[green50gt]

In one of those "I should have kept that Jeep" moments I have a new opportunity to build my keeper Jeep!

Thanks to the help of @parkfan he sourced this Jeep in Arizona and we were able to ink the deal and get it sent back to Indiana for me to hack up. Obviously it's never seen any salt, but boy oh boy is it rough - but with 296k miles, yes, you read that right, rough is to be expected.

I've gone back and forth about one tons or not - I have always wanted to do it! Seems like the most logical thing to do though is build the Rubi44 front axle I already have - maybe use the Rubi T-case I have, use the wheels I already have, and well heck quite a few other things I have sitting around.. so that's where I landed. With the Jana44 5.13's that I should have coming from a buddy, the 44's should theoretically handle 37's when all the right parts are thrown at the axles. On the other hand, the wheels I have sitting around are 15's so I don't know, maybe 35's are max..

Nevertheless, its gone under the knife. Flares, front axle, tire carrier, and bumpers all removed and those will find their way to my flipper Jeep. I have a 2wd beam under it now and literally just minutes ago cut a couple inches out of the front springs and plan to do do the rear - peoples heads will pop off when they find out someone is lowering a Jeep - i'm gonna have fun with that. Anywho, hard top, soft top, and some other various items will be sold off to help fund the deal.

So far I've got my Sinister Jackhawk rear bumper on, and the Marked Designs front bumper on it - otherwise ill be collecting parts with no real progress now all that stuff is stripped off. Drop down tailgate, Marked Designs sliders, High lined, unknown Engine/Trans, maybe stretch it since that's pretty easy on an LJ, not sure what else.

Jeepers Keepers 1.0 pictured first... Up at the nice campgrounds at the dunes ironically. Going to have a similar feel - kind of my MO anyway.

 

[SHARPMACHINE]

Looks good. The orange one was def sweet!!!

 

[whiterhino]

Jana44 as in what gearset in what axle? 44 in a 30? You mentioned Rubi axles so that should already be a D44. Or are you talking about the Jana K4 putting JK gears into an older 44? (I thought all 44 gearsets were the same but I guess not) If you put good alloy axle shafts and Yukon Super Joints in a 44, I wouldn't hesitate to run 37's. Also with a Rubi 4:1 transfer case and 5.13's, 35's are too short. You will be geared too low in low range and won't be able to generate wheel speed.

 

[Plato2k5]

Jeepers Keepers 1.0 looked great for a nice wheeler and DD

Love the LJ builds. 37s would look rite. Good info on wheel speed. I think a lot of people over look that

 

[feva4u]

Jana44 as in what gearset in what axle? 44 in a 30? You mentioned Rubi axles so that should already be a D44. Or are you talking about the Jana K4 putting JK gears into an older 44? (I thought all 44 gearsets were the same but I guess not) If you put RCV's in a 44, I wouldn't hesitate to run 37's. Also with a Rubi 4:1 transfer case and 5.13's, 35's are too short. You will be geared too low in low range and won't be able to generate wheel speed.

FIFY

 

[whiterhino]

FIFY

Nope not on my radar. Rock crawlers out west prefer joints over RCV's. I have been running Yukon Super joints since 2005/6-ish and have NEVER broken one. I started out with them on my D44 and then went straight to them on my 60 in 2008. I see ZERO reason to go RCV.

 

[green50gt]

My understanding on the Jana44 kit for the TJ is that it is JK gears. The ring gear bolts are bigger and the carrier needs drilled, and evidently the pinion gear is considerably larger - something about the yoke needs to be sanded down a hair to fit. Clearly have some more learnin' to get caught up on, but a buddy is pulling them out of his Rube to go to a 4.56 and they only have 3k miles on them.

Anywho, I did that lowering thing - merely for my own entertainment. The springs have nearly 300k miles on them and were saggy anyway so just wanted to have a little fun with it. I may cut out a little more out of the rear yet since I was conservative.

 

[feva4u]

Nope not on my radar. Rock crawlers out west prefer joints over RCV's. I have been running Yukon Super joints since 2005/6-ish and have NEVER broken one. I started out with them on my D44 and then went straight to them on my 60 in 2008. I see ZERO reason to go RCV.

I've seen you wheel, I don't doubt you've never broken one. Rock bouncers run RCV's, RCV's are BETTER. Just admit that you don't have the best shit for a change. I can do cross sectional area calculations the same as you so don't even start :sonicjay:

 

[COYOTE]

Rock crawlers out west prefer joints over RCV's.

Other than price what is their issue with RCV's?

 

[whiterhino]

I've seen you wheel, I don't doubt you've never broken one. Rock bouncers run RCV's, RCV's are BETTER. Just admit that you don't have the best shit for a change. I can do cross sectional area calculations the same as you so don't even start :sonicjay:

I never said I have the best shit. I said I have never broken a super joint (nor do I know anyone who has), rock crawlers don't like them and I can't see the justification for them. That. is. what. I. said.

 

[whiterhino]

Other than price what is their issue with RCV's?

I broke an axle shaft a few years ago and yes, @feva4u was there. I was ready to pull the trigger on a set RCV's. The question was 4340 or 300m. After discussions on the rock buggy/rock crawler pages, I got talked out of it.

Go to Facebook. Go to the Rock Buggies group. Search RCV. There is a post by me dated October 8, 2018. There are 154 comments. Make your own judgement.

There are tons of arguments both for and against. Many of the folks on that discussion are well known racers who beat their shit who tried RCV's and went back to u-joints. Some swear by RCV, others hate them. I guess if you want to build a bouncer, since they seem to be committed to RCV's and be popular with the bouncer people, you should go that route. But to say without a doubt that RCV's are better - that appears to be opinion based. It's interesting in that thread that it starts out VERY pro RCV. Then it seems to take a turn.

 

[COYOTE]

I broke an axle shaft a few years ago and yes, @feva4u was there. I was ready to pull the trigger on a set RCV's. The question was 4340 or 300m. After discussions on the rock buggy/rock crawler pages, I got talked out of it.

Go to Facebook. Go to the Rock Buggies group. Search RCV. There is a post by me dated October 8, 2018. There are 154 comments. Make your own judgement.

There are tons of arguments both for and against. Many of the folks on that discussion are well known racers who beat their shit who tried RCV's and went back to u-joints. Some swear by RCV, others hate them. I guess if you want to build a bouncer, since they seem to be committed to RCV's and be popular with the bouncer people, you should go that route. But to say without a doubt that RCV's are better - that appears to be opinion based. It's interesting in that thread that it starts out VERY pro RCV. Then it seems to take a turn.

I'll check out that page tonight.
My favorite feature of the RCV's is during a hard/sharp turn they eliminate the steering wheel jerking left/right/left/right with each rotation of the tire. I used to run the super joint and you are correct I never broke one, but did destroy a few stock outers (ears would give out). I have also damaged an RCV outer, the grizzly lockout gave up and damaged the outer. Fortunately both were warrantied and I was running by the weekend. Now if I'm at a park or Windrock I run drive flanges. FYI I run 42" stickies

 

[Plato2k5]

I never said I have the best shit. I said I have never broken a super joint (nor do I know anyone who has), rock crawlers don't like them and I can't see the justification for them. That. is. what. I. said.

Are you running the gold color ones? Seems there are a few different options now?

 

[whiterhino]

Are you running the gold color ones? Seems there are a few different options now?

I didn't know there are different color joints. The ones I had in my YJ were several years old when I sold it but they were the "whatever they are" style.
My buggy has Oversons. I think Yukon, Overson and CTM are pretty much the same.

 

[whiterhino]

I'll check out that page tonight.
My favorite feature of the RCV's is during a hard/sharp turn they eliminate the steering wheel jerking left/right/left/right with each rotation of the tire. I used to run the super joint and you are correct I never broke one, but did destroy a few stock outers (ears would give out). I have also damaged an RCV outer, the grizzly lockout gave up and damaged the outer. Fortunately both were warrantied and I was running by the weekend. Now if I'm at a park or Windrock I run drive flanges. FYI I run 42" stickies

I can see where the sharp turn with the oscillation of a ujoint can be an issue. For whatever reason the comp guys don't seem to care.

 

[Mr. Beefy]

Ive run RCVs for close to 10 years now. 100% takes away the feedback in the wheel while turning. I used my dad's buggy to pre run all the hammer trails this year its running super joints I have definitely grown accustomed to not having that backfeed from a ujoint. If his ever break they will be replaced with RCV. PS. I run my 40 spline big bells at 100+ mph and they love it

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[whiterhino]

Ive run RCVs for close to 10 years now. 100% takes away the feedback in the wheel while turning. I used my dad's buggy to pre run all the hammer trails this year its running super joints I have definitely grown accustomed to not having that backfeed from a ujoint. If his ever break they will be replaced with RCV. PS. I run my 40 spline big bells at 100+ mph and they love it

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

I can see where a full throttle assault with the tires turned will make a difference. Interesting that you noticed it when prerunning.

Like I said above, I was all in to go RCV and was surprised that there was enough dissent that it made me reconsider.

 

[feva4u]

Doesn't Jesse Haines run RCV's in all of his portal comp buggies? I mean, that's THE rock crawler right?

 

[whiterhino]

Doesn't Jesse Haines run RCV's in all of his portal comp buggies? I mean, that's THE rock crawler right?

I'd have to look. He's running portals all the time now so he wouldn't really need them for the strength with the portal gearing but I don't know.

I am not anti RCV. When I broke my stub shaft I was headed that way but the discussions led me to believe they aren't necessarily the holy grail that some think they are. Will I run them someday? Maybe, but since I'm now running Oversons and have 1 of 4 shafts as a Branik 300m and the others are Yukon soI don't see my self going that way soon.

 

[COYOTE]

[/QUOTE]

He may not need them, but they probably come with a check $$.