That Jeep is so clean I would have a hard time taking anything apart or modifying it.
SUPERJ 2004 LJ 1-Ton Project (Superduty Swap)
- Thread starter YourWorstEnemy
- Start date
the last photo with the axle removed. Reminds me hoe badly I need to get new bumpstops. Mine are looking just like that. But it looks like you ripped yours out for the new install.
Me tooHey I followed this on YouTube! Forklift/tractor testing is the best
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Yes absolutely...believe me the first few steps hurt...but it just gets better as the project goes on! Really my favorite jeep I have ever owned. Making it yours is so enjoyable when you take your time and do it right and feel like your mods are at least pretty well thought out and make the jeep better for your particular intended purpose.
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After an absolutely ridiculous amount of time and phone calls and empty promises the Full Traction long arm is in. Its the 6 inch kit with the wishbone 3 link rear...they made a custom axle truss to clear the Sterling 10.5 in the rear. Looks nice....now to get it installed
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The next weekend I got the track bar mount etc. in place and some parts off the XJ as well...
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After getting the rubicrawler installed, belly pan installed and then removing again to check clearance and getting the front upper control arm mounts welded to the frame I started mocking up the front axle...its so heavy...this was the easy part...the rear is where the "fun" begins getting all the brackets and mounts welded correctly and geometry right
Rubicrawler was surprisingly easy to handle...just be sure to have enough drain pans to handle the gobs of transmission fluid. Stay clean and take your time and have a clean area to assemble everything. All this was done with the transmission still in the jeep. The TJ rubicon 241 and rubicrawler fit with the Full Traction tummy tuck pan as well. Some said this would not fit but actually was perfect.
Rubicrawler was surprisingly easy to handle...just be sure to have enough drain pans to handle the gobs of transmission fluid. Stay clean and take your time and have a clean area to assemble everything. All this was done with the transmission still in the jeep. The TJ rubicon 241 and rubicrawler fit with the Full Traction tummy tuck pan as well. Some said this would not fit but actually was perfect.
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After getting the front really close it was time to tackle the bracketry and fabrication on the rear axle to get the link mounts, coil mounts, shock mounts and center over axle truss for the three link properly centered before welding it all up. Took some time but we got it centered within 1/8 of an inch and after a mock up with everything loose we rotated the truss back quite a bit to get the correct pinion angle. Came out very nice I think. It just takes a lot of rolling the axle under the jeep and angling it back and forth and measuring and moving a little and measuring etc. Had to modify the over axle bracket slightly to clearance the passenger side of the diff casting.
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Also worth mentioning...I researched the coil bucket angle on the rear and saw the many kits to correct the upper bucket geometry to make the coil sit straight etc. but since I was doing an axle swap I decided to try to set up the lower coil bucket to match angles with the upper and see how it came out...ends up being in perfect alignment and no coil bow...so happy to not mess with the upper buckets!
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The wishbone was a absolute PAIN to install and we had to spread it about an inch to get it to line up...used some ingenious ratchet straps to pull it open on both sides while my son hammered it in...so glad thats done....the rear setup looks amazing and everything is lined up as it should be....pinion angle is dialed and clearances look good...
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I want to keep this as "Stock" looking as possible on the exterior (yes its on tons but it can look a little bit like a sleeper if I don't chop it up) I found this awesome Rusty's HD tire carrier that uses the stock tailgate with a frame support tie in...I HATE tire carrier bumpers because you have to double swing the tire and then the tailgate...this makes it work like factory and it is solid with the 38 mounted....love it! TJs look so classic
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Got all the bolts stabbed (castor set around 6 ish), brake lines replaced, shocks buttoned up (Regular Bilstein 5100s for now) and set it down on its own weight on my old 37/12.5 KM2s...really excited!
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After another couple weeks went by and I got back in town I picked up the new driveshafts (1330 Ujoint front with a 1330 to 1350 conversion joint at the Dana 50 yoke for now....1350 and 1410 rear Ujoints) and also built my steering components. I also went ahead and serviced my transmission and finished all the linkage adjustment on the rubicrawler so I could install the tucked belly pan for the last time. I built the steering with some .250 wall DOM tube and Chevy 1 ton tie rod ends for easy maintenance and longevity. I also bought some used knuckles off Ebay for the Dana 50 front....I reground the tie rod mounts perfectly to clear the wheels since I use a deep backspacing to keep the jeep as narrow as possible...also when doing a Superduty swap keep in mind the 99-2004 axles Dana 50 or 60 are 69.25 inches wide WMS to WMS...if you opt for the bigger and slightly strong 60 from a 2005 or later it is 72 inches wide which will really push the tires out farther...we have a Dana 50 front out of a 1999 F250...5.38 gears and a Yukon Grizzly locker with 30 spline shafts, a 9 inch ring gear and Mile Marker premium hubs. You can also shave a Dana 50 about 1-1.5 inches off the lower part of the diff which is pretty cool...the stub shafts and U-joints are same as a Dana 60 as well....the only downside is the pinion diameter is the same as a Dana 44...so essentially the Dana 50 is a hybrid high pinon reverse rotation Dana 44 with a 9 inch ring gear and larger inner shafts and Dana 60 outers...
