On the road again!!

[gippersdad]

It was quite a ride, but Big Red is finally back on the road!

It was, what I have now learned, is the "standard" D-35 problem. I, sometimes, pull a 16 foot trailer with this 89 YJ and the D-35...well...she didn't like that.

In any case, I looked at conversions and found that...well...nothing bolts up to a Jeep without some cutting and welding. I cannot weld. It is my limitation, so I decided to just rebuild the 35 and make it as strong as I could for pulling. Bought the master rebuild kit and gears for 4.56 gearing...front and back...because they have to be the same.

Got in there, and found out that my rear housing was warped. Now I had the gears and bearings...but needed a housing anyway. Found a guy on Craigs List who had an already built axle, with 4.56 gearing. I rebuilt the front, and just replaced the rear.

Drove that for a day...before finding out that the stock driveshaft...just won't DO that. Within an hour, I busted the driveshaft. Had to buy a heavy duty driveshaft new...but at this point...what was I gonna do?

Since I was dirty anyway, I went ahead and replaced the oil pan and valve cover gaskets...to stop those pesky oil leaks and now...finally...

I have gone two days in a row without anything else breaking.

Thanks to several of you guys on here, who helped me when I had questions!

 

[TerryMason]

I'm in a similar situation - I want to swap in an 8.8 but have never taken the time to learn to weld (I even own a cheapo welder).

 

[superj]

oh man, you spoke the fact that nothing has broken in two days, you are done!! its going to die on you, ha ha ha


welding is very very easy, just read some about it and buy some scrap metal and try it out. you'll kick yourself once you see how easy it is

 

[Utah_jeepster]

Terry, better to pay a local 4X4 shop, auto body repair shop to weld on your tabs than try it yourself. call a few auto body repair shops around you and ask them for a quote, you will be surprised they don't charge that much and have welding experience on axles. Tricky place to do welds any who.

 

[TerryMason]

Terry, better to pay a local 4X4 shop, auto body repair shop to weld on your tabs than try it yourself. call a few auto body repair shops around you and ask them for a quote, you will be surprised they don't charge that much and have welding experience on axles. Tricky place to do welds any who.

I've got a local machine shop that's done all my welding in the past, and I'd probably let them do it again. You're right about them doing it on the cheap - as long as I bring it to them and clearly mark exactly what I want done, it's usually welded up for under $25

 

[johntl6]

That is fair.. more about this cheap welder though?? brand size arc mig?

 

[TerryMason]

That is fair.. more about this cheap welder though?? brand size arc mig?

I've got a Campbell Hausfeld wire fed mig welder that I picked up at walmart years ago. It was really just an impulse buy that I never took the time to learn.

It looks alot like this:
Flux Wire Welder - 90 Amp

Look in most 4x4 magazines and you'll find a 20% off coupon for harbor freight that'll make it even cheaper

 

[johntl6]

cool. good to know. that welder will not give you the penetration needed for an axle repair. It will put a bicycle back together after johny takes it off a sweet jump. don't risk a break down on the trail. have a shop do the job. $25 is a sweet deal most shops my way charge over $100/hour

any experience with an on board jeep welder?? really cool concept, considering it myself..

 

[gippersdad]

Good stuff.

But of course...it being a Jeep...the next problem didn't take long to arrive. Soon after finishing all of this, it developed a wicked shimmy when I hit the brakes. Assuming I had warped rotors, I replaced them with brand new rotors, and slapped on a nice, smooth set of ceramic pads.

I can say it solved about 90% of the problem...but it still gives me a small shake when I hit the brakes.

Anyone have any ideas on this?

 

[superj]

have you checked all your ends? (tie rods, steering, etc) and your ball joints?

 

[superj]

on the wife's 93, the tie rod end from the steering linkage had loosened in the little arm it goes through. the tie rod end was good but it needed to be tightened back up

 

[gippersdad]

I have not...yet. I snuck it into the shop I use, 15 minutes before they shut down, to have them cut the new rotors. They only had time to do one, but it was not flat...so we thought we had caught it. But alas, on the way home...it was still doing it. I am going to run back up there at 0800, and have them cut the other one and check the tie rod ends (on your suggestion), and stabilizer bushings.

It has to be one of these things...because it only happens when I brake. I will know more by 0900.

 

[gippersdad]

FOUND IT!!!

After trying several things, and checking everything I, and you guys could think of...I was just stumped. That is, until I got my mind out of that little box I had it trapped in. The winning thought was "What if it isn't coming from the front at all? What if it just feels that way, because the whole Jeep is shaking?"

Took off the rear drums. Cut them. BINGO...problem solved!

Thanks to all for taking the time to brainstorm here!