LJR long term "rebuild"

[AMS417]

Back at it with the LJ today. Removed the stock tank and skid, chopped out the extra crossmember and welded in the Genright relocation bracket. Motobilt tank is now all the way to the back.

Decided to take full advantage of the stretch tank, fully delete evap system and go for zero departure angle. Should have enough room for a rear mounted fuel fill. Slapped the hubs and wheels on for some planning. Looks like we will be 116-118 wheel base.

Should be installing brackets and links next weekend. Then assembling the front axle.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Damn! Schweet!

 

[jeepster1407]

Man this is going to be sweet. I to have been eyeing that Motobilt stretch tank. What all is involved with fully deleting the evap stiff? No check engine light I assume or running issues?

 

[MeanGreen86]

Man this is going to be sweet. I to have been eyeing that Motobilt stretch tank. What all is involved with fully deleting the evap stiff? No check engine light I assume or running issues?

interested in deleting the evap too

 

[AMS417]

Man this is going to be sweet. I to have been eyeing that Motobilt stretch tank. What all is involved with fully deleting the evap stiff? No check engine light I assume or running issues?

Remove all evap components, plug intake port, turn off P-codes for evap check engine light with HP Tuners. Install rollover vent included with Motobilt tank, cap extra 8AN fitting on tank. Build new fuel filler with vent. Since I pretty much when full comp cut I will use a boat filler neck and mount on rear of tub above or below taillight. Will try to provide more pictures and details as we progress.

 

[gasiorv]

Decided to take full advantage of the stretch tank, fully delete evap system and go for zero departure angle. Should have enough room for a rear mounted fuel fill. Slapped the hubs and wheels on for some planning. Looks like we will be 116-118 wheel base.


View attachment 390058

Should be installing brackets and links next weekend. Then assembling the front axle.

That thing looks so bad ass that I had to come back today to look at the picture again!!

When do you think you will have it ready to rock and roll?

 

[AMS417]

That thing looks so bad ass that I had to come back today to look at the picture again!!

When do you think you will have it ready to rock and roll?

End of March I hope. Only get a day here and there to work on it. We have 99% of the parts. Just need time.

 

[AMS417]

We were running into issue mounting the upper links on top the truss limiting up travel and increasing ride height. My buddy came up with a creative solution to repurpose an upper triangulation bracket with some modifications. He also chopped up my pinion bridge and redesigned it to work with this configuration. Saved me about 3.5” of ride height. I owe him a bracket. Should get the rear axle linked up tomorrow. Maybe start building the front. Bits and pieces.

 

[AMS417]

More shenanigans today with up travel. Wasn’t happy with the ride height so we chopped out the Genright bracket and fuel tank cross member. Will build a custom cross member for the gas tank. Gained us another three increase of up travel. Waiting on metal now.

Got all the brackets on the rear situated and built links. 2” OD 1/4” wall lowers and 1.75” 1.20 wall uppers. All 40” with 10” axle separation. Axle is now mounted and linked up. Need new shock brackets for the ORI’s still the towers I bought are not going to work. When I bend the steel lowers I’ll order aluminum to replace them. Had enough DOM to build a couple spares too.

Flopped the SD 60 on the bench and started removing the pinion and setting up the locker. Ran out of time. Next week we should have the rear and skid plate installed. Ready to move on the front axle.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Nice work. One thought from personal experience. For my lower arms I started with 2x.250 DOM - and bent them on a regular basis. The length of the arm creates the problem, and I believe yours are a good bit longer than mine. I wound up having to go with 2.25x.375 chromo. Heavy, and expensive, but I have not bent one since.

The build is looking good.

 

[AMS417]

Nice work. One thought from personal experience. For my lower arms I started with 2x.250 DOM - and bent them on a regular basis. The length of the arm creates the problem, and I believe yours are a good bit longer than mine. I wound up having to go with 2.25x.375 chromo. Heavy, and expensive, but I have not bent one since.

The build is looking good.

The plan was to build them DOM and work the suspension out, put in some trail time and see what we have. Once I’m happy with it, or I start bending arms I’ll go Alloy probably, or alloy slugged DOM.

I appreciate the input, lots to learn yet.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

...

I appreciate the input, lots to learn yet.

Looks to me like you are teaching the class...

 

[AMS417]

Looks to me like you are teaching the class...

My friend alloy slugged dom for some rear lowers. They had some scrap bar stock and spun it down in the lathe to be a tight fit. Could be a cheap route over some WO alloy arms. Think the max on the lathe is 1.75” though. If I make up one spare I hope I can get through the first season on DOM and upgrade later. The 2” .250 was only $250 for 22’ when I bought it. I sold 8’ of it.

 

[AMS417]

Received my UCF ultra skid and lo pro mount. Due to my gigantic deep trans pan we had to modify both the engine and t case skid a little but it’s all installed and fits.

Factory trans mount was smoked.

First test fit, we opened it up a little more and contoured the edges.

Final fit check. Will pull for paint and reinstall.

We built a new fuel tank crossmember out of 1.5” square and chopped up then fuel tank skid to allow the 14B to travel all the way up to the tub bottom. Welded in some gussets and put three 1/2” through bolts in it. Will take more pictures next time. It’s stout, should take some abuse.

We also tied in the cage / frame at the c pillar to give us an upper mounting point for the ORI. Should have all the stuff to finish the rear suspension next weekend. Had to order some different brackets and little parts. Worked on the Dana 60 some, waiting until next weekend for some tools from another buddy to set up the carrier and pinion.

Slow burn but making progress.

 

[AMS417]

I’m out of town for work this week, but my buddy found some time to burn in my fuel tank cross member and add some nice gussets. Did the same on the on the rear suspension mounts. Ordered some comp cut fender flares from Motobilt. Should get some significant progress this Saturday. Looking forward to ordering driveshafts and brake lines.

Should have it on its own weight in the next couple weeks.

Emailed with Flyin’ Ryan on some parts as well. Water / Meth is on the list along with some larger injectors and a tune.

 

[AMS417]

Forgot to post an update last week. Didn’t take many pictures either. Running into some issues with mounting the ORI’s on the rear. Ordered some spacers to get the track width same front and rear and will work on it again next weekend. Might have to channel the frame but trying to avoid it if able.

Here it is mocked up at full droop.

We got the front diff assembled and shimmed. Good preload and .008 lash. It’s ready for brackets and links now. Next week we add knuckles and steering and start building the front out.

 

[AMS417]

Finished up the rear today. Has to channel the frame for the ORI. Still need to add bump stops for full stuff / full droop. Cut as much sheet metal as I could without moving the inner fenders up.

Popped the half moon clips off the giant 1550 u joints and replaced with full circle clips. Installed shafts, ball joints, knuckles and started mocking up the front.

Ready to build steering and links for the front next weekend.

 

[AMS417]

Built trackbar, drag link, tie rod, upper and lower links and brackets and relocated the intermediate steering shaft up an inch. Was binding a little after the BL.

Next is front hoops and cycle everything a lot to be 100% sure we are happy.

Wheel base is looking to be 117”. Very happy with that.

 

[NashvilleTJ]

Schweet.

 

[AMS417]

What an awesome friend working on my Jeep while I’m out of town. I owe this guy big time.

Full bump: Might be able to squeeze a little more up travel in the front. Looking for 6-ish up 8-ish down if we can make it happen. Want to keep it low as we can but 43’s are a tough compromise.

Level ride height on the lift:

Rear looks tall. Good thing about ORI I can dial it in with pressure.