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GCJEEPING's Build/Mod thread-It's a green thing-

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#1 ·
GCJEEPING's WJ Build/Mod thread-It's a Tan thing-

Well I finally decided to start a build/mod thread to consolidate all my stuff in hopefully one thread. It's a 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4.0 with a 242 TC and 30/35 axles that I bought new with 16 miles on it in Tucson AZ. I have a lot of catching up to do. I'll try and catch it up as quickly as possible.

Been Jeeping since 1975. Have had CJs, a MJ, XJs, WJs and a WK. Even spent two years in Turkey with my MJ wheeling.

Here is a pic of when my current 01 WJ was stock (on the right).


Here it is now.




Some of the mod are hyper-linked to threads or pics until I get everything on here.

All mods either made, done or put on by me except for a custom built drive-shaft.

BOLD ITEMS ARE FOR THIS BUILD THREAD (page & post)

Here is a list of things done...

6" ROCKKRAWLER LONG ARM

15X8 SOFT 8's, 33x12.5x15 PROCOMP MT's/TIMBERLINES AT's

Aussie locked 30/35 w/4.10s

Hi-lift jack

Bilstein shocks

Carolina DBL/DBL front drive shaft..... #page 1 post 7#

home brew rock rails..... #page 1 post 12#

grille guard..... #page 1 post 14#

front/rear hitch

T-Max 12.5k lb winch

rock lights..... #page 1 post 12#

Meangeen alt

TJ transfer skid..... #page 1 post 13#

elec OBA

Kilby belt driven OBA..... #page 1 post 2#

CB with external speaker

Split rear seats..... #page 1 post 6#

Vinyl doors..... #page 1 post 5#

3AR seats..... #page 2 post 19#

Custom front bumper..... #page 1 post 14#

Power inverter

55W backup lights

half doors #page 1 post 3#

102" redneck whip antenna

Super Lift Tru-Speed

strobes all 4 corners

Pioneer head with 1200w Pioneer amp and 2 10" Pioneer Subs

Semi air horns with pull cord

Deambered tail lights..... #page 1 post 9#

Quad tail lights..... #page 1 post 8#

Tail light covers..... #page 1 post 9#

Headlight covers

Custom hood cowl..... #page 1 post 20#

Custom hood scoops..... #page 2 post 20#

Bluetooth ELM 327 Diagnostics, Inclinometer, Torque vehicle ODB II system monitor

Tank lift #page 4 post 59 & page 6 post 89#

Custom rear bumper with swing tire carrier #page 4 post 57#

Front fender trim...#page 2 post 26#

Rear fender trim...#page 11 post 157#

Dual batteries #page 6 post 89#

Rock rail side extensions #page 4 post 54#

Snorkel #page 3 post 45 & page 4 post 48#

Wrangler gas bezel #page 6 post 83#

Custom front bumper(new sides)...#page 7 post 100#

Custom belly skid...#page 9 post 122#

Oil pan and trans pan skids...#page 9 post 130#

4 point harness & harness bar...#page 7 post 102#

In cab winch control...#page 9 post 123#

"A" pillar grab handles...#page 4 post 56#

Auto dim light switch w/fogs install...#page 4 post 58#

Overflow bottle relocation and ZJ washer bottle install...#page 3 post 45#

Boat sides...#page 7 post 101#

242LD to 242HD swap...#page 8 post 113#

Dual 40" 80 LED light bars...#page 9 post 131#

Custom roof rack...#page 10 post 142# ver 2.0...#page 11 post 155#

"A" pillar light tabs...#page 10 post 138#

PA speaker

3+ din dash mod for cb/radio/whelen light-PA controller...#page 12 post 171#

Under hood aux fused power distribution panel...#page 12 post 172#

Carbon fiber decal center console...#page 12 post 173#

LED light bar cover build...#page 14 post 205#

Rear QTR armor w/led tail lights...#page 19 post 281#

Wireless Bluetooth light controller...#page 20 post 298#

Akebono front brake upgrade.

Things coming up...

35" tires

9" rear with ARB and either 4.56 or 4.88 gears(Have the 9" set up for WJ)

44hp front with ARB and either 4.56 or 4.88 gears

Radiator lift with a XJ 3 core rad and XJ AC condenser(have both already). Will eliminate the bottom rad hoop

Custom rear bumper

Tube fenders

LED rock lights

Back up camera

--------------------------------------

GCJEEPING

2001 4.0 Laredo

Modifications: A couple...

HOME MADE -
rock rails,
brush guard/winch/receiver front bumper,
roof rack,
OD Green rattle can paint job,
split rear seat mod,
rear seat quick release mod,
tank lift, rear swing tire carrier,
dual batteries(Diehard Gel cells),
york belt driven OBA,
full belly/trans pan/oil pan skids,
snorkel, front fender trim,
winch, in cab winch control,
half doors, vinyl doors(for half doors),
de-ambered tail lights,
quad tail lights,
custom hood w/cowl and 5.9 louvers,
Diamond plate boatsides,
Tail light covers, Headlight covers,
Rear Qtr armor w/LED tail lights

BOLTED ON -
RockKrawler 6" long arm w/front discos,
Pacer soft 8s w/33/12.5/15 Procomp MTs and Dayton ATs,
D30 4.10 Aussie locker, D35 4.10 Aussie locker,
242HD,
Peterbilt Air horns w pull cord,
CB, 102" redneck cb whip,
Pioneer head unit/760w amp/2 10 subs,
ZJ washer bottle,
Blue Sea dual Battery isolator/charger,
Dual 40" LED light bars,
3AR front racing seats w/4 point harness,
1200w inverter,
60" high lift,
12.5K T-MAX.
Front and rear hitch, M
ean Green high output alt,
PA speaker,
Super Lift true speed,
Valentine One radar detector,
A-pillar grab handles,
242HD swap,
Wrangler gas brezel,
Bluetooth wireless light controller,
Akebono brake upgrade.

Favorite Modification - Half doors, Rear QTR armor w/LED tail lights

Least Favorite Modification - Euro style tail lights.

Best Trail Damage - Destroyed axle shafts & ripped off track bar mount.

Build Thread - My Build thread -- GCJEEPING's build/mod thread-IT'S A GREEN THING...

Miscellaneous - Bought new with 16 miles on it. Started cutting and modding it 4 years later. Still cutting and modding it today.





 
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#2 ·
Kilby OnBoard air

Installed a Kilby Air Boss OBA system in the WJ Saturday. Took about 4 hours. Was a pretty straight forward install. Had to bend the ac line up and turn the radiator hose around to clear the top of the york ac. Got a little more work routing wires and tying up the air line to the back. Otherwise very happy with it.

I won the kit in a drawing I guess I entered a few months back. Forgot all about it until I got an email saying I won 2nd in the drawing. Thought I would sell it first but decided to see if it would fit in the WJ and it did.

So now I'm running the Kilby with the elec compressor back up. I mounted the Kilby tank in the spare tire well with the other OBA. Hooked both tanks together with a air line. Put a hose connector up on the brush guard for easy access. The Kilby is set for on=120 off=150 and the elec is set on=100 off=130. Fills the 5.5-6 gallon tank (2 combined) in about a minute to a minute and a half.

An added bonus is the diesel air horns vibrate the jeep with a 150psi pushing through them.























 
#3 ·
Half Doors

I got a lot of requests for more pics and info on my Half Doors.

I cut out the pieces with a jug saw which made quick work of it. I then welded in some 10 gauge sheet metal. Used some late Cherokee interior door handles. Just had to make new connecting rods for the locks to handles. All the electric door locks work like normal. I added some Polk 100w marine speakers to all 4 doors. Removed the door hinge pins and replaced them with wire lock pins. Can swap all 4 doors in about 10 minuets. Power heated mirrors work also. I like'em. If you have any questions or want more info let me know.



















More In Next Post.
 
#5 ·
Vinyl door covers

Made me some covers for my half doors this week. They are two pieces for each door. Uppers have a steel rod sewn into them to help hold them in the window channel. Also added a removable bar for each door and padded them. I'm working on getting the windows a little less wavy. I also painted the snaps now to look a little less obvious. Took the Jeep out in a down poor and had no leaks inside. All seams are glued and double stitched. I may try and add zippers to the windows later.





















 
#8 ·
Quad tail lights

Saw a ZJ guy do this a while bake. Pretty simple to do. There is already a mark on the back of the tail light marking the spot. Here are some pics of the backside of the tail light with the 2nd brake light. I cut a hole with a about a 1" wood spade drill bit. Then notched out where the tabs would go. Pin checked the tail light connector to find grnd, park and brake. Trimmed back the wires and soldered the pig tail wires to the harness.











 
#9 ·
Tail light covers and deambered tail lights

Was looking for something different other than the steel tail light guards. Seen a few of those snagged on trees and ripped off. These were cheap on ebay and I think look good. Also Deambered the tail lights. A can of testers candy apple red model spray paint. Cleaned the area off and masked it off. Put two coats on. I havnt had to redo it yet.





 
#10 ·
youve definitely always had one of the most unique WJ's. big props for comin up with creative ideas and doin the work yourself. that rear seat mod is pretty nifty.
 
#12 ·
Rock rails and rock lights

Made the rails out of 2x2x1/4 sq tube. Bolted it with 1/2x1/2 angle iron and bolted through the pinch seam. Also have 1x1 sq tubing going from the 2x4 and 1/2 to the Uni-frame which I have strengthened with 3x3 angle iron. Have put 6 lights under the jeep for rock lights. Gunna be replacing them with LED strips soon.

















 
#103 ·
Made the rails out of 2x2x1/4 sq tube. Bolted it with 1/2x1/2 angle iron and bolted through the pinch seam. Also have 1x1 sq tubing going from the 2x4 and 1/2 to the Uni-frame which I have strengthened with 3x3 angle iron. Have put 6 lights under the jeep for rock lights. Gunna be replacing them with LED strips soon.

















I love how you made the rails, That looks like it would be perfect for my OBA tank rails. Even if it doesn't work to be tanks it still looks amazing on the Jeep and would definitely help save your from rocks and stuff! Also love the rock lights! You put a whole new meaning to underglow on a vehicle!
Jackie
 
#13 ·
TJ Transfer case skid

I got scared a few times when crawling rock and hearing things scraping. So I had a few TJ skids laying around from friends jeeps that I have worked on. Yeah it hangs really low, but at 6.5" I could live with it vs damaging the TC. I was only supposed to be temp fix but has been there for a few years now. It is beat to hell and time to build a proper more fitting one soon.









 
#14 ·
Home made front bumper and brush guard

I originally added the brush guard to the stock front. Eventually trimmed the bumper when upgrading from stock tires to 32s to 33s. So after a while of catching the bumper on stuff I picked up a Steel bumper from an early Bronco. Cut it up and bolted to the stock metal and winch mount I made. Notched and mounted the brush guard to the winch mount too. I like the way it doesnt look like it sticks out a mile. I 'll get some pics of the winch mount shortly.

Eventually I'm gunna build a sq tube bumper.

Before





After







 
#19 ·
Racing seats

Awhile back I broke the frame on the drivers seat. So I welded it back up and it lasted a year or so and went again. Saw some 3AR seats on Craigs list for $100 and picked them up. Cut the frame sliders off the bottom of the seats and welded them to some sq tubing frame I made for the bottom of the new seats. Bolted the frame to the seats and bolted them into the jeep. Worked out perfect. Really like how the bolsters hold you in when wheeling. The seats also came with 4 point harnesses but I havnt installed them yet. Gotta Fab a bar to go behind the seats to mount them too.



 
#20 ·
Custom Jeep hoods

The first hood with the two scoops was the very first thing I did to the Jeep. The auto parts store had them on clearance and I figured if I didnt like them I could just pull them off. Well they stayed on for 10 years or so. They broke up the long lines of the hood.









Second hood I was looking for a change since I changed the color of the jeep to OD green. Picked up a $25 hood and had the $5 5.9 louvers and got the cowl from a friend for free. Also painted the center section black. Its growing on me.







 
#22 ·
What style are you going for with the front, and are you going to trim front and rear fenders, or just the front?

The doors on your Jeep are so unique, I love the clean look of them.
 
#23 ·
I'm gunna cut all the sheet metal out from under the headlights. Then use 1x2 sq tube to run under the headlight and around the side. Want to keep it up high. Will angle it down to tie into the winch plate mount.

Gunna trim front and back. Dont know if im gunna fold the metal up to make the edge or use door trim to finish it off.

I get a lot of people asking me to make the doors. Now Im retired I need to get started making them too. Just gotta figure how much to sell them for. Thinking 250is a pair. People sell a pair of tube doors for that. Still pondering it.
 
#24 ·
Seat look awesome, do they recline? And i love the second hood
 
#26 ·
Got around to start cutting the fenders. Gunna get them done so I can make my front bumper to fit.

Here is how the winch plate is mounted.






Here is the fender cut in work.







Put door edge trim on to finish it. Didnt want to go through rolling the edges. Still gunna cut my rock rails down and bend the pinch seam over in the wheel well.



Here is what I cut out from under the head lights. Gunna cut a little more up to the spot welds.


 
#27 ·
who makes those seats, how comfortable are they?
 
#30 ·
Got the rock rails stripped down. Cut about 3 inches off. Welded new ends and welded all the screw holes since I'll be drilling and tapping new ones. Applied a good coat of self etching rusty metal primer and have two coats of Rustoleum rust preventative black. Tomorrow I'll put them back on and work on the bumper. Also couple pics of my messy garage.









My home made welding cart. Holds my mig Lincoln 180 (220V), mig Chicago electric 90 (110V) and my Longevity plasma cutter (220/110V).



The messy garage.



 
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