2005 Texas Jeep TJ Never Sell Build

October 2022, Skid goes back up....with not Transfer Case Drop, ha, finally getting that off.

Painted up as well, and front DS in place (frankly I won't try and pull the front DS without pulling the skid again, ha, it's a PITA for me to reach those little U Joint bolts) Maybe just me.

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October 2022
Then If you use the JB Conversions Super Short SYE, it uses a Tone Ring as the speedometer, so no more gear, and no more gear speedo.

So...again more than a year ago I got the SpeedoHealer. Well, there's a video, they have a teenage girl install this thing in a Jeep in like 5 minutes, and they time it.

So...I do it.....and It DOESN'T WORK, no matter what I do. Will NOT give a good speed, actually my engine would cough and spit and shut down. I'm like WTF????

Disconnect, works fine, no speedometer, but engine runs. Connect, blam.

So, I'm concerned I didn't "tighten the transfer case output yoke nut tight enough" and if you don't, the tone ring doesn't catch on, and doesn't work. I freaking KNOW I torqued it, it was a PITA.
Actually, Blaine suggested somewhere that you do the SYE on the Jeep, makes doing this torque easier (other things too I think) and frankly I would if I had a lift, I have never done one, and wasn't on the ground. Probably would and could now, but oh well.

So I'm sending emails to the Speedo healer (Healtech I think) whatever, I'm sending emails, am I programming wrong? I do it like 4 times, it's maddening.

There's a freaking PIN missing in one of the thing's plugs. I bought this a year and a half ago (maybe a lesson there) and I'm not returning it. So I pull that dam thing apart, and work on fixing the dam pin. It's in there, won't stay. I can't find that exact connector. I finally get that connector working, and the pin stays, took some work, inside in the AC with the reader glasses on for sure, ha.
Connect it.....Boom, works first program and exactly speed of GPS. (5 minutes, teenage girl, my ass). That was a frustrating 2 days of emailing and finally just randomly looking at every possible connection there.
I do have to remind myself, when it doesn't work and should, step back and breathe, look at every variable, ha.


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Now....it's time to replace this. Finally, I've got my rebuilt Dana44 Rubicon on, SS SYE, and I measure up.

Got it to Tom Wood's and

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@Shawn at Tom Wood's messaged super fast, and got my rear DS in, build was getting there!
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Oh and this is gone now too, gave it to a guy on the forum that is stock height, all good.
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Got to November 2022 and I needed to get the Locker Pumps hooked up so my lockers work.
I purchased, again some time back, an Auxbeam. Single location 1 controller. I'm pretty happy with it, and was pretty easy to install. Working with the battery will be a PITA with this in the way though, ha.
I put the locker pumps on the driver wheel well, pretty easy setup. 3/16" fuel line to each axle, that hose is pretty expensive, ha.

I will point out, the wiring is simple. Red and black, power and ground, very simple.
But, there are pink and green wires coming out of each pump, and they splice into a single connector. What are these? Hmm, well, I wired up the Red and Black and when the pump is on and holding PSI (so not running) the pink/green connector puts out a constant 12v.
I have indicators now, not yet installed, that are small lights, so I know if the locker is on or off.

That is the only issue, the Auxbeam you push button, but you don't know if it's on or off, pretty annoying. Light up rockers are better in that capacity, but in general, the Auxbeam is still good.


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I ran the control into the cabin, and my one complaint, I had to buy a dad gum controller extension, pissed me off. But, I got it up out of the way, and it controls all my KC lights on front and the lockers. I have the indicators I saw someone else use now, they aren't installed, but I need to get them on there.

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Then I put on the Currie Currectlync.

I was frustrated that the driver TRE was too deep, I thought the knuckle was wallowed out, or the TRE was bad, but that ZJ steering was pretty new.
I put the Currie on, and it went too deep as well, so I'm positive it's the Knuckle.

Either way, I got the Steering on, new Rancho stabilizer as well.
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The sleeve bolts on the Currectlync have a slot, and they started hitting......SOOOOO....back to TJ Forum, what is this issue. In about an hour @mrblaine tells me to use a different bolt, I hit ACE, it's on, and bam all good.

Now.... I have to fix the Knuckle.

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So, I go BACK to TJ Forum, and again Blain says "I have some". He gets me used knuckles. Freaking to the rescue again, ha.

So, they are used, I put them in a bucket of EvapoRust for a couple days. They come out super clean. I hit them with Krylon paint, and here you go. Painted them and let them hang to dry, I think the stabilizer I shot clear on too, just from reading Rancho's get bad quickly, hit it with Auto Clear, maybe keep it looking a touch better.

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This is the wallowed old vs the New with Krylon.
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I'll include this, but like an idiot I didn't have new Ball Joints (Spicer) ready to go. But a week later I pulled these and got them on when they arrived. I'll just include them here, ha.

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So beginning of December 2022, after years of getting my boy’s now mine Black 2005 TJ, for fun, this dam TJ Forum gave me the bug!!!!
I wanted 35's, I wanted lockers, and after reading years of posts, I mostly focused on Savvy and Currie equipment.

Got to hit Hidden Falls here in Texas, with my brother's Bronco club, and I'll tell you this, they ain't Jeeps!!! HA!!!
The new Broncos all built up can do a lot, but my TJ, with the way it's built, and the wheel base, it's just freaking better!!!!


This is my TJ. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

My TJ is my best friend. It is my life. I must master it as I must master my life.

Without me, my TJ is useless. Without my TJ, I am walking. I must drive my TJ true. I must drive straighter than my enemy .... (Full Metal Jacket joke, watch the movie, it's good, HA!!!)

It's actually the Rifleman's Creed I believe, I'm just joking, my boy's in the Army, this is fun, that is business, all respect.


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It's now January 2023....and I got some things done this past week. I put on new Rancho RS5000X Shocks. Yes, they absolutely make a difference, absolutely.

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Oh, and my good buddy welded the Currie angled bracket, ha. It's functional, not artistic, ha. I gave him some grief, he said get the dremel and clean it up....NOPE, leaving it that way, I can always give him some grief, although didn't bother me at all, bothered him.

And these shock relocation brackets are very controversial. They were on the axles, and I just didn't take them off.
I agree with the comments that it's just more leverage to break the bracket, and I want to cut the spring perch, but just haven't found the time.
 
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Next up......I Ordered the Savvy Under Armor Transmission/Transfer case skid.
I also got the Savvy 1" MML and the Savvy 1.25" Body Lift.

I'm going to put them all on at once, I tend to get the parts on a whole section and tear it apart. When this gets here, I'm getting it in asap, well, painting the parts that need painting, the asap, ha.

My next wrench turn, I'm going to replace the front axle u joints. There is a knocking and I've videoed, and I'm 99% sure it's in the front left wheel area. I should have replaced them when the I did the ball joints, but didn't have them and didnt want to wait on it. Spicer for sure, 5-760x
 
My CJ5 had horrible battery connections. These came in packs of 4, so I got them for my TJ as well.

Will make life a lot easier, every time I work on something and disco the battery, not a huge process anymore.

Snugged up and all the accessories work no issues. Just one small step in the addiction, ha. One. Thing here, one thing there.

Now I have my CJ5 calling me as well, wife is just Lovin’ It, ha.

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So in Texas we go from 26 degrees and worst ice storm in a long time, and this weekend 70 and not a cloud in the sky, all the oak cut up and Sunday back to Jeep work.

I’ve got a creak on my drivers side, and the only thing I can guess is possible axle U Joint. I’ve never done it, so I wanted to do that if I’m on the trail I can with a hammer.

I used the vice and anvil side of the vice to get it pulled.

I’ve read up and watched the videos of using a ball joint press, and saw the warning from Blaine that it would end up bending the ears, and I’m not interested in that.
I was a little shocked that the air impact didn’t get the axle nut, but got my daughter on the brake and added leverage to the breaker bar and it came off super easy.

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This is a good video for axle U Joints.


This one as well, still using the BFH (big f’n hammer).

I did not need a socket, not against using one, but literally didn’t need a socket. I did what the first video showed, and it was out in a couple strikes to the axle. Needle bearings everywhere. (Old ones)
1. Hit a cap head hard, releasing the pressure on the Inside Ring C-Clip.
2. remove the C Clip
3. Repeat all 4.
4. With all C Clips out, then you set the ears of the stub on an edge, and you hit the axle very hard on that large ear surface.
3. It took 2 full hits, and the cap came out by hand, not forcing it off at all.
4. The hit to the ear flat force drives the cap outward.

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The key is swing the hammer like you mean it. I have a small sledge, and if you do what the first video says, exactly, and it can be on a curb or rock. The vice made it very easy.

As suspected, the u joint seemed good. I still wanted to do the job, as I haven’t before. I put in the Spicer 5-760x which is the best to use, from what I’ve read, and my experience with Spicer quality.

When doing this, you’ll see the 5-760x (ISR) I’m making an assumption that’s means InSide Ring. The C Clip fits in a groove inside the sleeve, not on the outside in the cap. The cap has a slot and you hammer it into the hole until it’s there, and put on the C Clip. If your ears aren’t mis shapen or bent, they literally push on, it’s not that difficult. Then I tested, and yes the clip spin freely.

I don’t want that, so I did what I did when I removed the U Joints.



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Got it back together, it’s actually very simple.

1. Don’t forget the dust shield
2. Use a pry or something on the shaft to hold it up in the tube, so it doesn’t hit the inner seal and blow it up.
3. 13mm 12 point into the unit bearing, and blue loctite. This is 75 foot pounds and one of them I can’t get the torque on, so we feel it.

4. 13mm standard 6 point socket for the caliper, and blue loctite. The caliper bolts are 11 foot pounds, I use a normal 3/8 and tight it tight.

5. axle nut is easy at 175 foot pounds when I’m well over that, just lean on it, ha.
Oh, and daughter on the brake pedal, no issue at all.

I went ahead and did the self Toe In, and with 35’s I go to 3/16 toe in, and it drove great.

I still have some strange sound, the U Joint is something I’m pretty comfortable with as long as I have my hammer and a hard surface edge.
 
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Well, this is my Jeep build, but distractions are a part of the build, ha. I took multiple Jeep work days to go to Ft Benning.

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Got home from seeing my boy “Turn Blue” and graduate. Now he’s off to the 101st Airborne, Air Assault School, repelling from Helicopters….. and his Momma ain’t happy, but Romania. Drilling about 3 miles from the Ukrainian Border to show NATO Support is close by….

Hooah!
 
Air Assault school is a blast. I got my wings in Alaska in 1982. They say it's the hardest best 10 days you'll ever have in the Army.
Congratulations to your son on getting his rope.
 
Air Assault school is a blast. I got my wings in Alaska in 1982. They say it's the hardest best 10 days you'll ever have in the Army.
Congratulations to your son on getting his rope.

Thank you, he’s fired up! And then waiting for his plane ticket and bored, ha! Said he’s seen all of Sand Hill, ready to get to Campbell.
 
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It's now January 2023....and I got some things done this past week. I put on new Rancho RS5000X Shocks. Yes, they absolutely make a difference, absolutely.

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Oh, and my good buddy welded the Currie angled bracket, ha. It's functional, not artistic, ha. I gave him some grief, he said get the dremel and clean it up....NOPE, leaving it that way, I can always give him some grief, although didn't bother me at all, bothered him.

And these shock relocation brackets are very controversial. They were on the axles, and I just didn't take them off.
I agree with the comments that it's just more leverage to break the bracket, and I want to cut the spring perch, but just haven't found the time.

What control arms are those?
 
So the Savvy Under Armor partially got here, ha. Got 1 box with steel parts and another is still in shipping on it's way, assuming that's the larger components.

All the bolts and the frame cap portions and other smaller pieces I unboxed.

I got them all cleaned off with brake cleaner to get any fab or shipping oils etc off.
Then I laid them out and got 3 coats of Krylon Rust Tough Semi-Flat on one side.
The Semi-Flat is what I'm using on all the under carriage/frame areas at this point. It doesn't gather dirt and it looks pretty close to factory. Plus, O'Reilly's here has it always, ha.

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