The Build of NABOO the Starfighter JK

Got 1 of 2 rod ends for my Currie tie rod in the mail. Not sure why they didn't ship together??
These things are huge!!!

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Also tested the rattle can yellow I got for the cage. Not sure I like it. Hard to see in the picture but isn't as close as I thought.

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So because of this I am possible doing something crazy.... current progress

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Got 1 of 2 rod ends for my Currie tie rod in the mail. Not sure why they didn't ship together??
These things are huge!!!

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Also tested the rattle can yellow I got for the cage. Not sure I like it. Hard to see in the picture but isn't as close as I thought.

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So because of this I am possible doing something crazy.... current progress

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Do red! Red with yellow cross bar?


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I know it's more expensive, but I'd strongly recommend powder coating your cage. Rattle can paint is going to chip and scratch and look like shit pretty quickly. Powder coating is going to be much more durable.


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I know it's more expensive, but I'd strongly recommend powder coating your cage. Rattle can paint is going to chip and scratch and look like shit pretty quickly. Powder coating is going to be much more durable.


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I can confirm this, well its lasted long for me actually since the first time it was painted it was real cold in my garage.
 
That red almost looks like a candy-apple-red. Me likes!!


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almost makes me want to take a bite of it!

I know it's more expensive, but I'd strongly recommend powder coating your cage. Rattle can paint is going to chip and scratch and look like shit pretty quickly. Powder coating is going to be much more durable.

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i really wish i could. but the budget says that is out of the question. and im not sure which color im sticking with.

I can confirm this, well its lasted long for me actually since the first time it was painted it was real cold in my garage.

i guess time will tell. hope it holds up for awhile.
 
If your track bar bolt is torqued properly, it shouldn't move at all. A 9/16" bolt is 14.3 mm, so just barely larger than the stock 14mm.

That upper control arm, the bushing has shifted out. Definitely replace that one, now would be a good time to get a set of aftermarket Johnny Joint adjustable arms if you're considering it.

As far as ball joints, spec allowed is .055 - .060 which is about 1/16" . Aren't the ball joints new?

the track bar is torqued properly. but it almost seems like the bolt and everything is holding fine its just the bushing that is flexing? :thinking: i still don't think this is normal movement? the new bolt is just for me to know there is even less space for movement.

I would really like to get EVO upper control arms. i will see if i can squeeze that in some how as today is pay day:wings: the ball joints came with the axle and i believe the axle had about 12,000 miiles on it so i would think these are still in great shape. i checked them a few days ago and i couldn't see any movement in the passenger side but the driver side i could see a little. not 1/16' of movement though.

Replacing the track bar bolt didn't do anything because unlike some choose to believe, it is never the problem. So long as your bolt is tightened to the proper torque spec, there is no need for a bigger bolt.

The driver side control arm bushing does look like it may be blown. I would pull it and replace if that can be confirmed.

1/4" of toe-in is a lot of toe but not enough that it'd lead to death wobble. Still, I would bring that closer to 1/16" as that is optimal.

While your ball joints should be fine, it wouldn't hurt to verify as much. If you have a dial indicator, it will be the best way to measure ball joint play. Here what you do:

1. From the axle, use a good floor jack to lift one of your tire off the ground. If you don't have a good floor jack, set your axle on a jack stand to hold it up securely in place.
2. From the side, place a long pry bar under the tire and have someone lift it up and down while you watch the lower ball joint for axial (up and down) movement. Any movement more than 0.050" is too much and would indicate that your ball joint is bad. Of course, if you can see this movement with your eyes, it's definitely bad.
3. Next, grab the tire at the 12 and 6 o'clock position and try to rock it back and forth while you have someone watch the upper joint for any movement. Any radial (side-to-side) movement more than 0.060" is too much. Again, if you can see the movement with your eyes and without any dial indicator, it's probably bad as well.

Thanks for the info Eddie! i am waiting for my new tie rod ends to get in before i adjust the toe so i don't need to pull the tie rod off more than once. the other one should be here today; and man these things are huge!

maybe i will get a dial indicator, much cheaper to verify they are in good condition then getting the rebuild kit and replacing perfectly good ball joints. however, here is a video i took doing step 2 of the instructions above. bad ball joints just from a visual?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd3oYQdMrUw
 
Finished part of the final cage instal. Think I'll leave the colors like this. Cage was harder to put back in than it was with the test fit before paint.

Undecided on the rest of the color now though because the yellow does match better than I originally thought.

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Finished part of the final cage instal. Think I'll leave the colors like this. Cage was harder to put back in than it was with the test fit before paint.

Undecided on the rest of the color now though because the yellow does match better than I originally thought.

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That yellow does look better than your tests. I don't think you can go wrong going with either color if you decided to pull and repaint one or the other.
If you do pull and repaint we can pull both ours out! Haha

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If you went yellow, we could be cage twinsies.

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seems like i will be painting the rest in Yellow. may just leave the driver side red though.

in other news i have a few other parts on order to help with my steering and DW. got new EVO upper control arms and a Currie tie rod.

have a date schedule at G-Dezzy's garage for this Thursday. list of action items to knock out:

Unit bearings
track bar
upper control arms
replace tie rod ends
adjust toe
set caster

this is the last hope before ill have to take it to a professional if i can't figure it out.

also got a dial indicator to check the ball joints.
 
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