Build (and un-build) thread—Gump

[freedom_in_4low]

I now have a complete but entry level 3" lift that I can sell to defray some of the costs.

The springs and rear sway links are unidentified, came off my TJ. The rest of it I'm pretty sure was part of a 3" Zone kit that was on the LJ. The rear sway links and rear springs from the Zone kit are still on the LJ because I left the links connected to the frame, and because when I set up the rear I had planned on using the Zone springs, and I'm not taking it apart again until I have a better reason.

In other news, I'm gonna have to ship this thing out with a brand new JKS front track bar because I don't have the tools (and let's be honest, probably the skills either) to return the 5/8" hole I drilled for the Currie bar back to the stock taper. Which sucks because I now have 2 stock TJ track bars laying around that nobody wants.

I managed to find a set of really clean Canyon wheels and some used 31x10.5 Goodyear ATs with Kevlar to put on it. Sold the Grizzly's with the 27s yesterday for what I paid for them. I also found a guy selling "stock" springs on facebook; pretty sure they're not stock but maybe 1-2" lift so I think that'll work ok to not have any driveline vibrations with the MML I'm leaving on it. And it should maintain close to stock uptravel after I have to add bump extensions for the JKS track bar.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

man, unbuilding this thing has almost as many surprises as building one.

The "stock" sway bar links I bought from RockAuto don't fit on the front. I still haven't figured out what happened, but my sway bar has straight holes that are too small for the rod-end style taper that the link has. So I'm gonna end up with aftermarket links at least, or possibly disconnects.

I've got it all back together with springs presented as stock but turned out to be about 1-1.5" lift, and the budget Monroe shocks I bought at O-Reilly are too short. The fronts have 6" of shaft showing out of a total 7-3/8" of travel, and I can't in good conscience sell a vehicle with shocks that poorly applied. I haven't measured the rears but they look to be about the same to my calibrated eyeball. So it looks like the lucky buyer is going to get a shiny new set of RS5000x because that's pretty much the next step up in cost. The "no lift" p/n puts it a little better at 65% up but it's still only 2.5" of down, so I think I'm gonna end up with the 55239 which goes a little in the opposite direction at 4.1" up/5.3" down. The rig in general will end up being right at that point where you get the most benefit over stock but right before the cost of mods hits that upward inflection point, and also set up to jump up to 2.5" without having to add much beyond a rear track bar bracket, t-case drop or SYE, and longer rear sway bar links.

 

[freedom_in_4low]

Finally done! It didn't end up as "stock" as I originally imagined but I think it came out pretty well balanced and drives nicer than it has in any form since I've owned it.

Suspension and Drivetrain:
distributor ignition 4.0L, 5 speed, 3.73 axles
Dana 44 limited slip rear axle with disc brakes
stock control arms and rear track bar
JKS adjustable front track bar
unidentified +1.5" springs
Rancho RS5000x 241/239 shocks with 4"/43% uptravel in front, and 50/50 in rear
Rough Country front sway bar disconnects
31x10.5R15 Goodyear Wrangler A/T with Kevlar tires

Body:
MCE front fenders
AtoZ rock sliders
Bestop Trektop NX
Body Armor rear bumper w/ receiver hitch and shackle mounts

Other:
Kenwood digital-only (no CD player) single DIN head unit
CB radio
Trucklite knockoff headlights
OZ LED cube offroad lights

 

[freedom_in_4low]

...and it's gone .

Definitely a bitter sweet feeling, because despite now that I have some more dough freed up for the LJ and life in general, this was the rig that me and my oldest boy will always have memories of. 2018 and 2019 we were wheeling pretty much every weekend, just me and him.

This Jeeping thing is certainly a fun hobby, but this is what it's really all about for me.

 

[tnjeepguy]

Great Jeep, great dad and what this should all be about. Excellent, you should be so proud.