RB project Updates

[MalteJK]

We want install pictures

[ossme]

Update: I received the Inner Sleeves and Front Diff cover Today.

here is a quick dirty phone picture:

IMG_1090-1.jpg

The remaining re-gearing and re-reinforcement shipments will arrive at the end of this week/early next week. Therefore, We I will start working on the car today !

I know that I posted several different specifications for my differentials. So here is the FINAL list:

Front:
Housing: Rubicon Dana 44
truss/sleeve: Synergy Inner Sleeve
Locker: Factory Rubicon Locker
Gears: Motive 4.88 Thick Ring and Pinion.
axle shafts: RCV 30 spline axle shafts
Bearings: G2 Rubicon Dana 44 Master Overhaul kit
Differential Cover: Riddler Dana 44 Differential Cover

Rear:
Housing: Standard Dana 44
Truss/Sleeve: Superior Super 35 Truss kit for Dana 44
Locker: ARB 117 Air Locker
Gears: Motive 4.88 Thick Ring and Pinion
axle Shafts: Motive Gear Ten Factory 30 Spline axle shafts
Bearings: G2 Standard Dana 44 Master Overhaul kit
Differential Cover: None ! (The Truss kit comes with a piece that covers the rear differential).




Some notes about RB 's differentials Setup:

- Although that I will have two Diff locks in front and rear. The front is much weaker and slower at activation. Therefore, It will be kept for emergency situations.

- I choose small carrier, Thick gears, and 30 spline to make it easy to source local spare parts. I can temporary use some of my old parts (axles, and differential) as a temporary fix until I receive the new units. Also, the thick gears is wildly available in UAE. So, sourcing a 4.88 thick gear is much easier than sourcing a standard one around here.

- Despite the general misconception, the RCV shafts are not more expensive than their counterparts (Chromoly + CTM) . Apart from the extra strength, RCV will offer constant velocity regardless of the turning angle. Using RCV However, will put some limitations when it comes to upgrading my brakes.

- The number of shops who are experienced with RCV is very limited in here. WM is the only shop I know that did RCV swaps.

- The rear Truss kit is bolt-on and doesn't require any Welding.

- Both differentials will be Sand Blasted and Repainted.

[SSS]

cool ... I hope your brakes will be here soon enough not to delay your work!
(Do you want the tracking numbers? )

Are you not coming to the JeepJamboree on Friday?

[ossme]

cool ... I hope your brakes will be here soon enough not to delay your work!
(Do you want the tracking numbers? )

Suuuuuureeeeeeeeeee !!

Are you not coming to the JeepJamboree on Friday?

Unfortunately, I don't think that I will. I promised MOI (actually she promised me ) that I'm not going off roading this weekend!

[SSS]

cool ... I hope your brakes will be here soon enough not to delay your work!
(Do you want the tracking numbers? )

Suuuuuureeeeeeeeeee !!

Are you not coming to the JeepJamboree on Friday?

Unfortunately, I don't think that I will. I promised MOI (actually she promised me ) that I'm not going off roading this weekend!

ok ... from a experienced (with MOI affairs) veteran to a intermediate offroader: (looooooool)
1. this is not a ad4x4 offroading trip!
2. this is a family picknick trip with entertainment program (somebody will grill, make music and even dance FOR YOU!!!) arranged by western motors as thank you for their customers! (of course for free! don't tell her that your special place reservation card you will get has cost you something )
3. coincidentally a bigger number of ad4x4 friends will be in the greater area at that time ... but as well many many other unknown citizens of this country
4. you have to reach there by (open!!!!) JEEP ... and every participant by default is allowed to invite as many family members as his JEEP can carry.

and to make life easier for my MOI I even let her arrange with a female late time group ride to reach the picknick site AFTER the registration and Jeep scooteneering phase (trip hint hint) ... just to join me later and to save the completely open air experience with the TJ to reach there
(well ... I told her one of the conditions for participating is the JEEP HAS to be completely open ... but I can pick up my passengers (them) at any time at noon from any point just before Al Khazna )

see ?: everyone happy

[ossme]

I hinted the idea yesterday and I was about to get killed.


Anyway, Here is the project schedule for the differentials:

Sunday 5/2/2011 : Removing and stripping the front and rear axles.
Monday 6/2/2011 : Sending the Front axle to be straightened.
Tuesday 7/2/2011: Sending the front and Rear axle to for Sand Blasting & Painting.
Wednesday 8/2/2011: Half of the day will be waiting for the paint to dry and the other half will be assembling the axle parts.
Thursday 9/2/2011: Reassembling the axle into the car. Then all I need to do is to test it and make sure everything will work properly.

Which also means that I might not be able to join next week's trip as well...

[SSS]

alhamdulillah only almost!

if you are going to spend 5 days in a row with your jeep axles ... the following weekend (10th) you can most certainly forget as well

yeah ... the wife mod is not necessarily compatible with other/more jeep mods

[ossme]

Lol !

I might use my Lexus next week. Who knows !

Having said that, Rust Bucket will be joining JJ but without me !

[ossme]

Since all my plans for today has been canceled , I have decided to add some empty reply to RB Project updates !


So, here is where RB is currently at before the changes that are going to happen next week.

First, I swapped my 31 inch D!ck cepek tires with 33 inch Cooper STT tires. This provided more clearance under the my front Rubicon axle and greatly improved RB's offloading Performance. I'm surprised at how well the 4.11 gears works with the 33 inch tires. It provides good performance both on and off road !

Overall, I'm more satisfied with 33" tires than the 31" tires I had before. But I liked the performance of the D!ck Cepek Crushers more than the STT..

IMG_2027.jpg

I also installed 4 front AOR LED lights and 2 Rear ones. I had to wait for 3 months to get the round ones .. The round LEDs suits the TJ very well ! Oh, and it will work very will with my devilish new plans !

The windshield pair are spots lights while the bumper pairs are spread lights.

IMG_2028.jpg

IMG_2029.jpg

Note the difference in Lens between the spot and the spread lights.

The rear ones are small ones that I'm planning to use in BBQ !!

IMG_2030.jpg

This is a temporary location as I'm planning to relocate them to a better location after the highline kit and repainting.

All lights are of course connected to the sPOD system!

In antispiation for a larger spare. I also installed a rear Bestop tire carrier.

IMG_2031.jpg

The good thing about the Bestop tire carrier is that it operates with the rear tail gate. It is also flush and almost unnoticeable. It is kind of "stock" looking ! It can safely carry tires up to 35", which is what I'm planning to have, eventually. So far, I have a tire carrier but I don't have a spare tire !

You can also see that I relocated the flag from the bumper to the top of the tire carrier. This increased the overall length of the flag by at least 50 cm.

[latief]

looking great man! this is no longer a rust bucket though, time for a name change

I was going to ask you about the flag pole. where did you get that and is it removable (i.e screw-on, screw off)?

Thanks

[ossme]

thanks man !

the flag pole can be bought from either Ramy or Motor Tech. Yes they are removable.

[Sean]

Looking very nice man, well done...

[ossme]

Thanks Sean !

OK, small update: RB's Diffs will be stripped today By Motor Tech. I will take pictures later this evening.

Regarding the parts, all the them are currently with the UPS & BD schenker. I will visit them today to collect the parts. Can you believe that 50KG worth of large items cost me only $250 to ship ? The only catch is, I have to go to AD airport to collect the parts..

Now, Let us discuss some of my crazy plans !

As part of those plans, Rust Bucket is going to be fitted with Dual Batteries Setup and a high output 175 amp alternator. This will be used to run the winch and to Keep my Rear LED lights up During BBQ trips !

I was also planning add an extra 2.5 Gal tank to my already powerful ARB twin compressor. This will provide more air to help me inflate my upcoming 35" tires, to run an impact gun when needed, to adjust my shocks, and to active my anti sway bar system!

Having said that, Adding a 2.5 Gal tank proved to be a design fun in the very tiny TJ. For a start, most people seems to add the tank either under the hood, under the car, or Inside the car. This works well and seems to be space saving solutions. Here is some sample pictures:

Air tank.jpg

Air tank 3.jpg

Air tank 2.jpg

airtank4.jpg

Position 1 & 2 is out of the question because they are already occupied by other equipments (sPOD and ARB locker Manifold)..

Position 3 is also out of the question because I'm planning to Add a Jerry Can holder there..

Which leaves me with Position 4. It would normally be an OK position. But since I'm planning to add an AEV tummy tucker. It seems that the Air tank will be the lowest thing hanging under my car.. So, I need to take some measurements before considering this option..

Then I though, "Instead of having a tank, why not add a second compressor?!!!! "

Here is why I think this is a better option:

1) Air compressor placement: Since I installed my first twin air compressor, ARB have updated their data. It is now stated that the twin compressor is actually water and dirt proof. So, as long as it doesn't suck any water, it will not get damaged. Which is a good thing! So, I can mount the second ARB twin air compressor any where I want !
There are three possible locations :
1- under the driver/passanger seat.
2- under the second raw seat.
3- behind the spare tire!

To be continued in the next post...

[ossme]

2) Air compressor output: EACH ARB twin air compressor will produce about 3 CFMs @ 90 PSI. Putting two together will give me 6CFMs @ 90 PSI. which is more than what my impact gun is rated at (5 CFM @ 90 PSI).

ARB twin air compressor chart.jpg

in addition, I will be replacing the ARB Manifold with a small half gallon/one gallon air tank. This will help me to double the CFM output for a very short amount of time.

ARB Manifold.jpg

Now, Since I will also be running an AEV highline. The replacement tank should be very slim. I haven't found a tank that fits yet. But, I have a plan to convert a small fire extinguisher into an AIR tank!

fire extinguisher.jpg

2) Power Consumption: EACH ARB twin Air Compressor uses 56 Amps at maximum load. Add two will increase the number to 112 AMPs!

A normal TJ with 75 amp alternator will struggle to keep up. especially when you learn that the alternator will NOT produce 75 amps when the car is idle. Running both compressors at the same time with the stock setup will make us run the risk of draining the battery as well. It can become so bad that the system will no longer have enough power to keep the engine running!

Fortunately though, Rust bucket's 175amp alternator and Dual Batteries will easily solve the problem!

So here is a quick draft of the solution:

ARB Dual Setup.jpg

[MalteJK]

Good plan @Ossme ...

regarding the alternator ... do it first ... yesterday i was using my new compressor (warn VTC -> 8cfm @90psi ) and while i was inflating the 2nd car ( with running engine ) - my battery got totally drained - and the engine stopped running.

So i'm searching now as well for a high output alternator with a minimum of 200amps + 2nd battery is highly advised .

For the rest of your car ... really you should start thinking of changing the name. It is a really nice TJ now