Another LJ stretched on 42's "Sylvia"

[VecoPlan]

Allright so here we go- Basic premise- this is my first "grown up build" that I'm actually doing to work, and by "the work" I mean more than just bolting crapp on. Here we go.

Here's what we're starting with- plenty of "work" done so far but nothing to terribly technical:

Here's the run-down of where we're starting:

- 2006 LJ
- 6 speed
- Clayton 4" Longarm lift
- 4 link rear
- AEV Highline kit (yeah- I know- caught in a hail storm driving to Ole' Miss for a game and that's the best thing insurance would pay for- for some reason they wouldn't do the tubes- I don't understand it either)
- Fab Fours rockers (they're local NC boys so I like em)- I custom made the side steps though welded on 2" square tube with grating welded on top then encased in Line-X
- Took an old CJ tailgate and made a fold down so I had somewhere to sit the cooler at the game in Jacksonville every OCT/NOV (GO DAWGS!) Line-X the whole rear section after the body seam. Custom made hinges and supports.
- Side exhaust (eh- why not on the LJ- there's room)
- Whole tub is Line-Xed inside, and all the Tuffy crapp in there so people quit stealing my stuff
- RE Monotubes, Clayton shocks, and an Anti-rock in the front
- I had gone to JK 44's built to a TJ setup but that all got sold to pay to go to tons so now I'm temporarily running the 30 up front (SO SCARY!)

 

[VecoPlan]

-Took a rear 70 from an E-350 with the 64" WMS to disc with Gravelmaker's kit, JB7 Chevy Calipers, Brembo 3/4 ton Chevy front rotors, and whatnot.

- Set up new 4:88 gears and an ARB

- Cut a Dana 60 Front (89 F-350 Drivers drop). Went with this axle because I wanted the 64" WMS and didn't want to be in the oil pan- going to COs in the front and Coils with bump stops in the rear so I can still tow a little bit (hopefully)

- Set up new 4:88 gears and an ARB

 

[VecoPlan]

Went the Stage 8 locking nuts route- trying to do it right the first time. NOTE: the 70 I have has a keyway that is only 4.5mm across on the spindle. The key for the Stage 8 locking nut is 7mm so I had to machine it down- tougher to do that I thought- that's tough steel.

Here's some of the other components that are going under the girl:

• Bilstein Shocks for 5.5" Lift
• Ballistic Fab Truss, Combo Bracket, 2 5/8" Upper Arm mounts, and Diff Cover (which btw Ballistic's 60 Dif DOES NOT fit the 70- Ballistic cut it too close to the ring gear diameter of the smaller ring of the 60 and it hits on the 70 :mad3:- I asked and they said it would- but it doesn't. Looks like I'm going to have to make something here- oh well- I guess it's good for me ) and some Redline Fluids
• Reid Chevy style knuckles- going Chevy from the knuckles out
• JB7 Calipers (as of now I'm using a hose clamp to retain the outer pad... any better ideas?)
• Brake kit for the JB7 Calipers from Blackbird Customs
• Dynatrac "Stub Hub Kit" on the front 60
• RCV Performance CV Shafts
• Ballistic Front Truss System
• PSC Motorsports Dbl. Ended Ram System w/TC Pump

In the crate btw... is a 2006 5.7L Magnum Hemi out of my Powerwagon that was totalled last winter- It's mated to a G-56 Manual Only 10k on the pair- That's stage 4 of this build-

1. Rear 70 in First
2. Front 60 in Next
3. Stretch Wheelbases to 110" and replace this darn AEV kit with something I can bang into a rock and not demolish (e.g. Tub fenders, corner panels, tube flares)
4. Hemi Swap and Atlas 2

It's going to be interesting to see how many sets of driveshafts I'm going to have to buy with all the relocations but... budgets are budgets.

 

[VecoPlan]

Other Parts:

Advance Adapters SYE delivery- was a little displeased with the lack of finishing machining on the actual flange but assuming it all seals up ok I'm good with it- They threw a 1350 Yoke in there for good measure so that goes a fair ways in my book.

"Parts Mike" T-case E Brake Kit via Tom Woods (they had it on sale, the shelf and gave free shipping so who was I to argue) FYI- All parts on this build were either purchased through Jason at 4x4groupbuy.com (funny name- GREAT prices) or Andrew w/ Letzrolloffroad.com (funny guy- GREAT prices [sorry Andrew- I had to]).

 

[VecoPlan]

More goodies...
Not particularly thrilled about having these up front but "economical mode" (What an amazingly relative term in this situation eh?) in the front till the 60 is ready to go in...

Ohh... I've been waiting for this shipment

The 5x4.5 to 8x6.5 lug conversion spacers:

 

[VecoPlan]

Got started installing the JKS ACOS Pros tonight- Pic of the rear coil mount- this bad boy gets a shave job-

Drilled out:

Bolted up:

And set in:

NOTE: It's ghetto on such a high dollar part- but you have to cut your threaded mounts down 1.5" to work with less than 4" lift springs.

 

[VecoPlan]

Front getting done:

Spacers, new shocks and the freshly re-painted coils go in:

Wheel spacers go on:

 

[VecoPlan]

Brackets getting put together:

Rear 70 with the bal fab brackets:

and primed:

 

[VecoPlan]

Axle shafts go in, brakes and hubs go on:

and underneath she goes:

 

[VecoPlan]

Got the SYE in and T-case brake on:

And in...

T-case lower kit for until the rear gets stretched:

Pinion angle is already close:

Going to lengthen the upper arms just a bit to rotate her back and get it dead on- but need to go buy a couple bigger wreches- I did it last time with a polish socket set but 2 years of rust required a tighter fit

Re-worked the EVAP/Charcoal to make room for the tires:

And put the body lift on:

 

[VecoPlan]

It's definitely a mall crawler for now, hopefully the 9.00R20's work out as a good street tire for Mon-Fri so I can justify a set of 42" super stickies for Sat and Sun once the front is done. I suppose we'll see huh? I must say- I think the spacing is PERFECT with the body lift in place. I think at full lock I'm going to get the tires into the control arms with these wheels, but clearly when I get the 42" rockers on there I'm going with a heavily offset wheels so this should remedy that situation. Someone PM'd me asking the actual physical dimensions of these tires- there are 41 3/8" tall by my tape measure inflated to 50 lbs. Coming right along- lunch now... and then moving the gas tank

On a side note- I've put alot of body lifts on over the 5 TJ's I've had and I have to say this daystar kit is very nice. I like how it replaces the whole mounts and how it provides lateral support by having the 1" tall crush washer you have to expand into the poly mount. It's a little thing for sure- but it's very nice.

 

[altoids]

Good build so far. Lotta potential.

 

[VecoPlan]

Good build so far. Lotta potential.

Yeah, at this point it's mostly still potential. We're cracking along though. Almost done making the new brackets for the tank relocation. I'll put pics up when it's done.

 

[VecoPlan]

"Unneccesary" rear cross member is gone. I would like to take a moment and so to you good sir... "Thank you for your support" LOL Corny Corny Corny.

Happy 4th everybody! Remember that while we'll all be drinking beer, boating, and trail riding today that those things in and of themselves is not what today is about.... it's about the FREEDOM to be able to do those things, thank a vet, write your local delegate and tell them to get their act together and celebrate this great land of ours!

 

[CTRaceWorx]

Interesting, I've never seen or thought of using Ballistic's brackets like that. Everything looks good so far!

 

[TCannon620]

I have an LJ also and this thing is sick. Like what your doin buddy.

 

[bert2470]

Looks fantastic.

Where did you get the 8-lug conversion spacers? Thanks.

 

[VecoPlan]

Hmmm... I think there used to be something here....

and put 4 tires back under her:

I have about 1" I can go down on the rear ACOS to level her out but I still have the 25 gallon tank, tire carrier, and 42" spare to go on there so I am planning on that 300-400 lbs to bring it down pretty good on it's own.

My co-workers claim that they really should get all the credit for the work. Depending on the final result I might give it to them

 

[VecoPlan]

Interesting, I've never seen or thought of using Ballistic's brackets like that. Everything looks good so far!

Well, don't congratulate me yet... we'll see how it goes in the end. My thought was that the lower and the coil worked great, and I hope to "roll" the axle towards the rear, and re-do the shock/coil setup to make the geometry more "in-line" and less arched if that makes sense. For now I need to figure out what I want to do about the shocks though. I'll bring her by your shop the next time I have her in Matthews- my buddy runs Speed Styles right there by Walmart and I'll be taking it up to see him once it's rolling.

I have an LJ also and this thing is sick. Like what your doin buddy.

Thanks, just experimenting and trying to do things different thank I've seen others do it. Could mean it's better, could mean it's worse- but it won't be boring and tinkering is sort of the point right?

Looks fantastic.
Where did you get the 8-lug conversion spacers? Thanks.

www.motorsports-tech.net Ask for Steve.

 

[TCannon620]

Yea you got that right. What kinds of work did you have to do to get that CJ tailgate on there with the hinges and all the hardware? Any chopping or welding?

 

[VecoPlan]

Yea you got that right. What kinds of work did you have to do to get that CJ tailgate on there with the hinges and all the hardware? Any chopping or welding?

Yes

 

[VecoPlan]

Got the "for now" wheelbase stretch done- brought her back about 3 1/2 inches. Certainly not the zero departure I want for an end goal- but headed that direction. It's as far as I can go until I get some full corner guards.

So seriously I'm going to mandate that you have to pass an IQ test to help me. I've been working by myself for two weeks not with nary a hitch, my buddy comes over today to hang out and help me a little, sits on the gas tank and snap. Anybody tried to fix this with fuel proof adhesive or am I replacing the unit?

It broke at about a 45 degree angle so there is ALOT of surface area for an adhesive to bond the pieces back together... but it's a fuel line ya know?

Thoughts?

 

[VecoPlan]

So I was getting a little concerned that due to the height of the brackets, and the increased thickness of the axle housings, that the rear end was going to end up being high... SO I did a little Redneck engineering.

Ta-da. 50 bricks at 5 lbs. apiece- should be a pretty good representation of what the 25 gallon Gen-right gas Tank full of gas, the rear bumper, reinforcement plate, and 42" Rocker on a recentered H1 and....

She looks pretty level.

 

[VecoPlan]

Those street tires should get you some decent on road stability, you may very well have started a new trend.

Yeah, like I said, I hope it works out. Tractor trailer tires are made for 5 degree drop center rims instead of 15 degree like a passenger rim (that could be vise versa) so the bead is seated a little farther from the inside edge of the "lip" than it would be for a passenger type tire, and consequently has less surface area for contact to seat properly. We're talking maybe a millimeter here and it still seems to be plenty sufficient as the steel belts in these puppies are very close to the bead and thus they don't stretch ANY. Still though, my concern here is that they might "burp" air and I'm not looking to die in a fiery blow out so I am going to beat the living heck out of the bead at low speed in the yard before I take the Jeep on the road. If they pass that test then I am going to monitor heat loads really closely for the first little bit as that would be in indicator of how the tire is responding to the lower air pressure and whatnot.

In the end, I'm hopeful but if it doesn't work out, I'm likely to go with the Interco SS M-16s as I hear they are very quiet. If anyone else knows of a good AT type tire in the 39"-42" range, with a fairly narrow tread width for a 20" rim I'd like to hear that too. I am going to run 17" Spyderlocks with 42" Bias Rockers on the trail and I have no interest in two sets of MT+ tires- One road set- on dirt set is the plan

 

[VecoPlan]

alright.... spent the whole week in North Dakota... so back to work tonight when I get home. My Diff cover arrived so I'll get some pics when I get home and get it unwrapped.