'00 TJ build thread

A

AlaskanRedneck

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Joined
Apr 26, 2018
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14
Location
Indiana
A few months ago I bought a '00 TJ that needed a new frame, so naturally since I have to take everything off the frame anyway I decided to start modifying it. The main things I'm installing are a 2.5" suspension lift, new rims, and 31" tires. The tub is in fairly good shape with the only rotted spots being the rear driver's side floor, the rear right corner, and a couple body mounts.
Lifting the body off the frame; I should've seen this coming, but the front is way heavier than the back with the dash and hood still installed:
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Body on jack stands:
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Chassis rolled out:
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Cut out the rust on the corner and the body mount nut that was welded in here (this was one of 2 body mount bolts that sheared off):
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Cut out the rust from the rear floor pan:
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Tacked in the patch:
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Patch fully welded:
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Ground down the part of the weld that won't be covered by seam sealer:
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I need to build a proper cart for my welder..
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My taillight wiring, courtesy of the previous owner:
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This explains why the wipers don't work. This thing had a rubber boot on it, which seems to have trapped water rather than repelled it:
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I built a cart so I can roll the body out of the garage to work on the frame:
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Rolled the frame into the garage:
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That was a little over a week of work to get to this point. In hindsight I should have taken a "before" picture, but oh well. I also discovered that the PO removed the 3rd cat and welded in a piece of pipe, so my entire exhaust is one piece from where it bolts to the manifold to the tailpipe. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure it's supposed to unbolt at the 3rd cat right? My plan is to try to get the old frame stripped this week. Anyone have a recommendation for lift points on the 4.0?

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Drove 6 hours and picked up a new frame and skidplate today, it has a little bit of surface rust, but no rot and I couldn't even find any pitting. I used a borescope to check the inside of the frame, no rust there. I'll wire wheel the surface rust and paint the outside, and clean and paint the inside.
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Made a good bit of progress since my last post, the old frame is now completely stripped of everything I'm keeping except the brake master.

Pulling the transmission and transfer case:
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Transmission and transfer case removed. I'd mentioned before the PO had welded in a pipe in place of the third cat, I ended up having to cut it to get it out. For now I'll see if I can get some sort of flanges to weld on there so I can unbolt it there in the future. maybe at some point I'll put on a new exhaust.
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I think this may be the original 169,000 mile clutch. Also, those fingers are toast:
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This was what I ended up using as a lift point for the front right side of the engine; a piece of angle iron bolted to 2 of the alternator bracket bolts. For the back left I used a seat belt tied to the exhaust manifold.
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Rear axle removed:
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Front axle removed, nowhere to roll it to though.
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The rear spring perches on the old frame are bad, but I didn't know they were this bad! I could move this one by hand and the one on the left side wasn't far behind. I drove this thing 3,000 miles like that..

Since I don't have help moving the old frame out until tomorrow, I decided to attempt to remove the wheel lock from the spare tire. The jeep didn't come with the key, so after trying one of those sockets that's supposed to remove wheel locks (which didn't work at all) I removed the spare tire and carrier as an assembly (prior to removing the body). On closer inspection it did come with part of the key-- sheared off in the wheel lock.
Attempt #1: bend some flat bar to clear the wheel and weld it to the lock. That just sheared off half the lock.
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Attempt #2: grind off the entire back of the stud with the lock on it...
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...then beat out the stud with a hammer since it's still siezed in the wheel:
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The offending stud and lock:
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I'll weld in a new stud or bolt or whatever I can find that's the right size. Lucky it was on the one stud I could access with the grinder.

Does anyone know what this part is called? I need to find either a new one or one in good condition from a junkyard, but I have no clue what to call it. It's part of the steering linkage between the column and the gearbox:
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So far this project is moving along pretty well, hopefully that continues. I'd like to have this done by the end of June so I can wheel it some before they start salting the roads. I plan to not drive this thing in the winter unless I have to. Next up will be cleaning and painting the axles, suspension parts that will get reused, the new frame, and the new skidplate.
 
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Not much progress the last few days, I got the front axle mostly stripped. The cam bolts on the lower control arms were siezed in the bushings, I tried removing them with a 4lb hammer and ended up bending the inside ear of one of the brackets on the axle. I did finally get them pressed out using a ball joint press, ruined the bolts in the process but they're a lot cheaper than the axle. Need to get a slide hammer tomorrow to pull the left hub so I can change the ball joints, axle shaft U-joint, and unit bearing.
The axle as it sits now:
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This is why the left LCA is still on:
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The cam bolt is hitting the diff housing. Not sure how the heck Chrysler managed to get that in there, but it needs to come out another 1/2-3/4" to be removed. Since I already screwed the bolts up pressing them out I'll just cut it, not sure how that's supposed to come out though.
 
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