Purple YJ Build

Well, since I am cutting the back of the jeep off, I started looking at kits and stumbled across this.
Went ahead and ordered it.

Back Half Frame Kit 87-06 Jeep YJ Wrangler SALE | eBay

Looks to be pretty well designed and it’s 3/16 metal at half the price of the other guys. I already have the 2x3 tubing, so I should be able to stretch the frame as much as I want.
Should be pretty straight forward.
 
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Only had about 15 minutes in the garage last night, but got the kit bent up. It was pretty straight forward.

Gonna cut the frame and get it all tacked up hopefully this week.
Going to try to weld the inside where I can before I put it together.

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Well I chose the beach over the jeep this weekend but came home a day early so I got a little time in the shop.

Finally getting some motivation to build this thing. Lots to think about...

Not sure how to package an LS, TH400, Range Box, and 205 without having a ridiculously long front drive shaft.

Also, I want to keep from having to stretch the front too far, but keep the jeep really low, so I’m worried about the front axle hitting my motor.

May need to recess the motor back and up into the tub, but I am not experienced in sheet metal work... hmm

Cut the rear frame off first.

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Then cleaned it up and cut the tub off.

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Mocked up the back half kit.

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I also got all the brackets and mounts off the front of the frame. Forgot to get a pic.
 
youll have to run a two piece front drive shaft. for the motor i think if you use a car pan? you pick up a few inches of clearance, ive got my motor lifted about as high as it can go with the hood not touching anything and the stock truck oil pan sticks about 1.5-2 below the frame. my front axle is pushed way out front but it would clear the pan now. but really if you want to keep it low the front frame needs to be chopped.
 
Van-go said:
Also, I want to keep from having to stretch the front too far, but keep the jeep really low, so I’m worried about the front axle hitting my motor.

May need to recess the motor back and up into the tub, but I am not experienced in sheet metal work... hmm
Click to expand...

Here's a build on pirate that show some good pics on packaging the front axle. He has a 4.0 which should be longer than the ls. The front is stretched a little, but not bad. He did have to rake the grill a little to keep the front axle from hitting the radiator or shroud.

Project: Sick of Breaking D44 Chromos - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum
 
Loganwayne said:
youll have to run a two piece front drive shaft. for the motor i think if you use a car pan? you pick up a few inches of clearance, ive got my motor lifted about as high as it can go with the hood not touching anything and the stock truck oil pan sticks about 1.5-2 below the frame. my front axle is pushed way out front but it would clear the pan now. but really if you want to keep it low the front frame needs to be chopped.
Click to expand...
That’s gonna be a pricey shaft.

Maybe I can make one myself.
 
NCJeeplover said:
Here's a build on pirate that show some good pics on packaging the front axle. He has a 4.0 which should be longer than the ls. The front is stretched a little, but not bad. He did have to rake the grill a little to keep the front axle from hitting the radiator or shroud.

Project: Sick of Breaking D44 Chromos - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum
Click to expand...
I remember seeing that jeep. Yeah, I have a couple buddies with the motobilt kit. It pushes the front axle further out than I want. I just really want to be able to push the rear axle back for the truck bed look without way over extending my wheelbase.
I’ll get the drivetrain bolted together and mock it up to see what happens.

Still need to sell a few parts to afford the range box.

Edit: the motobilt kit, cage, and links are all cut out of that jeep and were put into my buddy @brandon. ‘s jeep.
 
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Van-go said:
That’s gonna be a pricey shaft.

Maybe I can make one myself.
Click to expand...
this is where im probably gong to get the parts to build mine, still not cheap. ive found a couple post where people are using stock bushings out of two piece drive shafts out of diesel trucks but always seems like 6 months to a year later they are redesigning and rebuilding the drive shafts because the rubber is blow to bits by then. if you have a machinist friend you could probably find a metal carrier bearing and have them turn down a solid shaft to fit inside it.

1410 Driveshaft Parts
 
Loganwayne said:
this is where im probably gong to get the parts to build mine, still not cheap. ive found a couple post where people are using stock bushings out of two piece drive shafts out of diesel trucks but always seems like 6 months to a year later they are redesigning and rebuilding the drive shafts because the rubber is blow to bits by then. if you have a machinist friend you could probably find a metal carrier bearing and have them turn down a solid shaft to fit inside it.

1410 Driveshaft Parts
Click to expand...
Yeah, I have one 1410 shaft laying around with a carrier bearing I picked it up when I got the first LS... we will see if I can make it work.

Van-go said:
Pulled a 5.3 from an '04 Yukon for cheap.
It has unknown miles, but the pedals were not very worn and it was in an accident where it was rolled over so I assume that it ran before it was rolled.

It was from New York so the motor and everything has a lot of corrosion on it.

I'll eventually tear it down and inspect the internals to see if it's what I want to run.

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Picked up some lower links today with 1.25 joints for cheaaap. Hopefully the aluminum ones will be long enough for me. Otherwise I’ll be going with .25” wall tubing.
The red ones are thinner tube I think. Seem too lite.

I’m excited to get this thing all mocked up soon. Gonna be a head ache, but it’s all a learning experience.
:eek:

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I need to get all the surface rust out of my frame before I start welding on it. I need bare metal so I can coat it with some POR15...

Not sure what to do here.

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NC-V said:
Clean/degrease it and get any heavy scale off but not bare metal. POR doesn't like to stick as well to clean steel.
Click to expand...

I didn’t know that.
I may get a chimney brush and run it through it a few times I guess.


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Kinda at a stand still until I can get the drivetrain bolted together. Last piece to the puzzle is the range box. Which costs $ so I need to sell some stuff.
Trying to decide if I should stay with what I was planning originally, the ECO-box, or go up to the titan box which is a couple inches shorter and from what I hear, way stronger. ($1000 more too...)
Anyone have experience here?

Also,
Just to keep it full of pics...
I got some shifters from a couple forklifts so hopefully I can make one work for a triple stick shifter.

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Van-go said:
Kinda at a stand still until I can get the drivetrain bolted together. Last piece to the puzzle is the range box. Which costs $ so I need to sell some stuff.
Trying to decide if I should stay with what I was planning originally, the ECO-box, or go up to the titan box which is a couple inches shorter and from what I hear, way stronger. ($1000 more too...)
Anyone have experience here?

Also,
Just to keep it full of pics...
I got some shifters from a couple forklifts so hopefully I can make one work for a triple stick shifter.

View attachment 275005
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat right now. Good idea snagging the forklift shifters.
 
What could be in the box??

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Spent some time planning/measuring. Looks like I’m gonna build a new frame.
Excited to do it honestly. Gonna be a learning process.

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Tub is off.
Advice on where to start in new frame is appreciated.

Goals:
20”-23” belly
118”-121” Wheel base
Flat belly (even lower link mounts)
Keep top of cage as low as possible

I tacked up one piece of 2x3 I had laying around just to see what it looked like.

I used a new body lift that came with a Jeep I parted out.

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