[Apollo21]

So I figured I would do one of these. Nothing exciting nothing to unique just something to track my progress on.

Here's my intro: http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f65/apollo21-intro-897805/

I have a 2002 Inferno Red Overland Edition WJ. It was built in the Spring of 02. The history of my jeep starts in Miami, Florida there it was a rental. It was then sold to an elderly couple who lived in Tampa. They put a majority of the miles on the jeep. It was then sold to an army Captain who moved up to Aberdeen, MD. He put some miles on the jeep and was anal about the maintenance the jeep had all scheduled work done and recorded during this time. The Captain then sold it and here it gets fuzzy. It bounces around dealerships in northern MD. Before it is sold at auction to a luxury car dealer in Bethesda he bought the car cheap in the auction believing it was a luxury car and handled like one. Haha he was mistaken. He had trouble selling the Jeep and it got to the point where it was taking up space on his lot. I found it thanks to the internet. He was glad for me to buy it. I got it for WAY under blue book and the dealer fixed everything that I pointed out as broken. I took it home and was pretty excited. It had 101xxx on the odometer.

Anyways the reason I decided to get a jeep was because I caught the off roading bug. My dad had let me borrow his truck which was a 2005 LE Frontier. I took it to the local ORV Park and I was hooked.

Here are some pics from the trip.


Needless to say I couldn’t get any more NOOB. Because of that trip I cracked a leaf taking the above picture. I eventually led to the failure of the alternator and u-joints because of the second picture. I know I was dumb but so was Nissan. Who puts the alternator on the very bottom of the engine!?!? Nissan does. Oh well I fixed all those parts I loved working on the truck. From that I knew I wanted a jeep. Like all young boys I wanted a Wrangler. My parents said no so I went to a Cherokee. Not enough airbags so a WJ was my next bet. I love my Jeep and wouldn’t trade it for a TJ.

So after getting my jeep I went straight to the fire roads/logging roads 15 min from me in Frederick, MD.


My first mod was head unit and speakers. I got a basic middle of the road Alpine set up with a hidden iPod hook up and I’m happy with it. After that came front seat covers and floor mats. Then roof rack cross bars, rear tow hook hitch, and tow strap.

Then came the lift at 104xxx. Here’s all the parts placed out. It’s a Zone 4in lift. I added front anit-sway bar links, KOR shock mounting kit, and a rear addco sway bar.

[Apollo21]

Since the front shock bolts on top are a pain we use a bolt splitter to get them off.

Upon removing the front coils I found the mounts rusted a little.

No problem there was some good metal it was coated in a rust preventer and then built up with a steel based epoxy.

Front done.
Attachment 91948
Building track bar.

Torque Wrench vs. shock bolts

Yes, I’m in coveralls.

[Apollo21]

All Done
[ATTACH][ATTACH][ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]

Here's some stuff i have on order that when it all gets to me and i have time i'll install and post up pics: KOR 3/4in spacers, Front Lower Coil Spring Retainers, and IRO Upper Adjustable Control Arms (that's for you Grakee).

Pat

[Apollo21]

I also wanted to throw out a tip to those installing lifts. When removing the rear bumpstops and putting on new coils its hard to get the bumpstops reseated. i took a ratchet extension and put a big socket on one end which went around the point of the bump stop the other end went into the little hole for the bolt in the upper part of the bump stop i then had my dad jack up the axle and that pressed the bumpstop into place.

[atv_fanatic]

Looks good but you need some tires.....

[Apollo21]

Cooper STTs on the way

[hitman789]

cant wait to see the jeep with some bigger tires on there

nice build so far

[BigMikeWJ]

lookin great man! what size coopers are u gonna run?

[GraKee99]

Thanks for the reference. But in all seriousness, have you pulled your front driveshaft to make sure that is the vibration just to be 100% sure?

Rig looks great though.

[Apollo21]

Mike since i've got an Overland i have 17s so i was thinking 265/70 R17 i'm not good with the conversions but i think that's like a 31.9 or almost a 32.

Grakee no i haven't yet. I'm back at school after a fall break. i'm a freshman at USMMA so we don't really have an privledges. basically i can't go home till thanksgiving. i will pull the shaft then to check. i told my dad not to drive it while i'm away but my little brother said he did so hopefully nothing breaks. i've broken his truck so i guess i owe him one.

[roccomonte]

how did mud make the alternator and u-joints go out?

I have a tundra that I beat the **** out of, been muddin it for the past 3 years and my alternator is still factory(2000) and my ujoints are starting to show some age, but they are over 140k miles right now. Alternator is on the bottom of the engine too.

[Apollo21]

i ended up getting dirt/mud in the bearings on the alternator and ujoints and that just ripped apart the inside.

i mean i put the hood under mud i don't know how i didn't mess up the air intake

[Apollo21]

did a little flex test in my driveway.

i'm currently installing 3/4 spacers up front thanks to Gatorayde. those are now on. I then went to putting on upper adjustable control arms from IRO. when i went to torque them i broke the upper on the passenger side. so work is delayed until tomorrow when i can put another bolt out of a junkyard.

[DothanJeep]

Nice build so far!

Need to rid of the dub deuces.. lol j/k.

[Apollo21]

so by failing to read the directions i torqued a bolt to 115 that was only supposed to be 55. oh well
i went to the junkyard and the guy gave me a hard time saying they didn't have a 99-04 WJ with front uppers still attached. i pointed out his window. second car in WJ with the uppers still attached you could see it from the window. anyways 5 bucks later i'm ready to go again. after finishing that up i was ready to roll. up to 70 on the highway and vibe free. i also extended all my breather hoses.

hopefully i'll have some more parts to put on around Christmas

Pat