FireTruck's 2013 JKU Rubi build...

[FireTruck]

Hey Ian,

I stuck with the 4.10 gears... with the new 5-speed auto and 3.6L, and 35's, the 4.10's work great. To get the same drive ratio on a pre-2012 auro you have go to something deeper than 4.88's (like 5.13's) in terms of final cruising RPM's on the hwy... nd becasue the gears are closer spaced and lower (5 speed compared to 4) the pick up/acceleration is probably more like at least 5.13's... not to mention the extra HP's out of the 3.6!

So far - no regrets sticking with 4.10's. On the hwy at 100kph she sits on something like 2100+ rpm, cruising at 110kph its up around 2300 rpm I think (just above the green bit on the taco).

Sorry all for the lack of replies and progress... toooo much going on right now, but "I'll be back"...

S.

[FireTruck]

Sorry - been a while...

I did (eventually) change my brake lines... but was kinda in a hurry to get out into the bush, so didn't take pics. All went well (I think), pretty straight forward, and bled quite easily.

Next - I had an annoying clunking noise in the front end that I was struggling to track down... eventually I noticed some marks on the round tube cross member that sticks out of the frame - ha - the swaybar was hitting it (both sides) - and not just grazing it, but hitting it pretty solid.

So I gound both sides off, based on the wear from where it was hitting, and now 'all clear'. Didn't take a before... but here is the after (with a lick of paint):





...did a little wheeling like with the stock front driveshaft, and the boot didn't melt on the exhaust (I have exhaust spacers installed)... but I could see the marks on it where the boot was contacting. So - in another moment of motivation, I installed the new front driveshaft. This gives a huge amount more droop - I mean alot more droop.

Here is the stock and new shafts:



And the clearance now at ride height:



So... all driveshafts are a pain in the arse to change or work on... the JK one is no exception. Mostly just a pain in the arse to undo all those bolts when you can only turn each one 1/8 of a rotation each time (I did drop the skid plate to get better access)... but also the pinion nut is always so bloody tight the first time you remove it. Even with double breaker bars I couldn't budge it!

So... I put a piece of wood between the control arms and breaker bar, cable tied them all together so they wouldn't move, and then drove backwards so the pinion truned and cranked the breaker bar against the control arm... this did the trick, and then all good.

Also stripped one of the u-bolt nuts putting them on... damn it... and its a weird thread (5/16 UNF course or something??), so had to duck out to get a replacement.

All seems good though, no vibes, lots of clearance - rock and/or roll.

S.

[FireTruck]

Oh - one more minor update... installed the bracket for the mud flaps. Drilled out the holes, and they fit quite nicely onto the 2 x bolts that originally held the stock rear bumper on - quite neat. Didn't take a pic, will do so and post it up when I get the chance/motivation/daylight...

...and a re-post of a pic from AFTER I installed the exhaust spacers... so you can see the space here between the stock front driveshaft and the exhaust with the spacers installed. I can tell you that the driveshaft could only droop about 4" before it was all the way against the exhaust (rubber boot contact). With the new exhaust, I reckon it is about double that before any contact.





(in the last pic, above, you can also see the marks where the stock exhaust plastic/rubber boot was rubbing on the exhaust cover...)

S.

[Mudder]

Hey FT how did you get your hands on this adapter i believe it's one of my causes for the DW I have been suffering from. I currently have a washer under it and boot has now completely split.

Originally Posted by FireTruck

Well, didn't quite get through the full list today - but got close. Ran out of motivation when all that was left to do was the brake lines... mowed the lawn and washed the car instead.

So... installed the replacement (thicker) drag link flip adapter... here is the old vs new:



Having the 'old' adapter cranked down with a washer to get it tight enough damaged the grease boot a bit... but I think it is OK (for now). Seemed to hold grease OK when I pumped it in, so we shall see:



And installed - the new adapter actually fits perfectly... torqued down great, hole for castle nut/split pin was in the right spot, and good clearance and movement in the TRE:

[FireTruck]

...I got the larger adapter from Bill @ DBOR (which is where I bought the Synergy gear originally).

If that rod end is loose... yea man, prime candidate for the wobbles!

S.

[FireTruck]

Sorry folks... been very slack, a lot going on (away from Jeepland) at the moment...

I did (a month or so back I guess) install the removable mud flaps... trimmed and re-drilled them to line up with the tyres (cover the tyres), used some rubber from Clark Rubber in the end, left them quite long to start... may trim them if needed, but no issue so far.

Once the alum square tube was cut and drilled, I painted them with some etch undercoat, and the textured fender/under-body paint - which is great stuff.

I attached them using the stock bolts from the rear bumper... just had to drill/dremel out the holes in the bracket slightly - but they work perfectly. The square tube fits pretty loose in the brackets and rattles around... so I screwed a sheet metal screw into the bottom of the removable tube so it fits very snug in the bracket... and I guess its adjustable in tightness, as you could wind the screw out a bit if necessary (the screw slides inside the bracket on the bottom).

Man, these are quite rude... but effective... and necessary...

[FireTruck]

Sorry, I just realised that this entire thread has taken place in my driveway... so I should at least show one wheeling pic, right??