PC1P's 1998 Jeep TJ Build - "Ophelia"

[pc1p]

Ophelia's Landing Page

Update 4/19/21:
Ophelia has been completely parted out. The stuff I'm keeping has been moved to Brünhilde, my 2006 LJ. As sad as it was to do, converting Ophelia from a desert crawler to PA-legal Jeep was simply too much work to do in the time available (move date is targeted for July, and the summer heat will be here soon).

Luckily, with "parts Jeeps" in such thin supply here in the valley, I was able to sell everything - and I mean everything, even trim pieces that I was getting ready to throw out as well as the metal transmission mount plate!. Some of the parts - like the frame for example, was literally in pieces and I still got $300 for it! When I moved the parts that I'm keeping from the TJ spreadsheet to my LJ spreadsheet, added in all the sold items, and summed it all up, I ended up making money on this rig... gotta love that

Anyone from the valley that knows Chris down in Chandler (the guy with all the TJ parts on Craigslist, FB Market, etc), this is actually close to what he told me he typically makes from a clean part-out... BTW, he's getting out of the TJ part-out business too (which is sad!) since he can't find good rigs anymore (and he wants his yard back - to which I can relate )

 

[pc1p]

Long-time listener, first-time caller... Figured I should at least make a profile for this forum, so that I too can ask what size tires I can fit with a 2" lift (just kidding of course, everyone knows that's what Facebook is for!)

I've been active on a few other forums (same handle), but find myself more and more on this one since moving to the TJ platform. I'm currently building a 98 TJ that I originally bought to build for my daughter. We have a move to the mountains planned for next spring, so the Mrs. thought it was best that our daughter get something safer and more modern, ideally with AWD, more storage and stability control. I couldn't really disagree, so long story short(ened), I sold my YJ that I had been building up for the past 3 years (dual Dana 44's, e-lockers, 35"s, etc and was just about to go coilover and tons).

Here's the TJ, dubbed "Ophelia", when I first got it. I actually traded a Dodge W150 I was building but changed my direction on (ended up getting a RamCharger since it is also more appropriate for where we are moving to). The person I traded the TJ for was actually from Minnesota, but wintered/snow-birded in Arizona. The rig was relatively clean and unmolested. It did has some different colored parts, which were due to the PO hitting a deer a number of years ago. The damage, which I verified, was limited to some sheetmetal, so not a concern. Despite being from the midwest, the PO spent most of his time in Arizona and the Jeep had rarely seen snow.

It had what I was originally interested in for my daughter - a low mile 4.0L (108k miles), 5-speed, A/C and a hard top.

You're supposed to introduce new pets from separate rooms, allowing them to get used to each other from under a doorway. I don't think that applies to Jeeps, so I originally parked them next to each other and let whatever was going to happen, happen. Once I sold the YJ, things on the TJ progressed quickly...

The factory Dana 35 was making some god awful noises around corners, suggesting either a blown out spider set or lunchbox locker with busted pins. I didn't bother pulling the cover to inspect, knowing they were going to be removed in short order. I found a TJ Dana 44 a few blocks away on FB Marketplace and a friend of mine had a clean D30HP he wasn't going to use. I stole the e-lockers from the YJ before selling it (replaced them with a spare TrueTrac and Trac-Lok I had), so I had one available for the TJ rear. The same friend who had the D30HP for sale also had some 30-spline ECGS CM shafts and a 30-spline Eaton e-locker. We made a deal and I grabbed those parts from him and got to building the axles. A quick call to Revolution Gear and Axle got me a set of D30HP/Dana 44 gears and master install kits for a smoking price (it was their "XJ" kit).

I'm a big fan of used parts when appropriate, especially since I haven't made up my mind on some things. I originally found a set of ProComp 4" coils for $70 and a set of used RE Superflex Adjustable Control Arms for $100. I rebuilt the joints and have less than $200 into all 8 arms (including the tools to rebuild the Super-Flex joints). I found some other parts, including a new grille and front fenders to replace the previously tweaked, deer-smacked ones. I added an Energy Suspension 1" BL at the same time. I also found a set of full-doors and had them rekeyed to match the half-doors that the TJ originally came with.

With the axles coming along, I turned my attention to the drivetrain. I ordered a UCF Ultra-High skid for a Tummy Tuck, along with a MML from Brown Dog Offroad. I rebuilt the t-case with a JB Conversions SYE, then called my go-to builder of driveshafts (Adam's Driveshafts in NV) for a new front and rear setup...

 

[pc1p]

With the BDO mounts installed, I was able to get the UCF Ultra-high skid in place.

It required some tweaking of the exhaust at the cat/front mount. I ended up cutting a relief cut in the hanger and then rewelded it back together to make room. This fixed the cat clearance but the muffler and rear pipe were still a problem. I picked up a 2.5" Magnaflow and made my own version of their TJ kit.

It's too damn loud so I'll be replacing it eventually, but it allowed me to focus on other things for the time being, namely wrapping up the axles and brakes. I was (and am) leaning toward the Black Magic Big Brake kit, but needed something in the interim to get moving again. I welded up the divots in the factory knuckles and ordered some corrosion-resistant rotors and matching calipers for the front and rear, plus added some premium Raybestos-brand semi-metallic pads.

With the brakes done, I turned to the steering and track bars. I ordered a "new but not original packaging" RE track bar for the front and a RE bracket for the rear to accommodate the SYE angle. This was the cheapest but most reasonable option I could think of until I determine what I want to do long-term for suspension (leaning toward a Savvy mid-arm setup). For steering, there's really only one solid, time-proven option and that's the Currie "CURRECTLYNC" steering, so that's what I went with...

As you can see in the photo above, I stole the Warn XD9000i and Dave's Custom Unlimited front bumper from the YJ before I sold it. While I was scouring the interwebs for deals, I ran across a Rock Hard bumper/carrier that was in good shape and not too far away. This probably isn't the best option for something that will see lots of rock time, but the swing-arm is easily removed and left home, while the spare can be thrown in the back (I don't plan on running a back seat).

With the Jeep back on all fours and not leaking anything flammable, I started on wiring the lockers and made some extra capacity for future mods. I picked up a 6-relay PDC off of Amazon and wired it up to accommodate the high & low beams, plus accessories I know I'll be using.

I also found some TJ-specific switches that worked in the factory location. While doing all this, I added an Alpine receiver, Kicker 5.25" DS speakers, Alpine micro amp, and required Metra double-din dash. The dash kit comes with a blank panel which I cut out for use with the factory Eaton e-locker switches.

A Jeep friend of mine had a Chris Durham hood that he got in a previous trade and was going to use on his LJ, but ended up changing his mind. I got it rough mocked up but wasn't happy with the inner fender look or clearances.

In a bit of serendipity, I had some home stuff that kept me busy and prevented me from cutting up the fenders to fit the CDM hood. A few days later, I found a local guy selling a complete set of GenRight Aluminum Hi-Fenders, with matching inners, for 1/2 price. He was saving these for his LJ but ended up selling the LJ some time ago and came to the realization that he should clean these huge boxes out of his garage...

 

[pc1p]

I got the switches hooked up and wiring run down to the lockers. Overall I'm happy with how it turned out - simple but effective and the new Alpine head unit with Carplay is slick.

My focus turned to the GenRight Hi-Fender install. I rough-trimmed the hood and installed the fenders with the matching inner fenders.

Once that was done, I began the arduous process of relocating the inner fender components. I started by making a new mount for my relay box and then began working my way around...

It was a game of Tetris but eventually everything found a new home. The two major exceptions are windshield washer reservoir (which I replaced with a small universal bottle from Amazon) and the air filter box. I figured it was a good a time as any to do the common "Ford Windstar" install, which clears a bunch of space on the passenger side inner fender and helps prevent water intrusion during deep river crossings (not a common issue here in the desert southwest, but more common than you may think).

The Hi-Fenders necessitated purchasing some items from GenRight to complete the installation, mainly their battery relocation tray. It is a beefy unit, but does not allow for the use of the Group-65 battery I previously had in use.

The battery tray is a simple but effective setup, though I do feel that GenRight got a tad lazy during the engineering stage and rather than make or offer a battery hold down, they tell you how to make your own with some strap steel/aluminum. Personally I'll be looking for a better option...

In another FB Marketplace score, I found a set of Rock Krawler 3.5" triple-rate springs for sale a few blocks from my house. I swapped those in place, then took some measurements. I ended up ordering a set of Rancho RS5000x series shocks based on my rough measurements and their general recommendation. I didn't want to go high-end anything for shocks, especially since I'm still a tad undecided on some things. The only negative I've heard on the RS5000x shocks is that the white color tends to flake off and rust quickly. Personally, I think the white shocks and red accordion boot is straight out of the 90's! Some VHT Epoxy paint and a coat of high-temp clear should prevent some premature rusting and a retina burning white glare...

With everything mostly buttoned up, I took the Jeep for a quick spin around the block to test the gears, brakes, steering, etc. Everything was smooth as it should be and overall I'm very happy with everything, except that terrible, ricer-sounding Magnaflow straight through. This is on my short-list for replacement...

 

[pc1p]

I ended up finding a suitable battery hold-down for the new Optima 34/78 I picked up to replace the too-large Group 65. I wasn't comfortable with GenRight's suggestion of simply running some aluminum strapping across the top. Aside from being basically a giant shunt (that still sounds like a dirty word!), the first one I mocked up with 3/16" flat plate bent like crazy with nothing more than finger-tight wingnuts. This one on Amazon was $65 and is a bit blingy, but some eventual black epoxy paint or powdercoat will fix that.

With the fenders 95% installed and most underhood items fully secured, I began the final trim of the hood. I used a compass and made a nice straight line across the hood using the fender as a guide. I trimmed it up with an angle grinder and checked fitment:

It's a large gap but that was intentional. Rather than leave an unfinished edge, I cleaned up the lower half of the hood that I originally cut off and prepped it for re-welding by cutting off the support brackets on the inside.

Going back to my high-school days of working at the body shop, I used a panel flanging tool and slowly worked the cut off piece into shape:

I punched some spot weld holes, cleaned up the edges, and began stitch welding the pieces together...

I need to pick up some 18 gauge steel to make some filler plates for the front of the hood (both under the hood and at the grill contour. Once done, I'll come back and sand the welds smooth and use my hammer and dolly to make it as straight as possible before adding a thin layer of mud.

With the hood coming along, I banged out a few other items - the big one was finding a spare tire to match the other four I picked up a few weeks earlier. I got lucky and a person was selling a rim with a 33" tire down the block during a yard sale. It's a circle-hole vs my d-window, but for a spare wheel I'm not worried (I'm going beadlocks anyways, these are just temporary but I still wanted a spare for some shakedown runs).

We took a family trip one weekend to Wilcox, AZ - home of what I believe is the only actual pumpkin patch you can pick pumpkins from in the entire state. I'm always - ALWAYS - on the lookout for a good find (I'm Italian and from NY originally, so yeah - I love bartering and deal shopping lol). I picked up a Tuffy "Underseat" storage drawer for a whopping $36 during our way through Tucson

 

[pc1p]

Like most TJ's with a SYE, my rear springs bowed quite a bit. I was back there getting ready to weld on the set of Clayton Offroad shock mounts I purchased when the arch just sorta irked me...

I had seen the topic of relocating the upper mounts a few times and decided to just dive in and get it done. With some research, I saw that @mrblaine suggests to lift the rear of the tub and support it with some 4"x4".

For some reason, his advice is often disregarded here. I know a lot of things but when people who know more than me make a suggestion - especially when a person who doesn't often make distinct suggestions actually makes one - I tend to listen.

It made the job so much easier and in less than an hour total, I had both sides cut off and cleaned up! Also listening to Blaine's advice, I used the hole at the center of the frame arch as an alignment marker. With a plumb bob and some nylon string, I ran a line down each of the frame rails for reference and sprayed with some grey primer:

Some trimming, a little bit of weld-through primer, and a few double-checks for alignment and the perches were ready to be burned into place. Some VHT chassis paint and this project was done...

While I was back there, I ended up picking up a Savvy aluminum gas tank skid, some Ten Factory CM shafts (my intent was always to rebuild the factory axles and keep them as spares), and ordered some Black Magic Brake caliper flip brackets in preparation of some future mods (outboarding/CO conversion).

Thanks to the Savvy skid, my track bar and rear diff cover has plenty of clearance back there now!

 

[Mike_H]

Nice build! Way to get after it, right away.

 

[pc1p]

Nice build! Way to get after it, right away.

Thanks man I don't tend to mess around, though it did take a lot of willpower not to throw the built D60KP/14B underneath... Had I not already picked up the Dana 44 when it was in the early stages and still being built for my daughter, I probably would have. I'm excited to keep this mostly Jeep like and will use the freshly built V8 and Dana 60/14B as an excuse to build a buggy for the crazy stuff...

 

[Chris]

Very nice indeed! Looks like you aren't wasting any time.

I think a buggy would make a great addition too. Sometimes people take these TJs to the point that you could have probably just built a buggy instead and ultimately had it be much more effective.

Maybe I'll see you out at Box Canyon or the surrounding area. We wheel out there a lot.

 

[pc1p]

Now that you're all caught up on the past 5 months, here's what I'm currently working on...

My steering box was leaky. I've rebuild a handful of Saginaw boxes but at some point you have to take something as an excuse to do something you really want to do anyways

After talking about the setups with a number of folk, including my intent to run 35-37"s, the PSC "budget" cylinder assist kit with the standard #25 box was recommended. Installation of the box is straightforward and nothing exciting.

I was concerned about the PSC reservoir with my Hi-Fenders. Asking some questions on Facebook proved to be valuable but confusing. Seems that some people with the GenRight Hi-Fenders had no issues fitting the reservoir in the PSC-intended location. Me on the other hand had about 1" of interference with the hood. Doing some deeper digging, it looks like maybe GR updated the inner fenders some and the slightly different shape is just enough to cause issue.

Luckily after doing some more research, someone suggested that I flip the bracket around, cut off the mount portion, and reweld it back on. I was getting desperate at this point since there was no other location that I could find that would work and I didn't want to cut my inner fenders up. I figured at this point it was worth a shot...

As it turns out, it was a perfect fit! I need to do some relocating of the vacuum hoses for the EVAP canister, but I had to do that anyways (just haven't had a chance to get to it yet).

After I confirmed fitment, I removed the bracket, fully welded it up, and put on a coat of VHT epoxy paint. After installing the fittings and getting the PSC pump installed, I realized that the 45º and 90º fittings weren't going to allow a good pump feed line. I played with it some more (that's what she said) and ended up with the 90º at the pump and a straight shot out of the reservoir. Unfortunately, I didn't have a straight -12AN Push-Lock fitting so I placed and order with PSC. Hopefully it's here this weekend so I can wrap this up!

While I'm stuck waiting on the reservoir fitting, I went ahead and installed the PSC cooler with their double-cooler kit (though I'm only using one at the moment)...

 

[pc1p]

Here's what the backside of the cooler mount looks like with the cooler installed. It's a simple setup that uses off-the-shelf Derale coolers and mounts to the factory v-bar location.

The PSC ram is a bit too long for use with the Currie steering, but luckily Blaine has figured out a solution and a reasonably priced bracket kit.

To prevent the ram and end mount from running over the adjuster/threads on the Currie steering, you have to make 3 cuts: the ram rod itself and both ends. Per the instructions given to me via email, you cut each part so that 3/4" of thread is showing then reassemble with some Loctite 609. I don't have any 609 on-hand, but thankfully Amazon has it on next-day. I put some fresh paint on the brackets and will install when they're dried and ready.

In the meantime, I decided it was time to replace the steel cable in my XD9000i with a new Spydura:

The Tuffy drawer I bought also had a slightly bent drawer slide. I was going to bend it straight, but Tuffy sent me 2 additional keys and a new set of slides for $43. Even with the new slides, I'm into the drawer for <$80 - not bad considering normal retail is $550 and many places are out of stock!

 

[pc1p]

Very nice indeed! Looks like you aren't wasting any time.

I think a buggy would make a great addition too. Sometimes people take these TJs to the point that you could have probably just built a buggy instead and ultimately had it be much more effective.

Maybe I'll see you out at Box Canyon or the surrounding area. We wheel out there a lot.

I agree - I was kinda heading that way with my YJ, but when I stopped and thought about it, selling it (rather than going nuts with it) was the smart move and a TJ/buggy combo will serve me better, plus will give me something to teach my daughter how to wheel!

I hope to see you on the trail too - I'm planning on doing some shakedown runs between now and the holidays, then she comes apart for a few weeks for paint. I haven't been out to Florence in a while. Last time I was even that way, we hit up Walnut Creek during the rainy season, which was more fun than I was expecting Keep me in mind if you set up a trail run...

Oh and in case anyone was wondering about my RamCharger, here she be as she currently sits...

She's an LE model (Luxury Edition), with cruise, A/C, power windows and locks, factory wireless entry, velour seats, etc. Underneath, she has a Dana 60 front and rear (possibly a 14B coming), 37" Pats (which may go to the TJ in favor of some A/Ts), Method 101 beadlocks, 4.88's, Detroit front/Truetrac rear, a 500hp/550tq 408 stroker (waiting on it to cool down so I can finally tune it and run it on the dyno!), built 46RH overdrive, all new Adam's Driveshafts with Spicer 1350CV/1410's, and likely a bunch of stuff I'm forgetting.

My goal is to keep it reliable and comfortable. I will likely swap the rear springs out for some 52" GM springs and flip the shackles and maybe 3-link the front with some Ram 2500 springs. Those mods won't happen until after we move though. I'll be repainting her this winter (factory color scheme) but it will wait until after I repaint the TJ (also factory color scheme) and refreshing the interior.

 

[Chris]

My thought these days is unless you can buy a TJ that is just built to the gills to be a crawler (meaning someone dumped 50k into it and sold it to you for a steal), then it's probably not worth going down that path unless you just have copious amounts of money to burn and really insist on a TJ.

There's so many limitations with the TJ platform that you don't have to deal with on a purpose built buggy, so I don't blame you one bit. If mine wasn't as built as it is, I would just do a buggy as well.

 

[pc1p]

My thought these days is unless you can buy a TJ that is just built to the gills to be a crawler (meaning someone dumped 50k into it and sold it to you for a steal), then it's probably not worth going down that path unless you just have copious amounts of money to burn and really insist on a TJ.

There's so many limitations with the TJ platform that you don't have to deal with on a purpose built buggy, so I don't blame you one bit. If mine wasn't as built as it is, I would just do a buggy as well.

Agreed 100% - I would "like" your last comment, but I don't think I'm in the cool club for that feature ;(

 

[Chris]

I don't think I'm in the cool club for that feature ;(

Now you are

 

[pc1p]

Well, I finally got the -12AN fitting in the mail - it was supposed to have arrived Friday but the USPS was delayed - such is life I supposed! I hooked up the reservoir, bled the system and took it for a spin...

The steering feels great - nice and responsive, without being loose at higher engine speeds. Overall I’m very happy with my decision to just go ahead and get the ram assist done. With the front locker engaged, I can’t even tell in the steering, even at full lock! I’m helping a buddy build a Dana 30/44 for his TJ this weekend, but I should have some time to cycle the front suspension, making sure the high-pressure lines have enough slack and double-checking for weeps. I thinking I’ll get to do my first shakedown run next weekend - just in time for most of the trails to open back up (it's been a terrible summer and a lot of trails remain closed) - I can’t wait!

 

[Wildman]

Awesome build on the TJ. You really jumped in and got it all done. A lot of nice parts and well done mods.

Love the RamCharger too. Can you tell me a little more about the 408 stroker? I'm currently building a 408 stroker to drop into my TJ. This is the intake that I'm going to be using on it also.

 

[Nickgsjeep]

Wow! Nice work man, love the jeep!

 

[pc1p]

Awesome build on the TJ. You really jumped in and got it all done. A lot of nice parts and well done mods.

Love the RamCharger too. Can you tell me a little more about the 408 stroker? I'm currently building a 408 stroker to drop into my TJ. This is the intake that I'm going to be using on it also.

Thanks man, I'm trying to get it done so I can enjoy the local trails over winter before we move up north and they are no longer in my backyard (almost quite literally!)...

For the 408, I used the SCAT Forged rotating assembly but actually used the LA style pistons since my deck was perfectly square and didn't need to be squared up. This resulted in 0.008" stick out (most Magnum pistons are in the hole some, so you have to zero-deck the block), which I compensated for with a slightly thicker Fel-Pro SD-series head gasket. Total SCR is about 10.3:1. Heads are Edelbrock 2.02" aluminum Performers. For the cam, I originally went with a mild "RV" style cam from UTAwesome Performance (Marty is the Magnum king!) but decided to save that for the 5.9L I was building for my YJ at the time. I ended up using a Comp Cam P/N 20-604-9 with an advertised duration of 264º/274º and .512/.512 lift.

I was hesitant to go bigger or with a lower LSA (this one is 112º) since I do need to keep this truck emissions friendly. On a non-stroker, this cam is right on the cusp of potentially causing sniffer-test issues, but with the bigger cubes I was fairly certain that it would be fine. Everything else is typical high-performance build stuff (roller rockers, double-roller Cloyes chain, Pacesetter ceramic shorty headers for driveline clearance, etc.). I kept the factory intake, since I need to have it match the VEIC during emissions testing every 2 years. I'm also on the factory throttle body, but only temporary (I am sending off to Rolf S. for boring out to 52mm blades).

Overall I'm happy with the performance. She starts and runs butter smooth in traffic but will light up 37"s like it's nobody's business with just a blip of the throttle. I have already pissed off a Tacoma driver and 2500 GM Brodozer at the Loop 202 on-ramp That said, without a tune, the last thing I want is to burn a hole in a piston so I really haven't pushed it too hard I had some parts delays last year, then we took a family vacation the week before COVID hit (almost got stuck in Maui!) and then everything went nuts. By the time I got all the pieces together, summer had hit and it was well into the 100ºs. It's 65º out today and should be cool from here on out, so I'm extra focused on trying to get the TJ done so I can turn my attention to the RamCharger. I'm in the process of converting the OBD-I setup for a 97 JTEC OBD-II setup. This will retain the "look" of OBD-I (at least as far as the visual inspection goes) but will provide better emissions control while also allowing for handheld tuning via a SCT (I'll be using Marty at UTAwesome for that). My long term goal is to build a stroker G3 Hemi for the RamCharger and move the Magnum stroker to the TJ (while converting to an auto).

 

[pc1p]

Well, I'm going to blame @Wildman for this...

As the kids say: "I did a thing"