Hey everybody,
Been lurking forever but finally joining the ranks and sharing my build thread.
Started as a new to me 04 LJ with 90k miles and a fair bit done to it already.
2004 Jeep TJ Unlimited LJ 4.0L
42rle Auto
Suspension: 4” Rubicon Express Short Arm w/ Super Flex Joints, 2.0 Tuned Fox Shocks 1” body lift w/ complete teraflex tummy tuck
Wheels/Tires: 37” BFG KM3s on Battle Born Beadlocks Wheels
Front Axle: Dana 44, RCV 30 Spline shafts, G2 4.88 R&P, G2 axle seals, ARB Air Locker, Dynatrac Diff Cover, Artec Truss, Artec Gussets, Artec trackbar bracket, Artec Control arm brackets, Currie Jonny Joints.
Rear Axle: Dana 44, G2 Chromoly axle shafts, G2 4.88 R&P, ARB Air Locker, ARB diff cover
Steering: Stock box, Currie correctlync, Currie track bars. Currie Antirock Off-road Swaybar.
Transfer Case: NP231 w/ SYE, Advanced Adapters Rubicrawler Kit (9:1), Spicer drive shafts, all new spicer U-joints.
Armor: Warn Rock Crawler Front Bumper, Warn Rock Crawler Rear Bumper w/ Tire Carrier, Rock Hard 4x4 Sliders, Tera Flex Skid Plate, Smitty XRC front and rear fenders.
Misc: Warn 10s Zeon Winch, Rigid Trucklite LED Headlights. Viair compressor with 2.5 gallon tank w/ quick connect at bumper.
I bought it with a plan in mind to do a Hemi Swap right off the bat. Initially, I had also considered swapping it to a manual in the process, but ultimately decided to stick with the automatic after a whole lot of research and internal debate.
First order of business was correcting some of the current issues.
Rear Warn Bumper was shot and shitty, replaced with an extra smittybilt I had at the house temporarily. Looking to throw something different on there at the end of the day, but this will do for now.
The flush tail lights were a total hatchet job. Previous owner admitted he probably had a few too many beers when he took the saw to the tub..,cleaned up the body, painted over the cuts and scrapes, and added corner armor. Ordered a set of LED tail lights to go in.
The front fenders were a bit of a hack job install too. You can't see from the outside, but the original fender cuts were...let's just say not done well or cleanly... The first time I popped the hood I was disgusted, so promptly ordered a set of Metalcloak aluminum arch fenders and 6" flares to be installed when I pulled everything for the motor swap.
The cluster had the "888888" odometer symptom going on. The trip odometers worked fine, the 888,888 came up when you tried to see overall mileage. Initially, I sent the cluster out to Brian's Speedometer Repair, but honestly he was not very helpful. On his end he couldn't get the cluster to show anything or light up, which is odd since I could get it to do everything when plugged into the jeep, both before I sent it and after he returned it to me. Eventually I gave up on this, asked him to ship it back to me and got a replacement cluster instead off ebay. Problem solved.
The brakes were still OEM front and back. They had a hard enough time slowing down the 37" tire, add the rubicrawler box in low to the mix and it literally drove right through the brakes. Added 16" Black Magic kit to the front to help slow this beast down.
The wiring for all the "extra" stuff (lights, lockers etc) was a hodge-podge of various standalone harnesses. I went through and stripped out all the misc harnesses, which I'm going to replace with an SPOD setup to clean up installation. I'm pretty sure I pulled out 8 different standalone harnesses when it was all said and done, 2 air compressors, and some harnesses that went to nowhere.
Air system was a combination of a Viair 450C and an ARB high output compressor. I'm simplifying this whole system down to a 2.5 gal aluminum tank and a smaller Viair 420c compressor. I'll run the ARB lockers in the axles off the tank to a manifold where I have a regulator and both the solenoids. Should free up some space under the hood and make things simpler.
Front axle still had a stock rubicon carrier that wasn't working. Knowing I was going to swap a Hemi, I went for an upgrade. Bought an 00 TJ out of PDX (the trip to and from is a whole other COVID filled adventure for another time...) that had a new Core 44 front axle and a decent rear Rockjock 60 axle. Did a little swappy swap. Said TJ was promptly flipped with a donor 35/30 axle combo I scored off craigslist.
Donor TJ:
Droppin and Swappin...
Finished Axle Swap:
While the axles were being swapped, I took the liberty of keeping the RCV axles up front...because why not.
One thing that I noticed after the axle swap was how little clearance I had between the OEM gas tank skid and the rear axle housing of the rockjock 60, I mean literally less than 3/8". I went ahead and ordered a Savvy gas tank skid, which I'll install in the "high" position to open up some room. The previous jeep had a similar issue, which explains the rash on the bolt heads of the cover! I'll install all this when the new pump/fuel line assembly comes in so I don't have to drop this thing twice.
No clearance! Rash!
While all this was going on, I had kept my eyes on the local Craigslist to find a Hemi donor. The classified gods had their eye on me when I found a listing for a rolled 06 Ram in Sierraville (about 2 hours away) that was being parted out...212k miles, running, driving, just...you know...crunched.
Safe to say I jumped all over that. A little negotiating and I had the engine, transmission, and whatever else secured for $700. One early Sunday I drove my happy ass over and got the donor pulled with the help of the original owner.
Been lurking forever but finally joining the ranks and sharing my build thread.
Started as a new to me 04 LJ with 90k miles and a fair bit done to it already.
2004 Jeep TJ Unlimited LJ 4.0L
42rle Auto
Suspension: 4” Rubicon Express Short Arm w/ Super Flex Joints, 2.0 Tuned Fox Shocks 1” body lift w/ complete teraflex tummy tuck
Wheels/Tires: 37” BFG KM3s on Battle Born Beadlocks Wheels
Front Axle: Dana 44, RCV 30 Spline shafts, G2 4.88 R&P, G2 axle seals, ARB Air Locker, Dynatrac Diff Cover, Artec Truss, Artec Gussets, Artec trackbar bracket, Artec Control arm brackets, Currie Jonny Joints.
Rear Axle: Dana 44, G2 Chromoly axle shafts, G2 4.88 R&P, ARB Air Locker, ARB diff cover
Steering: Stock box, Currie correctlync, Currie track bars. Currie Antirock Off-road Swaybar.
Transfer Case: NP231 w/ SYE, Advanced Adapters Rubicrawler Kit (9:1), Spicer drive shafts, all new spicer U-joints.
Armor: Warn Rock Crawler Front Bumper, Warn Rock Crawler Rear Bumper w/ Tire Carrier, Rock Hard 4x4 Sliders, Tera Flex Skid Plate, Smitty XRC front and rear fenders.
Misc: Warn 10s Zeon Winch, Rigid Trucklite LED Headlights. Viair compressor with 2.5 gallon tank w/ quick connect at bumper.
I bought it with a plan in mind to do a Hemi Swap right off the bat. Initially, I had also considered swapping it to a manual in the process, but ultimately decided to stick with the automatic after a whole lot of research and internal debate.
First order of business was correcting some of the current issues.
Rear Warn Bumper was shot and shitty, replaced with an extra smittybilt I had at the house temporarily. Looking to throw something different on there at the end of the day, but this will do for now.
The flush tail lights were a total hatchet job. Previous owner admitted he probably had a few too many beers when he took the saw to the tub..,cleaned up the body, painted over the cuts and scrapes, and added corner armor. Ordered a set of LED tail lights to go in.
The front fenders were a bit of a hack job install too. You can't see from the outside, but the original fender cuts were...let's just say not done well or cleanly... The first time I popped the hood I was disgusted, so promptly ordered a set of Metalcloak aluminum arch fenders and 6" flares to be installed when I pulled everything for the motor swap.
The cluster had the "888888" odometer symptom going on. The trip odometers worked fine, the 888,888 came up when you tried to see overall mileage. Initially, I sent the cluster out to Brian's Speedometer Repair, but honestly he was not very helpful. On his end he couldn't get the cluster to show anything or light up, which is odd since I could get it to do everything when plugged into the jeep, both before I sent it and after he returned it to me. Eventually I gave up on this, asked him to ship it back to me and got a replacement cluster instead off ebay. Problem solved.
The brakes were still OEM front and back. They had a hard enough time slowing down the 37" tire, add the rubicrawler box in low to the mix and it literally drove right through the brakes. Added 16" Black Magic kit to the front to help slow this beast down.
The wiring for all the "extra" stuff (lights, lockers etc) was a hodge-podge of various standalone harnesses. I went through and stripped out all the misc harnesses, which I'm going to replace with an SPOD setup to clean up installation. I'm pretty sure I pulled out 8 different standalone harnesses when it was all said and done, 2 air compressors, and some harnesses that went to nowhere.
Air system was a combination of a Viair 450C and an ARB high output compressor. I'm simplifying this whole system down to a 2.5 gal aluminum tank and a smaller Viair 420c compressor. I'll run the ARB lockers in the axles off the tank to a manifold where I have a regulator and both the solenoids. Should free up some space under the hood and make things simpler.
Front axle still had a stock rubicon carrier that wasn't working. Knowing I was going to swap a Hemi, I went for an upgrade. Bought an 00 TJ out of PDX (the trip to and from is a whole other COVID filled adventure for another time...) that had a new Core 44 front axle and a decent rear Rockjock 60 axle. Did a little swappy swap. Said TJ was promptly flipped with a donor 35/30 axle combo I scored off craigslist.
Donor TJ:
Droppin and Swappin...
Finished Axle Swap:
While the axles were being swapped, I took the liberty of keeping the RCV axles up front...because why not.
One thing that I noticed after the axle swap was how little clearance I had between the OEM gas tank skid and the rear axle housing of the rockjock 60, I mean literally less than 3/8". I went ahead and ordered a Savvy gas tank skid, which I'll install in the "high" position to open up some room. The previous jeep had a similar issue, which explains the rash on the bolt heads of the cover! I'll install all this when the new pump/fuel line assembly comes in so I don't have to drop this thing twice.
No clearance! Rash!
While all this was going on, I had kept my eyes on the local Craigslist to find a Hemi donor. The classified gods had their eye on me when I found a listing for a rolled 06 Ram in Sierraville (about 2 hours away) that was being parted out...212k miles, running, driving, just...you know...crunched.
Safe to say I jumped all over that. A little negotiating and I had the engine, transmission, and whatever else secured for $700. One early Sunday I drove my happy ass over and got the donor pulled with the help of the original owner.
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