Wildman's TJ is getting a face lift

[Wildman]

I think you've got the right idea of where to mount the reservoir in the engine bay. I assume the top of the windshield wiper fluid bottle is as high as you can go, otherwise you could just add spacers to your mount to raise it up. I wonder if you could relocate the windshield wiper fluid bottle inlet so you could rotate the reservoir so it could straight shot and then onto a 90* fitting to the pump. It might be easier to relocate that then the reservoir itself. Just a couple thoughts.

The build is looking awesome btw. I would personally go with the stock hood incase it gets banged up from a tree. You can't knock back fiberglass. Just my opinion.

I don't know how durable the fiberglass is or not but I can also swap hoods anytime. With all the dents and dings I've had in my rig I've never touched the hood.

If there’s not much real performance advantage, I’d go with the fiberglass hood. It’s lighter. I’d also leave it as is with no vents. The grill, radiator, and fan will keep that bad boy cool!

You're not trying to cool it more you're trying to get some of the heat that is produced by that larger engine out from under the hood.. The vents aren't made to help the radiator cool the engine better but to help remove the heat.

The straighter and more vertical that connection the better. Hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like that could work If you can complete the connection.

You may recall, on mine I built a bracket to mount the reservoir to the front of the head directly above the pump. It created a very short connection to the pump, but didn’t have to worry about flex on that hose since it was mounted, and moves, with the engine.

I looked at the front of the engine for a spot to mount it but from what I remember it would make it too high. But I will go back and relook at it and verify.

 

[DrDmoney]

I’m a vote for the heat reduction hood and I think you could paint it yourself with your new painting skills.

 

[Woodrow]

I’m a vote for the heat reduction hood and I think you could paint it yourself with your new painting skills.

Agree. Also, put the tires on and wheel that thing already!

 

[Wildman]

Agree. Also, put the tires on and wheel that thing already!

Man, I WISH that was all that was left to do. I'd be out there today. But it is getting closer that is a fact.

 

[Wildman]

I've got a SMALL rant for the day. AEM sells you this temperature gauge but they don't include all the different face plates. Now maybe I just ordered the wrong one but I swear that I'd gone and looked on their website to make sure I was getting the one I wanted.
I wanted a transmission temperature gauge and wanted it to match the AEM wide band gauge I was going to be using.

You're paying $165 for this....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001DX9KJK/?tag=wranglerorg-20

But then have to buy this face plate kit to get the transmission face plate for another $17. Just seems to me that for that price it should come with all the face plates and the black & silver bezel.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BI2PJFE/?tag=wranglerorg-20

 

[Wildman]

I didn't get any work done on the Jeep today. Instead, I did this.

Got a good deal on it plus 18 months interest free financing so after searching for the parts to fix my old snowblower I finally broke down and bought a new one.

Out of the box but still got to assemble it.

Had to take it out for a quick test to see what it's like.

WOW should have done this years ago. It's got heated grips and a headlight plus has electric start. Not totally tricked out but it's got everything I need.

 

[reddvltj]

I didn't get any work done on the Jeep today. Instead, I did this.

View attachment 383712


Got a good deal on it plus 18 months interest free financing so after searching for the parts to fix my old snowblower I finally broke down and bought a new one.

View attachment 383712


Out of the box but still got to assemble it.


View attachment 383713


Had to take it out for a quick test to see what it's like.

View attachment 383714

WOW should have done this years ago. It's got heated grips and a headlight plus has electric start. Not totally tricked out but it's got everything I need.


View attachment 383715


View attachment 383716


View attachment 383717

I know where you can drop that off when you finally ditch the PNW Mountains for warmer winter pastures!!!

 

[Wildman]

I know where you can drop that off when you finally ditch the PNW Mountains for warmer winter pastures!!!

Man it's nice. You can lock the track to steer it and it's got 6 forward and 2 reverse speeds. And it THROWS the snow.
I figured I'd include it with the house for a added price. But if they don't want it...

 

[Mike_H]

I didn't get any work done on the Jeep today. Instead, I did this.

View attachment 383712


Got a good deal on it plus 18 months interest free financing so after searching for the parts to fix my old snowblower I finally broke down and bought a new one.

View attachment 383712


Out of the box but still got to assemble it.


View attachment 383713


Had to take it out for a quick test to see what it's like.

View attachment 383714

WOW should have done this years ago. It's got heated grips and a headlight plus has electric start. Not totally tricked out but it's got everything I need.


View attachment 383715


View attachment 383716


View attachment 383717

Nice! I need to get the heated grips for mine. I’ve had them in my cart multiple times, just haven’t pulled the trigger

 

[IPerkWVU]

Nice, wish mine had tracks. My 28” Club Cadet does pretty good though so can’t complain, it was cutting through 3+ ft drifts today no problem.

The 30 mph winds however were a different story, basically blowing snow one way

 

[Wildman]

Nice! I need to get the heated grips for mine. I’ve had them in my cart multiple times, just haven’t pulled the trigger

Not that I want it to but now I just need it to snow so I can really test it out. Of course I'd be happy if it wouldn't but I know that isn't going to happen. So snow so I can play with my new toy.

Nice, wish mine had tracks. My 28” Club Cadet does pretty good though so can’t complain, it was cutting through 3+ ft drifts today no problem.

The 30 mph winds however were a different story, basically blowing snow one way

I'd looked at all the different brands but really wanted the tracks this time and this was the best deal on one I could find. I didn't know what I was missing before. My old one was just a monster to muscle around and it didn't throw snow anywhere as much as this one does.

 

[Mike_H]

Not that I want it to but now I just need it to snow so I can really test it out. Of course I'd be happy if it wouldn't but I know that isn't going to happen. So snow so I can play with my new toy.



I'd looked at all the different brands but really wanted the tracks this time and this was the best deal on one I could find. I didn't know what I was missing before. My old one was just a monster to muscle around and it didn't throw snow anywhere as much as this one does.

Even the new wheeled ones are so much easier to use than the older ones. I held out with a 5/20 model because it was light and nimble. I’d used the bigger machines and they were just too much work. Then I went tractor, which was a bit too big, but the cab was really nice. Storage was a pain

Finally broke down and got a 12/28 and I don’t know how they do it, but it steers so easy. Driving straight ahead, the wheels are locked together, but as soon as you turn, they unlock and you’re not fighting it. No user input either. It’s magical!

 

[Wildman]

Even the new wheeled ones are so much easier to use than the older ones. I held out with a 5/20 model because it was light and nimble. I’d used the bigger machines and they were just too much work. Then I went tractor, which was a bit too big, but the cab was really nice. Storage was a pain

Finally broke down and got a 12/28 and I don’t know how they do it, but it steers so easy. Driving straight ahead, the wheels are locked together, but as soon as you turn, they unlock and you’re not fighting it. No user input either. It’s magical!

Some of the wheeled ones looked really nice. And I was reading about that steering. It sounded pretty cool too. I'll let you know once I've used it for a while if I like the tracked or not. I've read mixed reviews about them but figured I'd try it out.
This has so many more levers than my old one and it's getting use to them right now that will take a while to figure out.
Like backing up. With my old one I just shifted into reverse and that was it. With this one you raise it up before you back up as it seems to make it easier for it.

 

[Wildman]

Worked on the power steering reservoir bracket today. I got the rear piece made first and then set it in the Jeep so I made sure it was the height and angle I wanted. Once I'd got the welded together I added the one brace arm. After looking at it I'd decided that it didn't need the two arms.

I'm sure it's probably OVERKILL but I'm fairly happy with how it turned out.

As heavy as it is I really doubt it's going to have any issues supporting the reservoir.

Mounted the reservoir to it to test fit everything then I'll pull it back out for painting.

Installed it back to the grill.

There is this much clearance between it and the radiator but since it's hard mounted to the grill it shouldn't be an issue.

And the mounting collar clears the top of the radiator just fine.

Went to check the return line fitting on the hydro-vac and snapped the DAMN thing off. Called Vanco to verify the fitting size just to make sure and ordered a AN fitting for it.


Quick question, which is the return line on the PSC steering box? The one towards the outside or the inside of the frame?

Thanks.

 

[Wildman]

Quick question, which is the return line on the PSC steering box? The one towards the outside or the inside of the frame?

 

[Wildman]

TNT Customs now includes two different brackets with the steering box rotation/stretch kit for the grill mount. Looks like one is for no body lift and the other one is for with a body lift.

Had to remove a little bit of my new paint because I'd forgotten to do this back when I'd had the fenders installed previously. I'll just have to rattle can that area once it cools off a little.

Darn now other than the grill spacers for the body lift I don't need a single part out of my Savvy body lift. And I might/should be able to make some spacers so that I can see if one of @JMT boys needs a body lift.

I've got all my hoses cut for the power steering & hydro-vac lines just waiting on fittings. I'm going to try to reuse the hydro-assist cylinder lines I'd used before but if not I'll order some more hose and make new ones.

Time to work on other projects until all the fittings I've ordered show up which won't be until the end of the week or early next week.

 

[JMT]

TNT Customs now includes two different brackets with the steering box rotation/stretch kit for the grill mount. Looks like one is for no body lift and the other one is for with a body lift.

View attachment 384083


View attachment 384084


Had to remove a little bit of my new paint because I'd forgotten to do this back when I'd had the fenders installed previously. I'll just have to rattle can that area once it cools off a little.

View attachment 384085

Darn now other than the grill spacers for the body lift I don't need a single part out of my Savvy body lift. And I might/should be able to make some spacers so that I can see if one of @JMT boys needs a body lift.

View attachment 384086

I've got all my hoses cut for the power steering & hydro-vac lines just waiting on fittings. I'm going to try to reuse the hydro-assist cylinder lines I'd used before but if not I'll order some more hose and make new ones.

Time to work on other projects until all the fittings I've ordered show up which won't be until the end of the week or early next week.

Thanks Rick. One of the boys has a BL, and the other will eventually probably want one (right now his plan is to BL and go to 35's). I'll eventually have 6 pucks if I flip my Savvy crossmember and get raised body mounts. All in due time. That would leave the remaining pucks including the two oddballs for the grille.

Looking good. Nice bracket for the PSC reservoir! It's coming together.

 

[Wildman]

Thanks Rick. One of the boys has a BL, and the other will eventually probably want one (right now his plan is to BL and go to 35's). I'll eventually have 6 pucks if I flip my Savvy crossmember and get raised body mounts. All in due time. That would leave the remaining pucks including the two oddballs for the grille.

Looking good. Nice bracket for the PSC reservoir! It's coming together.

I think making spacers wouldn't be hard. I've got to look at what metal I still have in the garage. Or if I pass it on to you maybe you could make something? I have all the pucks in the kit as all my mounts have been raised now. Wish someone sold JUST the spacers.

 

[JMT]

I think making spacers wouldn't be hard. I've got to look at what metal I still have in the garage. Or if I pass it on to you maybe you could make something? I have all the pucks in the kit as all my mounts have been raised now. Wish someone sold JUST the spacers.

If I do the frame lift that would give me 2 more pucks. Then it would be a matter of getting 3 more plus the grille. There has to be a solution to get some spacers under the grille. I could make something. This is a long ways out IMHO since we're not even built for the 33's he has now. The good thing is the build followed pretty much exactly the @Irun thread where he compared an ideal 33's build to a ideal 35's build, which was a great thread. There are some expensive add on's needed to go to 35's properly, and I don't even have them yet on my build. Probably cost me about 4K to finish. Then I'd be wanting to change something else.

 

[Wildman]

After welding the grill support on it was time to do a little painting.

Hung the reservoir bracket first and shot it with some semi-gloss Black paint.

Then taped up the front of the Jeep and painted the grill support.

While the paint was drying I swapped out the gauge face on the transmission gauge.