OP
Jesseshoots' TJ Build
- Thread starter jesseshoots
- Start date
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Made some progress on the Jeep yesterday. I installed the transfer case skid and the motor mount lift to complete my tummy tuck. Everything was smooth and easy except for getting the last bolt on the motor mount to start threading. I moved it around every which way until the wife came out and asked what I was doing. I asked her to work the ratchet while I adjusted the mount and before I could even get under the Jeep she had it threaded.
I definitely need to adjust my pinion angle in the rear, and that’s going to require me to finally step up and buy new shocks that are can up in the rear. A bunch of peopleare experimenting with skyjacker black max shocks right now and they sound good for $50/corner. I also have a friend who works at Fox and keeps telling me he’ll get me a great deal on shocks, so I’ll call him before I make up my mind on what to go with.
I would just make some shock extenders and call it a day, but I hate the shocks on there now so this is as good of an excuse as any.
Engine skid is up next. One of these days I’ll wheel this thing again!!!
I definitely need to adjust my pinion angle in the rear, and that’s going to require me to finally step up and buy new shocks that are can up in the rear. A bunch of peopleare experimenting with skyjacker black max shocks right now and they sound good for $50/corner. I also have a friend who works at Fox and keeps telling me he’ll get me a great deal on shocks, so I’ll call him before I make up my mind on what to go with.
I would just make some shock extenders and call it a day, but I hate the shocks on there now so this is as good of an excuse as any.
Engine skid is up next. One of these days I’ll wheel this thing again!!!
OP
Got my engine skid installed the other day, and finally placed my order for some new shocks. I decided on the SkyJacker Black Max's. Got the B8525 (9.8" travel) fronts and B8563 (11.1" travel) rears. Still have a lot of work left to do until it's ready to wheel again unfortunately.
OP
My to-do list to get ready to wheel (as of 12.14):
BrakesPull/clean front brake linesPull/clean distribution blockPull old master cylinderBench bleed new master cylinderInstall new setupBleed entire system
SkidsInstall tc skidPaint frame around skidInstall MMLInstall engine skidCheck/adjust driveshaft anglesCheck/adjust tc shifter
- Suspension
- Lengthen rear track bar
- Call RockJock and get DOM size
- Order slug and tubing
- Cut/weld bar
- Reinstall
Decided on shocks and orderInstall new shocks
- Lengthen rear track bar
InteriorWinch switch panelCut carbon panelLoosely attach angle bracketsInstall brackets to center stackReplace spool out switchWire panel
Put dash back together
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OP
More true words have never been written. I'm hoping to have this thing ready to wheel come late summer/early fall.It is so nice to check things off the list!
jeepster1407
TJ Enthusiast
OP
Not yet, I still need to get my pinion angles corrected from the tummy tuck (yes I know this only takes an hour lol). The wife is going out of town in a couple of weeks so I'm hoping to get it all done then. I'm excited to try them out.
jeepster1407
TJ Enthusiast
looking forward to hearing your report. I'm so tired of my Bilstein 5100's. I was strongly considering the Rancho RS5000X's until I heard of these.
OP
Long time overdue to report on this, but I'm really happy with the Black Max shocks regarding on-road characteristics. I haven't had a chance to wheel it yet, so the jury is still out on that side.
OP
Really slacked on this Jeep build over the summer/fall, but had to get it running and driving again by the beginning of November to get the emissions done for my tag.
My Optima Yellow Top battery died, so I replaced that. It had a date code of 2017. I replaced it with a Duracell AGM battery from Sam's Club. I have the same one in a different size in my daily (2015 BRZ) and I've had no complaints over the last two plus years.
I installed the Black Max shocks, but once I re-adjusted my pinion angle I realized I still needed some shock relocation brackets. I purchased the Currie/RockJock CE-9601 brackets and they do exactly what they're supposed to. Got those installed and am enjoying the shocks on the TJ so far.
My Optima Yellow Top battery died, so I replaced that. It had a date code of 2017. I replaced it with a Duracell AGM battery from Sam's Club. I have the same one in a different size in my daily (2015 BRZ) and I've had no complaints over the last two plus years.
I installed the Black Max shocks, but once I re-adjusted my pinion angle I realized I still needed some shock relocation brackets. I purchased the Currie/RockJock CE-9601 brackets and they do exactly what they're supposed to. Got those installed and am enjoying the shocks on the TJ so far.
OP
After getting the shocks on and pinion set, I had to cut the exhaust off right after the hump over the rear axle because it was contacting the back side of the shock body. This is not my best work, but without dropping the gas tank I will take it for now and clean it up in the future... maybe... if I remember lmao!
OP
I'd been fighting a crappy brake system for over a year, and I finally bought a new Dorman master cylinder on Amazon.
I used @mrblaine's bench bleeding technique to get it primed and ready to go on the Jeep. I took off all my brake lines and cleaned them out along with the distribution block. I re-routed my front brake line to come out the back port of the block this time around instead of the side port.
After it was installed, I used my Motive pressure bleeder to fill the lines and get fluid coming out the bleed screws. I then used Blaine's open, press the brakes hard and fast, then close method for a final bleed and all is good again!
If you don't already have a good bleed bottle, I highly recommend this Motive one. It's much better than my old home-brew Gatorade bottle with some tubing run thru the cap lol.
I used @mrblaine's bench bleeding technique to get it primed and ready to go on the Jeep. I took off all my brake lines and cleaned them out along with the distribution block. I re-routed my front brake line to come out the back port of the block this time around instead of the side port.
After it was installed, I used my Motive pressure bleeder to fill the lines and get fluid coming out the bleed screws. I then used Blaine's open, press the brakes hard and fast, then close method for a final bleed and all is good again!
If you don't already have a good bleed bottle, I highly recommend this Motive one. It's much better than my old home-brew Gatorade bottle with some tubing run thru the cap lol.
OP
After all the real work, I decided I would have some fun making parts for the first time in a while. I had a switch panel designed out of cardboard that I taped in place over a year ago and finally spent the afternoon making it out of carbon fiber. Normally I'd say it's excessive, but my wife is a composites engineer and actually did the layup that I used. It's nice to have a part that she helped make on the Jeep.
I used some 1" x 1" x 16ga stainless flanges that were in the scrap bin at work, bent them to the approximate angle, and JB Welded them in place on the center stack where the ash tray went.
I then cut and drilled the carbon fiber panel to the right size and slapped that bad boy together! On/Off is power to the buttons, the left is spool in, and the right is spool out.
I used some 1" x 1" x 16ga stainless flanges that were in the scrap bin at work, bent them to the approximate angle, and JB Welded them in place on the center stack where the ash tray went.
I then cut and drilled the carbon fiber panel to the right size and slapped that bad boy together! On/Off is power to the buttons, the left is spool in, and the right is spool out.
OP
Lastly, I installed the Barnes 4x4 bolt head protectors on the 1/2" skid plate bolts along with some grade 8 hardware courtesy of @sycboi
All I have left to do is extend the track bar and straighten the steering wheel. I'm finally ready to wheel my "Legacy Wrangler 4.0L Yo Jeep" again. *No I didn't actually badge it, I had it sitting on my tool box after taking it off the wife's 2018 Legacy and thought it would be funny. The "yo" comes from an old mossy oak sticker and I thought it was funny so I left it.*
All I have left to do is extend the track bar and straighten the steering wheel. I'm finally ready to wheel my "Legacy Wrangler 4.0L Yo Jeep" again. *No I didn't actually badge it, I had it sitting on my tool box after taking it off the wife's 2018 Legacy and thought it would be funny. The "yo" comes from an old mossy oak sticker and I thought it was funny so I left it.*
What part of Atlanta? I’m right by truist park, always looking for more people to wheel with. I think we are headed to Morris mountain this weekend.
OP
I'm in Sandy Springs for the next month, then relocating to Charlotte sometime in the middle of January. I'm planning a trip to Birmingham this weekend but would love to get out soon. You don't happen to wheel with a guy named Jason do you (yellow JKU)? I was talking with him over the weekend and he said they we're going to Morris sometime in the next week or two.
Nope. I’ve got an orange TJ. I’m right by heirloom bbq.
OP
Made it out to Morris Mountain yesterday and got in some wheeling for the first time since May 2020 when I busted my brake line. Overall the improvements I've made to the Jeep since then are wonderful!
Aside from needing more wheelbase/better geometry the only other issue was that when I was using my newly made switch panel for the winch, the push button switch sometimes didn't stop providing power so I was using my kill switch to stop/start. I need to investigate this further with a multimeter. I also need to hit my exhaust with a BFH since the tip was contacting the track bar randomly at idle and would make a miserable rattling noise.
No great pics since we were busy wheeling, but here are a few from the beginning/end of the day.
- I didn't get the skid hung up on anything like I used to with the stock one!
- The new shocks are a world of a difference. So much smoother and better overall ride.
- The AntiRock coupled with the new shocks kept the front end much more controlled than it used to feel.
Aside from needing more wheelbase/better geometry the only other issue was that when I was using my newly made switch panel for the winch, the push button switch sometimes didn't stop providing power so I was using my kill switch to stop/start. I need to investigate this further with a multimeter. I also need to hit my exhaust with a BFH since the tip was contacting the track bar randomly at idle and would make a miserable rattling noise.
No great pics since we were busy wheeling, but here are a few from the beginning/end of the day.
