Building Homer (2005 TJ Build Thread)

[FarFire70]

After pulling Homer into the garage in 2021 (I did mentioned we’re catching up on the build right…), I started by getting to work on the fenders. I mostly started this way because I need to replace the front manifold (crack) and the cats. Getting room for the intake/exhaust manifold removal was going to be a huge bonus!

Driver side was going well until I couldn’t get one of the bolts to the tub to come loose. I tired to get to it but finally decided the fenders are scrap metal anyway, so out came the sawzall (sawzwall solves all)...

Ok, I actually used a cutoff wheel, but that doesn't have a catch phrase...

Passenger side went well until it also had an issue with one of the tub bolts. I solve that this time with a hole saw.

Welp… then, with the fender completely unbolted, I couldn’t figure out how to get the fender clear of the A/C hard lines… So, out came the 'Sawzall' (cutoff wheel)…

I wasn't salvaging this one...

 

[FarFire70]

Looking pretty good on 33x12.5 without any fenders on….

Told ya. That extra space without the fender was killer in removing the manifolds!

 

[FarFire70]

Made sure while the Rokmen rocker guards were on to take measurements in prep for future trimming to meet up with the GR tube fenders.

After pulling off the rocker guards, it was clear there was some dirt that did accumulate but it wasn’t significant rusting the tub. I did put on a gasket on the tub-contacting portion of the guards before they were installed.

Due to the Xenon flares needing to mount up to the guards at the front of the rear wheel well, it did cause a gap that did accumulate debris. No real rust though.

 

[FarFire70]

Front fenders test fit. I like it!

 

[FarFire70]

Moving on from the fenders, I tackled the body lift. As this thread shows, the JKS pucks were trash and needing to go. Ordered up the Savvy aluminum BL kit.

15 year old body mounts wear was exacerbated by the crappy JKS puck design…

Early me working on Homer didn’t appreciate the usefulness of anti-seize when I did the JKS BL. So, you better believe the bolts were seized and 3 snapped…

So, as I alluded in this thread, I went with GR Aluminum Front Fenders since I wasn’t going to be able repair the OEM without a welder. Again, it was a trade-off of buying to fix the original fenders or go Bondo…

Fast forward, it came to a head and I need a welder to get out the BL bolts…

Luckily, my wife was very understanding of the need and open to me adding a welder to the tool chest. She was open to the idea of buy a great tool once, but a cheap tool for an immediate need.

I've got a good one (wife)

So I was able to weld nuts onto 2 of the broken studs...

Unfortunately, the last one didn't seem to have enough for me to get a good weld on (I maybe could have better cleaned the nub of rust for a more solid weld...).

So I used a dremel to cut that stud out and welded in a nut welded onto a washer as a replacement. Still need to finish grinding the welds flush install it to the tub but the BL/mount bolt in solid.

 

[Rickyd]

Welder opens up so many possibilities!

 

[FarFire70]

Removing TC skid, it’s pretty obvious how I off-road…

I typically ride with Jeeps with higher lifts, bigger tires, etc. I’ve spent the money on the skids and trust in them so I have no worries to bang-and-clang my way through an obstacle when my other mods aren’t carrying their weight.

Bent that stock TC skid all the way back. Note I had to cut the bent section to clear the frame bolts...

Reference picture for when the engine skid is on it...

Huh... Guess that stock skid got a little bend to it...

Comparing the stock skid to the UCF skid

I'm not drive by brail after some learning. I just don't drive it offroad like I need to drive it home...

 

[FarFire70]

As the Jeep went into teardown mode, it became clear that using garage sale & hand-me-down jacks wasn’t going to cut it if the Jeep was going to be completely up without tires. I needed something that I could trust.

So after research, I went with a set of US Jack 6-ton Jacks.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P248NYO/?tag=wranglerorg-20

I was so impressed that I decided I needed another set to fulfill floating the Jeep in the air.

I went under Homer once with him on all 4 jackstands to remove a couple bolts and I was still terrified… A lot of trust in jackstands...

My dad taught me to throw a tire under the door area when changing a tire in case the jack slips while you are working. I still use that philosophy to this day any time I put a vehicle in air for any reason. So being just on jackstands was uncomfortable. So the tires went under the front and rear of the Jeep as a ‘just in case’ buffer.

I trust the stands but I like something ready to 'catch' the Jeep if something goes wrong while I’m underneath…

 

[FarFire70]

Rear axle removal

The soft brake line that runs along the control arm wouldn’t break loose from the hard line at the frame.

Then I looked a looked at the lines on the axle and saw this, so that was the trigger to go to a full brake line upgrade to SS and all new soft lines all around. Track bar bolt wouldn’t come out so out came the air hammer. It removed the bolt but the bit wasn’t going anywhere…

After getting the axle out, a punch and hammer didn't get the punch out, so it was time for surgery. At the same time, I needed to remove the BB-required TB bracket (not angled enough for a higher lift). Well the spacer in the stock bracket rusted to the bolt.

While I have gotten into the habit of anti-seizing every bolt, this went on the Jeep before I realized the need to anti-seize EVERY bolt. Love the rust belt….

The rear lower control arms at the frame weren’t much different – bolt rusted in the sleeve. I tried to get ‘surgical’ in my approach before I just ran the sawzall blade on the bolt inside the mount.

Every job needs its teams of tools…

 

[FarFire70]

Front axle wasn't a fight. Got them both out and covered up the garage in prep to remove the rust, old paint, and build-up junk. Hit them with a wire wheel, HP Dana 30 seemed to need more rust removal (even though it was painted when it went into the Jeep (...10 years ago).

 

[FarFire70]

So, as I alluded to earlier in the thread, I picked up the Savvy 3” kit, expecting to stick at 33s. My wife is 5’0” so her ability to get into the Jeep was a factor on thinking I would stay the course with 33s and 3” of actual lift, not blocks on OEM springs.

Well, as I got into the teardown, I broke the sacred rule and altered the build plan mid-execution…

So out with planned 33s and in with 35s!

At the time, I was pulling the trigger to buy tires, I wanted to stay with BFG KM2’s but this was in the middle of the world-shutdown shortages (and I thought I was going to move quick on this build…).

So I pivoted to a similar tread and well-reviewed Cooper Discoverer STT Pro 35x12.50R15.

I kept the steel wheels because I haven’t decided what I want to do on that front. I want to go beadlocks if I’m spending the $$$ to upgrade the wheels but not ready to make that decision and investment yet.

 

[FarFire70]

Now with a welder on hand, I opted for the Currie JJ Dana 30 mounts to put JJs on all the control arm ends. I welded in college on a Baja SAE cart but I was a learner and haven’t welded since. I did some practice runs on scrap metal and figured this was a good, short-weld first endeavor.

I felt pretty good on the welds. The one drifted so I dropped a second weld on top of it to be sure everything was secured (Not pretty but appears to be penetrated and secure).

 

[FarFire70]

During all of this, our dog Bella found that the Jeep on jackstands without a front axle made for a nice den...

 

[FarFire70]

Painting the axles

 

[FarFire70]

Dropping Rokmen GTS after 12 years and 100k miles.

I plan to go aluminum...

You can see where the salted road treatments blasted and wore down the front mounting bar.

I ran an needle scrapper over the bottom of the skid. Still plenty of material left but plenty rusted out...

For now, this skid is going back in without any further treatment. I need to get Homer back on the road. In the near future, I will buy an aluminum replacement. Savvy isn't offered right now so if it comes to it I'll got UCF or GR.

 

[FarFire70]

While removing the GTS, I found that some insect or set of insects had built and then left a home on the wiring harness....

 

[FarFire70]

After the GTS was cleaned up, it went under the Jeep for storage and lived there a while. Bella didn't mind a few more items (including the welding table that came and went at times) helping to further define her 'den' under the Jeep.

 

[FarFire70]

Picked up a HF 20-ton press in prep to replace the D40 bearings. Reading online recommended upgrading the 'thru-bolts' to individual bolts to avoid bending the frame when torquing it down.

Life got in the way so it took a little while to get after using the press, but I did use it recently with great success to replace the D40 bearings.

One big lesson learned, don't leave the release valve open for the jack. Otherwise, it will coat your work space (our basement in this case) with hydraulic fluid... Luckily the bleeding process is very easy and AutoZone stocks hydraulic fluid to re-fill.

More upgrades to come on the press, based on YouTube and other forum recommendations. One it to get a good solution to the handle storage because I dropped it all over the place while using the press.

 

[FarFire70]

After the axles were painted, I stored them off in the garage. The garage then decided to gift them new friends by dropping one of the shelves onto the axles.

 

[FarFire70]

As you'll catch with the theme, I had heavy ambitions and way delayed along the way. During the ambition portion, I picked up a new battery as the old one was showing it age with long starts before I parked the Jeep.

Napa had a 20% off sale at the time so I also picked up a 160A Dodge Durango upgrade alternator. Out with the old...