sdr0303

I have a 2012 Rubicon and I've been meaning to strengthen the front end for a while now. I finally have some time and all of the parts together. I thought I would document the process and get feedback.

What I have planned:
- Axle sleeves - Nitro
- New ball joints - Synergy
- C gussets - Teraflex
- Axle Truss - Rockrawler
- New tie rod - Synergy
- Drag link flip and new drag link - Synergy
- New front driveshaft
- New differential covers front and rear - Solid

...and some odds and ends.

I started yesterday in my shop by putting the JK up on stands and getting the front axle torn down. I wanted to start with the sleeves since I needed to leave the axle on the Jeep in order to hammer the sleeves in. After they are in, I'll remove the axle completely to facilitate the other installs.

I went ahead and made my own Nitro sleeve driver from 6061 aluminum:



I started with a solid 6" plug and 3 hours of machining later, I had the perfect sleeve driver:


I took that and copied a tool I had seen on Youtube made of some simple square tube with a steel striker plate for the hammer:


The sleeves sat in my shop's freezer for a week so with a buddies help and about 10 minutes they went in perfectly:


Next up are the ball joints.

- S

sdr0303

Update on the build. I got sidetracked for a couple of weeks with work;

After I got the Nitro sleeves in, I removed the front axle (since I was going to adjust the caster anyways) and started to work on the Teraflex C-gussets:


Got everything welded in (taking my time):


Then I removed the factory trackbar bracket (PoS) to replace it with the Synergy one:


Steve

Offroad_Elements

Looks great! Slow and steady wins the race.

sdr0303

Then I started on the Rockrawler Axle Truss:


Finished putting in the Synergy trackbar bracket and the driver's side swaybar mount to work with the newly relocated one on the bracket:


Installed Synergy Control Arm skids and cleaned and painted:


Steve

sdr0303

How it sits now; got my Solid cover installed:


Tonight I tackle the Synergy ball joints, putting it back in the vehicle, adjusting my arm, and reassembly of the knuckles, axles, etc..

Steve

Gman*2007

Nice weld job, can't wait to see the finish product

v8zracer260z

Nice job looks great!

Jersey_Devil

Nice job! I'm definitely subscribed!

sdr0303

Thanks everyone. I hope to have it wrapped up this week.

Steve

5150cliff

Nice machining job on that sleeve driver. Looks like it cost a bit though. I would have assumed that with the freezing of the sleeves, they should have pretty much slid in with little effort or at worst, with a block of wood and a medium hammer. How easy did they go in by the way?