Project Lay-Z-Boy

[Scoobienorth]

Well, at least your stuff has escaped the smoke.

Ya I had regrets on that. They left Thursday morning and Friday the white rock fire took off, burned monte lake down, and everything around me was on alert or order for evac, the ash was falling like snow and I have burned spots in my lawn and I’m trying to pack all my important stuff into 2 boxes that’ll fit in the wife’s car and my tools and junk for hauled away the day before. It seemed logical to pack the unimportant stuff first as it can be stored with no real worry it damage to it and the fires were a ways away. It’s been a rough summer down here and wished I’d have closed the deal a month sooner and tried to find storage and be homeless for a month instead

[Scoobienorth]

I’ve got this 1.5” DOM tubing and some control arm bushings laying around from cut up arms from when I 4 linked the rear. I’ve been running lower jk control arms in this thing that I cut down and welded some reinforcing angle to but the bushings are smoked. If I make arms from this will it be safe? Worth it? I can’t imagine it being weaker than what I’m running and it’s done fine but it’s lighter than what I’d like to run. Just don’t want to spend money on the beater right now and I’ve got the stuff laying here.

[Scoobienorth]

Okay. Another dumb idea. My control arms up front are toast. With my stretch up front most aftermarket stuff won’t fit or is really expensive. My thought is to take my rough country drop brackets for my lower arms, unbolt them and trim as needed and slide them back a bit and weld/bolt it in and build longer radius arms . Is this a good idea or am I cutting a corner that’ll bite me later

[pointsnorth]

you will regret going to radius arms id imagine as your going a step backwards

[Scoobienorth]

you will regret going to radius arms id imagine as your going a step backwards

Fair enough. I really shouldn’t mess with this. It works well and I’d rather move on. Just need lower arms and I think my front driveshaft is having issues. I’m going to take a look today at swapping the 4wd linkage from the blown 242 I’ve got into the 231 and doing the swap. If I need another front driveshaft I might as well do the Tcase. I think this one is on the way out and it’s really hard to shift. Had a weird rattle when in 4wd and I think it’s the slip splines. Think it’s stretched a little far

[Scoobienorth]

Literally the easiest shifter mod. The arms straight up unbolt and swap so I can keep my stock cable. Even orientated it to what appears the factory angle and location. I’m going to swap the 231 I think. My front driveshaft has some play as it might be over extended. When I swap tcases it might be the right length actually to keep it happy. The rear will need to be redone though. Add 1-2” I’m guessing

[HillBilt]

For the control arms, you can get Rubicon Express parts for cheap on amazon. Ive seen control arms for $120, but usually are around $160. Thats pretty reasonable for a DOM, adjustable link with rebuildable joints. You cant build them for that price.

[Scoobienorth]

For the control arms, you can get Rubicon Express parts for cheap on amazon. Ive seen control arms for $120, but usually are around $160. Thats pretty reasonable for a DOM, adjustable link with rebuildable joints. You cant build them for that price.

I can’t get the length I need though as I’m longer than tj’s by a fair bit but shorter than jk’s and I’m stretched enough most wj stuff won’t fit except the hood stuff but it’s $7-800 plus shipping.

[HillBilt]

For the control arms, you can get Rubicon Express parts for cheap on amazon. Ive seen control arms for $120, but usually are around $160. Thats pretty reasonable for a DOM, adjustable link with rebuildable joints. You cant build them for that price.

I can’t get the length I need though as I’m longer than tj’s by a fair bit but shorter than jk’s and I’m stretched enough most wj stuff won’t fit except the hood stuff but it’s $7-800 plus shipping.

Gotcha, maybe shorten some JK ones?

[Scoobienorth]

I think the 231 transfer case is a full bolt in deal. No custom driveshaft I think. Or it’ll be close. My rear u joint was so bad I don’t know how it drove home the last time. I’ll need one then move the main driveshaft piece over to the tj slip spline piece on the tcase. The 242 shift lever bolted over and lined up. Never even adjusted the cable, the front driveshaft shortened a bit which helps. The rear is too hard to tell for sure but may actually be better as well. I had to pull the input shaft from a 242 though and put it into the 231. Which I assembled wrong the first time

[Scoobienorth]

Well one step forward another back. Got the tcase in and test drove it and heard a grinding noise. Now I noticed a bit of extra play in the driveshaft when I swapped the tcase and told myself it’s just a little play in the locker. Upon dipping a finger in the oil proved that too be wishful thinking. The oil full of metal shavings, and play in the locker and pins in the lunchbox gears. I must have not set it up right when I swapped the carriers. Anyways I might throw the spider gears back in it for winter driving while I decide if I can fix the locker or what I’m going to do.

[Scott Cee AKA 2drx4]

Well, that's too bad. It is an excuse to find a better locker though.

[Johnny5]

Lockers are for road manners, weld that baby and call er a day. It’s way cooler and everyone checks out your sweet ride in parking lots when you do sharp turns.
It’s like taking the baffles outta your Harley for that extra attention

[Scoobienorth]

Contemplating parting this guy out. Rear drive shaft is short, front one is trashed, my used tcase 231 isn’t very good and my front diff isn’t healthy(I have parts to fix that one), front control arms are toasted plus I’m starting to get the death wobble. Something is out. There’s a lot of parts I could swap into the white one, the winch and skids, keep the rear diff, add the front spacers and rear coils for a bit more lift, sell the 37’s and get some mean 33’s or 35’s for my 15” rims and keep it street manners well.

[Scoobienorth]

Stick a fork into the big guy. It’s done. I’m going to steal the skid, winch mount, gas tank tuck/high clearance hitch and 4 link for the white one, maybe the taller springs, leaving just the motor and 37’s with an unsure future