Love, but mostly hate Jeep Build

[49erRider]

Ok well I figured its about time that I start a build thread on my Jeep. I want to start off with a little back ground on this Jeep.

I purchased it in 2008 as a stock 2000 2 WHEEL DRIVE XJ. I drove this thing everywhere loaded bikes and kayaks and anything that it could carry it did. At one point I even had 6 people and 6 bikes in this lovely creature.

Now as much as I loved it and it fit every need I was still always wishing I had 4wd. But I was lame and never did the conversion. But here is what I did do to it in the first year or so:

Added CD player with Ipod hook up

Rear Main Seal

Rear Driveshaft Output Seal

Heater Core / Evaporator

IAC - TPS

Added a hitch

Overhead Console

Replaced and Painted front Bumper

Upgraded wiring harness for headlights

New headlights

My favorite: Added cruise control

Now at this point I'm pretty connected to this Jeep and have sworn on a Nestle Crunch that I will never get rid of it.


THEN A BREAK THROUGH

I GOT THIS:

 

[49erRider]

Now the minute I bought the truck I knew that a 4wd conversion was now a reality.


So in my head I started making all the plans and decided on what I needed etc..

Since a few people do this and it might pop up in a search here where the parts that were essential to doing the conversion.

New Front Axle from a 4wd
Aw4 from a 4wd
Transfer Case **231**
Front and Rear driveshaft
Transfer Case Linkage
Bezel and T-case shifter

Think that covers all of the parts.

So after I got the truck I knew I would be doing a lift at the same time. So I went ahead and ordered a 3.5" RE Super Ride lift. I also started putting together all the other parts I was going to need. Here was just a parts list of what was bought for the lift:

RE 3.5" Super Ride
RE Hack n Tap SYE
Second Front Driveshaft for rear (Spicer adapter as well)
Iron Rock Offroad Track Bar
Rubicon Shocks
15" Rock Crawler Wheels
31's (Thanks Tim)
Shims for the rear
BPE for shocks front and rear

So over the next three weeks all of those lovely parts arrived. Then it happened!

I realized I had to have surgery. In august I messed up my knee pretty good and was out for a little while, well I realized I tore my ACL, MCL, and both meniscus so surgery was scheduled and I went under the knife.

So the Jeep parts just sat in my garage until I could walk again.

Fast forward about three months I pick up all of this:

It may not look like much to you but that was the start of my 4wd swap.

 

[49erRider]

The game plan became as soon as I could bend my knee and get under the Jeep I would lift it first, then go ahead and do the 4wd swap.


So I installed the rear springs:

I then contemplated leaving it as is but decided it would probably look better if I lifted the front as well.

Got the front installed after a headache of being sold the wrong axle and having to pull everything and put the right one in.

Bolted on my new wheels/tires and WAAAA LAAA

 

[49erRider]

So at this point the Jeep is still 2wd and I've contemplated leaving it that way for a while so I can just enjoy driving it again for a bit.

But then common sense kicks in and tells me to grab my impact and go at it!

So I say screw it and get ready to go at it. Now a little preface, is I've done a lot of work on cars but never a major component like an engine or trans, etc.... It was actually my first time completely pulling an axle when I did my lift. So I read some write-ups and went at it.

First step was I pulled the rear shaft. Now I was committed no turning back. So I drained the trans and went at it.

With the help of Jim aka (JamesCad04) we got started. We knew the exhaust was going to have to come out so after unplugging all the sensors we started removing the four bolts to drop where the exhaust connects to the headers. Well those stupid tabs that keep the nut from spinning just bent up and we spent the next 5 hours trying to get that fixed. Well of course we couldn't so we went to Jims house picked up his 30 gal. compressor and hacked them all away.

And here they are finally down!

After that we took a much needed Pizza break and said F it lets get the thing out at least. So we went back and started unbolting everything and it started coming pretty easy. A couple hours later we were left with this.

And here is the baby 2wd all out and alone!

I was going to tear the 2wd trans apart just to learn about the inner workings but someone from Charleston had theirs blow up and I just gave it to him.

And that is how the Jeep sat for the next 2-3 weeks.

 

[49erRider]

So between snow and ice and people actually having lives I wasn't able to get anyone to come give me a hand throwing in the new one for a couple weeks. Josh (99TJ) had some time and came over. After trying to figure out how to get the jacks to go high enough we finally got it in and mostly bolted up. Sensors were connected I just had a few things I needed to go through and do.

Got everything I thought I needed done and went to start it up a couple times and heard the worst god awful grinding. Then it hits me duhhh, you didn't tighten the starter bolts all the way. Do that then decide to run it through the gears and make sure everything is spinning as should. Here another bad grind going in to park. Then it hits me DUHH you don't have a driveshaft in.

So got all that figured out and decided now was a good time to do a RE Hack n Tap. Tim came by and put the car in reverse and while I drilled and cut and tapped that sucker. Actually went really smooth and in about an hour had the hack n tap done. Bolted on the driveshaft with the new adapter and I was for now at least 2wd again.

I did not have the shift linkage in for the T-case so I waited on putting in the front shaft and drove around like this for a couple weeks.

Spent about 4 hours getting the linkage in but hey finally got it threw the front shaft and for the first time in its entire life my Cherokee saw 4WD.

It was a nice experience. Drove it around like this for a couple weeks.

 

[49erRider]

With warm weather approaching I said screw it and hacked up my front door pins and pulled those suckers off.

My wife thinks its the ugliest thing ever but I actually like it.

I then found a front bumper for sale and went ahead and decided to pick it up and install it.

Now shortly after installing the much better looking bumper I noticed trans fluid leaking on my crossmember.

So I pulled the T-case replaced the seal and no more leaks!

Here is a shot of my XJ playing around on something in my neighborhood.

 

[49erRider]

A few weeks went by and I didn't work on the Jeep too much.

As you can see the front fender is separated where it meets the front panel. I looked and looked but couldn't find a silver fender so I went redneck and it actually worked.

Just used a bracket and two self tappers and its holding quite nicely actually.

So after this I found some Frame stiffeners and Sliders on c-list for a steal.

Went ahead and picked them both up.

It was a bit of a pain because I had to shorten the legs of the sliders to accommodate for my new stiffeners but got it all done.

Now this was a learning expierence to say the least. I've never welded anything major before so got my introduction doing these.

BIGGEST LESSON I LEARNED. BOTH SURFACES HAVE TO BE CLEAN!!!!!!!!!!

After messing up a few times and burning a whole or two I pulled them off cleaned well and made some slightly past horrible welds and got them to stick on pretty well.

It may not look the best but I jumped, lifted, beat on those suckers and they are not moving.

 

[49erRider]

I was unsure of what to do next so I went ahead and got my CB all put in.

I like where I mounted it and seems to be out of the way enough. I had a bracket that connects to the area where the tail lamps mount and ran a 2ft tunable antenna so I could still get in and out of the garage.

Then I went ahead and put some Hella 500 lights on the front bumper. Since I don't have the funds for a winch yet I used the fairlead mount wholes so that the bumper didn't look big and empty.

And here is a picture of where I mounted the switch. Easy and Clean and I like it.

I'm a bit anal about wires being nicely hidden so I successfully mounted it without a single wire being seen unless you go searching under the hood for it.

Then I got these!

33x12.5x15 BFG MT

Now I quickly realized there would have to be some fender trimming as I heard something that sounded like a troll being raped as I made a sharp turn. So I pulled out my air cut off tool and went at it.

I chose to do the cut and fold method because it was fast clean and easy. I went ahead and started.

45 minutes later both sides were done and looked really good in my opinion.

I decided to leave the lip and only trimmed about an 1 1/4 inch of material. Think it helped keep a nice look.

Next I decided why I had some time I should go ahead and make the doors quick removal.

So I started with this,

And ended with this,

TOP

BOTTOM

Now they slide on and off in just a few minutes with very minimal sag. I might eventually cut those bolts out and do 3/8" but these seem to work just fine for now.


This is where I'm at right now.

Plans include:

4.56 gears and front locker

I want to build a rear bumper/carrier soon! If anyone has any ideas on how to do a tube bumper that also is a carrier let me know.

Eventually a cage, but now I really just want to wheel it as I haven't done that yet!

Thanks

 

[southernxj]

nice build. how did you get the transfer case shifter looking stock? swap in a 4x4 center console. your transmission tail cone looks cracked...

 

[49erRider]

It had a plate that just sat there so I popped that sucker out and put in the new one.

Not seeing the crack??

 

[GSRswapandslow]

maybe it's me, but i see 2 cracks

 

[49erRider]

Woops time to get out there and look around!

 

[99TJ]

lookin good man you need to come o a uwharrie run with us im hopefully gonna have my bumper done this weekend and have the winch on and hopefully order a front locker soon and the hack n tap kit

 

[pgaloustian]

Hey man Fort Mill is a bit ofa Hike, but I have nothing better to do on Sundays, if you EVER need a hand just lemme know! Id love to come lend a hand! Pm me whenever man! Names Patrick!