Jeep Cheap Cherokee Build

[ATOYA4U]

Nice!! Don't ya just love UPS!

 

[RockMonkey]

I pulled the rear axle today and finished off all the control arm mounts.

 

[I Lean]

I spy a dimpled hole....did you get a die set, or borrow someone's?

 

[mbryson]

I spy a dimpled hole....

Makes it faster

 

[RockMonkey]

I spy a dimpled hole....did you get a die set, or borrow someone's?

:greg:

 

[RockMonkey]

Makes it faster

And stronger!

 

[RockMonkey]

When I was figuring out my rear suspension I came to the conclusion that I had three options on the suspension geometry. First, I could sacrifice the geometry I wanted to fit within the design of the vehicle. Second, I could build the geometry I wanted but the lower control arm mounts would hang down several inches below the bottom of the frame rail. Or third, I could build the geometry I wanted and have the lower control arm mounts be roughly flush with the bottom of the frame rails, but my upper control arm mounts would be inside the vehicle. I went with option three. Here is one of my upper control arm mounts, and a rough cut of where the upper control arm passes through the floor.

I cycled the suspension and cut away everything the interferes with the travel of the suspension link. I will build a sheet metal "tunnel" to cover the control arm on each side. The tunnel will be welded in under the seat, and bolted in the back seat foot-well area so I have access to the control arm bolts. The control arms do not interfere with the seats, and there is plenty of room on either side to put your feet, so it doesn't really impact passenger comfort.

It looks like I welded a plate to the floor, and welded the control arm mount to the plate, but I actually cut notches in the floor on either side of the "frame", placed 1/4" plates up through the notches and welded them to the frame. Then I welded the plate you see to those 1/4" plates. Essentially I created a short section of completely boxed frame and welded my control arm mounts to that. Here is one of the side plates to help visualize what I did.

 

[Bart]

WOW, can't wait to see what the finished project turns out to be.

 

[Herzog]

That's awesome Braden... Are you going to tunnel the arms or just keep it open?

This makes me want to do things to our xj.

 

[RockMonkey]

That's awesome Braden... Are you going to tunnel the arms or just keep it open?

This makes me want to do things to our xj.

Tunnels!

 

[XJEEPER]

huh, huh, huhhah.......you said frame rail

Looking good, Braden

 

[RockMonkey]

huh, huh, huhhah.......you said frame rail

Looking good, Braden

I was doing air quotes when I typed it.

 

[RockMonkey]

I pulled the gas tank to finish up the saddle that it is mounted in on the bottom of the tub. I patched up the holes I created by moving the rear saddle back three inches. Then I primed it and sprayed it with some rust-resistant undercoating stuff.

 

[RockMonkey]

Painted and assembled upper and lower control arms. The lowers are 2" .250 wall DOM, with Summit Machine flex joints and weld-in threaded inserts. The uppers are 1 3/8" .188 wall DOM (Thanks Mike!) with 3/4 x 5/8 heims and weld-in threaded inserts.

 

[RockMonkey]

Some pics of the rear suspension all installed. It's nice to have this part done. I don't have coilover mounts yet, but the four link is done.

 

[Devel]

Nice!

 

[I Lean]

Before you paint the axle, box in the front of those upper link mounts. The 9" housing can bend at the front of the link mount tabs sometimes, and that's cheap insurance.

Looks gool!

 

[RockMonkey]

Before you paint the axle, box in the front of those upper link mounts. The 9" housing can bend at the front of the link mount tabs sometimes, and that's cheap insurance.

Looks gool!

Yeah, I wanted to see where the control arms are at full compression before I put that front box in. I also need to make the coilover tabs, weld on brake line clips, and probably a couple other things before I paint the axle. Mostly I want to get the tires on right now so I can roll it around a little.

 

[Tacoma]

Hmmmm right through the floor... I like that. When in doubt, chop it out.

 

[OREGON85]

You walk into Six States with most of the hub pieces and they hand you a new one.

Too bad I didn't know about Six States when I blew up a hub a couple of years ago. Warn said "no way" when I wanted a new one since I didn't have a receipt. They said with a new receipt they'll even pay for installation.