Some progress pics of the YJ... finally

336wheeler

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2006
Location
Boone
Well I really haven't gotten around to doing a build thread (and this really isn't one either because there are massive gaps in progress), but I have recorded pretty much everything I've done to the Jeep so far with pics so if you're interested in something particular let me know. So here goes:
This is how the jeep was when I first checked it out:
ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_DSCN1732.jpg

I asked Chad (cburgin) if he could put it on some rollers for me to get it onto the trailer, so I have to thank him for that. Trailer shot:
ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_day1.jpg

After pulling it off of the trailer and getting it up on jackstands, the work commenced. From the previous pic to this one, there is a time span of about two months of work. This is how it currently sits:
ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_myride.jpg

Some specs on it are: '95 YJ, high output 4.0L, TF999 auto with a B&M floor shifter, D300 with an omixada twin-stick (floor shifter and twin stick have yet to be installed because of lack of ambition for transmission tunnel reconstruction), DRW dodge 60 front with 4.56s, DRW dodge 70-1SU (beef!) rear with 4.56s, double CV driveshafts front and rear. I installed the RCI 15 gallon 2161 cell with the E2000 fuel pump. I'm running crossover steering with a 1.5", 0.25" wall DOM draglink and one ton chevy TREs. Stock 8 bolt H1s on 39.5 IROKs, stazwork HDPE inserts. Outboarded my spring mounts, running 7 leaf waggy springs in the rear and 5 leaf j-10 springs in the front. I recently just finished fabbing up a transmission and transfer skid, building off of the stock one (but having to cut a big hole in one side because of the PSD dana 300). Still to come are: a cage, sliders, a big ole stinger, my warn 8000Xi, lockrights on both ends, or welded 70 and lockright'd 60, 16" bilsteins in the front, 14" bilsteins in the rear, and a disc conversion. I'm not sure of the overall height, but I'm 85" wide in the front and the bottom of my skid is 23", iirc.

Hope you enjoy it; I can take constructive criticism.
 
looks great man
 
Thanks. I really wanted it to be lower, but I'm satisfied with the ride height for now. With my current wheelbase, I couldn't have gone much lower and still have room for everything (especially in the back).
 
I know you've said it but, I would try and lower it if you can; looks awful tall. Get your hands on some stock yj springs. You'll thank yourself in the long run.
 
Because I've already mocked up things with those springs, I'm going to run them for a while I think. It's not as tall as the picture makes it look when you take the width also into concern (which you can't really tell in the picture). In the future I'd like go to to 107 - 110" WB and lower it some, but that's when the budget allows (the budget isn't really allowing for this project to get done right now...that's why it's still sitting there).
 
Got the J-10s from Chad (came with the jeep), and I picked the 7 leaf waggy's up from the 'yard. I actually wanted the 5 leaves up front instead of 7 leaf packs because I wanted it to be a tad stiffer in the front than the back.
 
Cool man, looks good! If you did want to lower it some & not spend more money you could take out a few leafs. That's what I ended up doing. Just be sure to build yourself a traction bar though!

:beer:

I used xj springs to extend the wheelbase 6" I think. Super flat and flexy springs
aimg.photobucket.com_albums_v214_nhodierne_TBcrossmem.jpg


In the front I used stock rear cj springs. I took a few leafs out of these.
aimg.photobucket.com_albums_v214_nhodierne_MVC_021F.jpg


aimg.photobucket.com_albums_v214_nhodierne_01cd85fc.jpg
 
The XJs look like they might wrap pretty bad. How are you liking your track bar? I might could build one off of my skidplate, but I'll have to check it out to see. I'm really anticipating it being finished, but only being a senior in high school means that I'm working off of a severely limited budget, and don't have much free time to get it done. So far, I've done 100% of the work myself in my spare time... so I suppose it's coming along alright for what it is.
 
Thanks for all the compliments. Shameless plug for some of the three-hole spring perches I made: (actually all I did was weld some 1/4" plate on top of my old perches once I had torched them off to move them in).

ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_D70.jpg
 
I had a question about the rear frame for some critiquers. Should I just weld in some 3" x 2" box tubing between the two frame rails, or would the shackles move back and ram into it?

ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_rearshackle.jpg
 
Weld it on the backside of the frame, then cap the end with a plate that goes up a little way on the frame. From the looks of it, that should give you room, you might have to add a spacer to move the outside shackle a little farther from the frame, just to keep from rubbing the plate. Does that make sense?

Alot of people use XJ leafs I think, they are longer, if you go that route I think you can put the shackle hanger on the bumper.
 
I'll most likely do the XJ swap eventually, but I've already gotten a rear driveshaft (used, and I still have no clue how I'm going to make it all synchronize with the t-case output and 1410 yoke on the axle). So what you're saying is to weld box tubing from inside of frame rail to inside of frame rail, and cap the openings off?
 
I see what you mean now. Weld from outside of frame rail to outside of frame rail with box tubing, then put a plate over the ends of the box tubing, and also weld that to the frame? That would definitely be a good platform for adding XJs later, or maybe even coil buckets where people go to like 120" WB by putting the coil buckets at the very back of the frame, haha. <<No intention of going that route, just joking.
 
The reason that I've even been able to do this project is because my boss lets me keep it in the back of the shop I work in. I have access to a pallet jack, transmission jack, TIG, MIG, Arc welders, and all sorts of other tools that I'm very grateful to have access to. Shout out to the boss. One bad thing though about working on a vehicle like this in a regular auto repair shop is that you get some of the most ridiculous questions asked. Haha, oh well. Sometimes I need the entertainment when I'm several hours into working on it.
 
336wheeler said:
The reason that I've even been able to do this project is because my boss lets me keep it in the back of the shop I work in. I have access to a pallet jack, transmission jack, TIG, MIG, Arc welders, and all sorts of other tools that I'm very grateful to have access to. Shout out to the boss. One bad thing though about working on a vehicle like this in a regular auto repair shop is that you get some of the most ridiculous questions asked. Haha, oh well. Sometimes I need the entertainment when I'm several hours into working on it.
Click to expand...
I know what you mean there.
 
Thanks for the pictures, that's what I had in mind but I guess it's hard to really explain it without pictures. Here are some pictures of my 2161 cell and how it's mounted (did that a long time ago, just adding the pics), and my shock mounts I made yesterday.

Cell:
ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_09_20_07_1720.jpg


Shock Mounts:
ai212.photobucket.com_albums_cc116_336wheeler_unknown_2.jpg
 
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