ZJ/JK Rubicon 44 build.

Got some of these for my JK, you might want some.
EVO-AXLEGUSSETS.jpg

http://www.offroadevolution.com/store/proddetail.php?prod=EVO-AXLEGUSSETS
 
Interesting... I'd have to make them, since I moved my coil buckets inward about 1.5" per side... I wasn't too worried about it, since I have 08 axles and the tubes were nice and thick... have you guys been seeing failures on them?
 
Zombie said:
Interesting... I'd have to make them, since I moved my coil buckets inward about 1.5" per side... I wasn't too worried about it, since I have 08 axles and the tubes were nice and thick... have you guys been seeing failures on them?
Click to expand...

http://www.jk-forum.com/showthread.php?t=30015&highlight=axle+snapped
:eek2:
IGP1055.JPG

There's been a few that have snapped. But more with bent outer C's. It seems that JK owners with 35"-37" and even doing some mild wheeling are bending the outer C's.
 
Joe... those are some scary pics. From my inside to outside measurements my tubes were about .43" thick in the front, and those look much thinner.
The outer Cs bending is a little scary, since my ZJ is somewhat heavier than the average JK...
Does that kit include gussets for the upper and lower part of the C?
 
Zombie said:
have you guys been seeing failures on them?
Click to expand...

Lookin' good! Can't wait to see it all done! Borrow a camera!!

Unfortunately, yes. Chrysler won't admit anything and neither will Spicer. People are being denied warranty over it and some are still on stock tires/suspension but offroad. I've yet to hear of one breaking at the mall. I have a fealing that Spicer will silently fix it and brush it under the rug and then Spicer and Chrysler will make it go away. Because at this point, they've had so many fail and denied warranties, that I'm sure it would be a nice class action lawsuit.

...I think the number of failures is less than 1% built, so they could say it's a material issue....
 
wow! that stinks about the axle! hopefully yours will be good though! maybe that is why they are so cheap to buy from mopar....they went skimpy on the build of the axle....
 
I'll find out... worst case I'll get it re-tubed with thicker tubes. My parts guy indicated that there were a handfull of changes to the 08s... my axles were made in March of 08, and were a LOT thicker than those look... I'll probably add some gussets to the Cs just in case.... and maybe a little bit of trussing. it wouldn't take too much to pop the front back out at this point... just time.
 
tommyboy said:
wow! that stinks about the axle! hopefully yours will be good though! maybe that is why they are so cheap to buy from mopar....they went skimpy on the build of the axle....
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Naw, their built by Dana Spicer, so ultimately it's their fault. Their so cheap because they bought so many of them complete.
 
Zombie said:
I'll find out... worst case I'll get it re-tubed with thicker tubes. My parts guy indicated that there were a handfull of changes to the 08s... my axles were made in March of 08, and were a LOT thicker than those look... I'll probably add some gussets to the Cs just in case.... and maybe a little bit of trussing. it wouldn't take too much to pop the front back out at this point... just time.
Click to expand...

If you were to sleeve the axle now, before it breaks, you would be better off than if you wait for it break. I'd do it and then make a bunch of 7/16" plug welds up and down, around the tubes :D

Are the tubes still ~2.5" OD? and the rear ~3-1/16? and .25 wall?
 
I've got the measurements written in my toolbox... the from was right around .43 wall based on my math, but I don't remember the inner and outer measurements off the top of my head. If you look at the inner seal in the picture next to my toobox, there isn't much room in the tube. I can check when I get up there next. The rear was supposed to be a much whicker wall from the get go as I remember. I didn't pull the rear shafts to measure inner and outer, and I don't plan to untill something goes wrong.

I don't plan on sleeving the front, but I think I will add some trussing to it, and brace the Cs. from my research there haven't been any problem in the 08 axles with the tube break, but they are bending Cs.
 
Zombie said:
I've got the measurements written in my toolbox... the from was right around .43 wall based on my math, but I don't remember the inner and outer measurements off the top of my head. If you look at the inner seal in the picture next to my toobox, there isn't much room in the tube. I can check when I get up there next. The rear was supposed to be a much whicker wall from the get go as I remember. I didn't pull the rear shafts to measure inner and outer, and I don't plan to untill something goes wrong.

I don't plan on sleeving the front, but I think I will add some trussing to it, and brace the Cs. from my research there haven't been any problem in the 08 axles with the tube break, but they are bending Cs.
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Those sound like significant improvements to me! :D

....See, didn't even know they made the change, but I called it... They'll sweep last years issues under the rug and make this change without copping to anything.
 
waynehartwig said:
They'll sweep last years issues under the rug and make this change without copping to anything.
Click to expand...

There were some hints made in tlaking to guys at the dealership that they changed the specs in january of 08 to keep from hitting the point where a recall would be justified, and won't raise the price till later this year to avoid making thing obvious. Like I said, hints, no one is coming out and saying it, cause no one probably knows (or admits to it).

They'll deal with the old issues on a case by case basis when anyone gets serious enough to lawyer up, same way they did with the Viper surface pitting problem in the mid 90s... what a crap fix that was....
 
Zombie said:
There were some hints made in tlaking to guys at the dealership that they changed the specs in january of 08 to keep from hitting the point where a recall would be justified, and won't raise the price till later this year to avoid making thing obvious. Like I said, hints, no one is coming out and saying it, cause no one probably knows (or admits to it).

They'll deal with the old issues on a case by case basis when anyone gets serious enough to lawyer up, same way they did with the Viper surface pitting problem in the mid 90s... what a crap fix that was....
Click to expand...

I'm still really glad to know they have addressed and fixed them. I get people asking for this swap all the time and I turn them away from it mostly because the housing issue. It'l be nice to know it's now a good, reliable swap.

Get back to work on this and get a new camera!! :D
 
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”.
rearcomparo.JPG



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.
trackbarbracket.JPG


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.
allfour.JPG

rear.JPG
 
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