14 bolt perch removal

[ChefBear]

I'm sure there are a 1000 ways to do this but this is what works for me. I don't have a torch, so I use a grinder, airhammer cold chisel and a 24 oz waffle face. I've had some extra practice lately...

With a wafer disk in the grinder I cut into the welds all the way around the perch. Once I'm fonfident that I've pretty much got most of it I do the corners a little deeper on one side and switch to an air hammer and a cold chisel. Alternate sides and beat on it till the other chisel falls out. Soon you will be rewarded with a thin crack that opens up all the way around. At that point you just whack it with the waffle face and then clean up with the grinder. Today I did 36 grit instead of the wheel and it seemed to remove material as fast and left a better surface.

First time i did it it was a frustrating hour and a half, now I can get one side in about 15-20 minutes.

 

[Greg72]

Duck Fat Sally brings us some tech!!


Your photos bring back memories...that's about the only way to do it. I remember using a cutoff wheel too, and trying hard not to gouge into the axletube as I worked. At the end, dressing the debris on the tubes makes them satisfyingly smooth and new looking.

Of course it should go without saying: Measure about 3 times with the new perches BEFORE doing any final welding or you'll get even more practice. I'd maybe put a strong tack-weld in the four corners at the base of the new perches, then bolt everything up and make sure the pinion angle as well as the pad spacing was perfect. Only THEN would I commit to burning the new ones all the way around.

Did you decide to stay with a drum brake setup for the time being?

 

[Yukon Jack]

I spent a little time grinding on mine, then decide to heck with that. Loaded it in a trailer and ran over to a buddy with a plasma cutter. He sliced them off for me - can't beat a plasma cutter if you have access to one.

 

[bp71k5]

If it helps any get a magnetic angle finder before you're setting up the pinion angle and use it to get the spring mounting surface at the same angle on both sides.

My friendly reminder is to remember that if (for example) after you measure one side of the axle and set the perch to +3 degrees, and then go to the other side of the axle, the angle finder should read -3 degrees since you're now facing 180 degrees from the other side.

That tip will save some grinding.

 

[odin]

The first set I did I used Oxy/Ace and burned straight through the housing


Hey I was only 18 and had at least that many beers in me

 

[ChefBear]

Thank you thank you

I had to focus pretty hard for that little piece of tech! 8 days no smokes, make my AD/HD flourish.

I have no idea what I'm doing about the driveline, or brakes.

1) keep the drums and get local cheap shafts made...
2) DIY disk kit and Caddy calipers
3) HAD shafts and e-brake
4) Wilwood has a new caliper out with e-brake maybe on DIY brakets with some new DIY shafts too?

I'm gonna go call Kert.

 

[bp71k5]

Don't weld anything until you have your driveshaft mounted up. The pinion angle is different depending on whether you use a CV or standard shaft.

 

[AJs72K5]

Funny this should come up. I was just cutting mine off this weekend. I've got a new set coming from Kert. I needed to reset my pinion angle since I'm running a CV in the rear now. Mine didn't come off anywhere near as clean looking as ChefBear's did. I used a grinder, cold chisel and a 2 lb sledge.

Now I'm just waiting for the new ones to show up...

 

[70jimmy]

Yep clean everything up set the new perches on and bolt everything up and check angles several times then tack good.

Then I pulled apart so I could get on all sides of new perches.

 

[69TowRig]

I have a buddy with a YJ that forgot to do the complete welds after setting his perches and one day they both popped off and he got stuck in the middle of the street. Not very kewl.