The Welfare YJ

Jody Treadway

Jody Treadway

Croc wearing fool
Moderator
Joined
Mar 20, 2005
Location
Hendersonville, NC
I used to have a YJ, a really cool, bad *ss one actually. I have been looking for another one to DD and to light trails with. I came across a 94 YJ with what the owner called "a blown up rear end." He explained what it was doing and that he was tired of thowing money into it. This sparked my interest...$1500 later, I had a 94 YJ, 4.0, 5 speed on 33's with a loose rear diff pinion nut. I tightened the nut and have been DDing it for 2 months.:huggy:

Now on to the build. It's called Welfare YJ because most all the parts are second or third hand. My budget for the build is $2000 and I still have room in that budget.

It will get:
YJ 4.10 front from a 4 banger
Explorer 8.8 rear with used 4.10's and a limited slip
4 Waggy front leaves
Some old Pro Comp 9000 shocks I have laying around
Used SYE from a customer's rig with a cut down XJ front shaft
1" motor mounts from Brown Dog Offroad
1.25" body lift
Big chunk of plastic cutting board for the flat belly
Beat up Rubicon wheels
305/70/16 KM2's from my good pals at BFG

Basically I am looking to have a cheap, reliable DD on 33's with a flay belly that is relatively low w/o cutting it up. I would cut it up, but it is 100% rust free. The Waggy leafs will add about 3" of wheelbase also to really keep it handling quite well.

Everything is here and the YJ is stripped down awaiting re-assembly. Here's some pics...
 

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Pretty cool man.....

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
 
Very nice, I wish I had some friends at BFG :D those krawlers on the manche make me drool...
 
Thanks man. I though about 35" Krawlers, but KM2's will be a much more sensible tire.

SYE is in and gonna fab the crossmember tomorrow.
 
Haha yeah I was gonna ask, with the waggy springs, 8.8 lsd, 4.10s, and 33's, beasty ass brown dog mounts, it sounded like you were putting together a beasty a class rig... keep the LSD 8.8 and switch on some 35 krawlers for racing and you can do some damage.
 
XJfreakHO said:
Haha yeah I was gonna ask, with the waggy springs, 8.8 lsd, 4.10s, and 33's, beasty ass brown dog mounts, it sounded like you were putting together a beasty a class rig... keep the LSD 8.8 and switch on some 35 krawlers for racing and you can do some damage.
Click to expand...

Or I secretly build my wife an A class rig w/o her knowing...
 
Well, overdue for an update so here goes. I finished it up about 2 months ago. I hav eput close to 5000 miles on it with great results.
I did install a 8.8 in the rear, used 4.10s and a used Detroit. Up front I installed used 4.10's, a Spartan and tacked in place 760 jointed shafts. The rest of the drivetrain consists of a rebuilt 231 with a used AA SYE kit. My rear driveshaft is a cut down TJ front and a new front from Asheville Powertrain.
I built a separate tranny/ transfer case crossmember with tabs and bushings from Brad at www.Barnes4wd.com. I then cut a big ol' chunk of 3/4" HDPE and used that as my belly skid. I have a flat skid aside from the thickness of the HDPE.
As far as suspension goes, I have stock Waggy fronts all around with Rough Country boomerang shackles. I re-used some old ProComp 9000's I had laying around. I used a Barnes4wd axle swap kit and moved the rear axle back as far as possible with a stock gas tank still being there. Between Barnes' perches and u-bolt plates and the offset of the Waggy leafs, I ended up with a 98.75" wheelbase.
Under the hood a set of 1" lift Brown Dog heavy duty mounts hold the engine in place.
A little horse trading with Greg Slade at 4WP Raleigh got me a new Smittybilt winch and Smittybilt bikini top. A winch is only as good as it's mount, so once again a slow talking dude named Brad Barnes delivered one of his awesome aluminum stubby YJ winch bumpers. Out back a used Smittybilt swing out tire carrier/ bumper combo holds my spare tire and my Trasharoo.
Finally a call to BFG got me a set of 305 KM2's wrapped around a set of used TJ Rubi wheels. UJOR braided front brake lines help the tires come to a stop.
As much fun as my MJ on 39's is, this YJ brings back great memories and creates new ones. There is just something to be said for cruising to the wheeling spot, getting a little dirty and driving home. No tow rig, no trailer, just a little tire roar from some aired down KM2's.

I have to thank my friends ay Barnes4wd, Brown Dog Offroad, Greg @4WP Raleigh, BFG and U Joint Offroad for supplying me with build parts.
 

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Damn good looking YJ with the KM2s. The slight stretch in the rear should be nice. Have fun with it :beer:
 
Your welfare check is definitely a lot bigger than mine LOL. I like the rig man & next time you head out to hurricane let me know I definitely want to go back & wheel the jeep some more.
 
Nice. I bought myself a clean yj to DD a few months ago too. Its more of a mall crawler than yours though. Just a 3.5" bds w/ 33x10.5 BFG A/Ts on canyon wheels.
 
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