A YJ with an LS on Coilovers & Spidertrax Axles

[Fouledplugs]

Big Spidertrax brakes. Pure sexiness.

Spidertrax 6.5 inch billet aluminum brake hat and the Spidertrax 14 inch solid rotor mocked up.

14" Ultimate Rotor (For 6-1/2" BC Hat)

www.spidertrax.com

8 Lug Hat

www.spidertrax.com

 

[Fouledplugs]

The forged Wilwood Dynalite caliper is incredibly light. I was shocked.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Detailed Spidertrax rear brake mock up.

• 14 inch Spidertrax solid rotors
• 6.5” billet aluminum rotor hats drilled for Spidertrax 8 lug unit bearings
• Spidertrax double sheer 5.45” lug caliper mounts
• Wilwood forged 4 piston dynalite calipers (Wilwood 120-6818)

Spidertrax 6.5” brake hats that accept their 14 inch rotors. Each Spidertrax rotor hat weighs in just a hair over 1lb.

The billet hats are drilled for the Spidertrax 6 and 8 lug unit bearings. I am confident they would fit any one ton unit bearing that is built with 6 or 8 on 6.5 inch lug patterns. Which are popular Ultra 4, trophy truck, and desert pre-runner lug patterns. 6 on 6.5” being uber popular these days for most race teams.

The Spidertrax rotors are 14” in diameter and measure 3/8” thick. Having a 14” diameter rotor will require me to run a 17” wheel to make everything fit. It isn't a problem, IMO, a big tire with a 17” rim looks more proportionate than say, a 33” tire on a 17” rim.

Assembly of the rotors and hats requires a long hex bit socket or a long hex key. I was unable to use my standard short hex socket, as the diameter of the 3/8” drive socket interferes with the relief that is machined on the hat for hardware access. I am using Snap-on 3/8” drive sockets, other brands may not cause issue...

Fully assembled hat and rotor for mock up.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Left rear and right rear rotors with hats mocked up and on the Spidertrax unit bearings. It provides a very clean look.

I will get parts on scales later. I am curious as to the overall weight of a Spidertrax axle in comparison to a junkyard Dana 60, Dana/Spicer crate 60, and a Rockjock 60.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Completed mocked up axle minus the calipers and caliper mounts.

Waiting on a shop out in California to release their 9/16” machined zinc coated lug nuts. If ARP carries some, Ill prob just go with them if they meet the wheel specs. Once I have lug nuts, the caliper mounts can be welded up for double sheer and bolted on.

 

[Chris]

That thing looks so friggin' nice I'm not sure I'd want to wheel with it. I think I want to just stare at it unscathed!

Oh, and why an 8-bolt lug pattern?

 

[Fouledplugs]

Oh, and why an 8-bolt lug pattern?

To match a front one ton Dana 60. I do like the 6x6.5 trophy truck/Ultra4 bolt patterns too.

 

[Fouledplugs]

The last thing I need to do to the axle before Sliding it under the Jeep and mocking it up for spring pads and shock mounts is address the fill plug mistake I made.

Purchased some Spidertrax fill caps and bungs to move the fill cap.

Trying to eyeball a new location for the fill which will help keep it out of the rocks.

Mock up:

Looking back, I shouldn't have ordered the housing with the fill bung and cap welded in. It can be ordered with or without the weld in bung. But they will only weld it in the location in which mine is located.

My issue is with the placement. While it may be a non-issue, I would like to do what I can in an effort to be proactive in protecting it from damage while in the rocks.

My options as I see it; examples provided.

Weld up a skid for it...

OR


Cut it out, weld in a rosette “plug” or plug weld. (Doubtful it will work)

 

[erikmuntz]

Definitely going to be keeping a close eye on this one. Excited to see the process you take to get that engine mounted. Looks great so far!

 

[Fouledplugs]

Build is on pause for half a year. Im working in the middle east for a while.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Definitely going to be keeping a close eye on this one. Excited to see the process you take to get that engine mounted. Looks great so far!

Thanks. Im super excited to get back to it in the months ahead. I was hoping to have it done sooner, but work calls me to travel.

I will dig into pushing the engine over to the left just an inch to make room for my driveshaft. The front axle will be a high pinion 60 and driver side drop. Worried about trans pan/front driveshaft clearance.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Saudi Arabia, my home for the next few months.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Parts buying is back on. I’m back from the Middle East and driven to get this project off the ground again.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Ordered some Earls Performance weldable steel AN fittings and they sent me a fuel pressure gauge...Going to have to wait for the right part to ship soon.

Earl's 967108ERL Earl's -8 AN Male Weld Fitting

Mild Steel Construction. Ideal for Modifying or Making Custom Tanks and Other Components.

www.holley.com

I originally ordered a weldable steel AN fitting from Camburg Axles because they sourced their AN fittings from a company that built their AN fittings in the USA. Upon delivery, the AN fittings I received were stamped, "China," on them, so they refunded me the money. They did so based on the fact that in their description on their website stated that they were made in the USA. They said they would omit that they were made in the USA from their website in the future.

Camburg Axle Housing Vent Kit | Camburg Engineering

These are the steel male AN fittings we weld onto our housing for the vent, they can be MIG or TIG welded. We typically use the -8 size for 3.50 housings and

camburg.com

Earls Performance builds their AN fittings here in the USA. I will be using these fittings to build an axle vent system for my Spidertrax rear axle. Cloning what Camburg Axles as well as Jimmys4x4 does on all their rear axle builds. They use a -8AN for their 3.5 inch axle tube axles and a -10 for their 4.0 inch tube axles. I ordered a -8 AN steel male fitting.

 

[Chris]

That's a hell of a nice looking setup, truly drool worthy.

Can't wait to see photos of the finished result.

 

[Fouledplugs]

The Earls US made -8 AN fitting was delivered Sunday. I took some interesting comparison photos. The Chinese made -8 AN fitting doesn't seem to have the same amount of thread engagement when compared to the US made fitting. The Chinese fitting has a shoulder inside the fitting that makes the passage way more narrow. I'll be honest and admit I know very little about AN fittings, but it seems the Earl's Performance AN fitting is of higher quality. Both are steel and weldable. Glad I went with the Earls and will be using Earls fittings and tubing to complete the axle breather vent tube setup.

 

[Fouledplugs]

The MaximumTranmission built 4L80E has been uncrated and is ready for mock up.

4L80 Standard Case Builds – ULTRA4 / PreRunner / Crawlers – Maximum Transmissions

 

[Fouledplugs]

About a year ago I purchased a used YJ Genright stretch tank. However, it came with the steel skid. It's strong but heavy with the skid being steel.

A few weeks ago as I was heading back to the United Stated from the Middle East, I saw that Genright was parting out their YJ, "Growler," build. So I picked up the Growler's Stretched aluminum corners and Tony's stretch Tank with an aluminum skid. The weight difference is substanial with the aluminum skid. I'll get weight differences in a few weeks.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Spent some time today cutting out the old 2.5L engine mounts.

 

[Fouledplugs]

I still have a few more mounts to cut out to include the factory track bar frame mounts, both frame shock mounts for the front end, and the sway bar frame mounts.