Here is the most recent update and pics. My digital camera crapped out on me, so I missed a bunch of documentation. I made my own lower control arm brackets out of ¼” plate… they are higher clearance than stock, with the centerline of the bolt about ½ below the axle tube. The brackets extend almost to the top of the tubes to allow for weld surface of greater than half of the axle tube. I used the stock JK CA brackets to get the angle set to tack mine on, and then burned them in about an inch at a time, changing sides, changing brackets, and taking a couple of breaks to minimize heat sinking of the axle tubes and the trouble that can come with that. I used the OEM JK bump stop pads/ park brake cable brackets moved to a position to allow use of my ZJ park brake cables with either an adapter or a bolt and washer combo to make them work. Spring pads were as planned, modified front D 30 pads. I haven’t put the retainers on any of the springs yet, and I plan to add more tube to the rear upper mount to avoid dislodging the spring on articulation.
I also still need to add the shock brackets and rout my rear brake lines on the axle. I’m thinking I might outboard the lower shock brackets, and give them an angle toward the upper so that they will stay more in line on articulation. It seems like this little bit of misalignment in the upper bushing on the street would be worth saving a lot of misalignment in the bushings offroad. Feel free to chime in here if I’m off my rock on this idea.
Before I put the axle in I took a picture of it next to my AL 44 for width comparison. It’s about ¼” wider outside to outside, more of the width difference in the tires is on the inside thanks to the offset of the JK wheels. This is basically exactly what I wanted. I’ll measure the backspacing on my old wheels to make sure, but as I remember, it’s 4.5”.
I also got the front track bar figured out. Here are the pics of that. I didn’t have to replace any of the bracket, I just had to move things around, cut off some excess and drill new holes. I also added 2x2 angle iron to gusset the bracket to prevent iron rock/ rusty’s fold up syndrome.
The arms installed very well. A little fight to get a JJ lined up to slip into the upper bracket, but nothing major.
So I went and pulled my pitman arm last night, and snapped a few pics now that I have a camera again. On a side note, don’t try to use an autozone pitman arm puller without a good dose of PB Blaster and a couple of days to sit first. I broke my pitman arm puller. Then I sprayed it with PB, and exchanged the pitman arm puller. They asked what I was doing to break it… “Trying to pull a pitman arm.” ‘you want a refund, or a new tool?’ “I still need to pull my pitman arm…”
Anyway, the pics… I didn’t feel like moving the WK, so I didn’t get any good ones… I’ll replace these with new ones this weekend.
