I put the pics of the IRS install in today.

 

EXCELLENT I love it!!!! You did an awesome job!

 

Thanks Truxx1956 It only took about 6 hours to do it. It wasn't as difficult as the front. After I found the mistake I made on the front ifs. After I fixed that the wheel base was easy to set and I just tacked the cross member in place. Today I sat the motor in place to see what it will look like. It's coming along pretty good.

 

Looks excellent good job

 

nice work.

 

I'm not real familiar with the Jag rear, does the axle act also as an upper control arm to keep the tire vertical? It looks as if you could mount air ride shockwaves very easily and be able to raise or LOWER your truck. Nice looking installation.

 

Take a look at Holmseys (from the UK) Jag IRS installation for some possible ideas and info on completing the IRS installation. He went thru a bit of trial and error to finish the installation. His is a 55 but the frame at the rear is the same width etc as our 49's.
His website below is really great with lots of pics and info. I have been following it along for several years. There are about twenty pages so take a few minutes and browse thru it. It is definitely worth the time.

http://www.uk-hotrods.co.uk/v2/garage_scene/me/page_1.php

 

Well 49willard Looks like I found out what to do about my radius bars. Would a 4 bar work the same way.

 

Rusty, I have not been down the Jag IRS road so I am not your best source. I think that I would try to duplicate the type of support that Jag originally had. I think that is what Holmsey has done. To set up a 4 bar arrangement would require fixed locations out toward the hub carrier on the Jag setup to get the parallel feature required for the 2 bars per side. Did you remove the original Jag radius bars? Where does the original forward end of the radius bar fall relative to the ford frame rails? My suspicion is that unfortunately it will fall outside the frame which is why Holmsey did it the way that he did. Establishing a communication with him may be very helpful. Contact me via a pm if you want his email address. He helped me out back when I needed a good Z joint.

 

Rusty,

A huge thumbs up!!!! Thats going to be one sweet truck!!

Looks like you are getting pretty danged comfy with that new welder...awesome!

Bobby

 

Thanks Bobby It's nice when things start to come together. I used my stick welder on all of this. I think the 110 mig is to small or I'm just not skilled enough to use it. It will be good on the body repairs I need to do. I hope.

 

Cool, Nice job, it looks good

Bobby

 

looks great! everybody loves progress pictures!
sorry i havent been following the build up more. what year Jag did you use for the suspension?

Mark

 

Thanks Mark for the kind words. The Jag was a 78 xj

 

Hi Guys, sorry don't get on here much so only just seen this thread. Looking good Rusty.

The tie bars (radius rods) were a compromise in the jag because of lack of space hence the big rubber bushes. If you do like a 4 bar the suspension will bind, they must be long ones as I have done that intersect with a line drawn through the inner pivot on the lower arm. Being independent they arc so would twist a 4 bar or radius rods made going straight forward.

I simply pushed some copper pipe through the inner lower bolt holes and where it intersected the radius rods bar that's where I did the front mounts.
Once fitted you should be able to lift the suspension each side without any bind.

Also the anti climb bars are very important to help support when you remove the cage, these are the bars that are solid and go up and out at 60degrees from the lower inner pivot to support the diff and stop it wanting to rotate and climb.
Also a plate under the diff is needed to to keep it all tied together, to replace the lower plate that bolts to the cage.

The ride quality is supposed to be worth the effort it takes to fit ... so I am told ;o) I sure hope so.

I am no expert but have had mucho advise from experts with mine, so if any one does need any advice just holla Cheers Guys Holmsey