting to trip over the front axle.

 

[poorboyzdreamz]

Thank you guys for the replies. I kept bending the main leaf so I did the reverse and found the axle swings more naturally to the back. But Jay Dave was accurate the nose dive pretty hard when under hard braking. Idahoyj sorry for the interuption.

 

[mbryson]

Thank you guys for the replies. I kept bending the main leaf so I did the reverse and found the axle swings more naturally to the back. But Jay Dave was accurate the nose dive pretty hard when under hard braking.View attachment 106197 Idahoyj sorry for the interuption.

Mine was SUPER sensitive to shackle angle or it would bend the main leaf

 

[idahoyj]

I got a bit of work done lately.
built new body mounts and installed them. Cut both rockers for the boat sides. And installed the water pump.
After cutting out the rockers, I'm thinking about going a little different direction..... Which means I didn't meet to cut out so much...

 

[idahoyj]

I planned work on it in phases and hopefully keep from having it sit in “project mode” for years at a time.

And now it has sat in "project mode" for years.............................

 

[Coco]

Just get back at it!