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2005 Jeep Unlimited (LJ) "Slow Roast" build

56K views 276 replies 63 participants last post by  buttercr125 
#1 · (Edited)
At age 34 (I'm almost 40 now), I bought my first and only new vehicle ever - a 2005 LJ - as a spring/summer/fall daily-driver. I have always stored it in the winters, and driven a cheap "winter bomb" to keep the LJ out of the salt. I love the thing, and have pretty much babied it, to say the least (until more recently...read on).

Here's a stock shot of my LJ. Looking back, it looked pretty "wussy" on those stock-sized tires (not that it's huge now, but...). I also bought some OEM Rubicon rocker guards back in 2005, but have been too much of a puss to drill holes through the body to mount them. :teehee: Actually, I just haven't had the need for them up to this point, and installing them hasn't been a priority.




A couple years ago, when the Wrangler GS-As were starting to get a little slippery (plenty of tread left, but the compound got kind of hard/slippery), I sprung for some 31" BFG KM2s and a budget boost. It's a great set-up. The handling is still great, and the tires aren't horribly loud for being a mud-terrain design.




Enter a Fall 2010 visit to Rocks and Valleys with my daughters (met up there with Crawler and his wife). One word...ADDICTED! So were my daughters. Mira was begging me to get a locker so we could do the Black Diamond trails. :thumb:



Notice the custom "striping" on my door? It's a scratch that goes the full length of the driver door and into the quarter panel. I'll have to see if it'll buff out. It's the only real "carnage" (used very loosely) from the day. My girls were worried. They were like, "Dad, are you going to be OK?". It was all good.



So there it is. Upgrades will be simple weekend projects - nothing to pull too much of my time away from my family/girlfriend, nor working on Mira's XJ with her. For the haters, no I won't be selling it, and no, I won't be parting it out. :finger: :sonicjay: :sonicjay:

More updates to come.


Craig



Current Plans/Status (updated 4/2/2012):

I want to give a H-U-G-E thanks to RockSolid Performance for all of the guidance, custom work, and great service. Thanks guys!



Full-Traction long-arm install under way...
 

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#185 ·
Rokmen spring relocation in-progress. I do have to say, BJ at RockSolid Performance can definitely rock out the beautiful welds (even overhead ones). Impressive!


Rokmen spring relocation complete, thanks to RockSolid Performance. Thanks guys! Rokmen...another great fit with your products. I'm highly impressed with your stuff!
 
#186 ·
Winch plate is now powdercoated.


Components for flush-mount rear receiver hitch (Thanks Mike @ RockSolid Performance).


I have a Rokmen flush-mount rear bumper on order, but need a 2" receiver hitch to pull my military trailer (the Rokmen bumper doesn't have one). I carefully cut a hole in my rear crossmember, did some careful trimming back behind, and RockSolid built some adding bracing for the 2nd-to-last crossmember. The plate behind the 2nd crossmember (facing the front of the vehicle) is the secondary towing support. The U-shaped plate facing rearward will be welded in to help index the tub in the correct position, and provide additional vertical support. The 2" receiver tube will be trimmed down to fit, and will be welded to the rear bumper when it arrives. The tube will slip through the hole in the rear crossmember, and will bolt to the 2nd crossmember. The hitch pin hole will be drilled between the two crossmembers.


From the back side of the 2nd crossmember (plate will be welded in place).
 
#187 ·
I had a pleasant surprise tonight when I showed up at RockSolid Performance... The guys had my gas tank reinstalled, along with my new Rokmen skid. They also got the rear suspension & axle reinstalled, and made mounts to utilize the stock rear sway bar.

This is precisely why my LJ is at their shop. Were it not, you'd be looking at lame incremental Jeep updates for another 18-24 months. :sonicjay:


Advance Adapters HD SYE & Parts Mike pinion brake were also installed. The transfer case also got a new 38T speedometer gear, which should keep the speedo accurate.
 
#194 · (Edited)
Thanks Steve.


I like the rear spring bucket relocation. I'm actually going to look into those brackets for mine.

OME springs still? Do you need to add a spacer in the rear after relocating spring bucket to level things out?

How bad was modifying the inner fender supports for the AEV kit? Looks pretty straight forward, but haven't taken mine apart yet.
The spring relocation kit is nice piece, and I have nothing but good things to say about Rokmen products. It is not supposed to add any lift, which is why I went with this set-up. We haven't had the vehicle back on its own weight to confirm yet (it's still on the lift), but it should be the same level ride as before the relocation. And yes, the OME springs are used front & rear.

The AEV inner fender support mod is an easy one with a welder & grinder. It's a 2-3 hour job, and I'm slow/picky. Of course, I welded/filled/ground down the seam on the outside for a more factory look (NOTE: Nobody's going to see them). The fit of my replacement brackets to the firewall was a little off. I just had to ovalize the holes that mount to the firewall.


Is the purpose of the pinion brake just to replace a parking brake at the rear axle?
Exactly
 
#195 ·
The LJ is coming along!

First of all, the used Warn 8274 will be getting a brand new cable, along with a new 4.5-hp. motor. Based on its reputation, it should give me many, many years of trouble-free service.

The skid plate & long arm brackets are now powdercoated & installed, and the control arms are 75% painted (stealthy black). The stuff is looking much better now! I'll be finishing up the control arms tomorrow night, with the exception of the upper fronts, which will be painted after the steering/track bar set-up is designed & built.



I started test-fitting the Rokmen aluminum corner armor, along with the AEV rear flares. The flares will be painted the same silver body color (hood & front fenders are going into the body shop tomorrow to start being cut in). We were strategizing (I'm copywriting that word...LOL) on how to trim the corners to accommodate the flare without a gap at the transition to the body. We think we have a solution. More to come.
 
#199 ·
Hood & fenders are at the body shop getting the OEM silver paint cut in. (no pics).


The first hole I ever drilled in the body of my Jeep (4/21/2012). "The first cut is the deepest."



Rokmen aluminum corner guards installed.



The Rokmen aluminum corners will be trimmed to fit tightly to the AEV flares. Passenger-side AEV flare is now installed (driver side to be installed tomorrow).



Repainted front & rear driveshafts and control arms reinstalled.




The new track bar bracket, compliments of Mike at RockSolid Performance.



Front axle at full stuff.



The new roller fairlead. There's just enough room for a small RockSolid Performance sticker above it.



End of day (Saturday) beauty shot. I love the look of the installed rear corner guards (which will be painted the body color) & AEV flares.
 
#207 ·
Thanks man. Updated photos of the corners below (after some grinder love).


Biggest upgrade of the day...a RockSolid Performance sticker. LOL



I got the driver-side AEV fender flare mounted up this morning.



Some TLC with a few 4 1/2" grinders got me this on the driver side (carefully ground to butt up to the back of the AEV flare).



And the passenger side...



Passenger-side fit against the AEV flare (first try). A slight amount more trimming, and I'll be all set.



Steering Rev. 3.2.6, or as BJ at RockSolid Performance said, "Version 65.7.3 Rev. 2" (or something like that). This is the final design, and everything clears beautifully. Thanks beejers!
 
#212 ·
Thanks Jim. I can always switch to synthetic line down the road (when I save more $$$). I'm just happy to have such a great winch for my LJ.

Glad to hear the grandkids are enjoying the zip line, BTW. It's a hoot, isn't it?


Pictures arnt doing this thing justice. Looks even better when i was over there Saturday
Thanks Jesse. :thumb:


Craig
 
#213 ·
we installed Dodge 2500 master cylinder to manage the additional volume of the 1-ton brake calipers. It's almost a bolt-in upgrade. It requires a longer pedal plunger, some proportioning valve trimming, and some very minor bending of the brake lines.



New Bilstein shocks. Blingy.



Rear shocks & shock mounts w/integrated skids mounted on the back of the LCA mounts. Nice work, RockSolid Performance.



Passenger-side OEM Rubicon rocker guard install (driver side still needs to be installed). I bought them 3 weeks after I bought the Jeep in 2005, and they have been in a box ever since (I was too much of a wuss to drill holes in the body). I've moved on.



Full stuff. Some minor trimming was required on the rearmost edge of the wheel opening. Not too shabby for 3" of lift.



The Jeep sitting back on its own weight again.



The Jeep on its way to get its new exhaust. Next week, it's going in to get the hood/fenders painted to match. It's getting close. I love the stance, too!
 
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