Project - Jeepage

Baja

Baja

Well-known member
I have finally figured out a way to post pictures so I thought I would start a build thread. It will be going backward starting with when I bought my current rig, the build last spring, improvments thoughout the summer and I will continue with my current projects on the rig. The first part will be a bit of a repeat of my old built thread but I though the new Rig deserved its own thread.

So my Jeep started life as a 89 YJ with a 4.2 and a 5 speed. I bought it here on the forum. It was...
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mucovich

mucovich

Till Valhalla!
Nice Scott, i does deserve it's own thread. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have planned for it next. Will you be at spring fever this year?
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
Ya the plan is to have it ready for spring fever.

Sent from my SGH-T959D using Tapatalk
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
So the first thing to do was to pull the engine and trans out of my XJ so it could be transplanted into the new rig.


0002XJ Motor by Jeepage, on Flickr

Engine Out


0003XJ Motor Out by Jeepage, on Flickr

Next was to bring in the YJ and yank the 4.2 out


0004YJ Motor Out by Jeepage, on Flickr

I was told that the 4L will bolt right in place of the 4.2, well they were wrong. I had to swap the motor mount brackets off the 4.2 onto the 4L. No big deal.
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
This is about the point I stopped taking pictures because: 1. I couldnt post them and 2. I didnt have time, it was about a month to spring fever.

I bought a flip ring adapter for the dana 300 from novak.


0005Novak Adap by Jeepage, on Flickr

Flipped the 300 upside down and installed it in the Jeep. I made a custom mount and reused the stock skidplate/crossmember on the YJ.

Next was wiring. I got a good set of diagrams for both my 93 XJ and the 89 YJ. Took the two harnesses and spliced them together. Took about 4 hours to get it running. Now if any of you have seen under the hood of my jeep you know it is a wiring nightmare. (Stay tuned later for a rewire).

Next I tore down my new front axle, an F250 HP D44. I ordered new 5.13 gears, a yukon grizzly full case locker and a set of Nitro Cromo shafts. With the help of Dwayne and his tools we set up the new gears and locker. Problem came when I wanted to convert my front to 5 lug to match the 9in rear but wanted to keep the F250 knuckles so I could do high steer. In order to get the brakes to clear the rims (15 inch) I had to use the F150 brakes. Needless to say you cant just bolt F150 brakes onto the F250 knuckle. In all my research everyone said it couldnt be done no matter the combination of parts. Well.... they are wrong, a little handy work with the plazma, some very percice notching and I got the half ton brakes on the 3/4 tonne knuckles. I wish I would have taken some pictures of this. If I ever tear the front end down I will post up some pictures.

I installed some new baljoints, reasembled everything and had it ready to be put in the truck.
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
I got a set of waggy springs from Keith. They bolt right in but give 2 inches of stretch in the front of a yj. So I bolted the front in, made up some steering out of 3/4 hiems and some 1.25 .120 hrew. I thought this would be plenty strong since due to the high steer it was above the springs and wouldnt get hit. Well I was wrong, but you will see that later.
I moved on to the rear. Plan was to built a 4 link and stretch the wheelbase another 5 inches to give an over wheelbase of 102. Here are the numbers for the 4 link.


00194link by Jeepage, on Flickr


The upper frame side mount is adjustable with the antisquat range going from about 80 to 120.

The lowers were made out of 2inch .250 dom and the uppers are 1.75 .120 hrew sleeved with 1.5 .120 hrew. The lowers use 7/8 hiems as well as the upper axle side. The frame side uppers are 3/4 hiems, only because that is all I could fit there.
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
After finishing up all the little things like fuel lines, brakes lines, electric fans, driveshafts and all that fun stuff I finally finished at 2pm the friday of spring fever after a 8 days strait of working till 3 in the morning (then getting up at 5.45 to go to work). Here is a picture of it the all loaded up for the first time.


0006On Trailer by Jeepage, on Flickr

Here are some pics from spring fever, its first run


0007Spring Fever by Jeepage, on Flickr


0008Spring Fever2 by Jeepage, on Flickr


0009Spring Fever3 by Jeepage, on Flickr

I found a few problems this weekend that needed to be addressed. First I had a tire with a bad bead that wouldnt stay up, so I that day I ordered a set of weld on beadlocks from Mike Lorient.
I also had a fuel issue. I went through three fuel pumps that weekend before I figured out that the fuel pressure regulator was all plugged up, one I cleaned it out with some brake clean it ran fine for the rest of the weekend. On Sunday I ran Crag Lake. All was going good until a front spring hanger broke. A few ratchet straps later and I was able to drive the rest of the way out. All in all a pretty good first weekend.
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
So I really suck at updating my build threads but...

I wheeled a lot last summer, found a few weak links in the Jeep along the way.
Draglink wasnt up to the task and managed to bend it pretty good on the rock pile at the dam.

P7030724 by Jeepage, on Flickr


P7030726 by Jeepage, on Flickr

I ended up sleeving it with a chunk of pipe I had laying around, been good ever since.

I broke the front driveshaft 3 time last summer on the Clyone powerline before upgrading one made out of 3" dia tube. Haven't had a problem since.

Here are a few shots from down there


P9050835 by Jeepage, on Flickr


P9050845 by Jeepage, on Flickr


P9050850 by Jeepage, on Flickr


P9050858 by Jeepage, on Flickr
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
My season ended when I ripped a upper link mount off the axle again down in Cloyne. I didnt take any pictures but it ripped the tabs right out of the 3/16 box tube I used as a truss.

This spring I had a list of things I wanted to get done before Spring Fever.
-Redesigned (remake) the truss with A LOT beefier mounts.
-Complete rewire, gut all unused wires from the harness
-New crossmember to lift the drivetrain and give me a flat belly
-Cut out the rockers and weld in a 2x4 tube
-Full cage


The only thing I took pictures off were building the cage.


2011-05-17 03.15.14 by Jeepage, on Flickr


2011-05-17 03.15.26 by Jeepage, on Flickr


2011-05-17 03.16.06 by Jeepage, on Flickr


2011-05-17 03.15.46 by Jeepage, on Flickr
 
I

Impact

Well-known member
Looking good. I like the way the cage turned out :glasses:

Extra head room with the bars bent upward above your head?
 
Baja

Baja

Well-known member
Ya, wanted it to be comp legal incase I want to do that someday. I have 3" above my head with a helmet on.
 
mucovich

mucovich

Till Valhalla!
looks good Scott, it has a nice lean look to it. wish i was going this weekend but i have do disapear with work for a couple weeks.
 
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