96 ZJ "turd" build

[Redneck Rigger]

sooooo, this is my turd, Ive been buildin it, wheelin, and destroying stuff on it for about a year now. Started out as a decent looking DD with a salvage title that i picked up for $450 from a couple in charlotte. They used it to pull a boat halfway across the country and fish, and well, drive it. Had a bad wrist pin knock on #3, that was the main reason I got it so cheap.

First hings first, I orde the motor till it popped a rod (got about 400 miles out of it) and replaced it with the motor and trans out of a rolled zj that I had already purchased with the intention of fixing it. I can't located any of the stocker pictures, it seems they're on the hard drive of my other computer which wound up having a short in the motherboard.

But this is where it sits now, stock/rebuilt D30/D35 combo with 4.56 gears and trutrac limited slips front and rear, cheap ass 3.5" rough country lift (boy do I regret that now), 33's, 2X6X1/4 rockers, hurculiner interior, power leather seats, and lots of dents.

Some stock pics from about a year ago:

 

[buttface20x6]

Doesn't look so bad. Everybody needs a turd every now and again. Where's the lifted pics? I just did my rockers with 3x6x 1/4". Wondered what yours look like in comparison.

 

[Redneck Rigger]

the only reason I call it a turd is because I wind up working on it so much, and most everybodys doubts it's ability, and my own to drive it, but it hasn't failed me yet!

After I cut the fatory rockers off, keep in mind, I did the drivers side back about last february, and just yesterday finally got around to doing the driver's side. working full time and goin to night class will kill your time!

Seeing biggoofy's build is what brought me to do this, although i went a different way about doing so, and used different size tube to gain a little more protection on thge sides, and it would give me more room to tie in tube fenders or whatnot if i decide to later. Not only that but it was much much cheaper to buy salvage steel than new, and this is what i could find and it served the purpose well.

I tied the panel into the unibody be using angle iron to tie the pillars in and then using plug welds to tie the tube (notched for the angle of course), the entire thing is assembled by plug welds, so why not keep it going?

 

[Redneck Rigger]

trutracs, well worth the money and they work very very well on the street and handle surprisingly well in the snow. installed a 4.56 ring and pinion set for the first time, ended up ruining one rear gear set, but I got it right the second time. It's a total pain, but i saved a ton of money and learned alot in the process. couldn't be happier on this setup with 33's

 

[Redneck Rigger]

carpet started to smell awful, so out it came, and then came the hurculiner. Seems the stin was coming from a standing pool of water where the AC drained into the floorboard for some time. Had to fix about a 6"X10" rust hole. Got that taken care of, and then installed a junkyard leather interior that I scored for $95.

hiding the wiring on a ZJ is a common problem, so I improvised bu using pvc pip as a conduit, gathering up elbows, and then splitting the pipe and using conduit clamps to attach it to the side of the floorpan. TJ rubber floor plugs worked in place of the factory steel ones.

 

[Redneck Rigger]

some photos from a trip with some friends to lake houser a while back. this gives you an idea of where it's at now.

 

[Redneck Rigger]

Moutain city back in february

 

[Ramoyer1]

where did you get your ring a pinion set from and your locker.

 

[Redneck Rigger]

where did you get your ring a pinion set from and your locker.

trutracs are limited slip, and I purchased them from summit. I bought the first r&p set from randy's but I never will again. Bought the second set (after i trashed the first) from ECGS, and I HIGHLY recommend them, great prices and an absolute pleasure to deal with! very very quick shipment too.

 

[Ramoyer1]

well they only have 456 and 373s do you think 456s would be to much for a 5speed zj with 31 to 33s on it?

 

[Redneck Rigger]

your best friend: http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

Appears as though your gonna hafta have a 4.56 set. I highly reccomend it, low enough to wheel with 33's but still run 70mph down the highway, with a 42re of course, but you're overdrvie ratio might be different so I cant guarantee that.

It'll put you lower than factory, but the you're gonna need it with the extra weight of bigger tires.

 

[Ramoyer1]

Ratios:
First gear - 3.83:1
Second gear - 2.33:1
Third gear - 1.44:1
Fourth gear - 1.00:1
Fifth gear - 0.79:1
Reverse - 4.22:1

Im just wondering if it be ok to roll on 31s with 456s for a lil bit untill i can get more money up. im sure the towing would prolly be alot better