JK and K5 build threads Bc you can never have too many toys

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Got the JK in the garage this afternoon. It’s full on hover Jeep right now with all the suspension bolts soaking with PB blaster on them. I’m gonna go ahead and pull both axles tomorrow and start regearing the rear.

But I’m this weekend I hope you to start my mini boat sides on the k5

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Well the JK is LT Dan’n it now.

Two things in this photo are definitely not going back in it. Can’t wait to be on team no rear track bar.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

And eyeballing it, looks like I can push the rear back between 2 and 3 inches with just a factory TJ tank. Seems that my educated guess was correct that if I wanted to use a gen right stretch tank I could push it back much further. Maybe Santa will bring me one.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

I think I talked myself into cutting out those rear frenched shock towers and building taller ones for more uptravel. I’ve got some 14” stroke Fox 2.0 smooth body’s that Are suppose to go to the k5. But since I’m going coilover up front and the mounting widths are the same. I may go ahead and set it up with the clearance that if I want to bolt in some coilovers when I’m ready. Hopefully it’ll be a smooth transition.

 

[Jody Treadway]

Can’t wait to be on team no rear track bar.

Yeah, I like leaf springs too.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Yeah, I like leaf springs too.

Spoiler alert geez

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Started about 2 hours ago. Taking a break for lunch then I’ll see if I can finish this rocker up today and start cutting the other side. If I can get my patch panels made up real quick and get these 2x6 rockers mounted solid to the frame this weekend I’ll be happy.

Waiting on my long side chromoly shaft. Found a Detroit on amazon for $458 brand new for the 60 front. I couldn’t beat that so I said screw it. I’ve still got to decide if I want to try a Detroit or grizzly locker out back. I’m hoping to do the gears/front locker/shafts on Sunday/Monday. I got hooked up with my tuner. It runs smoother now, still needs some tweaking mainly calibrate the MAF and he wants to tinker with power enrichment mode because with a normal 5.3 tune it’s driven different with a 4L60 behind it and it’s not even used like with the cars.

I know I’ll probably hate myself but I’m swapping in the 5.38s. Mainly Bc it’ll push me to to nv4500 swap it sooner. But man it’s gonna rip to 75mph, lol.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

I think these tied into the frame in 4 supports of 2x2 .120 wall. Should be plenty, but I wanna build that 1.75 x.188 wall slider.

Neighbor looked at me funny when I took a sawzall to the side of the k5

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Making a few gussets and also gonna cap off the body separate from the new slider. I’ll start on the other side tomorrow. I need to hurry up and get this knocked out so I can move onto other things.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Started building some new sill plates and redo the weather striping channel. Well it looks cool there but sucks balls being 22ga. So just went and picked up some 1/8” I’m gonna do basically the same thing. I’ll do the panel in the door out of 22ga. Even with the dimple dies it was no where near strong enough. So stand by for my 2nd swing at it. Hopefully I can finish this side today and move onto the other. Really feeling like I won’t be making my planning trip next weekend.

The rear Detroit showed up a little bit ago. So as soon as I finishing screwing around with these sliders I’ll jump onto gears and lockers along with some front chromoly shafts.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Okay much better. I’ll paint it tomorrow when I get done cutting the other side and welding in the sill plate. That side doesn’t have any rust at all so hopefully it’ll be less work. I need to cut out my mounting pads for the supports in the morning. I just don’t like working too late Bc I know neighbors have pain in the ass kids.

 

[a_kelley]

You may benefit from an Amazon plasma cutter. They are only $250 to your door.. it'll cut clean 1/4" plate and sever stuff that's 3/8"... I don't know how I got along without one before... Sheet metal, you can pretty much cut as fast as you can move. 1/4", it'll still smoke a sawzall or cutoff on grinder, with no vibration or noise.. but I do find myself still using the sawzall for say cutting exhaust pipe while laying under the vehicle on stands.. On the lift is a different story. (Not going to take a bath in molten metal)

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

You may benefit from an Amazon plasma cutter. They are only $250 to your door.. it'll cut clean 1/4" plate and sever stuff that's 3/8"... I don't know how I got along without one before... Sheet metal, you can pretty much cut as fast as you can move. 1/4", it'll still smoke a sawzall or cutoff on grinder, with no vibration or noise.. but I do find myself still using the sawzall for say cutting exhaust pipe while laying under the vehicle on stands.. On the lift is a different story. (Not going to take a bath in molten metal)

Oh a plasma cutter is on the list of tools to purchase. Has been for a long time, but you see the way my bank account is setup.... my cheap ass hasn’t bought one yet, but I window shop around every few months and keep taking notes of what’s on the market, what’s a good lasting quality tool that has readily available consumables and what not. With that being said I still need to put an air compressor in my garage or in a small building just inside my fence and plumb it into my garage. Hell, I still need to add the 125 amp panel to my garage and stop piggy backing off the dryer. I’ve got a long list of things I need to do around my garage that’ll come in due time. Right now my next biggest purchase will likely be compressor that can flow enough for a plasma cutter, then I can get real serious about a plasma cutter.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Well I got side tracked taking a dump after my coffee this morning and bought a beadroller.... didn’t go all fancy but got the Eastwood one. I know I’ll probably have to modify a few things but it’ll help when I do the inner fenders for the k5. And I can scratch that how the fu*k do they do it itch from seeing some of the build threads up here. found more rust I’ll have to deal with around the B pillar area. Kind of a bummer but oh well I got some sheetmetal I can form and stuff now to fix it. My creepy ass ginger girl friend took some pictures and a small video of me welding the frame plates for the slider. Was running out of gas so I’ll probably have to redo them. Or at least ground out a few of the welds Bc the wind kicked up and redo them. Still need to pick up some 1/4” 6061 or better aluminum plate to do my belly pan and now mini boat sides with. Got a bunch of counter sunk Allen head fasterners. To make it appear fancier than it is. Might even polish the aluminum for that mall rated stuff.

Anyway I’m off to get some shielding gas, also meeting with my tuner this afternoon to screw with it some more. See if we can find some more ponies hiding in there. I’ve pretty much realized I won’t get to go wheeling this weekend. And in that sadness almost bought some 42 for the k5.... I just had to complete the order with 1 click and I had to stop myself. I do have a road trip to Corolla for a fam-dam-ily kind of time. So I need to finish all this crap before the October 9th weekend. Right now it’s all white trash as hell with tape to mark cut lines. Yes I don’t consider it as white trash with out the tape.

I’ve got to figure out a stand for my bead roller and sheet metal brake. Really it probably needs to be a welding table I can affix every one of those tools on or store under in shelves. Bending over welding on my knees and shit is getting old. I’m getting old, I need to change it up but need to empty out some left over parts and stuff first. So I’m debating on rebuilding a few extra axles to resell. JKd44 rubicon front, GM 60 front. I’ve thought about picking up an 8.8 building it up an offering it and the JK rubicon front as a package deal if I could get the 8.8 slightly wider through C clip eliminator and wheel spacer/adapter to correct the pattern. And gear them to 4.88s with an ARB nobody will buy for $500....

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

I’m not perfect, but I do try to hold myself to a higher standard. It’s cool being on the forums because it makes me challenge myself to get more gooder.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Welp tuning session was a bust. First he tuned it via the VE tables. Ran pretty good but the MAFS calibration is still off. It’s sensing 30-40% throttle at tip in when changing gears but it’s only an issue under 2000 rpm. During this event it will cut timing hard and we get shitty running. So he’s trying to figure that out, I’m trying to finish a list 12 miles long on the k5 in the meantime.

On a funny note when on a WOT rip in low, it breaks the tires loose and surprised the tuner. Dude looked at me and asked if we were spinning tires back there. Made me wish I had a mullet wig so I could have yelled back “hell yeah brother! def leopard sucks!”.

I’m hoping I can put it in 1st (not low) with 5.38s and pop the clutch for burn outs. My brain tells me I should build a truss and weld the tubes to the center section and probably do a traction bar. But my heart says let it rip tater chip and let’s see what these anti wrap perches limits are. My failure point is either the bolts holding the straps on for the rear u joint, or spring wrap. I still need to buy a slip yoke for my driveshaft in the 1410 flavor and get it balanced again before I can swap in the 14 bolt 1410 U-bolt yoke.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Got one side on. Need to still fur the supports down to the bottom of the frame. And I’m going to add to the frame to build it up and make a flat belly.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Forgot the pictures.

I also might add in 2 other supports on both sides because I can see the frame flexing some. Another reason I want to box it and gusset the shit out of everything. She’s a big heavy girl and it needs to be build accordingly.

I did get my bead roller in. Threw it together but need to go through and adjust things

And I’ve got a few other goodies on the way for the JK. I need to get some 2 x .250 wall for some links and barrels, and I think 5 sticks of 1.75 x .120 wall and I can start the cage for the k5. I’m gonna have questions even though I’ve been researching a lot on how to properly spread the loads, and how cluster fuck I want to make it for a trail rig. Definitely will do bushing tie ins. Will probably do staked floor plates as well my main concern is I’m not sure one full stick will do my A to C pillar and I’m thinking of sleeving it and supporting it by the B pillar.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

The rocker doesn’t look too bad now, but need to build a cap for the bottom of the door. I’ll probably use the 22ga sheetmetal I’ve got for it.

I’ve changed my cut line 3 times now. I think I’ve narrowed it down but we shall see. A lot of time between doing the rocker/slider, and doing both axles.

I haven’t decided what I will do with the side marker though. I could just delete them, or find a smaller light and graft it in. But I need that clearance just for full stuff with these. My original plan was to section the fender but I’ll save that for another set of fenders and do that. These have some rust in the bottoms of them. It’s my fault it sat with mud in the fenders for about 11 years or so.

If I can get the rocker and slider done on the passenger side I jump on installing all this fun stuff

And I’ve got a bunch of stuff showing up this coming week for the JK. Oh and a few tools, I just couldn’t help it.

 

[Jody Treadway]

If you kept it stock, you'd have more time for crocheting and tacos.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

If you kept it stock, you'd have more time for crocheting and tacos.

Think anyone would trade for stock parts?

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Got the passenger side rocker about out, it started raining maybe I’ll finish it later on this afternoon. The trifecta dropped off today’s offerings

Right now I need a few enduro joints/bungs/nuts for the 3 link front, joints/bungs/nuts for the track bar, and then the DOM for the links. Soon as I can get these mini boatsides, gears/lockers, in the k5 I’ll start putting in the work on the Jeep. I’m planning on running the RK lift springs I’ve got out back on the JK but I’m leaning more and more towards cutting out those shock towers and going 2.0 coolovers out back too.

 

[iwaxmyjimmy]

Well shortly after getting that done, I thought it would be a great idea to get a deep tissue massage. My back has been tweaked the last 3 weeks and I just am getting around to cleaning up the garage, and installing some new tools and stuff. They have helped in the past and well I go in for an hours worth of work, then attempt to rebuild a JK rear and torquing the bearing caps my back popped and I’ve been having trouble getting around since. I’ve started taking CBD gummies morning and at lunch. And honestly it’s been helping. However I was feeling really limber and ready to get back out there and finish knocking out the passenger side.

Picked me up a compressor and man it’s quiet, I wrestled it back there and had to move around some winter projects.

Picked up this cheap plasma cutter because a few people I’ve talked to have had good luck with them. I’ve got a lot of stuff I need to do and I’m just growing tired of the cutoff wheel life. Can run 110/220 bunch of consumables, haven’t ran it yet I’m setting up my hose reel.

Picked up a dryer and the plasma cutter came with a regulator/dryer with it.

I still haven’t put all these goodies in the k5, but I’ve started to budget for a nv4500, however it will come next summer when I’d like to swap a gen 4 LY6 6.0/nv4500/black box or behemoth box and 205 doubler. It’s a straight forward swap using a AA bellhousing. I’ve got a 205 I can tear down and get the case machined for the larger input. Haven’t really decided on which 241 based crawl box I’ll use but I’m gonna do twin cable shifters on the 205, I’ll make my own shifters. I’ve got the cables and 205 brackets. And I wanna do billet bearing retainers just to church it up a bit.

Really digging my new toys, got a 1/4 ratchet that’s suppose to be here today. Also I’ve decided to build a anti wrap bar for the k5 and that was ordered through Barnes4wd. Should be here before the weekend. Hoping for finish the sliders today, and start the gears. Gonna go fishin with a buddy tomorrow because, why not. We got some decent speckle trout last time, I’d like to see if we can catch some stripers. I’ve never caught one so I’ll bribe him with bojangles. If I can get my gears in this weekend with enough time I’ll take the plasma cutter to the JK and start cleaning off the frame. I’ve gotta figure out how I want to do my rear shocks. I’ll have to redo the drenched in towers but that’s no biggie. Just not much space with the older narrower 14 bolts. It’s a metric housing but out of a k30 I picked up from a member on here about 4 years ago.

I’ve got the brackets for the lowers for the JK. I figured since I’m gonna build my own trusses I’ll just make the upper mounts integrated into the truss to make it look cool and be strong.

Still trying to decide if I want to do the 15 bolt conversion to gain the most clearance under the 14 bolt out back. Or just do a Barnes 13 bolt cover like I’ve got on the k5.

I decided I’m gonna mount the coilovers to the factory coil mounts on the front 05- up SD60. And if it’s technically under the Jeep does it make it a 1 ton swap? I want to see the tops of the shock hoops and coilovers through the hood. But I still want 6” of up travel minimum. So if the frame rails need to be modded, I’ll fire up the tubing bender and make some cool shit forward of the engine mounts.

I think I can keep the ride height within an inch or two and still get that clearance. I’ll be redoing the belly pan and cleaning up a lot of stuff. I’ve gotten a lot better at doing this stuff since I first put this together in 2014.

Hoping the JK build actually goes somewhat quick so I can have my garage back. I don’t care if the JK is on rollers and no gears and lockers. I’ll throw a conversion joint in that 1310 CV rear shaft and make it self propelled. I think I could do the same for the front and have 4wd because they both have 4.10s. I’ve still got to buy flanges first the t case, gonna do the f250 driveshafts, and then have the rear balanced. And run 1410 joints at the axle ends. I’ve been looking at Branik shafts for the 60, I wish Yukon would come out with some hubs for the 05-up. If not I guess I be changing out drive slugs because I’m driving it to the trail. Still debating on tires, really liking the idea of 42” TSLs and doing a little bit of grooving to increase the flexibility of the tire. I think it would be fun to try out some like the below pic.

Definitely gonna do 5.38s and a rear ARB, probably a Detroit or Yukon grizzly locker up front.

 

[Croatan_Kid]

Warn make nice hubs for the SD 60s.

 

[YJKrawlin]

What are your thoughts on behemoth? I've been debating between them (either the 1356 box or 205 shorty) and nwf (titan box) but all of the negative reviews have me on the fence about behemoth.