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Mon Aug 17, 2009 6:35 am

They're finished and installed on the car. Have not finished the car yet though. I'm presently putting the steering brakes and suspension seats in. I also have a CJ5 and an Oliver crawler that I'm building/restoring too so I haven't got back to the Baja yet. (not to mention a honey-do remodel here and there also) :roll:

Pictures on page 4 of this thread

Wed Sep 09, 2009 5:22 am

Mine are finished too...should have them installed in a few weeks. I have located some 7.00 X 15 tires that i will run on all 4 corners. I have not yet figured out what to do about shocks. I am thinking of running the stock oil filled shocks , mounting location not yet determined.

Mon Dec 28, 2009 12:04 am

So have any of you been able to consider making kits for other folks? I'd like to do away with the barkyard engineered crap that's on my car, but the John Johnson kits are getting hard to find...

Mon Dec 28, 2009 3:00 pm

I have just recently purchased (In shipping) a set of NOS John Johnson No Hop's upright kit.

I had considered making a pattern but tweaking it just a little to make it a upright adjustable 45* laydown kit. I could then have them plazma cut to sell.

I was going to wait until I had mine modified and installed before offering to see if there was interest.

Mon Dec 28, 2009 4:04 pm

joescoolcustoms wrote: I have just recently purchased (In shipping) a set of NOS John Johnson No Hop's upright kit.

I had considered making a pattern but tweaking it just a little to make it a upright adjustable 45* laydown kit. I could then have them plazma cut to sell.

I was going to wait until I had mine modified and installed before offering to see if there was interest.

I haven't seen the lay down kit, but I assume it would need a different mounting plate on the box to keep the pivot point in the proper location. I would also suggest replacing the bushings with some sort of spherical bearing...........

Mon Dec 28, 2009 10:46 pm

The Laydown Kit:

Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:17 pm

OK, so I have seen the lay down kit. Apparently it differs greatly from the upright kit in that it doesn't use a torque rod or floating gearbox.........

While upright kit is more involved, I believe it's benefits are worth it. Are 45* kit with a torque rod might also be cool........

Not sure how much I like loading the box in a different direction than originally intended though.

Mon Dec 28, 2009 11:30 pm

I'm more interested in an upright or possibly the 45* indexable set up. I'd like to keep the ground clearance.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 7:07 am

bdkw1 wrote: joescoolcustoms wrote: I have just recently purchased (In shipping) a set of NOS John Johnson No Hop's upright kit.

I had considered making a pattern but tweaking it just a little to make it a upright adjustable 45* laydown kit. I could then have them plazma cut to sell.

I was going to wait until I had mine modified and installed before offering to see if there was interest.

I haven't seen the lay down kit, but I assume it would need a different mounting plate on the box to keep the pivot point in the proper location. I would also suggest replacing the bushings with some sort of spherical bearing...........

That is my idea. Make the lower strut rod out of DOM tubing with left and right threaded ends to use hiem joints instead of the urathene ends. The strut rod can then be trimmed in and used to align the RGB's.

Maybe not go all the way to 45*, or straight laydown, but I would like to go to 1 inch rearward of vertical, just to help the tires clear the torsion ends and fenders.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:53 am

joescoolcustoms wrote: That is my idea. Make the lower strut rod out of DOM tubing with left and right threaded ends to use hiem joints instead of the urathene ends. The strut rod can then be trimmed in and used to align the RGB's.

Maybe not go all the way to 45*, or straight laydown, but I would like to go to 1 inch rearward of vertical, just to help the tires clear the torsion ends and fenders.

I would not put RH/LH threads on it, they have a nasty habit of unscrewing at the worst time. Besides, how often do you need to adjust them after you set it up. The struts need to remain the same length between kits also, it's the mount on the box that would need to change to keep the pivot point in the same place.

Something welded on like these would work well and be a lot cheaper to produce than a hiemed strut.
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/263quot-Heavy-Duty-Ballistic-Joint_p_1226.html

Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:02 am

bdkw1 wrote: joescoolcustoms wrote: That is my idea. Make the lower strut rod out of DOM tubing with left and right threaded ends to use hiem joints instead of the urathene ends. The strut rod can then be trimmed in and used to align the RGB's.

Maybe not go all the way to 45*, or straight laydown, but I would like to go to 1 inch rearward of vertical, just to help the tires clear the torsion ends and fenders.

I would not put RH/LH threads on it, they have a nasty habit of unscrewing at the worst time. Besides, how often do you need to adjust them after you set it up. The struts need to remain the same length between kits also, it's the mount on the box that would need to change to keep the pivot point in the same place.

Something welded on like these would work well and be a lot cheaper to produce than a hiemed strut.
http://www.ballisticfabrication.com/263quot-Heavy-Duty-Ballistic-Joint_p_1226.html

I am not worried about coming loose with RH / LH threads. I raced useing suspension struts like these for 10 years without any problems running around 750 HP.

The front pivit point is the only one that needs to be fixed. The rear pivit point is variable already. An adjustable strut allows for the RGB to be slightly layed down rearward to change the instant center of this 4 link setup.

Thanks for that link! I will closely look at those Ballistic ends when the fabrication starts on the struts. At first glance, they look indestructable.

Tue Dec 29, 2009 12:41 pm

joescoolcustoms wrote: I am not worried about coming loose with RH / LH threads. I raced useing suspension struts like these for 10 years without any problems running around 750 HP.

Street or off road. On all our off road stuff, we have gone to RH/RH because of them loosening up. Tie rods, upper 4 link bars and sway bar arms.

When you price out the Ballistic joints versus a hiem, bung and misalignments, it gets even more attractive........ I'm actually running them on the fronts of My links right now as I had 2 laying around :lol: The other nice things are they rebuildable and adjustable for wear.......

Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:32 pm

I am getting close to taking my RGB's apart and pressing the axle tubes off the boxes. I will be installing the John Johnson kit on the RGB's.

Does anyone remember/know how much I need to machine off of the RGB box to accomidate the JJ Kit? I am comeing up with 1 1/2 inches per side, but that seams like too much.

Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:36 pm

joescoolcustoms wrote: I am getting close to taking my RGB's apart and pressing the axle tubes off the boxes. I will be installing the John Johnson kit on the RGB's.

Does anyone remember/know how much I need to machine off of the RGB box to accomidate the JJ Kit? I am comeing up with 1 1/2 inches per side, but that seams like too much.

My Bad. I re-measured and it is 5/8 inch, or 1 1/2 inch back from the RGB mounting surface.

Fri Jan 22, 2010 10:06 pm

forgive me for intejecting please, But I am curious (if you know) is there any difference in the parts, regarding the ring and pinion of a Gear reduction box, vs the rear engine ring? (Other than its on the different side)

Fri Jan 22, 2010 11:18 pm

STOICH wrote: forgive me for intejecting please, But I am curious (if you know) is there any difference in the parts, regarding the ring and pinion of a Gear reduction box, vs the rear engine ring? (Other than its on the different side)

Nothing at all different, just on the "wrong" side of the pinion. A dual side cover case is required to do this with.

I drag race a mid engine rail and all I do is flop the ring gear and hocus pocus, it now works backward.

Tue Apr 13, 2010 3:26 pm

i think I read somewhere that you have to use bus brakes w/ reduction boxes. is that true?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:06 pm

this is a great thread!
I'm going 2 be putting redux boxes on my baja soon
Anyone have a set they want to sell?

Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:09 pm

tanner_122 wrote: this is a great thread!
I'm going 2 be putting redux boxes on my baja soon
Anyone have a set they want to sell?

There's quite a few for sale in the classifieds.

Tue Apr 13, 2010 4:12 pm

baja5 wrote: tanner_122 wrote: this is a great thread!
I'm going 2 be putting redux boxes on my baja soon
Anyone have a set they want to sell?

There's quite a few for sale in the classifieds.

Really? I can never find them I check offroad parts every day..
Are there in a differnt place?