The Never Tight TJ Build

[Chris_Keziah]

Never really made a build thread for this thing because I didn't build it and nobody really cares about bolt on builds. Called it the built not bought Mall crawler for awhile, now it is referred to as a lot of things but the common theme: Shit's always fuckin' loose (Mainly Jam nuts for my links). Anyways onto pics...

For those that don't know, used to be a Yota guy

The day (March 17') I picked her up from @DSM Turbos

Immediately replaced the TSL SSR rear tires with a new set of MTR/K's

Bunch of generic I just bought a Jeep parts....

Stickers!

Good ole BearCat880 from the Taco

Rear Pro Comp Chinese Amazon Special and home brew CB antenna mount

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Solid diff covers

Eventually added flush mount taillights and a TNT Tag mount once parts came in.

So all the above stuff I did within the first month or so of ownership. Time to wheel! Took it to the Flats and was shocked at how easy it was to wheel vs my old truck.

After awhile noticed the upper rear control arms were shot and I wanted to be a baller and match my Aluminum lowers. Made some 6061 links at work one day.

More "wheeling"

Then the wife and I bought a house so my 1.5 hr drive to work was cut down to 15 mins. Gave me more time to be with little man, plus it gave my Jeep a 30'x30' home as well.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

From this point Mid 17' till about Early 18' not much changed other than tires. Just wheeled it and didn't change much.

Feb 18' I decided I was tired of short arms and 3 link the front and rear with shocks out boarded in the rear.

Wheeled AOP and the Cove a few months after.

Finally got tired of the Y link steering and did my own version of OTK inverted T. Had clearance for DAYS! Fuck cutting off factory TJ Track bar brackets btw.

Some of the best times working on the Jeep are when little dude helps out.

More Wheeling

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Aug 18' at Harlan I ended up tearing the upper link track bar bracket off the axle. Which lead to a few month fix from Ruffstuff.

Picked up some Corbeau's from @Tails for a screamin' deal. Wish I would have bought seats much sooner. Being last min as usual the driver's went in first for a ride that weekend. Was another week or two till I did the passenger seat.

More wheeling (Posing for the gram)

This past winter (Dec 18') got real dumb real fast.

In a matter of ~3 Weeks (Dec 10th to Jan 5rd) @adamk @77GreenMachine and myself managed to stretch my Jeep start to finish including waiting for a new driveshaft from Oliver's and having the exhaust done.

2019 has so far been wheeling at The Flats, Hurricane Creek, AOP, Windrock, and Choccolocco. Which means more wheeling pics.

Before Chocco I traded my minty fresh never wheeled only driven Sunday's 35" MTR/K for some just as minty 38" TSL's.

 

[shawn]

Hmm...

Should I introduce you to my friends torque wrench, stover, and lock-tite?

Or did you have something else in mind?

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Hmm...

Should I introduce you to my friends torque wrench, stover, and lock-tite?

Or did you have something else in mind?

Your more than welcome to come and tighten all my links and jam nuts, they're the only thing that seem to never stay tight.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Alrighty now that we are up to date-ish in a flash.

Sold the 30 in fear of it's death and through some trading I ended up with a Waggy 44 with RCV's. Sadly the Jeep looked like this for about a month.

I'll finally be able to steer

Drilled and tapped the pump for 1/2" NPT for the -10 AN feed.

Looked all over for a 3/4" DD orbital input and could find one, so I turned a 3/4" round into one.

Rebuilt the RCV's, New spindles with spindle bushings from Wild Horses 4x4, and some wheel spacers for the front and adapters for the rear.

Finally had time last week to get the axle cleaned up and in process of building. Shop is a disaster right now due, been busy ever since AOP with other projects. Hoping to do a deep clean after Harlan in August. Can however see one of the new wheels in the back seat of the Jeep.

@Joe J. came over Friday night to hang out and help on the Jeep. Was a late night with quite a few involved but the gears are in and the brackets are all tacked in place. Gears came out ok, pinion is a touch deep but I was tired of fooling with it and said we're just gonna send it.

Gonna chop the shock brackets off and use tabs. Since I'm going full hydro I decided to try and stretch the front out as much as I could. Mock up right now has me at 105.5", previously was 103" Picked up some knuckles from @amcjeepman this weekend (old ones were trash) so hopefully I can get this thing as a driver in the next couple weeks. After the front is done I'm gonna pull it out so the rear can get some 5.38's swapped in.

 

[jeepinmatt]

You know the old saying...I like my jeeps like I like my women...or however it goes.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

You know the old saying...I like my jeeps like I like my women...or however it goes.

What broken down and upgraded every 6-12 months?

 

[jeepinmatt]

What broken down and upgraded every 6-12 months?

Ride them until they break and then throw a bunch of money at them and so that they ride better next time?

 

[CasterTroy]

I'm just overly impressed at how MUCH you and @adamk can get done.....I need to include @Joe J. As well.
You've done all this while also swapping tons I to Joe's pimp ride and various other projects

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Great thread. What pump and ram is that? Looks identical to one I ran on my Ranger. If it is you may have to do as I did and run the largest suction line the ports will handle.

Also the resi will leak pretty decent. That cap looks like the same metal stamp design with a flat o-ring seal as mine.

On another note the ram, orbital, and pump worked flawless and wasn't extremely twitchy on the highway paying attention.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

I'm just overly impressed at how MUCH you and @adamk can get done.....I need to include @Joe J. As well.
You've done all this while also swapping tons I to Joe's pimp ride and various other projects

Most of has to do with the fact we fuel each other to push on without sleep and are most productive after 10 pm. That'll change the older we get.

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Great thread. What pump and ram is that? Looks identical to one I ran on my Ranger. If it is you may have to do as I did and run the largest suction line the ports will handle.

Also the resi will leak pretty decent. That cap looks like the same metal stamp design with a flat o-ring seal as mine.

On another note the ram, orbital, and pump worked flawless and wasn't extremely twitchy on the highway paying attention.

It's the stock TJ pump which is a TC style pump that is common on most stuff now. I fully intend to upgrade it later but didn't want to blow money on it yet. I'm sure the resi cap will leak, it was cheap and fit the bill for now.

My orbital should be 2.8 turns lock, only bad thing is it's not load reactive.

 

[rodney eppes]

Might as well throw some Lincoln Lock, on them jam nuts!

 

[NickMaul]

Pics no worky on iPhone tapatalk.. :/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Pics no worky on iPhone tapatalk.. :/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Then get off Tapatalk and use the browser

 

[Joe J.]

I'm just overly impressed at how MUCH you and @adamk can get done.....I need to include @Joe J. As well.
You've done all this while also swapping tons I to Joe's pimp ride and various other projects

Can't say I did much besides provide some encouragement in the form of some food runs and adult beverages. Basic tool knowledge has allowed me to lend a hand here or there. Little grinding, cutting and tacking but Chris and Adam know how to put it all together. I just had a general idea of what I wanted and they made it happen. Considering how much of a PITA it was just to weld on some tabs for my limit straps the other day it would have taken me even longer than 2020 to get the one tons done lol. I really need to get me a garage for the Jeep built.

 

[BigClay]

Then get off Tapatalk and use the browser

Quoted for truth!

 

[Chris_Keziah]

@adamk and I made a little more progress tonight. Got the shock mounts figured out and then pulled the axle to get the ram mount worked on. Didn't take a pic of the first try, had the main tube way low. Knocked the tacks off and now its ~3/4" higher than the bottom of the axle tube. Have to work on the ram pads later this week. Only gonna run 3 clamps so i can get the ram more centered. Lots of grinding and fitment left, then tons of welding.

 

[rodney eppes]

Don't know about you, but I find it too easy to drill or weld something, that only fits one way, & I got it upside down, or backasswards!

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Lots of welding, then some fab time, then more welding. Could definitely tell I was out of practice and couldn't ever get in a good rhythm till I was almost done. However I got the ram mount about 90% done, gonna add some gussets to the tubes tomorrow, cut off and cap the excess and hopefully get some primer and paint on it.

 

[Van-go]

Did those coil buckets work out for you?

 

[Chris_Keziah]

Did those coil buckets work out for you?

Yeah, had to modify the shock mount some but they worked out fairly well.

 

[shawn]

Lots of welding, then some fab time, then more welding. Could definitely tell I was out of practice and couldn't ever get in a good rhythm till I was almost done. However I got the ram mount about 90% done, gonna add some gussets to the tubes tomorrow, cut off and cap the excess and hopefully get some primer and paint on it.
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Did you warp it yet?