Eddie’s build thread

[Eddie Greenlee]

I would like to start out saying I know I have started many many threads on how to do my build. Along the way I have asked about a million questions and yall have answered them all. So I thought I would make One build thread for myself here to go forward with and hopefully not loose track of the threads or where im headed. thanks and had it not been for this forum and all the help i would have been lost.

So about 1&1/2 years ago i bought a 5 speed 97 tj. It seemed to be in perfect shape and had a new 6cyl installed along the way of its life. So I figure it now has about 12,000+ on the engine. It came with a rough country 4" lift and falken a/t 33x12.50x15 tires on some steel procomp wheels. It had also been regeared with 410 gears (but little did I know the gears in the rear had to be replaced due to a poor install) so at that time I took it to a very trustworthy shop and had new everything put into the Dana 35. It runs great now!! and till this day I have not found one rust spot.
Along the way so far these are the things I have added. My son drives it about 14 miles a day back and forth to school and we are always in it on trails (very light trails) most every weekend. So its a daily driver and I want it as best as I can have it for any trail around MS, AR, & AL, but probably wont be mudding it or on extreme rocks for sure. So here are the things iv done so far.

Front bumper with warren winch and D rings,
Home made rear bumper with swing out tire carrier.
New led lights,
Aussie locker in Dana 30 ,
Beefed up tie rod and tie rod ends From 4door Jeep
HD-front adjustable track bar,
Savvy upper rear adj control arms,
Core 4x4 lower adj control arms
New soft top,
New radio and speakers,
Rock sliders,- Stout Fabrication
extended front and rear brake lines,
new rancho shocks RS5000x I cut some 4" fender flairs down to make flat fenders.
CB radio and antenna
Ford 8.8 w/4.88 gears , OX Locker , Yukon super 8.8 kit (C clip eliminator)
Chromoly Axles
Tera-Flex super short SYE & Adams CV drive shaft
Currie AntiRock
D-rings
rear adjustable track bar w/ johnny joints - Core 4x4
Goodyear KO2s MT 35" & Interco SS SX2s (35x 13x15) f wheels
1.25 body lift Savvy
1" Motor mount lift blocks
Belly up skid plate
Savvy aluminum Gas tank skid plate
New Bosch fuel pump
(Doors off)-mirrors
Grab bars
fire ext. recovery rope, snatch block, tree saver
M.O.R.E. ,transmission & oil pan skid plate
steering box & dana 30 dif skid plate

 

[Chris]

I always love that color blue whenever I see it. Before I bought my Rubicon, I almost bought a TJ Sport in that same color. It's definitely an uncommon color.

I've seen enough of your threads to know that you're definitely on the right track with this build, that's for sure. I like the way it looks so far. Those rock sliders look particularly good!

 

[Kevin E]

Your getting there. Looks good

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Before I bought my Rubicon

if i had to do it over again, Id probably look for a TJ Rubicon also. I know it would have cost more but the D44s and maybe lockers would have already been a part of the package.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

so in order to get great flex and in turn more rubber on the ground quicker while on the trail, the front sway bar connectors need to be disconnected, and for conveinence you can get one of many quick disco's or a currie antirock.... But nothing controls the on road ride better than the oem sway bar connectors, right?

 

[Chris]

if i had to do it over again, Id probably look for a TJ Rubicon also. I know it would have cost more but the D44s and maybe lockers would have already been a part of the package.

That's why I bought the Rubicon. I knew if I didn't, I would end up dropping a lot of money on lockers and axles. So it saved me money in the long run.

 

[Chris]

so in order to get great flex and in turn more rubber on the ground quicker while on the trail, the front sway bar connectors need to be disconnected, and for conveinence you can get one of many quick disco's or a currie antirock.... But nothing controls the on road ride better than the oem sway bar connectors, right?

Right. But the Currie Antirock only adds a tiny bit more body roll on the street. You barely even notice it. I drive my TJ almost daily and never notice the Antirock is even there, unless I go off-road.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

i have also been thinking about a 1" body lift for a little extra body clearance and tire clearance. do you think its to much with a 4" suspension lift"

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Right. But the Currie Antirock only adds a tiny bit more body roll on the street. You barely even notice it. I drive my TJ almost daily and never notice the Antirock is even there, unless I go off-road.

from your knowledge, is the # one reason the antirock works so much better than the oem sway bar , the physical makeup of the actual bar it self like size ... because the link and the adjustable bar are just the connectors right??

 

[Chris]

from your knowledge, is the # one reason the antirock works so much better than the oem sway bar , the physical makeup of the actual bar it self like size ... because the link and the adjustable bar are just the connectors right??

No, the reason it works so much better is because you aren't disconnecting the sway bar at all. That is the point people seem to miss all the time. Disconnecting your sway bar might seem like the right thing to do (and if you have no other choice, it is the right thing to do). However, that doesn't mean it's the best thing you can do. The best thing you can do for an off-road vehicle in terms of getting the most amount of articulation--but also having the maximum amount of control over the vehicle--is to go with a torsion bar style setup (which is what the Antirock is).

The torsion bar style setup (like the Antirock) remains connected at all times, but allows much more flex than a sway bar would allow. Yes, you might lose a little bit of maximum flex, but it won't matter, because the amount of control you'll gain from the vehicle far outweighs anything you would lose.

Get two guys who are equally good drivers with the exact same rig, exact same setup, with the only difference at all being that one has sway bar disconnects and one has an Antirock. Let's assume the trail is seriously off-camber (as many trails are). The guy with the Antirock will almost always drastically do better and outperform the guy with the sway bar disconnects. He'll have more control over the vehicle (it can feel very dangerous with the body swaying back and forth on an off-camber trail with sway bar disconnects) which is confidence inspiring.

Take it from me, I've run both. The difference is night and day, it really is. No one will ever understand this though until they experience it first hand. After owning my Antirock for years, I look back at the times I went off-road with sway bar disconnects, and just think it was stupid. Not only stupid, but I think it's often times scary how you have too much body movement on those off camber trails.

There's a reason all those guys competing in professional off-road competitions have torsion bar setups, not sway bar disconnects.

This is such an old video, but Mr. Currie himself perfectly explains it:

 

[Kevin E]

i have also been thinking about a 1" body lift for a little extra body clearance and tire clearance. do you think its to much with a 4" suspension lift"

I don't think so. That's what my set-up is. No problems

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

No, the reason it works so much better is because you aren't disconnecting the sway bar at all. That is the point people seem to miss all the time. Disconnecting your sway bar might seem like the right thing to do (and if you have no other choice, it is the right thing to do). However, that doesn't mean it's the best thing you can do. The best thing you can do for an off-road vehicle in terms of getting the most amount of articulation--but also having the maximum amount of control over the vehicle--is to go with a torsion bar style setup (which is what the Antirock is).

The torsion bar style setup (like the Antirock) remains connected at all times, but allows much more flex than a sway bar would allow. Yes, you might lose a little bit of maximum flex, but it won't matter, because the amount of control you'll gain from the vehicle far outweighs anything you would lose.

Get two guys who are equally good drivers with the exact same rig, exact same setup, with the only difference at all being that one has sway bar disconnects and one has an Antirock. Let's assume the trail is seriously off-camber (as many trails are). The guy with the Antirock will almost always drastically do better and outperform the guy with the sway bar disconnects. He'll have more control over the vehicle (it can feel very dangerous with the body swaying back and forth on an off-camber trail with sway bar disconnects) which is confidence inspiring.

Take it from me, I've run both. The difference is night and day, it really is. No one will ever understand this though until they experience it first hand. After owning my Antirock for years, I look back at the times I went off-road with sway bar disconnects, and just think it was stupid. Not only stupid, but I think it's often times scary how you have too much body movement on those off camber trails.

There's a reason all those guys competing in professional off-road competitions have torsion bar setups, not sway bar disconnects.

This is such an old video, but Mr. Currie himself perfectly explains it:

Thank you Chris!

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Well its been a while since ive been on the forum due to life. but im still enjoying our Jeep and still thinking about up grading things as i can. we have done a few small things like replacing the big round fog lights with an 18" light bar (Huge difference) and installed a small sub and amp for a little more base to listen too(my sons idea). I really like the rock sliders we installed, it gives the jeep a very different and much better look. also a lot more protection and more ground clearance than the stock step. I still havent installed an SYE/CV or my ford 8.8 or super Dana 35(that i dont have). Really i havent touched the stock back bumper & receiver hitch.
As you know I respect your opinion and invite your ideas for making our 97 tj a better and stronger jeep so always feel free to recommend a good upgrade for our jeep. thanks

 

[albert leon]

Looks like you're off to a great start! I'd look into Armor underneath. If you haven't added anything, the oil pan is completely exposed. A Tummy Tuck is a little pricey because of the need to eliminate the Slip Yoke, replacing the drive shaft, replacing the motor mounts, & lifting the body, but I was able to gain 3 1/2 inches under the jeep and making the jeep completely protected and flat underneath. It allows you to slide over boulders that would normally be damaging expensive components. I want to say my total spend for the tummy tuck was about $900.

Some quick disconnects are a really cheap upgrade that really improve offroad capability if you're not ready to drop $400 on antirock swaybar. but with a 4" lift and disconnects, you need to also replace the front brake lines with longer ones.

I ran an ausi locker up front for a while, it made a difference offroad, but not nearly the difference of having a locker in the rear. Definitely would not do ausi in the rear though, the noise will drive you crazy after a while. I ended up putting an eaton e-locker in the rear, and liked it so much I replaced the ausi up front with the eaton. I ran 33's on the original 3.73 gears, but when I went to 35's, it was just too gutless. People will tell you your crazy for running 35's on a Dana 30/35 combo, but I've been doing it for years running some really tough trails without problems. I just don't let myself bounce, if I can't make it locked, I back up and try another approach.

I'd also consider armor under the gas tank. The stock is way to thin and if you come down off a ledge and smack your fuel pump or puncture the tank, it can wreck your day. Not that it will explode, you'll just be dead in your tracks.

 

[Chris]

Well its been a while since ive been on the forum due to life. but im still enjoying our Jeep and still thinking about up grading things as i can. we have done a few small things like replacing the big round fog lights with an 18" light bar (Huge difference) and installed a small sub and amp for a little more base to listen too(my sons idea). I really like the rock sliders we installed, it gives the jeep a very different and much better look. also a lot more protection and more ground clearance than the stock step. I still havent installed an SYE/CV or my ford 8.8 or super Dana 35(that i dont have). Really i havent touched the stock back bumper & receiver hitch.
As you know I respect your opinion and invite your ideas for making our 97 tj a better and stronger jeep so always feel free to recommend a good upgrade for our jeep. thanks

Oh wow, you're alive! Haven't seen you on here for a long time! Good to have you back.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Oh wow, you're alive! Haven't seen you on here for a long time! Good to have you back.

thanks Chris , its good to be back and see what everyone it doing.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

Oh wow, you're alive! Haven't seen you on here for a long time! Good to have you back.

thanks for the input, yep ive got about 1000 places for $1000.00 to go ha, Id love to do the sye/ford 8.8/CV drive shaft......one day. but i have extended my brake lines (both front and rear) so thats a step in the right direction. i do not have an oil pan skid plate.(ya might recommend one for me). I know the anitrock is supposed to be the best for off road and daily driver for articulation and safety. but i guess with caution, disconnecting is a good deal too for off road.

 

[Eddie Greenlee]

thanks for the input, yep ive got about 1000 places for $1000.00 to go ha, Id love to do the sye/ford 8.8/CV drive shaft......one day. but i have extended my brake lines (both front and rear) so thats a step in the right direction. i do not have an oil pan skid plate.(ya might recommend one for me). I know the anitrock is supposed to be the best for off road and daily driver for articulation and safety. but i guess with caution, disconnecting is a good deal too for off road.

Sorry Chris , that was for Albert Leon

 

[JMT]

Looks like you're off to a great start! I'd look into Armor underneath. If you haven't added anything, the oil pan is completely exposed. A Tummy Tuck is a little pricey because of the need to eliminate the Slip Yoke, replacing the drive shaft, replacing the motor mounts, & lifting the body, but I was able to gain 3 1/2 inches under the jeep and making the jeep completely protected and flat underneath. It allows you to slide over boulders that would normally be damaging expensive components. I want to say my total spend for the tummy tuck was about $900.

Some quick disconnects are a really cheap upgrade that really improve offroad capability if you're not ready to drop $400 on antirock swaybar. but with a 4" lift and disconnects, you need to also replace the front brake lines with longer ones.

I ran an ausi locker up front for a while, it made a difference offroad, but not nearly the difference of having a locker in the rear. Definitely would not do ausi in the rear though, the noise will drive you crazy after a while. I ended up putting an eaton e-locker in the rear, and liked it so much I replaced the ausi up front with the eaton. I ran 33's on the original 3.73 gears, but when I went to 35's, it was just too gutless. People will tell you your crazy for running 35's on a Dana 30/35 combo, but I've been doing it for years running some really tough trails without problems. I just don't let myself bounce, if I can't make it locked, I back up and try another approach.

I'd also consider armor under the gas tank. The stock is way to thin and if you come down off a ledge and smack your fuel pump or puncture the tank, it can wreck your day. Not that it will explode, you'll just be dead in your tracks.

Nice setup! $900 not bad for TT

 

[Mike_H]

Looks like you're off to a great start! I'd look into Armor underneath. If you haven't added anything, the oil pan is completely exposed. A Tummy Tuck is a little pricey because of the need to eliminate the Slip Yoke, replacing the drive shaft, replacing the motor mounts, & lifting the body, but I was able to gain 3 1/2 inches under the jeep and making the jeep completely protected and flat underneath. It allows you to slide over boulders that would normally be damaging expensive components. I want to say my total spend for the tummy tuck was about $900.

Some quick disconnects are a really cheap upgrade that really improve offroad capability if you're not ready to drop $400 on antirock swaybar. but with a 4" lift and disconnects, you need to also replace the front brake lines with longer ones.

I ran an ausi locker up front for a while, it made a difference offroad, but not nearly the difference of having a locker in the rear. Definitely would not do ausi in the rear though, the noise will drive you crazy after a while. I ended up putting an eaton e-locker in the rear, and liked it so much I replaced the ausi up front with the eaton. I ran 33's on the original 3.73 gears, but when I went to 35's, it was just too gutless. People will tell you your crazy for running 35's on a Dana 30/35 combo, but I've been doing it for years running some really tough trails without problems. I just don't let myself bounce, if I can't make it locked, I back up and try another approach.

I'd also consider armor under the gas tank. The stock is way to thin and if you come down off a ledge and smack your fuel pump or puncture the tank, it can wreck your day. Not that it will explode, you'll just be dead in your tracks.

Full Tummy tuck for 900 bucks? Care to start a thread and do a write up? I know a lot of us would like to see that.