Doors and top off in Canada! Yee Haw!

In news: snipped-for-privacy@sympatico.ca, Mike Romain thought: | Wow is is so nice out right now and supposed to get nicer! | | Couldn't resist got the doors and top off and am off for a | cruise to get a hub. | | I 'really' want to go camping for the weekend, it's calling | for +15C.... | | Mike | 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 | 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

You can do that in Canada?? Doors/top off I mean...lol, j/k

Woo hoo, we're right behind you! This weekend is supposed to be amazing; after a long cold winter it sure does put a spring in your step at the first sign of nice weather. (no pun intended there... sort of)

coop

it's almost 60 degrees here today; looks like the windows are coming off tonight, at least!

Hey Mike, you're welcome to pitch a tent in my backyard and supervise my lift install this weekend!

-Brian

LOL, I hope you meant 75F. We haven't seen 70F yet this year in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but it's supposed to get there tomorrow as long as the wind doesn't blow across Green Bay which still has ice floating around out there.

Chris

Lucky you. Out here in Nova Scotia we're looking at freezing rain and a high of +1C.

Last weekend was nice. Despite washouts, mud holes, and lingering snow (still knee-deep in the shade), the old XJ had no trouble hauling the kids back to the camp for a little fishing:

Steve

Give it a couple days, it's heading your way!

Nice shots, where are they taken?

Mike

Wow! That must've called for a light jacket, or maybe a sweater-vest? ;)

The flipside of that is we never have to persevere through a 120 degree day either, though... 'Real Jeep' or not I'd be insisting on some sort of air conditioning!

coop

The fly rod is ready.

Humtagut Creek in western Lunenburg County. Empties into the Medway River.

Steve

I was just reading one of the local Jeep boards and it looks like a mud run is happening for Sun/ Mon and maybe Sat too... Hmm....

You aren't anywhere up near Bobcaygeon eh?

Mike

Cherokee-LTD wrote:

What lift/tire combo you got there?

Dig how it looks, might do it to my XJ

Thanks. I dig how it works.

The lift is Rubicon Express 4.5" Super-Flex lift with full leafs (RE6130). When I ordered the kit, I added a drop pitman arm (RE2500) to improve the steering geometry and I upgraded to the heavy duty track bar (RE1660) and bracket (RE1665) for better durability and flex. My dealer upgraded the sway bar disconnects to JKS quickers for no charge.

At 4.5", driveline vibrations can be a problem. The best solution is a fixed t-case yoke and double cardan shaft. For me, that wasn't required but I did have to drop the t-case 3/4" and lower my rear pinion angle by a few degrees to cancel the vibes. I also had to grind out the armpits on the slip yoke to avoid binding the drive shaft u-joint when the rear axle is at full drop. This works fine but RE sells a long yoke (RE1822) that is even better in that it also has longer travel on the splines. Some day I'll get a fixed yoke for the extra strength and improved pinion clearance but for now I'm good to go.

The tires are BF Goodrich MT/KM 33x10.50R15. I like them. I'm running them on the stock 15x7" wheels. The stock backspacing (5.25"?) makes for some tire rub on the lower control arms at full turn, but its no big deal.

To fit the tires, I had to remove the wheel well liners and trim about an inch of the sheet metal that hangs below the fender flares (front and rear). Easy to do and I now have plenty of clearance. At extreme flex, the stuffed front tire will wipe the mud from the column over the coil spring. This is due to the deep backspacing and again, no big deal. As the budget allows, I'll go with 15x8 wheels with 4.5" backspacing.

I replaced my 3.07 ring & pinion gears with 4.10s salvaged from a junked '86 Cherokee 4-cyl. Many prefer 4.56 for 33" tires, but with a 5-speed and frequent highway driving, this low-buck solution works for me.

Make sure you have all the bases covered when you plan your lift.

Steve