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One more 1 ton TJ

25K views 171 replies 33 participants last post by  jeepinty 
#1 · (Edited)
Figured I could use one more thread to keep up with. If it looks like I cut and pasted this from another site I have up to the point where I am now. I will keep it updated as I go. Just hoping to get a few ideas or opinions from as many different sources as possible. Thanks for looking.


Background:

I bought the TJ new in 2002 and immediately began wheeling it on a newly wed, full time college student budget, ie...no money. It ended up with a thrown together, half assed 4inch lift and 35 inch tires. I wheeled it for a while and realized I was tearing it up too fast and broke down and bought a wrecked but wheelable 1998 TJ which I eventually backhalved. The 2002 TJ was retired to basically DD duty where it served me well for years. Eventually I sold the 1998 TJ to buy a 4 wheeler (regret) and over the last or so I've began to slowly wheel the 2002 again.

Finally, last summer I graduated college after going on and off for several years and earlier this year landed a good job. That leaves me with more money and a better schedule for making wheeling trips. Not that I am rolling in dough but I finally have a little extra money (between the kid and a pregnant wife who really wants to build a new house) to where I finally decided I was tired of being the smallest jeep at every run. Also, after purchasing my wife a new to us Tahoe I took "ownership" of our 2008 Chevy truck as a DD and now the jeep is merely an offroad and weekend toy.


Before the build:

Jeep: 2002 TJ Sport

Engine: 4.0

Trans: Stock auto (3pd)

Xfer: NP 231 w/ SS SYE

Front: D30, 3.73, Lockright

Rear: D44, 3.73, Trackloc

Lift: 4" RC

Shocks: 4" RC

Tires/Wheels: 35" KM2s, 15x8 American Eagle

Battery: Exide Orbital

Armor: Sun Performance rockers






Plans:

Engine: 4.0 (upgrade intake)

Trans: Stock auto (3pd)

Xfer: NP 231 w/ SS SYE (Atlas upgrade next season)

Front: CUCV D60, 4.56, Detroit, swapped long/short side

Rear: CUCV 14b, 4.56, Detroit, disc brake swap

Lift: 4" RC front coils, undecided rear coils, 10-12" stretch

Arms: Custom 3/4 link, 1.75" .120 uppers and 2.0 .250 lowers all DOM
w/Johnny Joints at all ends

Shocks: undecided, maybe Poly BBCS or Bilstein

Tires/Wheels: 40" MTRs new style/stock H2 hummer wheels

Armor: Genright Stretch Corners, Genright Mini-boatside Rockers, WRF tube
fenders w/new inner fender

Battery: Optima

Cage: Undecided, through the dash full cage

Fuel tank: RCI cell, KORE ring (probably getting sunk into floor)

Steering: 1.5 .250 DOM, 3/4" Chromo heims, ******* Ram Hydro Assist



I found a decent deal on a running CUCV military truck. The plan was to buy the truck, beat it until the engine, tranny, xfer case crapped out then part it out and keep the axles. Unfortunately when it came time to pick it up it wouldn't fit on my trailer so I made a deal for just the axles. OMFG, a fully decked 14b weighs A LOT! My back was jacked for weeks.




Tear down was.......interesting. There weren't many miles on them but they were hard miles. I was praying I wouldn't have to change the king pins themselves after hearing horror stories. Turns out they are usable, I will be changing everything but the actual kingpin.











 
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#2 · (Edited)
D30 shaft vs D60 30/35 spline shafts






One problem was the front differential was on the wrong side. I originally planned on trying to run it on the passenger side with a flipped D300 but changed my mind after hearing horror stories about setting them up. So, we did this.












Drivers side drop Chevy D60




Axles cleaned up and on rolling stands




Scored 40" MTRs and a set of H2 wheels




Kore rear brackets, using ballistic coil buckets




Time to shave a 14b







By this time I had used a ridiculous amount of sawsall blades all over the jeep.

 
#3 · (Edited)
Rear disc brakes




Reassembled minus shafts




Random shots of the rear suspension coming together. I didn't have a plan per say other than to stretch the rear 10-11". My original plan was to notch the frame rearward to accomodate a new coil bucket. I briefly thought about backhalving the entire frame for a new 2x4 frame but figured I could always do that later if needed.















 
#4 · (Edited)
Used PVC to mock up the control arms before cutting. At $18/ft or whatever I didn't feel like screwing up a length of 2.0 .250 DOM










Full stuff












Sitting on its own






Corners, still need to trim/clean fenders






Out with the old, in with the new






And that's where I am now. Waiting on my knuckles to be sand blasted so I can start putting the D60 back together and working on the front suspension. I still need to pull the rear out for final welding/cleaning/painting but it shouldn't take more than a day when I do. Tons of little details left to sort and do but I'm taking it as it comes. I had hoped it to me done by now but we had some setbacks and things come up but it's back on track now and I try to work on it at least a few days a week.

I work a 12hr rotating shift days and nights so my schedule is wierd but I work when I can. Here is a little list I put together to keep me on track.

 
#5 ·
Between work and the holiday weekend with the family I haven't really been able to mess with the jeep. Got another week off starting end of next week so I plan on doing as much as I can then since the baby will be here in about a month. Most of the stuff I have been able to do is just small, easy stuff that I can do without leaving the pregnant wife with a 3 year old bouncing off the walls for long.
I did get my front brackets and diff cover in and I had the knuckles on the Dana 60 media blasted and painted. I started marking the front end under the jeep but I need to read up a little before I start burning stuff in. What caster angle am I looking for on the front? I am seeing + 4-6 deg. in most places. I realize I can adjust it once the arms are installed but I would like to get it as close as possible without adjusting the arms.
Anyways, here are a few pics for everyone. Nothing special but better than nothing.

Ballistic brackets in a pile.


A few tack welds later.




One primer, one paint. They are both drying now in the driveway.


Diff cover, I was a little disappointed in this. I ordered the welded one since they "machine" them afterwards to ensure a fit. They welded the cover but it looks like they let a 4 year old after it with a grinder to try and clean up the welds. They are halfway ground down with a lot of griding scars on the cover. Honestly it doesn't bother me enough to make a stink of it but I can see where someone that was building a decent looking rig wouldn't want this on their 14b.


Just primer in this pic. The actual black paint is drying in the driveway now.
 
#6 ·
Well decided to start mocking the axle up without assembling it first to save my back. I'll put it back together once I get everything tacked in so I can cycle the suspensing with tires. One thing holding me up is I want to build a truss for the front like the rear out of 3/8" thick 3" wide flat bar. I don't really care to weld the UCA mount to the housing but I need to track down the metal to build this first.

It took forever to weld up the front brackets tonight after I modified one for fitting over the tube sleeve on the driver side. I managed to get them tacked on the housing in the correct (I hope) spots before it got too dark. Coil buckets at 0 deg and knuckles right at 6 deg. Here are some pics of the little bit of work I got done today.


Modded to fit coil bucket






Enought heat?







The welds turned out ok but I was getting a little more splatter than I expected. It was pretty breezy outside, think that was the cause?












Randoms of mocking them up.















 
#7 ·
Well I wasn't sure things could go any slower but with my wife about to pop and work getting busier they apparently can.
I didn't really get anything done this week except start the bridge/truss, rotate the coil buckets and put the outers back on . Between Dr. visits and other family stuff I have been stretched lately. Maybe after the baby is born in a week or two I will have some more free time........right......:(




 
#12 ·
Agreed, who the hell would cut up a good CUCV axle then go as far as putting it under a damn jeep?:toast:

Looks great
Thanks bud.

Nice work bro.... keep the pics coming man. =0)
Thanks a lot. Unfortunately that's as far as I am now. With the baby due any day now, it's going to be hectic for a little while.
 
#17 ·
I was worried at first too. I had Don (Dirty Ole Man) help me with it, this is the 3rd or 4th one he has done. Ask Stouttrout how well his has held up, I believe he is on 42s now with a Hemi.

If I break it, I'll build something else.


Looks like a nice build. I love those 40" Kevlars. Damn good looking tires.
Thanks, I was really looking for Krawlers but apparently they are made of freaking platinum or something. Even bald and full of freaking cracks. I kinda fell into these and got a really good deal from an old buddy.

Very nice build!!!
Digging the old skool tube chop on the front axle. Not many people do that anymore.
Thanks guys.
 
#21 ·
Updates

Well I got a little work done on the jeep today. Ran into a few obstacles but pushing forward in hopes that everything will work out. I'm still a long way from done but think I knocked a decent chunk out of it today.

Here is a bunch of pics......


The upper CA mount was an issue. Basically I decided to go with it and see if it hit the DS during travel (more on that later). The brackets are stand alone units from KORE but I did a little custom work and made them a single bracket.






After running the paper thin stock drag link/tie rod for years I think this going to hold up. All steering links and track bar is 1.5" .250w DOM

 
#26 ·
(update: I've ordered and recieved Genright 3 link brackets to replace the ones I had, they are not pictured in the following)

Problems, or maybe not problems but things that are bugging me.

With the new coil buckets from Ballistic being completely flat and the coil springs at the bottom not being it wants to kick the coil out and make it bow. Does anyone know if someone makes a urethane or perhaps aluminum seat for jeep coil springs that is made for the bottome of a regular coils spring like the original lower coil bucket in on the TJ?

Its not a huge problem but it does make the coil rub the front of the mount and is probably going to drive me nuts.




Also, the front CA mount at the frame hangs down a little lower than I thought it would. It doesn't look like much difference now but once I put a lower profile skid on it I think it will look really odd. Choices? Screw it and run with it or pony up for the Genright or Poly front brackets which look a little lower profile. I just don't want to do this and then regret it and be forced to grind these shits off later to replace.




I couldn't help throwing a front tire up agains the knuckle. Definately looks like I am going to be going hiline on the hood. I don't want it any taller than this but there isn't much uptravel going on here. 40s and 4" springs



and finally......exactly where I wanted it.

 
#27 ·
Well despite not knowing how to fully assemble the hubs I was able to get it mounted enough to bolt the tires on and check the wheelbase and ride height. 105" and sitting about an inch high in the back still. I have a few 1" spacers I can throw in the front since the rear is low enough already for now. The rear looks higher in the pics than it is, just the angle.

I ordered the Genright 3 link front brackets to replace the ones I have now so I still have to double check the fitment on those but when they come it I will be ready to tear everything apart and do final welding. Until then here are a few pics, its hard to get a decent shot in my tiny 2 car garage with crappy lighting but this will have to do.









 
#28 ·
Got my brackets a while ago, now I get to mock them up, build my drag link and start tearing it all apart for welding. Just to show you how the quality is on the Genright parts here are a few pics. Nice people to deal with and awesome parts. Worth the money. (PS, not my welds, came from Genright like this)















 
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