Overland 05 LJ Slow Build

posulli

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
75
Location
Denver
Hey All!

I am a proud owner of a 2005 LJ (automatic unlimited, not rubicon) with 40k miles on it that I am slowly building into an overland rig. It is also my daily driver so I am keeping that in mind with my build. I am a jeep guy but this is my first TJ build. I have owned an XJ and ZJ in the past and currently own a 1977 Jeep J10 that I have done a complete mechanical rebuild on ( just under 10:1 compression fuel injected AMC360, Dana 20, T-18). I like to document the work I do so I figured I would start a thread. I am an apparel designer but have a background in Industrial Design so I can be a bit obsessive and really plan out all my designs and builds.

I bought the LJ and it already had the following installed:

_Currie Antirock
_Currie Front steering upgrade
_Warn front and rear bumpers
_Garvin Expedition rack (I will be modifying)
_Currie 4" lift with Bilstein shocks
_Warn XD9000i winch

Thinks I have done so far (mostly maintenance, some very minor but I like to document for my self):

_Valve cover gasket
_Replace cracked interior door handle
_All fluids changed
_Custom wheels I painted to further play into the overland feel I am going for
_33x12.5 R15 K02's
_Replaced body mounts
_Added blue tooth receiver to stock radio to keep factory look (game changer for me haha)

Now the fun stuff. Current work I am doing and plans:

_Currently building a Camp kitchen out of Anodized black 80/20 (the next post with start highlighting this build)
_Building out a matching cooler sliders and platform over top for optimal gear packing
_Modifying my Expedition rack to carry rotopax and building in a ladder to allow for access to my super light roof tent (plans to follow)
_Regear and lockers (man this thing struggles in the mountains here in Denver
_re powdercoat bumpers and rack


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Camp kitchen frame ^ much more to come in next post

Camp kitchen cutting board top opening ^
 
_Currently building a Camp kitchen out of Anodized black 80/20 (the next post with start highlighting this build)
_Building out a matching cooler sliders and platform over top for optimal gear packing
_Modifying my Expedition rack to carry rotopax and building in a ladder to allow for access to my super light roof tent (plans to follow)
_Regear and lockers (man this thing struggles in the mountains here in Denver
_re powdercoat bumpers and rack
40K miles 😮 That's awesome! I like the build so far and want to see more! Nicely done!
 
Was able to do the first test fit of the camp kitchen I am building this weekend. This set up is going to be great! I have 2 week Canyon cooler that I will be building a slide for which nest perfectly (planned) next to the camp kitchen.

I wanted to still leave the back seat in the jeep and have it remain fully functional. I have designed this so that 4 bolts hold the camp kitchen to the 80/20 frame I built into the jeep. Kitchen comes out in 2 minutes and seats are usable again. I also didn't want to drill through the body of the jeep for the frame. So designed the frame work to use existing bolts in the jeep. The 2 closest to the tail gate are use the carpet holt down bolts. The middle frame attaches using the back bolts from the seat bracket. I did drill 2 quarter inch holts for the back frame though the side wall of the seat bracket. Only holes this thing will need and its very minimal. The frame does not impede the back seat from folding down and attaching to its bracket securely.

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Slide plate and slide

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Frame work installed ^

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Back frame that I had to drill the 1/4 inch hole into the seat frame bracket ^

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This is the bolt I had to clearance ^


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After the first test fit I had to clearance one frame bolt as it was dragging on the kitchen (scratching sound in the video), but its super smooth now.


More to come.
 
Well I have been waiting 4+ months for the last parts to finish the Camp Kitchen. Super frustrating but they should be here within the month. In the meantime I wanted to get the exterior dialed in prep for my roof top tent and bring it up to the visual quality I am after.

I removed the front bumper, rear bumper , and rock sliders and they are all at the powder coater getting a new coat of paint. With everything off I did some paint correction, polishing, and waxing. This thing is going to get dirty but I want its foundation to be nice as possible first haha. I also restored all the factory plastics and rubbers including the fender flares. Super stoked on how that turned out:

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With everything off I turned my attention to the exposed frame rails. My frame is in really good shape but I want to keep it that way. I scuffed any exposed surface rust, put on some Eastwood rust converter than covered with their chassis black. Looks so much better! Also spent a couple hours with an air gun blowing sand out of the frame. Still a lot more to do but I will be painting the interior frame with Eastwoods internal frame coating eventually.


I had some front in groaning over bumps I have been chasing. I replaced my front antirock heim joints, my currie tie rod end at the pitman arm and rear sway bar links (which were toast). All of that helped but I still have a groan over bumps at low speed I am chasing. Thinking it's my springs, that is one of the few parts on this jeep that seems like they have seen better days.

Next on the docket is making a ladder to connect to my roof rack so I have access to the tent. Hoping to knock this out in the next couple weeks.

Jeep goes in for 5:13 gears and a rear Yukon E locker next week! Ive never done gears myself as its always scared me so I will leave it to the experts.

A lot of writing hoping to have a lot more process photos soon.