LJR long term "rebuild"

AMS417

AMS417

"The Ayatollah of rock and rolla"
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Location
Springfield MO
Long term build thread on my 2005 LJR. Currently on Dana 44's with 37" BFG Krawlers. Finding myself wanting to run tougher trails than the 44's and 37's can swing. This Jeep is 99% trail driven but will still be fine for a drive around town. No more highway runs if I go with sticky tires though.

The plan...

Build the axles, collect all the parts, and start building end of next season (Nov 2022-ish). Have it completed for a shake down Feb/Mar 2023.

Axles:

Front axle
Superduty Dana 60 Front 2005+ variety
5.38 Yukon Gears
Detroit full case locker
Barnes Truss
Ball joint eliminators
Motobilt cover
Full rebuild including all new brakes

Rear axle
GM 14 bolt (2003 SRW)
5.38 Yukon Gears
Full spool
Barnes Truss
Motobilt cover with 13 bolt shave
Full rebuild including all new brakes

Suspension:

Front: 3 link with 14" ORI and Antirock
Rear: Double triangulated 4 link with 14" ORI and Antirock if I can find a place to mount it
Front stretch 4-5" using Genright twisted pitman and relocated track bar mount
Rear stretch based on tire size I select. Might go up to 8" back
Possible highline or modification to existing fenders
Flat belly skid, or close to it

Basically everything from the frame down is being replaced.

Here is the Jeep as it sits today along with my buddies 4BT swapped YJ on 42's and his wife's LS swapped YJ on 35's. We are building axles for her Jeep also. Its getting linked on 42's as well. My buddy is helping me with the build, I am pitching in and helping with his. Lots of work to do on all 3 Jeeps.

Total poser shot, but all I could find with a three Jeeps in my photos.


IMG_6247_Moment.jpg
 
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So I picked up my axles housing a few weeks ago for $750 for both. Not a stellar deal, but not bad either.

Here are all 4 of them at the shop waiting for surgery.

From top to bottom, 2005+ Superduty Dana 60, 10.5 Sterling (both for the Green YJ), 2003 14 bolt, and a second 2005+ Superduty Dana 60 (both for my LJ).

If you look close you can see the nice new unit bearings I picked up for the Dana 60. Another buddy of ours has a CNC at work and ran a batch of unit bearing for us. All are now machined to 8x6.5 bolt pattern and will have matching 14x1.5 lug studs.

IMG_6305.JPG


We decided to tackle the 14 bolt first, since I had the truss already. Waiting for the next "sale" to buy front truss and gears / lockers etc.

We started by relieving the welds on all factory brackets so we could remove them. Everything must go!

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With the brackets removed and the tubes wire wheeled down to raw metal, we installed the new Motobilt shave diff cover and started to work out the details. The Motobilt cover is way less expensive and a little easier to install, but gives up a little clearance over some of the other shave covers you can buy. You still gain a lot, and its pretty simple to do if you have the tools.

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Most of the work was done with a 6" grinder. Since you cut through the bottom bolt and the drain plug that is located on the bottom of the housing we used the TIG welder to fill it all back in as well as a few nicks I put in the tubes taking off the brackets.

Here we are prepping to weld with a carbide bit after the chop.

IMG_6311.JPG


After the welding I did a little shaping with the flap wheel to knock down anything that would hang us up on a rock. We left a small lip on the diff overhanging the cover by about 1/16" to prevent rocks from catching the cover and pulling it away from the housing. We also installed the pinion guard and tack welded the truss in place. We will burn it all in with the MIG later on.

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NDSpeed said:
I enjoy driving my Jeep too much to not take it on road. But I also don’t run Krawlers.

Have fun with the rebuild.
Click to expand...
Has 37" blue labels on it now. Runs 80mph on the highway no problem. I like my truck for anything out of town. Still up in the air on what tires we will run. Could do 39" BFG KM3 or 42" Krawler red's. Long time till I need to make a choice yet. Either way it will still be street drivable, just not a great idea on stickies due to the wear rate.
 
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The 14 bolt went fast, like a couple of hours fast. We took a quick break and started working on the Dana 60. If you ever think you want to do this, be forewarned. Its a real pain in the ass. If we had a torch it would have made it a little easier on the brackets but there is lots of cast to cut off and the reciprocating saw died 2 mins into this. We did have a couple portable band saws to use, but its like eating an elephant, little bits and lots of time.

IMG_6315.JPG


First, we pulled the rotors, lock outs, and axles. Next the knuckles, to make it easier to work with and remove any potential finger eating pinch points.

Next we started taking bites out of the brackets with the band saw and grinders. We got about 50% done before we got called in for dinner by the wives. Next time around we should have the Dana 60 clean and ready for its truss.

IMG_6316.JPG


Here is the 5 gallon buckets of brackets and bits we removed in an afternoon. Good start, but long ways to go. Not worried, I have over a year budgeted for this build. Total cost is yet to be determined, but its gonna hurt.

JMLD0932.JPG
 
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AMS417 said:
Long term build thread on my 2005 LJR. Currently on Dana 44's with 37" BFG Krawlers. Finding myself wanting to run tougher trails than the 44's and 37's can swing. This Jeep is 99% trail driven but will still be fine for a drive around town. No more highway runs if I go with sticky tires though.

The plan...

Build the axles, collect all the parts, and start building end of next season (Nov 2022-ish). Have it completed for a shake down Feb/Mar 2023.

Axles:

Front axle
Superduty Dana 60 Front 2005+ variety
5.38 Yukon Gears
Detroit full case locker
Barnes Truss
Ball joint eliminators
Motobilt cover
Full rebuild including all new brakes

Rear axle
GM 14 bolt (2003 SRW)
5.38 Yukon Gears
Full spool
Barnes Truss
Motobilt cover with 13 bolt shave
Full rebuild including all new brakes

Suspension:

Front: 3 link with 14" ORI and Antirock
Rear: Double triangulated 4 link with 14" ORI and Antirock if I can find a place to mount it
Front stretch 4-5" using Genright twisted pitman and relocated track bar mount
Rear stretch based on tire size I select. Might go up to 8" back
Possible highline or modification to existing fenders
Flat belly skid, or close to it

Basically everything from the frame down is being replaced.

Here is the Jeep as it sits today along with my buddies 4BT swapped YJ on 42's and his wife's LS swapped YJ on 35's. We are building axles for her Jeep also. Its getting linked on 42's as well. My buddy is helping me with the build, I am pitching in and helping with his. Lots of work to do on all 3 Jeeps.

Total poser shot, but all I could find with a three Jeeps in my photos.
Click to expand...

Looking forward to your build here. I to have a pair of 05+ SD axles sitting at home I've been building to go under my LJ but I've been slow at updating my build thread.

Do you think 4-5" of front stretch is possible without moving the factory box? I have not heard of anyone getting that much with the stock box location no matter the pitman arm or track bar location.
 
jeepster1407 said:
Looking forward to your build here. I to have a pair of 05+ SD axles sitting at home I've been building to go under my LJ but I've been slow at updating my build thread.

Do you think 4-5" of front stretch is possible without moving the factory box? I have not heard of anyone getting that much with the stock box location no matter the pitman arm or track bar location.
Click to expand...
Moving the box also can cause radiator interference so one thing leads to another and so on
 
jeepster1407 said:
Looking forward to your build here. I to have a pair of 05+ SD axles sitting at home I've been building to go under my LJ but I've been slow at updating my build thread.

Do you think 4-5" of front stretch is possible without moving the factory box? I have not heard of anyone getting that much with the stock box location no matter the pitman arm or track bar location.
Click to expand...
I have a friend with a LJ that claims he got 5" with the twisted arm and relocating the track bar frame bracket forward. Will see where we land, but it will all be tacked up and cycled to make sure we don't have any interference prior to burning it all in.

His Jeep is pretty awesome, need to get some photos of it so I can show you what I am aiming at.
 
Great project - looking forward to following along - but man you are flying!

What is your WMS on the ford axle and the 14b?
 
NashvilleTJ said:
Great project - looking forward to following along - but man you are flying!

What is your WMS on the ford axle and the 14b?
Click to expand...
Dana 60 is 72"
14b is 67"

Measured the 14B tonight and its 69". Guess the disk brake ones are a little wider. Should work fine, can run 1.5" spacers if needed.
 
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Got some more time in on the Dana 60, finished one, started the second one. This job sucks, really sucks.

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My buddy sold the Dana 44's, tires, wheels, steering, all the parts we don't need off the green YJ.

IMG_6222.JPG


Midnight Metalworks Rock Box Dana 300 case finally showed up. Will be building it for the diesel YJ. Bad ass piece of metal art this thing is. Getting a 4:1 kit installed in it.

IMG_6223.JPG


Threw the tires and wheel on the Sterling (it got stripped of brackets too) and mocked up the Jeep. Gonna be a beast. They are going to order blank corners for it and stretch so it has zero departure angle. Fuel cell is mounted in the back of the tub.

IMG_6221.JPG
 
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AMS417 said:
Got some more time in on the Dana 60, finished one, started the second one. This job sucks, really sucks.

View attachment 297058View attachment 297059

My buddy sold the Dana 44's, tires, wheels, steering, all the parts we don't need off the green YJ.

View attachment 297060

Midnight Metalworks Rock Box Dana 300 case finally showed up. Will be building it for the diesel YJ. Bad ass piece of metal art this thing is. Getting a 4:1 kit installed in it.

View attachment 297061

Threw the tires and wheel on the Sterling (it got stripped of brackets too) and mocked up the Jeep. Gonna be a beast. They are going to order blank corners for it and stretch so it has zero departure angle. Fuel cell is mounted in the back of the tub.

View attachment 297062
Click to expand...
Schweet!
 
Called on drive shafts today to get a rough idea and plan yokes for the Dana 60 and 14B.

Called Adams, Tom Woods, and my local shop.

Woods recommend 1350 CV with 1350 ends.

Adams recommended 1350 CV with 1410 ends.

Both about $1500 - $1600 all in. Both shafts, two flanges for the t-case, and two yokes.

Local shop said they will build whatever I want but 1350 should be more than enough.

They priced it at $950 all in and a 2 day turn around. Said come get the yokes and install them then call us with the lengths.
 
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AMS417 said:
Called on drive shafts today to get a rough idea and plan yokes for the Dana 60 and 14B.

Called Adams, Tom Woods, and my local shop.

Woods recommend 1350 CV with 1350 ends.

Adams recommended 1350 CV with 1410 ends.

Both about $1500 - $1600 all in. Both shafts, two flanges for the t-case, and two yokes.

Local shop said they will build whatever I want but 1350 should be more than enough.

They priced it at $950 all in and a 2 day turn around. Said come get the yokes and install them then call us with the lengths.
Click to expand...

15 years ago when I built my TJ the first time around I paid $1K for two shafts with flanges and 1350 joints. And then this fall when I had both shafts lengthened it was $700 to do both of them. So that is some great prices from your local shop and what I would expect to see from Woods & Adams.
 
Wildman said:
15 years ago when I built my TJ the first time around I paid $1K for two shafts with flanges and 1350 joints. And then this fall when I had both shafts lengthened it was $700 to do both of them. So that is some great prices from your local shop and what I would expect to see from Woods & Adams.
Click to expand...
I’ve run Adams stuff but for the price I’ll try the local shop. Lots of my buddies run shafts from the local guy. No complaints and if I have issues they are 20 mins away from my house.
 
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