Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Lou's TJ

Got a free jk44 front housing that was broke in half. 3” .250 wall tube was used to sleeve the long and short sides. Got her nice and straight.

Onto the rear housing.

Then to cut the frame.

Good deal if you have the tools to fix it. Those welds look 🔥 where did the axle break?
 
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Good deal if you have the tools to fix it. Those welds look 🔥 where did the axle break?

It was broke on the long side. Didn’t quite get the full story on exactly what happened but it was a clean break. Cut out the bad section and pressed the 3” tube over the existing, straight material.

Can’t take credit for the welds but I agree they are purdy.
 
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Had some interference with the JK casting for the stock Locker wiring and the truss.

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Front axle is dialed minus the track bar, sway bar, and coilover mounts which will go on when it’s fitted under the rig.

Rear axle will require modification to fit the truss over the casting. Hoping to do some fancy “stiffeners” to match the styling of the front.

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The JK axles will be getting 5.38 revolution gears. Running a 30 spline arb up front with Revolution USA shafts, with their chromoly U joint which I’ve been running for a few years on my TJ width axles with success.

The rear will be getting a 35 spline ARB, Revolution discovery shafts(USA was not available at the time). Stock JK brakes for now (with special pads), if I need more brakes I will go with the Ram brake upgrade up front.

Rancho knuckles, mevotech lower BJ, custom steering with 7/8” FK Heims. I plan to run summit machine joints instead of Johnny joints. We have had good luck with them on other rigs. I’ll be keeping the swaylock and rear antirock, with custom links using 5/8” FK heims.

Fox 2.0 coilovers with DSC’s, 13” up front and 14” in the back. Shooting for 105”-ish wheel base. Will see where that ends up.

The 32rh is coming out and a 42rle is going in. For now I am retaining the 241 tcase but that may change in the future. Will be running a flat skid, but with the 241 will likely need some thickness of spacer off the frame.

Genright boulder highlines, savvy lj sliders, and savvy blank corners to clean up the stretch. I got an aluminum drop down tailgate from Aqualu to clean up the ass end since I won’t be running a spare off the back anymore.

Will be using a Motobilt 19 gallon fuel cell in the back. I’d like to relocate my battery to the back… somewhere… need to play with that but don’t want to use the genright battery tray, I hate where it puts the battery.

There’s a million other little details I am forgetting at the moment but with this being a side project the progress will come in bursts over the next couple months.

The plan is to finish the rear then spin it around and do the front. Somewhere in there I’ll redo the harnesses and swap the tranny. I’ve been collecting parts for the better part of two years now and I’m excited to finally start working on the jeep.

The decision to go with JK axles was due to the housings being free, and not having an extra $25k for the axles I really want.
 
"The 32rh is coming out and a 42rle is going in"

How are you going to accomplish that?

Same way any jeep would swap to a 42rle.

My jeep is a 2003, started life as a 5 speed. I then put a 32rh in it, and made my jeep think it’s a 2002. Now it will think it’s a 2003 with a 42rle…
 
No Dana 60 Outers on that JK axle? I've been keeping my eyes open for a cheap, broken JK front 44 too.

Sticking with jk knuckles. Dana 60 outers alone gets expensive. I’d rather have currie hp60s with ford outers but they won’t make custom axles anymore. Pretty lame.
 
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Same way any jeep would swap to a 42rle.

My jeep is a 2003, started life as a 5 speed. I then put a 32rh in it, and made my jeep think it’s a 2002. Now it will think it’s a 2003 with a 42rle…

I didn't look up your year. Definitely not as much work as trying to get one in my 97
 
I didn't look up your year. Definitely not as much work as trying to get one in my 97

97 is probably the worst year but I haven’t studied the schematics of pre 2000 to give you an answer. I can tell you it’s totally doable you might just need the interior wiring harnesses and cluster to do so. Along with the other stuff that’s needed..
 
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The 32rh is coming out and a 42rle is going in.

Is this so you can get more mechanical advantage out of the 42rle deeper gears and still maintain on road drivability?
 
Is this so you can get more mechanical advantage out of the 42rle deeper gears and still maintain on road drivability?

Really no major reason justifying it. I’d have liked to rebuild the 32 but found a 42 for a good enough deal. Having OD will be nice. 5.38 gears will be nice.

I don’t have a preference over either transmission. Neither are great units.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts