Project Rosco Build thread.

Mud_Pig · 08-24-2009, 03:50 PM

Well I thought I would post up a build thread of my wifes XJ.
I will post up slowly as I am doing it in my spare time.

When we first bought the Jeep it was bought to replace my wifes old sidekick that had seen far better days as a DD only.

Original specs are 1997 XJ with 4.0L 5spd AX-15 and 3.07 gears in a HP30 and 29 spline 8.25 in the rear.

This was from when we first brought it home.
(Posed infront of my old YJ on 35's)

Then after a couple of weeks we decided that it might be nice to put a bit of a lift into the Jeep and use it as a Pre-run Jeep for the Jamboree out in PA.

So we put in a RE 4.5" complete kit with some 32x11.5R15 BFG MT's on some soft 8's

This is a couple of shots from when it came home from the lift.

More to come..

justanotherjpr · 08-24-2009, 03:51 PM

Good looking rig!

Mud_Pig · 08-24-2009, 03:59 PM

We took it out on a couple of Pre runs and it worked really well for what we needed it to do.

Mud_Pig · 08-25-2009, 07:02 AM

Well after about a year and a half I had found that the YJ was in need of a lot of work. About the only good thing left on the Jeep was the frame, and even that had seen better days. So after some thinking I decided to sell the YJ
Here is a pic from the last run of the YJ

So I got the YJ in good running shape and sold it as is, and used the money from it's sale and some $$ I had put away to repair the YJ.

The list of new parts was of good size.
-2" Rustys coil spacers and Lift blocks (untill I decide what I will be upgrading the suspenion to)
- Rustys T/body spacer
- Rustys steering box brace
- 4:10 Gears front and back from Supirior and Alloy
- Bushwacker Cut out's
-35x12.5R15 BFG KM 2's

Mud_Pig · 08-25-2009, 07:12 AM

The 4:10's work great with the 35's on but with 6.5" of lift and no trimming I could not drive very far (let alone take it off road.

So my brother in law and I took a weekend and put the bushwackers on and that gave me all the clearance I needed for the 35's

We took off the side moldings as it was better then trying to trim them, all the paind under them was good so I just had to spend some time remiving all the foam tape that holds it on

Mud_Pig · 08-25-2009, 07:23 AM

The next project was a 1000W power inverter I got from Harbour Freight.

I found that I wanted the plugs and switch to be easy to get to, but at the same time I did not want the unit to be out in the open, So with the help of me brother in law (you will find that he helps me with almost all my projects)
we came up with this solution.

This is under the rear seat on the right side.

And then the wires ran to the back were we mounted a switch and an outlet.

Mud_Pig · 08-25-2009, 07:50 AM

The next project was I decided to build a front dana 44 from a 03-06 Rubicon.

I decided to go with all new parts including the housing.

And the diff all assembled ready to go.

While installing the 44 in the front we aslo installed a set of Rough Country front control arm drop brackets to help line everything back up.
(Sorry but I did not get any pics of the brackets)

Old d30 out.

And the new 44 going in. (and yes it is a bolt in swap)

For the switch I used a ARB front locker switch along with the factory rubicon air pump.

I had a friend that builds race cars move the fill plug on the front cover up a bit so that I could get more that a quart into the diff.

Here is a pic of the cover unpainted to show the quality of work this guy does.

This locker has worked amazing so far with this rig.
Some things that I did not think off when installing this axle:
Although yes the axle is a bolt in, there is some things that have to be done.
First I needed a 1310/1330 u-joint to mate to the larger yoke on the 44.
And also the housing on the 44 has a longer snout so the front shaft needed to be shortened by about 1.5" to give it the correct room to slide.

**Gnl.Weirdness** · 08-25-2009, 07:57 AM

turning into quite the monster, D44 front and front locker ='s teh pwn. Wish I had the $$$ you have haha

Mud_Pig · 08-25-2009, 08:00 AM

The next thing on the list was I wanted to replace the front seats with some nice seats that would hold me in place.
So I got a set from a supplier of mine (not sure of the name, all I told him was they had to be vynal, and this is what showed up at my shop.

(Yes my little guy had to test them out first.)

I don't have a welder and I knew I needed some fabrication for the seat brackets, so I sent the Jeep to my friend at Race Car Service (he is the one that did the front cover and also had to rebuild the front diff after I had a pinion bearing go south on me and seize into the housing.)

Here is what the seats looked like when I picked up the Jeep.

Well thats all I have up to this point.

Next few steps will take some time but will include:
-Front bumper with a winch
-Rear Detours tire carrier
-Full internal cage
-Sliding convertable top (like the new liberty)
-and a long arm upgrade.

I will update this as parts come in.

LeftOfCenterXJ · 08-25-2009, 09:01 AM

Crawled

cbordea · 08-25-2009, 09:24 AM

don't you guys like how he bought the jeep for his wife and then it ended up being his toy!

Mud_Pig · 08-25-2009, 09:34 AM

Oh trust me, it is still her's . I get reminded of this every time I want to do something to it.
But seeing as how we are married it is ours.

I am just lucky I guess that she is as twisted as I am when it comes to Jeeps.

8nine-sahara · 08-27-2009, 12:19 PM

makes me want an xj

Diamond-x · 08-27-2009, 12:48 PM

Dude....Sweet!

Mud_Pig · 10-19-2009, 10:34 AM

Well not much on this as of late, but I did not like the fact that the front sat lower then the rear did and I wanted it to sit level.
I got a set of 8" Rusty's front coils and now it sits nice and level.
I will get pics up as soon as i get a chance.