Oscar The Grouch LJ Build

I've started back in on this LJ. I installed the rear fenders and have started on the fronts. Should get them and the rock sliders all finished this weekend. I need to do oil changes on all three vehicles and my JKU is getting new brake pads this weekend. Weather looks to finally be good enough to get some real work done in the driveway.

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I got the fenders put on. I don't have great shot of them yet. They really make my 31" tires looks SUPER small. Should be putting the rockers on this week. I'm not in love with the silver access panel on the side. Thinking of either getting the vented ones or maybe just painting these black. Any thoughts on those?

While I had the drivers side fender off I went ahead and swapped in the MORE steering shaft riser. Seemed like it would be far more difficult once I got the fender back one. I probably should have done my MML at that same time. I just wasn't ready to tackle both the body and motor mount lifts yet.

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Wife and I made an impromptu road trip to Texas to pick these factory color matched half doors. Probably paid too much but to me they were worth the trip. Plus the lady selling them was super nice and a Jeep collector. Can't wait to get these put on.
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Finally installed the rock rails. I'm going to swap out that silver plate on the fenders. Just not a fan of that look. Seems incomplete to me. Unfortunately, it's all getting placed in storage for a bit. It's going on the back burner for about a month or so. I have a bunch of things to do on my JK that needs to be done before the 23rd. So I am making space in the garage to be able to get around and work on the JK easier.

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Finally installed the rock rails. I'm going to swap out that silver plate on the fenders. Just not a fan of that look. Seems incomplete to me. Unfortunately, it's all getting placed in storage for a bit. It's going on the back burner for about a month or so. I have a bunch of things to do on my JK that needs to be done before the 23rd. So I am making space in the garage to be able to get around and work on the JK easier.

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I love this Jeep!
From the color to the mods you've done so far, great job.
Simply bad-ass and fun to look at.
 
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Same here, absolutely LOVE the color - and the LJ part too! Great looking build, keep it up!
 
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We installed some TMR hinge bushings and the half doors. The drivers side stock bushings were a pita to get out. They were so rusted. Oddly enough the passengers side wasn't an issue at all.
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Then we took it out to the airport where it will stay for a week or so.
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It's with good company. The blue Cessna is my dad's and the yellow RV-3 was my brothers. Quite the collection of toys out there at the moment.
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Not really TJ/LJ related but this is the reason it's spending some time out at the airport. We are doing a lot of maintenance on the JKU. Replacing the radiator, resealing some problem areas on the power steering, and then doing some changes to the steering setup. Going from a draglink flip back to under knuckle setup. Swapping front springs. Adding an ARB power line for a fridge and a few other odds and ends.

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Oh and I picked up a Harbor Freight Badlands Apex winch. The Smitybilt will X20 will be moving over to the LJ once I figure out what I want to mount it to.
 
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Getting ready to order some more parts. I saw in @Irun post that @mrblaine said he wouldn't want a HP Dana 44 if it were laying on the ground waiting to go in. EEKS I didn't want to clog up Irun's thread but I did want to follow up with that. I am looking at doing just that. I am wanting to regear and was going to get a HP Dana 44 of some sort so that I could go to 5.38 gears. My reason being I am running 35"s with the 42RLE transmission.

I'm obviously not the first person to want to do this. But just how big of a can of worms am I opening?

 
Getting ready to order some more parts. I saw in @Irun post that @mrblaine said he wouldn't want a HP Dana 44 if it were laying on the ground waiting to go in. EEKS I didn't want to clog up Irun's thread but I did want to follow up with that. I am looking at doing just that. I am wanting to regear and was going to get a HP Dana 44 of some sort so that I could go to 5.38 gears. My reason being I am running 35"s with the 42RLE transmission.

I'm obviously not the first person to want to do this. But just how big of a can of worms am I opening?

I did one to get the 5.38's. I'm not sure I would do it again.
 
When I started looking at front axles, I was set on a 44. After doing lots of wheeling, research, cycling suspension, and listening to others, I came to the conclusion that a properly built HP (or LP) Dana 30, with a selectable locker and 4340 inner 30 spline shafts, would hold up extremely well with 35" tires. It also wouldn't have the weight or interference issues associated with a larger 44 housing.

As for the 5.38 gears, the difference between 5.13 and 5.38 at 70 MPH, with a 35" tire, is only 116 RPM. Hardly enough to make any difference with the 42RLE. If it helps, I ran 5.13 gears in my LJ, on 35s, for almost a decade with no issues. At this point, I'm waiting on an Eaton eLocker. When it gets here I'll start building my own HP30, with 5.13 gears. FWIW, buying a 30 spline locker, 5.13 gears, master install kit, yoke, and 30 spline inner shafts, I'm still under $1900. This will give me an axle I can rely on for whatever I'm going to do, at an affordable price!
 
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Should I just stick with my stock Dana 30 and put 5.13s in it? This is by far the cheapest/easiest option. Would you still put a selectable locker in a LP 30? I suppose I could go get a HP30 for not too much. I'm just trying to figure the best path forward before spending money on the regear.
 
Should I just stick with my stock Dana 30 and put 5.13s in it? This is by far the cheapest/easiest option. Would you still put a selectable locker in a LP 30? I suppose I could go get a HP30 for not too much. I'm just trying to figure the best path forward before spending money on the regear.
There's a nominal strength increase with a HP30. I've seen numbers that say 20%. That said, the real reason I wanted a HP was to raise the front pinion up and out of the rocks. If that isn't a significant issue for your use, there is nothing wrong with the LP30. The only caveat is to make the switch to a 30 spline locker and inner shafts. Blaine is very, very clear on that point!

Edit: One thing I have noticed, when looking for gears, is that LP gears are much easier to find than HP gears.