Suspect's LJ Build

[SuspectLJ]

I've been lurking and posting my stupid questions here for about a year and you guys have been an excellent help. I've decided to start a build thread to share my project.
I'm gonna make a few initial posts just to catch up to where I'm currently at.

After owning two 2door JK's (which i loved) and a 2 door JLR (which i didn't love so much) i decided to get the LJ i always wanted.
Thanks to my job providing me a take home car that i can also use outside of work hours, i didn't have to worry about daily drivability.

Requirements:

• LJ
• Automatic
• 1-2 owners
• Under 80k miles
• No rust
• Bone stock
• Clean Carfax

I spent about 5 months checking every possible website for a clean LJ every day religiously. There were plenty available in great condition but they were either outside of my price range or i would have to compromise on something that i wasn't willing to. At one point it felt like I've seen every LJ for sale in the country and was starting to lose hope.

Around December of 2023 i found a listing on AutoTrader a couple hours after it was posted. the listing had no pictures but it was for a white 2004 LJ with 45k miles, one owner, and a clean Carfax.

i immediately reached out to the dealership and the salesman sent me this video.

I knew i had to act fast but unfortunately the dealership was 1200 miles away in little rock Arkansas.
I then did something stupid that i don't ever recommend anyone to do. I trusted a salesman's word and purchased the jeep sight unseen for $13,000 and paid $750 to have it shipped to South Florida.

I was sent this picture right before it was loaded on to the trailer.

 

[SuspectLJ]

When the jeep finally arrived it was in better condition that i could have ever hoped for. i went through the whole jeep and couldn't find a single flaw.
judging from how good of condition the 20 year old factory soft top was in, i wouldn't doubt if it was garaged for most of its life.

 

[SuspectLJ]

So that's how i enjoyed it for a long while. i had to financially recover a little bit after spending $14,000 on a 20 year old jeep. I did some simple things like tints, a dash cover, bartac seat covers,WeatherTech floor mats, and found a dude who was willing to trade his hardtop for my old soft top and a bit of cash.

 

[SuspectLJ]

At this point i was reading through the forum and planning the build. i didn't want to make any mistakes I've made on my previous jeeps and i think its criminal to ruin such a clean LJ with poor quality components. I would rather buy once and cry once so I decided on getting the full Currie 4inch suspension with some 35x12.5xr15 tires.

I thought about maybe getting a dana 44 front axle and a Rubicon transfer case but everywhere i looked online people were asking $1500-$2000 for each and i just couldn't justify it at the moment.

Then around august of 2024 i found this poor abomination of a TJR listed for sale at $3500. The frame rust was so bad there were portions of it that you could crumble with your hand. It had 240k on the odometer and said “ odometer exempt” on the title so who knows how many miles it really had.

knowing what the components are worth, i went and picked it up hoping i could at least make a bit of my money back parting out the interior which was in surprisingly good condition.

 

[SuspectLJ]

once i got it home i started to part out the jeep on Facebook marketplace and discovered some more rust in the tub. There was no saving this thing unfortunately.

I sold everything cheap in my opinion, i wasn't trying to scam anyone but just make a bit of my money back. Whenever someone would come by for something i would search the price of the part online, cut the price in half and we'd negotiate from there.

 

[SuspectLJ]

After about a month i had made back about $1700. All i had left was the Tub (with the doors), Engine (sold the tranny), transfer case, and the two axles under the jeep.

Until a guy reached out on marketplace offering to buy just the tub and the engine for $1600. When i asked him why he was so interested in buying a rusted out out tub he told me he plans on cutting this TJ tub in half, shipping it to Cuba, and having his friend over there weld it back together and drop it on a 50s jeep frame he has.

Now this doesn't make much sense to me but i wasn't about to argue with the guy who is paying me this much money on something i was gonna have pay to get hauled out of my yard.

I pushed the jeep on to a uhaul trailer and drove it to the guys house were he helped me pull the axles and left the remainder of the jeep on wooden blocks. The only regret I have after all this was not being able to swap my sport flares for the Rubi flares to due time constraints.

Finally, i sold the rear axle for $500 bringing me a profit of $300 and getting to keep the front Dana 44 and Rubi transfer case.

in all honestly after paying for the gas, tolls, and uhaul trailer rental to take the jeep to him and miscellaneous tools i would say i broke even.

 

[SuspectLJ]

With 240k on the odometer and "odometer exempt" on the title i wanted to have the transfer case rebuilt for peace of mind.

I was fortunate enough to find a gentleman who worked for NPG for 25 years before they moved to mexico to completely rebuild the transfer case. A true professional and all around great person who did it for a very fair price.

He's semi-retired and told me he didn't want an online presence since he's only a one man show and doesn't want too big of a work load.

I don't want to gate keep either but i won't post his info out of respect to him, if you need your transfer case serviced and are in the central Florida area PM me and ill pass you the info. Here's a before and after.

 

[SuspectLJ]

The front axle had so much random oil caked on it that i guess it saved it from the rust the rest of the jeep suffered from. all it had was some surface rust and a small hole on a coil bucket mount that i later had fixed. I cleaned it up, had it sandblasted, and painted it in my shed using rustoleum.

 

[Fluxor]

That's a clean LJ sir, I'm in Ocala lol.

 

[JMT]

Nice way to get some Rubi axles and TCase basically for free.

 

[SuspectLJ]

That's a clean LJ sir, I'm in Ocala lol.

Thank you and that’s good to hear, as I’m sure I will be a customer of yours in the near future. Love the work you’re doing, I have your site bookmarked lol

 

[SuspectLJ]

Nice way to get some Rubi axles and TCase basically for free.

Yup, I got extremely lucky. all I had to put in was time but working on a project is always fun.

I’ve actually seen two other rubicons pop up for sale in similar price and condition to the one I bought since then. Not a bad idea to keep an eye out for one if someone is interested in doing something similar.

 

[JMT]

Yup, I got extremely lucky. all I had to put in was time but working on a project is always fun.

I’ve actually seen two other rubicons pop up for sale in similar price and condition to the one I bought since then. Not a bad idea to keep an eye out for one if someone is interested in doing something similar.

That’s crazy. I picked one up for 7250 (salvage title), but we kept it together and DD it.

 

[SuspectLJ]

Once i had the front axle and transfer case taken care of i slowly amassed parts taking advantage of some Labor Day and Black Friday sales and purchased the following items:

Axles:
Revolution 5.38 Gears w/ master rebuilt kit.
Eaton Elocker Front & Rear
Artec Inner C Gussets
Dana Spicer Nodular Diff Cover Front/Rear
Stock Shafts with new ujoints.

Suspension:
Currie 4inch coils Front & Rear
Currie Currectlync Steering
Currie Front Trac Bar
Currie Rear Trac Bar
Currie Aluminum Antirock Sway Bar.
Metalcloak Rear Sway Bar Links
Metalcloak Double Adjustable Aluminum Short Arms
Metalcloak Front and Rear Brake lines.
Metalcloak Front/Rear Bump Stops Top & Bottom.
Tom Woods 1310 Front/ 1350 Rear Driveshafts
Bilstein 5100 Shocks Front & Rear

Wheels and Tires:
17 inch Raceline RT232 Monster Beadlocks
Nitto Trail Grappler 35x12.5xR17

Bumpers:
Front: Motobilt Stinger Bumper
Rear: RockHard 4x4 Rear Bumper w/ Tire Carrier
Steps: Body Armor 4x4

Recovery:
Warn Zeon 10-S
Factor 55 Fairlead
Factor 55 Prolink

Other:
Headlights: KC 7" Gravity LED Headlights
Exhaust: Banks Monster Exhaust
Locker Switches: GCD Offroad
Transfercase shifter: Savvy Rubicon 241 Cable Shifter

I know the Metalcloak stuff isn't the most popular stuff around here and might stick out a bit but i got all that stuff new in box for $700 off of marketplace.
less then half of buying just the currie arms and couldn't pass on the deal.

if i hate it i can always just buy the currie arms or upgrade to the savvy midarm but I've had some of their stuff on my previous jeeps and never had an issue. only time will tell.

 

[SuspectLJ]

finished up some stuff the day before dropping the jeep off at the shop for the lift and regear.

I know i should've got some real rock sliders but i just couldn't bring myself to drill holes in the tub, its something I'm gonna have to get over eventually.
Mounting beadlocks for the first time is a true test of one's patience.

 

[SuspectLJ]

Day i finally picked it up from the shop last month

 

[SuspectLJ]

Over the last two weeks i finished up the front bumper, Antirock, Winch, and some wiring and we're finally caught up.

 

[SuspectLJ]

That’s crazy. I picked one up for 7250 (salvage title), but we kept it together and DD it.

7250 isn't bad imo, especially that you can DD it. Mine would've been taken out by a good speed bump

 

[JMT]

Day i finally picked it up from the shop last month
View attachment 594960View attachment 594961

Dang that is a good looking rig!

Love those Monster Beadlocks.

 

[SuspectLJ]

Dang that is a good looking rig!

Love those Monster Beadlocks.

Thanks man I appreciate it! Yeah I really think these racelines look great on tjs.

If you don’t mind me asking, did you experience any additional vibrations with the savvy skid?

Right now my jeep is perfectly smooth even at 80 (when it eventually gets there lol) andI’ve read 5.38s and 35s can be problematic for some people. I’m a little worried to throw another factor in the equation and experience the vibration issues others have had.