Earlier this summer I ordered up new Dynatrac Axles for my bought-used
94 YJ. Pro-Rock 60 in the rear, Dana 44 up front, both w/ ARB lockers, and designed for a SOA application. The axles cost more than I paid for the Jeep!Do not believe the Dynatrac salespeople if they tell you they "can probably get it to you quicker" than 6 weeks. You're probably going to buy anyway, but they really shouldn't try to sugar-coat the sale that way.
While waiting for Dynatrac to build the axles, I placed orders for the other items I would need, and did some wheeling around. This weekend, with all items (supposedly) at hand I started the install in earnest.
I measured 9' of clearance to the old rear diff, 9.5" on the front, just to keep track. Just for giggles, without installing them under the rig, I mounted up my new 37" SuperSwampers on the Pro Rock 60 axle and the diff now sees almost 13 inches of daylight! That's before loading a Jeep on top, or airing down.
Previous wheel width, front wheels, outside edges of tires: 67".
New rear axle w/ 13" wide Super Swampers, outside edges of tires: 80"!!!
Wow! I'm gonna need to get either a different wheel offset, or some mega big honkin' fender flares!
The rear axle came off easy: e-brake cables, diff vent, brake line, shocks, and leaf springs. Here's the bitch, though: It took almost 3 hours for the next step: removing the transfer case bash plate. WHY?
Because the previous owner, for some reason, when he installed his transfer case drop kit, welded not four, but SIX pieces of 1" leg x 1/8" thick steel angle iron from the frame to the bash plate! I had to grind the thick welds off, being careful not to grind into the frame members.
Then I got my allen wrench to undo the bash plate bolts. AAAAAH! Now I found out why he'd welded on the angle iron. _Every_ damn one of the bash plate bolts was stripped inside the frame and would not come out! He must have used a hammer drill or an impact wrench when he installed his drop kit, found that he'd torqued away the threaded part, and now had a sloppy banging bash plate. I even used a miniature hydraulic "beak" (I call it the "Duck Bill of Life") to force the plate down while I ratcheted the bolts out...no go. They were all stripped and that was that.
So I had to Sawzall every damn bolt off, but each one had a nice 1" diameter spacer/standoff that kept revolving and making my Sawzall kick violently, so I had to grip 'em and hold 'em down with an odd combo of Vise grip assemblies. NOT fun.
Next: Separate the T-case, to install my JB Converisons SYE kit. Only 6 bolts, but boy, those top two ain't easy to get to, especially on the exhaust pipe side. As per some fantastic JB SYE install pages found on the web, getting the T-case open was a breeze.
HOWEVER: The JB SYE Kit, as sent to me by Tellico4x4.com, was incomplete. No new caged needle bearings, to make the new JB shaft fit the synchro and drive gears were included. Major roadblock. I wasn't going to finish the install this weekend.
My call and email are in to them; the T-Case's on hold until I get the proper bearings. Oh, well. I suppose I can install the ARB compressor/tank/switches n' stuff while I wait!