04 LJK Repair, Redo, Recycle - The 3 R's of a First Build

[B00mb00m]

I'm currently waiting on a 3 projects now.

1. JL brakes. I'm on the schedule for getting a professional alignment to check if I did everything right with a measuring tape. After this. I will pull the wheels and re-grind the steering stops to match the new drag link centered position. When I do that I'm going to install the JL front calipers also. I may put in RCV axles if my new steering stops bind up my UJs.
2. Transmission crossmember + higher clearance skid plate. I have some JL take off control arms they are 1.5x1.5 I've cut the ends 4" from bushings them I'm sleeving it with 1.75x1.75x.120 and welding tabs to the frame. I am waiting on a local fabrication shop to bend me up an aluminum skid plate out of 3/8 6061 that I drew up based on the experience of Mr.Blaine. I currently have the UCF standard clearance skid. The open corners on that skid like to dig and catch on obstacles and it's denting fairly easy it seems. I am mostly doing this for ease of dropping the skid for troubleshooting etc. Also will be nice to drop a little weight as well.
   
3. Thirdly I want to make a smooth sliding surface from my fender to the back of the jeep. I will either buy savvy rub rail or weld on tube from the MC fenders to the back corner. I was out at gas station checking for fuel nozzle clearance. I don't know.... The nozzle kind of wants to be right where I want my rail. It would be easier to do savvy but it would be more original to do a cool tube rail. Haven't decided yet. Does anyone have an example of alternative rub rail?
   

 

[B00mb00m]

She took a lickin and kept on ticking today. Trails were snotty muddy wet and cold today but BEAUTIFUL! I was aired down to 6psi ish on the milestars. I didn't do much worse for traction then some of the guys on bias ply swampers honestly and at the end of the day I still drove the highway home where all of them trailered. I drug skids and axles over everything today lots of metal meet rocks and cringing. I even met a boulder I almost couldn't even winch over! I saw some Currie 44s get absolutely mashed on and not break so that was cool. It was all Atlas's, HP D44s and Dana 60s today with me being the lightest axled rig there.

Makes me rethink the Atlas. Man that front dig is a sweet option.

 

[pcoplin]

That's a great looking LJ.

 

[B00mb00m]

That's a great looking LJ.

Thank you sir, it's a time suck that's for sure. Hoping to gain confidence in it again as I use it more but things keep popping up. Gonna take it to the hills today to do some shooting and wheel around and try to not break anything.

Post wheeling inspection showed I wrapped my rear Lca Mount around the control arm joint. Reeeeeally want to get those mounts up by finishing the rear midarm but just can't swing it right now.

I did have another instance where the transfer after case slipped out of 4hi again. This time it slipped to 2hi. Last time it slipped to neutral. This is annoying. Wondering if it's something to do with the 2low selector???

 

[B00mb00m]

Great day. No rock bashing just some family time.

 

[Mike_H]

Great day. No rock bashing just some family time.

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What a beautiful campsite!

 

[B00mb00m]

JL calipers are installed. Pedal is a bit squishy. I need to talk to @mrblaine I kept getting micro bubbles during bleeding.

They easily lock up 37's with used Mopar pads and rotors.

My path of braking has been Jk calipers with Hawk pads, JK calipers with Black Magic pads and now JL HD calipers with MOPAR pads. Each of the three steps provided notably more braking. I considered the black magic pads with jk caliper as sufficient braking for an LJ on 37's. Now the JL dual calipers are another decent step up in the ability to lock up the tires. With light pedal force I feel like they are not much different than the jk/BM setup probably because the pedal is squishy.

I'll drive this as-is for now and think about a master cylinder upgrade or brake pad upgrade later on. The calipers easily clear 17" rims, the bolt right up to the Reid knuckles and only had to trim a little of the dust shield with some tin snips.

I do have the JL rear calipers also but didn't Install.

While i had the tires off I added some metal to the Savvy truss. I basically filled in the notch that clears the trackbar bracket (area circles in blue). Now the truss is a complete C Cross section. Makes me sleepy better at night.

 

[Vasq]

She took a lickin and kept on ticking today. Trails were snotty muddy wet and cold today but BEAUTIFUL! I was aired down to 6psi ish on the milestars. I didn't do much worse for traction then some of the guys on bias ply swampers honestly and at the end of the day I still drove the highway home where all of them trailered. I drug skids and axles over everything today lots of metal meet rocks and cringing. I even met a boulder I almost couldn't even winch over! I saw some Currie 44s get absolutely mashed on and not break so that was cool. It was all Atlas's, HP D44s and Dana 60s today with me being the lightest axled rig there.

Makes me rethink the Atlas. Man that front dig is a sweet option.

View attachment 146407

Where did you go?! such a good day for it.

 

[B00mb00m]

Where did you go?! such a good day for it.

Up to walker, my usuals. Got to tone it down a bit next time tho she got beat on good underneath.

 

[B00mb00m]

The bender finished up with the skid, just got to find a time to weld up and xmember and get it in. Haven't checked that my measurements were good but I'll find that out later. Ended up being $550 for 3/8 6061 which I'm happy with. Genright charges 650 for 5/16 5052. For a while there quotes were looking like I would be paying more than genright prices and all the benders were saying no on 6061.

 

[B00mb00m]

Started on the cross member and skid today. Cut the OEM mount thinking I could mount the tube on the vertical face but it needs to be farther away so the CV doesnt swing down and hit it while dropped.

I was going to try to do this by reusing JL control arm bushings but I would need to bend the tube to make it clear the skid and I don't have a bender.

I was going to use square tube because the metal store wouldn't sell me 1.25" tubing due to I'm no essential enough but the square tubing would also cost me ground clearance. So by miracle one of my buddies had some 1.25 x .090 tube!! I went and bought it from him tonight. I have a plan and will attack it tomorrow (I have the day off work thankfully).

 

[B00mb00m]

Got some great guidance from Blaine that really helped me out. I was able to use the JL control arm joints after all, I just mounted the tube on the very bottom. I couldnt get it flush with the frame so will have to space down my skid to clear.

 

[B00mb00m]

Also just got some dimple dies so couldn't help tossing In a couple dimples in the shear plate.

 

[B00mb00m]

Wow this skid is such an awesome improvement over the UCF.

I have one tight spot on the bend to the corner of the trans pan that I need to grind a little relief as i oy have 1/8" clearance, I'd like that to be 1/4" at least.

I only got one side drilled and bolted. Need to mark the holes and get the other side drilled tomorrow evening. Then I'll remove the skid and trim the over hang off the sides.

So after all of this I gained about 3/4" clearance right at the center. But the smooth profile and ramp will slide way better and it's an extra 1.5" clearance at the edges.

I had to use a .5" 6061 spacer between the skid and frame to clear the crossmember tube. My clearances are tight in order to run the skid without a spacer I would've had to bend the tubes up at the side but then also would have to make the offset In the skid deeper by same amount so over all the dimensions seemed to work out just right.

Really appreciate the tips from Blaine his whole transfer method worked flawlessly, nailed the three hole pattern without opening up any holes.

 

[Mike_H]

Wow this skid is such an awesome improvement over the UCF.

I have one tight spot on the bend to the corner of the trans pan that I need to grind a little relief as i oy have 1/8" clearance, I'd like that to be 1/4" at least.

I only got one side drilled and bolted. Need to mark the holes and get the other side drilled tomorrow evening. Then I'll remove the skid and trim the over hang off the sides.

So after all of this I gained about 3/4" clearance right at the center. But the smooth profile and ramp will slide way better and it's an extra 1.5" clearance at the edges.

I had to use a .5" 6061 spacer between the skid and frame to clear the crossmember tube. My clearances are tight in order to run the skid without a spacer I would've had to bend the tubes up at the side but then also would have to make the offset In the skid deeper by same amount so over all the dimensions seemed to work out just right.

Really appreciate the tips from Blaine his whole transfer method worked flawlessly, nailed the three hole pattern without opening up any holes.

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Which version of the UCF skid were you running. What makes yours so much better? I'm trying to figure out what to do with my tummy tuck, if I go UCF, Savvy or Roll my Own. I'd like to build my own, but I also know that I want it done...so the appeal of buying something that just needs installed is there.

 

[B00mb00m]

I had the UCF extra clearance, the middle height one. I am basically copying the savvy skid plate here. If you want to buy one id go with savvy. Some benefits of diy over the savvy are custom placement, cut to fit, thicker skid material and I think there are interference with the savvy brackets if you have swag body mounts like I do. That being said it's not much or any cheaper to do it diy lol, cost me $600 in materials and I got the bushings for free.

What's so much better about the savvy is the ramp and the xmember. Being able to drop skid on trail and pull a front driveshaft or for trouble shooting or fixing exhaust etc will be super nice. The savvy style drops down only where it's needed and it ramps out smoothly to the edges.

Here's a pic of my UCF skid. You can see all the big gouges are on that edge and even baseball sized dent. The open holes catch and dig on obstacles and the shape Rob's ground clearance almost the entire width of vehicle. Also I had to slot the shit out of the holes to get it to fit my frame. I wish they would just ship it blank and you still your own.

 

[Mike_H]

I had the UCF extra clearance, the middle height one. I am basically copying the savvy skid plate here. If you want to buy one id go with savvy. Some benefits of diy over the savvy are custom placement, cut to fit, thicker skid material and I think there are interference with the savvy brackets if you have swag body mounts like I do. That being said it's not much or any cheaper to do it diy lol, cost me $600 in materials and I got the bushings for free.

What's so much better about the savvy is the ramp and the xmember. Being able to drop skid on trail and pull a front driveshaft or for trouble shooting or fixing exhaust etc will be super nice. The savvy style drops down only where it's needed and it ramps out smoothly to the edges.

Here's a pic of my UCF skid. You can see all the big gouges are on that edge and even baseball sized dent. The open holes catch and dig on obstacles and the shape Rob's ground clearance almost the entire width of vehicle. Also I had to slot the shit out of the holes to get it to fit my frame. I wish they would just ship it blank and you still your own.

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Thanks. I have an Uncle that runs a fab shop, so I can get material pretty cheap...He has a big press brake and what not. I like your cross-member too. Thanks for the info. I may bug you through PM on some design ideas...

 

[B00mb00m]

Thanks. I have an Uncle that runs a fab shop, so I can get material pretty cheap...He has a big press brake and what not. I like your cross-member too. Thanks for the info. I may bug you through PM on some design ideas...

Ya you can have my drawing to start if you like. It worked pretty well, but might want to tweak based on your setup.

 

[mrblaine]

Got some great guidance from Blaine that really helped me out. I was able to use the JL control arm joints after all, I just mounted the tube on the very bottom. I couldnt get it flush with the frame so will have to space down my skid to clear.

View attachment 154511

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There was a guy on the LJ Owners group on FB who built a frame out of square tubing for a storage box in the back of his Unlimited. I asked him if you did the welding for him.

 

[B00mb00m]

There was a guy on the LJ Owners group on FB who built a frame out of square tubing for a storage box in the back of his Unlimited. I asked him if you did the welding for him.

nooooooooooooooooooooooo. i have to go look now. This is what happens whenever someone says to me, "oh you look just like this person." and I then i see "this person" and I'm like, hey this person is ugly, did you mean to compare us? I really should've ground down the weld on that cope. Its like a beautiful woman having a giant mole on her nose.