Muzikp's Sometimes Driveable Build

I've managed to bend a number of IH Scout tie rods, right where they dip down, over the years. Get it kinda wedged up in rocks on the left side. Have someone horse on the steering wheel to the left and watch the tie rod for bending. If it's not flexing, I would guess you will be fine. Just bring a heavy ratchet strap and a hammer to straighten it out if you do bend it. Just my thoughts.

 

This really got me curious, so I had to check a scrap piece. There’s no foolproof way to check for sure without an acid test, but I don’t think it’s chromoly. It drills easily, where chromoly doesn’t. It is beefy though.

 

Thanks for the info, that Varg rod is definitely more beefy than mine. This has me concerned a bit, I'll see if I can find a way to test on it a bit and see if anything flexes. I may have to make another tie-rod and flip it back down where it will get bent by a rock . Or just strap it under the hood or somewhere and bring it with me.

 

In other news... all shocks unhooked and I confirmed none of them were restricting travel (thanks Jim).

You can see I'm hanging the rear tire here. I can't get it on the ground but this was enough flex to show me where I need to adjust bump stops.











Rear bump stop is 2" from axle but I have an inch of fenderwell clearance left so going to lower those an inch.



Front is 2" from axle to bump.



I've decided to lower the front bump stops exactly 2" and the rear 1". This will leave me with slight rubbing in the rear but it will be light, hoping not to have to trim anything. I'm sure trail flex will push me into sheet metal some but should be tolerable.

I'm happy to keep my low center of gravity

 

I have never been able to get mine to flex enough to hit the front fenders but I certainly have on the trail many times!

 

Looking good James!!!! Lowering the bump stops is easy and a keeps body metal happy.

 

Complete with speed holes and added lightness





Will probably add captured nuts to bump stop side and then debur, degrease and paint. Maybe add a bit more lightness.

 

Just a thought on your tie rod...
If there’s noticeable flex, you could try taking it off and tracing its bend onto a sheet of ~3/16” plate (extend into the straight section a few inches). Cut two of them out and stitch-weld that onto the tie rod. It would give more support where it needs it.

 

Finally worked on something fun that wasn't so darn hard like most of the other stuff this @#%&* Jeep

Hand throttle. Started with a bicycle brake lever and cable off one of the kids old bikes that doesn't get used.



I had several holes in the firewall to choose from and this one was in the perfect spot and perfect size.





I used a barrel adjuster at the firewall so I could put a nut on the back side to hold it all in place.

I drilled out a bushing and then use my tapered reamer on it. I cut a slot in a piece of pvc and the bushing fit nicely inside.









Just barely clears the headlight switch in granny low.





I fits really snug but I can still rotate it around if I need to. That was easy and fun and it works good

 

pillows? You reach it with your hand on the shifter? Looks great, I was just curious because it looks awful far away

 

You mean far away when it's in granny low or far away from gear shift? The pic makes it look like you would need a huge hand but it's easy to operate, no different reach than using brakes on a bike. It is a little far away in granny gear but not much I can do about that. I thought about mounting it to my center console but all the ones I've seen are like mine so I went with it

 

Huge hand, it looks unreachable from the standard "palm on the shift knob" position.

Granny low, just lean forward and "concentrate " haha

 

I went through the process, except I didn't do anything to the rear. I do however have slight rubbing in the rear, but not enough to do anything about it.

I have a few good YJ Spring flex pictures if you like to see them. I can get 33" tires to flex below the body line.

 

Of course we want to see them. Part of my rubbing issue is my wide track axles, the tires don't stuff up under the lip of the fenders.

 

ok I'm impressed. Nice that your tires fit inside the lip of the fenders

 

If I didn't have lockers I wouldn't have gotten up this trail.

 

Are those stock YJ Or lift springs (OME?)

I was thinking the same. my 32's on stock axles with 16" wheels would rub the sides of the bed. With 1" extra on each side (not legal in all states) the same tires get more travel before hitting the bed. Maybe you can embrace the axle droop so it won't lift a wheel as often without lifting the body.

 

Yeh I can barely reach it with my hand on the knob, but I didn't think I would like operating it like that with one finger. It's pretty easy with hand on shift cane and operate throttle with 2 or 3 fingers. Maybe after I use it more I'll change my mind.