PC1P's 2006 Jeep LJ Build - Brünhilde

Got the axles pulled and the TJ axles bolted in place. I'm getting fairly quick at these - got the rear one pulled by myself in less than 40 minutes (including a quick pee break!)...

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I found the source of my slight clunking - the rear sway bar bushings are shot! These were brand-new Moog bushings when I built these for the TJ and only have 3 trail rides on them. I thought the noise was from the RE control arms honestly since anyone you ask will tell you that the RE arms will fall apart after 7 minutes on a dirt road, but they are just as tight and smooth as they were when I rebuilt them last summer.
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While the springs were out, I took the opportunity to clean the frame some. On the front towers, I drilled out the small drain holes at the bottom of the bumpstop post. These seem to always get clogged up, so I made the holes a tad bigger (used a 1/4" drill bit) and smoothed them over with a rat-tail file. I added some fresh black Rustoleum HD paint to help protect the frame as much as possible...
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I'm having some issues with my RK springs and the Currie bumpstops. The RK springs are very narrow in diameter and are hitting the lower front bump stop cushions. Even just bouncing the front end by hand is "peeling" the cushion off of the bolt and I'm afraid any road driving will seriously damage them.

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Seems like my two choices at the moment are to either remove the Curries or run the ProComp 4" springs that were on the rig to begin with. The ProComp springs have a much larger diameter than the RKs as you can see above. I'm leaning toward the ProComp springs since they're generally decent performers and are in good shape (just a little dirty). The RK springs have some good free length but are only 3.5" of lift and with the 35"s, I think I can use all the space I can get.
I've been running RK springs and Currie bumps for 2 years now and no issues. Perhaps it's axle alignment?
 
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I've been running RK springs and Currie bumps for 2 years now and no issues. Perhaps it's axle alignment?
Could have been - I swapped in the ProComp springs and they clear just fine. I need to adjust the LCA length but even just checking by hand and the RK springs are just barely larger than the Currie urethane bump. Maybe they changed something over the years?
 
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Well, welcome. Maybe I'll see you up at Rausch this summer.
I definitely want to hit Rausch up, but not until my armor shows up (at least my GTS and sliders at a minimum). With the delay at Savvy, I haven't placed the order yet and will wait until after the move to get it purchased (rather than run the risk of $1000 in aluminum being sent to the wrong state!).

Question for you - you have any issues passing PA inspection with non-crazy-wide flares??
 
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Started working on swapping in my PSC stuff, starting with the cooler and mount. As I began working on that, I got to thinking where I'd mount the reservoir. Originally on the TJ, I had to modify the PSC mount to accommodate the GenRight Hi-Fenders. Since that isn't a factor with the LJ, I was thinking where I'd like to mount it.

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I know Blaine and others really like to put it on the inner fender, which makes a lot of sense in terms of short run and ease of access. Looking at the room under my hood, my cruise control servo is right in the way. I pulled and the bracket and began experimenting and figured it would be a good candidate to relocate to the ABS tray.

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I had to modify the factory bracket some. I simply bent the one leg parallel to the shortest leg and then cut the third leg off (the one that also has the support for the EVAP purge solenoid).

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Some degreaser and a Scotch-Brie first, then a few thin coats of VHT epoxy paint...

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I used one of the OEM bolts that holds the ABS tray in place, then simply drilled a 5/16" hole for the rearmost bracket hole. Routing the cruise cable and vacuum hose was simply a matter of unclipping and reinstalling. The wiring reaches without any issue, you just need to remove the fender clip and route it back over.

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Once that was done, I tackled another task at hand - swapping out the broken headlight buckets. When I installed the TL LED lights recently, I noted that the adjusters weren't working properly. Luckily, I saved the buckets from the TJ (which were replaced since the factory ones were also broken) and it was just a matter of swapping into place...
 
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I definitely want to hit Rausch up, but not until my armor shows up (at least my GTS and sliders at a minimum). With the delay at Savvy, I haven't placed the order yet and will wait until after the move to get it purchased (rather than run the risk of $1000 in aluminum being sent to the wrong state!).

Question for you - you have any issues passing PA inspection with non-crazy-wide flares??
With your setup we could easily do all the green trails and most of the blues but I get wanting the protection. PA inspection it all depends on where you go. I bought inspection flares so I wouldn't have to worry about that. I've only had my Jeep a year so I'm not sure where the stricter places are.
 
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Got the trans pulled - only took about 40 minutes since it was mostly apart anyways...

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Clutch seems to have been replaced; looks like a "Brute Power" 10.4" clutch (AutoZone brand). It was in decent shape but since I'm in here, it's getting replaced...

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The throwout bearing definitely had some wear on the outside face (damn clutch riders!) and the bearing itself was noisy and gritty...

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Not sure why, but there was a large goop of RTB at the top of the bellhousing - maybe trying to keep a potential valve cover gasket leak from ruining the clutch??
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Found the source of my oil leave - looks like the oil pan gasket was indeed the culprit. I have the RMS already, as well as a new Mahl oil pan gasket, so I'm just going to do both while I'm down here...

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Checked the driveshaft lengths - looks like my front Adam's shaft from the TJ will work perfectly for the LJ (y)

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With most of the drivetrain out, I figured now was a good a time as any to get the front half cleaned up and undercoated. I removed everything that made sense to, sealed up some holes, and gave it a thorough scrub with Power Clean and a brush, followed up by a good power washing with my tiny (but handy!) 1700 psig electric washer.

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So far, I've used 3 large cans of 3M Pro Undercoat. I would say that I have about 3 more cans worth to go to get the rear portion of the seating area, the wheel wells, and under the cargo area done. The coating came out nice and smooth with good uniformity. From my early years of driving and trying to keep cars rust-free on salty PA roads, a good undercoating definitely goes a long way... again, I won't be commuting with the LJ anywhere, but it's nice to know that I'll have a few layer of protection in sensitive spots (I'll be hitting the frame and torque boxes up with Eastwood Frame Coating here soon as well).

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Sir, you are an inspiration, and welcome back to PA soon!

I am in about the same boat as you and just joined the forum today and found your thread. In late March I purchased a stock 06 LJ with 169000 miles and a number of issues (the typical blow motor resistor, RMS, oil pan/valve cover gasket leaks, an ill-fitted replacement top that let water inside the doors and the tailgate because the PO somehow lost the tailgate bar, non-functioning parking brakes, and an interior that made me think the toddlers riding in the back had vomited many times over without any sort of cleaning, and of course a rusted out exhaust).

Needless to say, my first task was nearly a complete replacement of the interior (de-rusting the floor pans from the water coming in the windows and bedlining the entire tub, Bedrugs throughout, Corbeau Trailcat seats, Corbeau rear seat cover, Tuffy security console, and like you went with the Alpine iLX-W650). BTW, I love the Tuffy console, very solid. I opted for the version with the provision for the stock subwoofer. The stock console was completely trashed and the Ebay market wanted the same price for a used console. I still need to paint the dash and door panels to freshen them up, but at least now I can ride in without feeling the need to vomit myself.

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Then I tackled some rust between the transfer case skid plate and the frame (thankfully despite living its entire life in south east PA it was not all the way through the frame and inside the frame feels clean). I just finished replacing the seals and gaskets...ugh, every bit as painful as indicated in all the YouTube videos.

I haven't decided yet on which path to take for lift/drivetrain and my build will likely not be anything close to yours (this build will be a daily driver for my son and I will spend the next couple of years getting it ready and teaching him what little I know about wrenching on a vehicle), but I'm definitely following your build for some great reference! Looking forward to seeing the finished product.
 
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Maybe it's just because I'm paying attention to it, but I feel like there's a decently large LJ crew in PA???

@slightlyobsessed what part of Pennsyltuckey you in?? I have some friends still in the SE portion and I head there myself from time to time for work (Easton and Bethlehem). Nice work on yours - the seats and flooring look great. Once I get the tummy tuck done on mine, I'll be able to replace the lower shift boot and then install my BedRug. How was the install - as easy as everyone says? Your post just reminded me that I need to figure out what is up with my rear glass - it seems like I'm missing a gasket or a part that seals against the lower trim portion of the harddtop. The window can jiggle around a bunch and there is a gap that I can see inside into - not the best for my coming-way-quick move back east.

Speaking of the move - we are looking at a mid June move. I may end up towing the LJ on the back of a U-Haul flat trailer, while driving the moving truck. It's either that, or taking 2 trips across the country - once in the moving truck, once with the LJ. Our issue is that we have a lot of pets - 4 cats and a big Goldie. With towing the LJ, I couldn't put a pet back there (well I could but it be mean and too hot anyways). Whatever we choose, we hope to be in the new house before July 4th - what better way to celebrate Independence Day than in our new lake house :)

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I got some work done to the Jeep, despite what seemed like 5 hours of paperwork and loan stuff. I was worried about my beadlocks back east - they're steel and are excellent at holding onto about ~2 cups of water inside the wheel itself (since there aren't any drain holes). Not a problem here in AZ where we have 5-10% relative humidity and it dries in a matter of hours (at most). Rather than worry about it, I ordered a set of ProComp 069 polished wheels. These are "classic Jeep" in my opinion and really pop against the green. They're also about 26 lbs lighter!

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I started prepping the trans and ensuring all my parts are ready to go. Upon inspecting the old TOB, it's easy to see why the Mopar TOB is always recommended. This is the "National" brand TOB - which allegedly is a good aftermarket option - but as you can see, it has failure points as well. In checking out the LuK clutch kit, I don't see any spline-grease. I had to order a small tube so the clutch won't likely get installed until this weekend, which is fine since I still need to do the RMS and oil pan gasket first...
 
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Maybe it's just because I'm paying attention to it, but I feel like there's a decently large LJ crew in PA???
Ah yes, that rat bastard named Confirmation Bias! Get's me all the time! The other day I swore 25% of all vehicles on the road were Wranglers. I'm located just southwest of Philly in the Paoli/Malvern area.

As for the Bedrug, it was super easy, especially since I didn't bother with the velcro. I didn't think it would stick well anyway with the Raptor bed-lining job I did. In the back I put the rear seat and seatbelt brackets over the carpet so it is held down firmly. In the front, the console helps hold everything in place. I haven't had any problems with it shifting since they are so well molded to the shape of the tub. The only place this is a problem is with the tailgate piece. Obviously that will not stay in position so I just haven't used that piece yet.

I installed a Bedrug in my Ram a few years ago and that was easy as well as long as you do it on a hot day so the VHB tape adheres well to the cleaned and degreased surface really well. I have some sections that are just now starting to peel away but it stays in place.

Moves suck! I can't imagine what a PITA it is to move cross country. I've moved only twice since college, one six miles and the other less than one and I still hated every part of it. Hope you got some great neighbors to help you get settled over a few beers....I need you to finish this build!
 
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Had slightly more timing chain wear than I expected, so since I’m already down here, I decided to order some stock replacements...



Found a "New but open" Melling chain and sprocket set on Amazon for $31. Got a timing cover gasket set and Dorman balancer as well - total was $86 out the door!
 
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Well the move is getting closer, so I'm buckling down on getting everything wrapped up and ready! One of the biggest was getting our "fleet" down to only 2 vehicles...

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Sad to see the RamCharger go, but she will stay a clean desert classic and be in good hands...


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Unfortunately, the Melling timing set I ordered off Amazon was the incorrect part. I'm guessing it was incorrectly packaged at the factory or was accidentally mixed up during the Amazon return but the parts weren't even close. I ended up just getting a replacement Cloyes timing chain from my local O'Reillys Auto for ~$20 and got the front cover and oil pan all back together. While I was at it, I also got the spark-plugs replaced, as well as the new Crown ODPA swapped in.

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With those items wrapped up and the new ARP fasteners I ordered having arrived, I got to work installing the trans back in. Everything went smooth and I took the time to make a few wire-loom repairs. I will still need to repair the CPS connector as the retaining clip broken during removal.

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Once the trans was done, I installed the t-case I took out of the TJ (it was already rebuilt, with a 6p planetary, 1.25" wide chain, and JB SYE). I went to hook up the Savvy shifter but realized that I forgot to remove the ball-stud from the shifter of the TJ tub. I sent a message to the person who bought the tub from me, asking if the stud was still attached and if so, could I come snag it. Hopefully I'll hear back today and can get the t-case shifter done. Both UCF and BDO said my parts should ship this week, so fingers crossed there!

Even without the crossmember in place, I was able to mock up where the t-case will end up and was able to then get some driveshaft length measurements. I already have the shaft boxed up and ready to go and Adam's has quick turnaround time, so with any luck, the LJ should be mobile by the end of the weekend!
 
I've been wanting to get the flares installed but didn't want to install them before having a chance to clean the paint up some. While there are some scratches here and there, the paint is in overall great condition. Some surface oxidation and embedded dirt that even a clay bar wouldn't touch, so I went ahead and got some new pads and a fresh bottle of cutting compound and spent a few minutes seeing how well the paint would clean up...

Here's a "before" of the fender, after it has been cleaned, clayed, hand-rubbed with fine-grade polish compound, and sprayed with detailer. You can still see some scuff marks from the hood latches and embedded dirt around the base plate.
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Same fender, about 2 minutes later after a medium cell foam pad with some Meguiars Cut/Polish compound:
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I didn't try to get a full cut, just wanted to check how well it would clean up and was impressed at what a simple pass did. I tried the same with the rear quarter and passenger side door and again, it cleaned up really nice.

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I bolted a fender flare in place to see where it would sit on the tub. I'm going to try and find some matching touch-up paint and fix some spots on the doors and quarter panel before the final cut compound...

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The Rugged Ridge flares I picked up new off of Facebook Marketplace cover the tires perfectly. Again, it's not my favorite look but it's PA compliant, which is about all I can ask for at the moment :)
 
Sometimes you kick a can all the way down the road, other times you kick a bunch of cans halfway down the block. This week was the latter for me...

The BDO MML arrived and was swapped in without any fuss, but I'm still waiting on the UCF skid, which was supposed to arrive by today (Friday), but was delayed and now won't be here until Monday (which sucks killing a weekend!). While I'm waiting for that, I was at least able to mock up the t-case location and got my updated measurements off to Adam's Driveshafts. Knowing Adam's, I'll likely have the driveshafts back before the skid!

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I spent another hour or so removing the hood parts (latches, bumpers, etc.) and got the front half of the Jeep fully compound-cut and cleaned up. I put a little synthetic wax over it and then installed the front fender flares. While these aren't my favorite look, they perfectly cover the tire tread and will be PA legal (y)

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I did manage to hook up the Savvy shifter and while I was messing with that, I replaced the lower shifter boot... this should work better than a giant hole and I'll start working on getting the floor prepped for noise and heat insulation, as well as the new BedRug install.

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With the flares done and nothing left that I can do mechanically at the moment, I went down my "to do list" some and started working on the wiring that needs to be completed - specifically both lockers, off-road lights, rock lights (aka "camping lights"), and the trigger for my OBA system. The locker wiring is fairly straightforward - simply run the harness to the axles and secure out of the way. Luckily, I had incorporated a "loop" into the rear harness (rather than shorten it like I did the front), so the length was perfect for the LJ.

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I modified the cowl panel similar to exactly how I did on my TJ and smoothed out the corners to allow the wires to be run without being pinched.

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I did one thing different this time around - rather than run the wires back into the cab via the grommet for the wiper motor, I didn't want to compromise the seal there and ended up drilling a small hole in the firewall. I used a 1/4" ID grommet to pass the wires from the cowl area to the firewall and will hide the wires alongside the factory loom for a near-factory appearance.

I was originally planning on running my windshield lights (currently factory fogs as a placeholder) as a set of auxiliary driving lamps. PA code allows for an additional pair of SAE driving lights that must be triggered by the high-beam circuit. Unfortunately, PA code also says that aux driving lights must be 42" above level surface or less. Obviously, these won't meet that criteria, so they will now be dedicated off-road lights (and will need to be covered while driven on-road). I'm sure the Truck-Lite headlights will do a good job even on rural roads where our new house is, but I was hoping to get some added help with a set of KC Gravity Pro6 SAE LED lights. I'm going to order the KC's but will wait until after the move (they are back-ordered a few weeks).
 
I almost forgot that my boss sent me a set of his old-school Hella 140's taken off his rally car that he had while he lived in Argentina! I am still planning on getting the KC Gravity Pro6 LED's, but these add some old-school cool in the interim, plus they have covers so they're PA legal as "off-road lights".
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Since I was waiting on the skid to arrive still, I ended up hooking up the PSC reservoir. I tried taking Blaine's advice and wanted to install this on the fender for the shortest feed line as practical, but I think the reservoirs that PSC sells now are taller than they used to be, I used some silly putty to "glue" this down on top of the inner fender but the 90º elbow was hitting the inside of the hood (as verified by visually watching the hood panel move and then confirming with some more silly putty!).
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I put the PSC vent valve underneath the reservoir and out of the way. This is a good spot - out of the way and more importantly, not in the way or something else.
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The UCF skid finally arrived, so I took some mock-up measurements and pushed it in place to see where the output shaft would end up. I was close with my original estimate - only 1/2" off. With the t-case pushed up some, the exhaust flange hits the tub hard, so I had no choice than to rework the mount (it was expected, I just didn't know how much).
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You can see in the image above the distance between where the trans sits now and where it was in relation to the exhaust prior to the MML and tummy tuck. After mocking the skid in place, I used a screw jack to lock in the trans position, then reinstalled the full exhaust. Cutting and modifying the mount is easy - just cut the welds across the top and side of the trans mount plate.
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It took <2 minutes of light angle grinder work and I was able to easily separate the exhaust hanger from the trans plate.
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I hit both pieces with the flap disk and then reinstalled. I marked where I needed to trim, then trimmed and smoothed everything out with the flap disk again. A couple of tack welds held everything together, which then let me verify fitment. With everything checking out, I burned the hanger to the trans plate and hit with some primer and epoxy paint.
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Next up is wrapping up the skid install, hooking up the driveshafts, adjusting the LCA lengths and pinion angle, then the small stuff to get the motor 100% buttoned up. The goal is to be mobile again by this weekend and then hit up one of the trails next weekend in Sedona.
 
Are those rims the Pro Comp 69's ?
Yup, I sold the Raceline beadlocks - I didn't think 1) that I'd ever need beadlocks in PA and 2) was worried about carbon steel wheels/rings/hardware in the east coast climate, particularly since how much these wheels love holding water inside the lip.

My local Discount always hooks me up, so I got these for a smoking good deal and they didn't even charge me to install since I just paid for the install on the original set.
 
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