Refreshing the TJ - Build Thread

[nwoods]

I like it! Remarkably hard photo for most cameras to take. What are you using?

Did you take Chris out with you? That man needs some quality time in the dirt.

I keep wanting to take a grinder to the bottom corners of your front bumper.

 

[GP'd]

Nate, thanks! Borrowing a friends a6000 to play around with for the weekend. In our search for cameras, that one is running top of the list right now! Chris didn't make it out but we'll keep talking to hit the trails soon!

Yea one of these days I'll clip the corners. I threw that bumper together in under 2 hours with 6061 5"x5"x.25" Wall Square tube. Its doing for now...

 

[GP'd]

Updated Images from Johnson Valley during KOH.

I was able to spend about 45 minutes when the race died down to test the new coilovers.

On my trip there fully loaded with 2 people in the car I felt I was hitting bumps on driveways etc, so I cranked up the rear coilovers when I got there. Hence the rake...



I think i was sitting at about 2.5" of preload in the image.

Did a couple of test runs in the small whoops around ~40-45mph. (Let GIF Load or click again to reload)



Obviously my rear was oversprung in these. Jeep stayed straight, however I was pushing my front end to bottom out then bucking back and (bottoming the rear)

After a few passes loose stuff under the car had me worried so I called it quits.

That "bumpstop" in the rear I was feeling apparently wasn't the bumpstops, but the Riddler Diff Cover VS the new gas tank skid bolts. OOPS. Still need to figure out how to clearance these guys. Angle grinders are kindof my go to solution, but an ARB Diff cover for the 8.8 isn't sounding bad either.





Of course when I got back and was going to tear into the rear suspension, the weather didn't cooperate. Haven't had time to get into the garage since.

 

[GP'd]

Been slowly chipping away at the Jeep over the past few months. Lots of tuning/tweaking left, but made some progress in other areas :

Chromo shafts & RuffStuff 'The Cure' one weekend and lots of bolt checking under the vehicle. Some days are dirtier than others...







And then, the storage system! Finally. I'm a bit further along that the pictures show. Currently the drawers are built and drilled for locks but need to be carpeted and drawer slides ordered. Anyway, I ended up using a bunch of 2"x2" aluminum angle paired with 3/8 & 1/2" ply. The Whole system can unbolts from the car, and integrates into the roll bar area.

Front Divider Panel :



Sides going in :



Stove/Drawer/Stove Combo Slide







Mocking up upper jack mounts and tie down points



Construction :









Carpeting. Only went partial because the drawers will be on sliders.





More pics to come once I get the drawers in.

 

[GP'd]

And some from recent outings playing around with cameras :

 

[nwoods]

Getting all artsy with the photos these days. Nice! Why the new drive shafts? Longer? That cargo box looks pretty tall!

 

[GP'd]

When you get chromoly shafts for 70% off brand new, you don't ask why! Now I have a set of trail spares for the dana 30. Cargo box is tall but it will hold our entire trail running/camping set up locked always in the jeep. The top shelf allows any additional container storage for purpose specific trips (fly fishing, backpacking, etc). We used it as a cubby system right after I installed it and it was a huge help. Now that the drawers are almost done it is only going to get better.

 

[nwoods]

Ah. D30. Enough said

 

[GP'd]

Well this past weekend I carpeted the drawers and set the locks, but failed to take photos. Saving up for some Accuride drawer slides, but now the way the drawers are made, they are working fairly well without despite the weight in the bottom drawer.

 

[Shapeshifter]

I'm just getting in to this build, very cool. A couple questions: What is that floor type jack on top of your cargo box? Also, have you considered a long arm lift?

 

[GP'd]

I'm just getting in to this build, very cool. A couple questions: What is that floor type jack on top of your cargo box? Also, have you considered a long arm lift?

Thanks! It is a 1.5 ton harbor frieght race Jack that I made a 7075 skid for. The skid isn't completely done but works great in the dirt. Whole thing weighs under 30lbs.

I have considered long arms many times, still do. Given the relatively low lift and 8.5-10 degree CA angle I'm not super motivated for the minimal gain. One of the days I'll run it through the suspension calculator and see where the areas to improve are.

Just stretching the LCA might give me a bit smoother ride but I don't want to dig into it more than once. If I stretch the bottoms I'd rather go ahead and triangulate the rear to eliminate the trackbar. Front. I'm undecided on.

 

[Chazz Layne]

Nice! Amazing how much stuff can be squeezed into the back of a TJ. :sombrero:

 

[GP'd]

Nice! Amazing how much stuff can be squeezed into the back of a TJ. :sombrero:

Thanks Chazz. Just wait until I get the water cans in! I really liked Paul's gravity feed set up, so i'll be rocking one on each side of the cage. Looking forward to seeing you guys soon!

 

[Shapeshifter]

Thanks Chazz. Just wait until I get the water cans in! I really liked Paul's gravity feed set up, so i'll be rocking one on each side of the cage. Looking forward to seeing you guys soon!

Have you seen these water cans? Would fit on the sides pretty well....

 

[GP'd]

Nice set up!

I have and have a full set of Jerry cans at the house, unfortunately they will not fit between the outside of the cage (between B-C Pillars) and inside of the hardtop.

These guys LINK will fit perfectly in that space being Dimensions 34" X 13.5" X 3.25" and mount fairly close to the top of the fender well keeping the weight lower. Rotopax was another contender but they do not make the 4 gallon cans for water.

With those mounted in that unused space, I can run a similar spigot set up as you have to easily access water.