Just a Yoke
Q My Jeep needs a slip-yoke eliminator. Should I take it to a shop or try to do it myself? How hard of a job is it really?
A While I wouldn't recommend it for the novice wrench, if you can do a brake job or fix a broken front axle shaft in the field, I'd wager you could tackle a slip yoke eliminator install.
Really, the hardest part is getting the case halves separated. Most slip yoke eliminator kits include detailed directions, but here's a quick and dirty rundown just to give you an idea. Start by removing the front and rear driveshafts followed by the front and rear output yokes and the speedo cable or wires. Drain the fluid and then remove the bolts holding the tailshaft housing on. You'll need to take off some snap rings from the rear output shaft, then you can remove the output housing and remove the case half bolts. Then, gently yet firmly pry the case halves apart.
Grab the output and input shafts and move them to the bench, complete with the chain. Leave the Low range gearset and shifter in the case. Remove a couple snap rings and transfer the components from the mainshaft over to the replacement shaft. Then, stick it all back together and bolt it up. You've got to make sure the oil pump feed tube doesn't come off of the pump when you're putting everything back together.
Craptastic Axle!
Q I'm going to swap to a Ford 8.8/Ford 9-inch/etc. axle eventually, but until then what can I do to make my Dana 35 survive?
A Listen people. The Dana 35 is a turd. It just is. I mean, I can't polish it up any more than that. If you want to make it last off-road, then don't put a locker in it. With a locker, I've really seen them break behind a 2.5L running 31x10.50s. Leaving it with an open differential is one of the only things you can do that will stretch its life off-road.
I know I'll get a couple e-mails from readers telling me about how they've got ten seasons of hard use out of their locked Dana 35 on stock shafts and 35s. All I can say is you're lucky. My best advice is to leave it alone until you can afford to swap in a junkyard Ford 8.8 at the very least.
JK Axle Info
Q How's the JK Dana 44 axle holding up that you guys swapped in the TJ?
A To date, the owner of that Jeep has logged a couple hundred street miles and several hard off-road excursions without a blip. The gear setup done by Drivetrain Warehouse runs quiet and the contact pattern looked great when the axle was installed. The steering and track bar setup worked killer. The owner did install a factory Mopar wiring harness to connect the electronic locker to the dash switch, which wasn't available at the time that story went to press. It makes for a clean, weatherproof finish.
I did run into a slight machining problem with the Solid Axle Industries SpynTec hub conversion kit. It seems the spindles positioned the hub/rotor assembly in such a way as to make the front pads drag slightly. I made Solid aware of this and the company is working on a solution.
Which Winch
Q I'm ready to add a winch to the front of my Jeep. Should I pop the big dollars for a Warn or Ramsey, or go with one of the cheapie winches I see advertised online?
A There's something to be said for quality. And if you're hanging your entire Jeep's weight from a winch going up a waterfall the last thing you want to hear is cracking plastic and bending metal. If extreme wheeling is in your future, if you do long pulls through heavy terrain like mud, snow, or rocks, or if you plan on pulling vehicles larger than your own, then I'd say going with a big name winch is a wise investment.
If you only wheel occasionally and you're just looking to stick something on the front of your Jeep in the rare occurrence you get stuck, then by all means, cheap away.
Mileage Master
Q How can I eke a little more mileage out of my 4.0L?
A Believe it or not, you can usually make a 4.0L get mileage just as good, if not better than a 2.5L. Remember, you usually drive a 2.5L with your foot on the floor.
For starters, run a couple bottles of fuel injection cleaner through your fuel tank to rid your injectors of any deposits. Then, a cold air intake will really help flow at mid- and full-throttle and by itself can be worth 1-2 mpg. The stock 4.0L ignition doesn't need much help to light off the mixture, but it's still a good idea to check the cap, rotor, and plug condition and replace them if necessary. A good flowing after-cat exhaust and even a header will noticeable bump up the power and help with the mileage. Finally, if it's a Wrangler, consider replacing the factory fixed-blade fan with an electric Flex-A-Lite fan. On a stock Jeep with all of the modifications listed above you could see as much as a 3 mpg increase.
Not Psychic
Q What's the best lift kit for my Jeep?
A "Whichever damn one you want." Or at least, that's usually my first thought. Whether leaf spring, coil, simple, or full mambo, you owe it to yourself to do a little research. The Web is your friend. Virtually every manufacturer is marketing its suspensions on its web sites. Pick your lift height, then pick your budget, then do your research.
Start by comparing the components included in each manufacturer's systems. You're looking for steering corrections, dropped brake lines, methods of driveshaft angle alleviation, and so on. The one with the most complete kit is usually the winner. Once you narrow down your selection to just a couple, then shoot me an e-mail, post up to the Q&A section on jpmagazine.com, or even ask at your local off-road shop. I'm glad to help, but I'm not a mind reader. You've got to bring at least a little info to the table before I'll hazard a guess.
Over, Under
Q Spring-over or spring-under? Which is better?
A A couple years ago I was actually making fun of guys with spring-under suspension. Well, maybe not making fun. But I certainly didn't hold them in as high regard as guys running spring-over.
My tune has significantly changed. With all of the excellent spring packs made today, I can't really see much of a need to go spring-over unless you're trying to go total junkyard. It opens up a whole can of worms with regard to steering corrections and axle wrap issues. I'm fairly certain I've done my last spring-over conversion for at least the next decade.