Project "Dirty Princess" ... Redhatman's 5.9 ZJ Build

**redhatman** · 01-26-2011, 04:08 PM

Time for a build thread for the new guy in the family. The name is subject to change, but maybe it will stick. I thought of dirty princess because too many people treat the 5.9's like princesses, and keep them clean and stored away. This one wanted to go out and play.

The objective is to make a good wheeler, reliable, comfortable, and fast.

With the help of some parts off of my other Jeep, http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f197/...thread-998621/ I am going to make this one BA rig.

How it came stock.
1998 5.9 ZJ
5.9L V8, 360 ci
249 t-case
lp30 front
d44a rear
3.73 gears
....shortarms

**redhatman** · 01-26-2011, 04:12 PM

I bought it from a friend like this.

7" Iron Rock Off Road Front and Rear Premium Long Arm Kit
Trussed up rear 44a
Hack N Tap SYE Kit
Skid
242 TCase
1/2" OTK Steering

Soft 8 Wheels
35" (x12.50) Goodyear MTR Tires

**SuperWade2** · 01-26-2011, 04:13 PM

My new 9'er can remain an princess since I have the TJ if I want to get dirty and climb stuff...

Will be interested to see how you build it! Good luck and have fun!

**redhatman** · 01-26-2011, 04:13 PM

**redhatman** · 01-26-2011, 04:15 PM

**redhatman** · 01-26-2011, 04:18 PM

You can see on the VIC screen there are two switches mounted. The recent owner had a problem with the running lights not coming on, same with the cooling fan. I fixed the running lights circuit, and have diagnosed the cooling fan circuit to a bad temp sensor in the upper hose. These buttons will be removed, and the VIC with 242 mods done will be put back in place.

My first project was to get my stereo back in it. So in with the Kenwood MP238 Deck, Alpine Amp, and JL 12" Sub in a Powerwedge box. Time to route some wires, the clean looking way

**redhatman** · 01-26-2011, 04:18 PM

Steering box was leaking out of the pitman seal...

chicagoniner · 01-26-2011, 04:27 PM

Wanna get a picture of that thing next to a stock zj?

**redhatman** · 01-27-2011, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chicagosynergy

Wanna get a picture of that thing next to a stock zj?

Do you want one to reference the height? Or are you saying next to your new zj?

chicagoniner · 01-27-2011, 12:08 AM

To see how much bigger it is from stock to on 7" of lift and 35's.

**redhatman** · 01-31-2011, 09:22 PM

New Steering box in! .... $150 later.

**redhatman** · 01-31-2011, 09:32 PM

The past 2 weekends I did quite a bit of work on the Jeep... I had an exhaust shop get rid of the factory Y-Pipe crimp, and replace it with regular pipe, crimp free

As most of you know, the factory exhaust bottles down into a beautiful factory crimp coming right out of the passenger side header as it goes past the oil filter. Here was the solution.

**redhatman** · 01-31-2011, 09:36 PM

2 weeks ago, with the help of a coworker, we swapped some new axles under it. I grabbed the axles from project grow-a-set, and put them in. The front axle is:

HP30
U Joint front shafts, Spicer 760 Solid U Joints, Caps welded over (IRO Almost Alloy Tabs)
IRO Internal Sleeve kit
IRO C-Truss kit
IRO HD LCA Mounts
IRO Over the Knuckle (OTK) Steering setup, 5/8" version
4.88 gears
Solid Cover
Stainless, extended brake lines

With swapping this, I also swapped in the rear axle:

Ford 8.8 from an explorer
New brakes
4.88 gears
Aussie Locker
All IRO Mounts
Hack N Tap, SYE Kit.

MurdaJs · 01-31-2011, 09:40 PM

Lookin forward to what you do with this one.

What are your front bumper plans? I saw a stock cover in your backseat in a pic but I figured youd take grow-a-sets bumper

Spike300 · 01-31-2011, 09:44 PM

I wanna see pics of the C gussets