Thanks for the thread Dockdoc I am also a new user in your general area and it looks like I will be attempting a similar reframe project on my 2000 sport. Was there anything you wished you knew about before you started and where did you end up getting the frame? Links to any other resources you found helpful would also be great.
The biggest thing is rust, and decide the scope of the project you want to take on before you start. Rust will slow you down SO dramatically. There were times where something we thought would take an hour took an entire day because we had to melt and cut rusted bolts apart.
Also look at your torque box mounts before you even start (you can remove the body bolts and lift up one side of the tub at a time and inspect them). We did the rustrepairpatch.com kits, but it still required a bunch of grinding, cutting, welding etc.
This job requires a robust tool collection. We used all sorts of weird sockets and other wrenches, not to mention bearing press, welding equipment, plasma cutter, acetylene torch, etc. etc. Stuff that I don't have and would have been miserable if I had tried this without that stuff.
Consider NOT doing the suspension stuff at the same time as everything else. If we had skipped the bushings and what not, we could have been done much much faster. Most of that stuff is pretty easily accessible on the assembled vehicle anyway. Certainly easier with the body off though, but slowed the whole project down. If I had known, I would have postponed that for a later date and done it in my driveway.
Use OEM or equivalent bushings. We got the Prothane bushing kit and it sucked. Everything was super stiff and hard to work with. Missing hardware. Just a huge pain in the ass and for what? Major regret there. And don't bother replacing bushings in the control arms, just replace the control arms themselves. Not worth the headache of trying to press them out. We ended up replacing a handful of control arms that failed when we tried to push out the bushings. Ugh.
Label all hardware REALLY WELL. Whenever possible, put hardware back into their spot after removing a part so you automatically know where it lives.
We knew this going in, but most likely you'll end up replacing the clutch and flywheel while you've got everything off, which is clearly a good idea in most cases. We also did the rear main seal which was leaking on mine. That was a solid move, everything MUCH more accessible while the engine and trans are out anyway.
Frame: I found mine from Carolina Jeep Parts (they have a facebook site). It was used from a TJ that had been in an accident. Long story short - get the frame checked and double checked by a frame shop to assure it's not twisted. I also spent about $700 to have it sandblasted and epoxy painted for future protection. Looked brand new after that. There's a shop in Ohio that sells nice used Jeep frames, but they're more expensive and don't ship. If you're willing to drive, not a bad option.
Tub removal: This was easily the most challenging and thought-provoking part of the process. If you have access to a lift, you should be fine and you can skip this part. If not... what a nightmare. My friend engineered a pretty brilliant system, basically a jack stand on each side with a vertical post mounted to it, and atop that post a horizontal post with brackets that fit over the tub torque box. He fabbed this whole system together with square steel tubes. So then we jacked up each side at the same time, making sure it was balanced. When it was up in the air we built up wood braces using 4x4 posts lagged and screwed together to hold the tub, and then pushed the chassis out from underneath. Major undertaking but actually it worked perfectly in the end and the tub lived happily on that wood frame for a couple months while we tackled the rest of the job. If you'd like, I can see if he'd sell you those brackets (but they're probably specific to his floor jacks).
I think that's about it... It's a massive project, moreso than I realized. But I learned a lot about the vehicle (and vehicle repair/maintenance in general) in the process which was a big goal for me. I also have a new appreciation for certain tools that I want to build into my own collection, and know what I would want to work on (and not work on) in the future. E.g., rusted suspension components are going to be a deal breaker for me.
