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One More Beer....I mean time / Mild TJ build (updated with final pics)

45K views 283 replies 63 participants last post by  itchy 
#1 · (Edited)
Well.....I'll save all the bullshit and lies for Pirate 4X4. Picked this nice little 97 TJ up last October to fix and sell. It needed a new gearbox that the owner supplied with the sale. Quick fix and ship it down the road. And after it sat in my garage a few weeks I started drinkin and thinkin:beerbang: Like I needed another project. I wasnt going to do a build thread till this was 99% done, but that may be another 2 yrs. so what the hell.



My plans for the jeep were to keep very mild. 35"-37" tire, dana 44 & 8.8, link it with c/o in the front, stock springs out back, stretch it, and blah, blah, blah.


Picked up a few brackets from Ballistic Fab for the suspension. Started with the 8.8. My initial plans were to build everything to save some extra cash, but its just not worth it to me to make all these brackets, for the price they sell for. After what seemed like 5 days of grinding, I got started on the axle. Bent up the truss out of 1.75 x .120 wall DOM, and made a couple little braces for the ends out of 3/16 plate. Hopefully it doesnt shoot off the first time my foot slips off the clutch.:sonicjay:



You guy's have any problems with the welding, you can take it up with this guy. He's got a temper though.















 
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#229 ·
Picked up all the fittings and hard line for the brakes system tonight. Hope to get started on them tomorrow afternoon.
Need to find out what lines go where on the proportioning valve, and the master cylinder.
Anyone have any ideas? Or a link to a diagram? I deleted the ABS.
 
#231 ·
:thumb: Thanks.
You wouldnt happen to know if an ABS proprtioning valve is the same as a Non-ABS? My valve only has two outputs, but does look like it has a plug in the back of the valve. I'm guessing because it went into the ABS module, it would only have two lines. It looks like yours has two outputs for the front lines, and the one for the rear lines.
 
#232 ·
How come everytime I am about to finish something, I break a tool, or something just before I'm able to finish the task at hand. I hate having to wait on shit anymore. Busted the damn 3/16th flaring die with only one line to go. Now I have to wait on the worlds slowest Snap-On guy to get my stuff replaced. Uggghhhhh. If he even stops at our shop this week.
 
#233 · (Edited)
Well thanks to the worlds slowest Snap-On guy, I got my die for my flaring tool, so finally got the brakes all tied up. Cant bieleve it actually worked right off the bat. Did the mod to the proportioning valve, and bled everything out. Seems to work good, but I can only get up to about 35mph in my driveway:rock: I'll find out more once I'm able to get it out on the road, and really work the brakes.



Sometimes I think it would just be eaiser to just buy all the brackets your going to need for a job, than spend hours making stupid little stuff like this. These will get mounted on the rear truss to support the brake lines.












 
#234 ·
Been sick all week, and have'nt gotten much done. The driveshafts arrived this afternoon, so I made my way out to the garage to install them, and button up the interior....Or whats left of the interior.





Got the Hi-Lift mounted, and the belts installed



I went thru alot of trouble to keep this center counsel.....Damn, what a pain in the ass this was to get it to fit between the seat, and get it over the shifters. I had it twisted into a pretzel, and I'm suprized it didnt bust into a thousand pieces. Needless to say, I do not want to ever have to remove it.





 
#236 ·
Took some final measurements for the rear bump stops. See if you can find the WTF moment in the second photo. I damn near dropped the camera when I noticed it. :sonicjay:






Drove it out of the garage for the first time today, under its own power, and did a litle driveway crawlin. Took a few pics before it gets moth balled for the winter. I need to catch up on some other projects around the house.













And guess thats it folks. :(

 
#238 ·
Yeah funny thing is, when I started puming it up I had no intentions on taking pictures. But got it up there, stood back, and said......meh, let me grab my camera. I was gone in the house for like 3 minutes, not aware of the pending doom in the driveway. And thru all that, I still never got to measure for the damn bumps. :sonicjay:
 
#239 ·
that is just sexy itchy! i hope mine comes out that well. im sure you told us somewhere but what size tires did you go with? they look really good. look like 37s? i really like the width on them and how they dont bludge out. i like the box look of them... the jeeps almost to nice to wheel out side the mall lot
 
#242 ·
Looks straight up badass!! I couldn't handle doing all that work then not taking it out for some fun
 
#247 ·
Itchy I hate to say it but that rear truss may not work. I had almost the exact same setup and my first run with it I bent the shit outta it :(

Is it bolted to the cover at all? Basically when you get on it the single tube isn't enough to stop the axle from wanting to "wrap" or twist.

Build looks bad ass just wanna give you a heads up on your truss.
 
#248 · (Edited)
Yeah I had my reservation about it as well. Thats why I have the two pieces of 2x4 square tubing bracing it at the ends. There is about 6-8 inchs of material tied together on the axle tube, and upper truss, and it is welded to the center section as well. Plus about two tubes of liquid nails just in case.:sonicjay:

 
#250 ·
:finger::finger::finger:

LOL....That shit aint gonna work with me.:sonicjay: Im DONE......I dont care if that rear axle shoots out from under this thing, and I drive off a cliff. Besides I have my eye on a YJ tub for the next one. Maybe I'll build some tons for that one. This one is just for getting coffee and what not.:sonicjay:
 
#259 ·
Took the my clunker for a little ride today. WOW was it brisk out there today. Everything seems ok, which is pretty wierd. I was expecting for something to fall off, or not to work.:sonicjay: All joking aside, found a few things that need adressing. need to make some rear bump stops, rear tire is touching qtrs when its flexed out. Brakes work great. Glad I did the WJ conversion. Jumped on the brakes about 45-50mph and this bitch stopped quick. Here are a few hardcore poser shots.

















The stock rear springs seem a little soft:(:(:(
 
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