Jeep Enthusiast Forums banner

Snobrdrkid's WJ Build Thread

420K views 7K replies 99 participants last post by  snobrdrkid07 
#1 ·
I figured I would start one of these for the fun of it! Unfortunately no lifts yet. But my WJ is at least not bone stock anymore! :D

I will start from the beginning.

The build Sheet
Code:
Sales Code:  ---    Description:
*E7 Cloth Low-Back Bucket Seats
-L5 Taupe
ADC Convenience Group
AHT Trailer Tow Group
APAS Monotone Paint
A24P 4.0L Engine(ERH)/4Spd Auto Trans(DGK
BAZS 136 Amp Alternator
BC6S 625 Amp Maintenance Free Battery
BRYS Anti-Lock 4-Wheel Disc Brakes
CACS Low Back Bucket Seats
CBWS Highline Door Trim Panel
CFNS Rear 60/40 Folding Seat
CGUS Child Seat Anchor System-LATCH Ready
CG1S Next Gen Multistage Front Air Bags**
CKDS Floor Carpet
CKNS Cargo Compartment Carpet
CKTS Cargo Tie Down Loops
CLE Front & Rear Floor Mats
CLHS Cargo Trim Panel w/Storage Net
CLPS Door Sill Scuff Pads
CSC Cargo Compartment Cover
CSRS Passenger Assist Handles
CUDP Mini Overhead Console
CUFS Full Length Floor Console
DGBS All 4-Speed Automatic Transmissions
DGK 4-Spd. Automatic 42RE Transmission
DHAS Lock-Up Torque Converter
DHPS Selec-Trac Full Time 4WD System
DJJS Dana 30/186MM Front Axle
DMEP 3.73 Rear Axle Ratio
DRMS Dana 35C/194MM Rear Axle
ERH 4.0L I6 Power Tech Engine
GBBS Tinted Windshield Glass
GCBS Front Door Tinted Glass
GEGS Deep Tint Sunscreen Glass
GEPS Flipper Liftgate Glass
GFAS Rear Window Defroster
GNAS Rear View Day/Night Mirror
GNVS Sun Visors w/Vanity Mirror
GTNS Power Mirrors, Fold-Away
GWA Power Sunroof
GXMP Remote Keyless Entry
GXXS Sentry Key Theft Deterrent System
HAAS Air Conditioning
HGAS Hood Insulation
HGDS Deluxe Insulation Group
I38S Route 38 - UP, Mesquite, TX
JAYS Instrument Cluster w/Tach
JCBS 120 MPH Primary Speedometer
JHAS Var Intermittent Windshield Wipers
JHBS Rear Window Wiper/Washer
JJBS Dual Note Electric Horns
JKAS Locking Glove Box
JKPS 12V Auxiliary Power Outlet
JKYS Power Accessory Delay
JPBS Power Locks
JPDS Power Windows, Driver One-Touch
JPSS Power 6-Way Driver Seat
KRSS STRIPE/BADGE/MOLDING/COLOR
KWSS STRIPE/BADGE/MOLDING/COLOR
K4SS STRIPE/BADGE/MOLDING/COLOR
K5SS STRIPE/BADGE/MOLDING/COLOR
LACS Illuminated Entry
LAGS Warning Chime
LAZP Vehicle Information Center
LBBS Courtesy Lamps
LBCS Glove Box Lamp
LCES Rear Courtesy/Reading Lamps
LDBS Cargo Compartment Lamp
LETP Traveler/Mini Trip Computer
LMBS Halogen Headlamps
LPSS CHMSL Lamp
MDAS Front License Plate Bracket
MFTS Body Color Grille
MHAS Black Windshield Moldings
MT2S Trail Rated Badge
MVCS Jeep Badge
MWES Side Roof Rails
NAS 50 State Emissions
NBGP Federal Tier 2, Bin 9A Emissions
NFPS 20.5 Gallon Fuel Tank
NHMS Speed Control
PB8 Midnight Blue Pearl Coat
QB8S Midnight Blue Pearl Coat
RAAC All Radio Equipped Vehicles
RBKS AM/FM Compact Disc Radio w/Chgr Ctrl
RCGS 6 Speakers
RDDS Fixed Long Mast Antenna
SBAS Power Rack and Pinion Steering
SCAS Steering Wheel
SDAS Normal Duty Suspension
SUAS Tilt Steering Column
TBBS Full Size Spare Tire
TBLS Inside Mounted Spare Tire
TTB P245/70R16 OWL All Terrain Tires
TZAP Goodyear Brand Tires
WDQP 16" Steel Spare Wheel
WDRS 16X7.0 Lux Alum Silver Wheels
WLYC All Steel Wheels
WLZC All Aluminum Wheels
XFJP Class III Receiver Hitch
XFKP 7 Pin Wiring Harness
XFLP 7 to 4 Pin Wiring Adaptor
XPFS Protective Coating and Remover
YAAS Build To U.S. Mkt. Specifications
YGCA 7 Additional Gallons of Gas
ZKFP Spring - Left Front
ZKYP Spring - Left Rear
ZYFP Spring - Right Front
ZYYP Spring - Right Rear
Z6DS GVW/Payload Rating
1AAS U.S. Dealer Retail
135S Zone 35-Washington
2TEA Customer Preferred Package 2TE
26E Customer Preferred Package 26E
3FTA Convenience Group Discount
39BA New Price Tracking
4X7A Virginia Chapter-90 Recovery
5I1S WJ-Vehicle Family
5I4S Four Wheel Drive (4WD)/(4X4)
5I8S Left Hand Drive (LHD)
594S Vehicle Order Tracking
6USS U.S. Specifications Label
647S Virginia Ship to State Code
947S Virginia Sold to State Code
My 2004 Grand Cherokee was bought brand new in 04, It was the family SUV until it was given to me in the Summer of 2010. I have been driving it and loving it ever since!

When I got the Jeep - could not wait to start making it my own
  1. New Steering Stablilzer
  2. 4 Skyjacker Nitro 8000 Gas charged shocks
  3. New tailgate lift struts. (June 2010)
  4. Projector and Halo headlights (Aug 2010)
  5. Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X794 Head Unit (Aug 2010)
  6. Interior white LED's put in. (September 2010)
  7. New Yokohama Geolander All Terrain 245/70/16's (November 2010)
  8. Memphis Coax 3-way 6x9's Fronts and Memphis Coax 2-Way 6.5 Rears. (which are freaking loud) (November 27th 2010)
  9. 55w H1 HID Lights at 6000K Color Temperature (December 1st 2010)
  10. Alpine MRP-M500 amp with Alpine 12" 1223D Dual Voice Coil Subs running at 2-Ohms (500 watts RMS)
  11. Alpine MRX-F30 amp for the doors pushing 75 watts x4 (August 2011)
  12. SuperChips - Flashpack
  13. Painted the bottom part of the bumper to look like an Overland.
  14. Got the Front Windows Tinted
  15. Put on a set of Overland Rims
  16. Electro-Luminescent Overland Gauges

Table of Contents
1. HID's
2. Halo Lights
3. Subs
4. Snow Jan 2011
5. Kenwood Headunit
6. Factory Build Sheet
7. NC Pictures, OBX
8. Fuel Filter Change with Picture
9. Mopar Skid Plate
10. Auto-Dim Mirror
11. Rear 3/4 Inch Spacer Install
12. Front Bumper Painted Silver Strip
13. Yard Work
14. Left for VT
15. Front Drive Shaft
16. Sinking Creek - Potts Run 1
17. Double Din Face Plate
18. Highlights from Callalantee, Mountain City, TN
19. Maintenance Day
20. Hit the 4Runner Pretty Good with the Trailer - Pictures
21. Idle Videos
22. First Look at the OME HD Coils
23. OME HD and JKS Adjustable TB - Pictures
24. Overland Rims 1
25. Gear Oil Change and Differential Pictures
26. Overland Rims on
27. Overland Rims 2
28. Window Tint Pictures
29. Rock Light Switch 1
30. Rock Lights On!
31. Car Show - Jeeps!
32. Ready to go back to Tech
33. Rolled 100,000
34. Overland Gauges Came in
35. Overland Gauges at Night!
36. Mountain Lake Wheeling
37. To-Do List
38. Kickdown Video
39. Snow at VT
40. Another Wheeling Picture
41. Wheeling Aftermath Clean Up and EVIC disassembly
42. Rear Axle Seal Going
43. Cleaned up
44. OME HD Coil Spring Update!!
45. 0-60 Videos
46. Back at VT - Spring 2012
47. K&N Filter Numbers
48. Cold Start Up Video
49. HID's driving
50. Auxiliary Transmission Cooler 1
51. Auxiliary Transmission Cooler Install
52. Copperhead Wheeling Pictures
53. Copperhead Rocks with the WJ
54. Mechanical Fan Hitting the Electric Fan
55. Noob Lift Chart
56. Turbo Encabulator
57. Freedom Roof Rail Teaser
58. Freedom Roof Rails Installed with Pictures
59. Cam Talk
60. Can't Trade in my Jeep
61. City Driving and Acceleration Videos
62. 2/10 Would no Drive - VERY FUNNY
63. OME HD LIFT - FINALLY
64. Trunk LED's
65. Painted Rear D.S.
66. Cleaned Up with the Lift
67. Moog Order - Open boxes
68. Stillen Brakes
69. Moog TRE - Measurements
70. Brakes and Tie Rods Installed
71. Rear 5100's
72. JKS Track Bar Movement 1
73. Air Box Mod
74. 4.0 Wheel Spin
75. Front D.S. Angle :(
76. IRO Control Arm Info
77. Broken U-Joint
78. JKS Track Bar Movement 2
79. AP Run-Down
80. Results from Southern Performance

Pictures:


Current:



 

Attachments

See less See more
7
#4,365 ·
Ohhhhh okay. Did you start a build thread?
 
#4,367 ·
Mine is pretty awesome, a lot of people flock here to chat and stuff ;)
 
#4,370 ·
#4,373 ·
Okay then. :):fight:
 
#4,374 ·
So more or less back on topic here.

The second set of 3/4 inch spacers will be here today. I may go rent those spring compressors from Auto whatever. Take it and just put it on, then jack the jeep up so the coil will hopefully just fall out and make it easier.

Also getting the rear IRO sway links today. Will do both at the same time, makes the most sense. Since I am only sitting at about 1.5 inches of lift in the rear, the additional 3/4 spacer should give me around 2.25 inches of lift in the rear. Around 21.25 hub to fender.
 
#4,376 ·
PhantomWJ said:
at that height you probably wont need the coil spring compressor, but it will most certainly help....just jack up the body as high as you can and drop one side at a time...
You are correct that i dont need them. BUT even at full droop (with shocks and sway disco'd) it is still a bit** because I still have to use force to compress the spring to get it in there. So the compressors will just make it overall easier. This will be the 4th time doing this. Lol.
 
#4,377 ·
You could do like I did and just squeeze the spring with your hands. If you're like me, you should be able to mash them down to about 4" tall.

HA! Really though, I just let the axle droop and jacked up the opposite side from where I was working. That gave me tons of room.
 
#4,378 ·
snobrdrkid07 said:
You are correct that i dont need them. BUT even at full droop (with shocks and sway disco'd) it is still a bit** because I still have to use force to compress the spring to get it in there. So the compressors will just make it overall easier. This will be the 4th time doing this. Lol.
I know wath you mean...it isn't my first rodeo, or 4th...at any rate, to each their own....

Or, like mentioned above....use the hands to compress them
 
#4,379 ·
When i put the jeep on jack stands and drop the axle, one side lower at a time. It pops out the breather hose and blah blah blah. I just figured itd be easier to keep them at compressed length, and then drop the axle etc.
 
#4,380 ·
snobrdrkid07 said:
So more or less back on topic here.

The second set of 3/4 inch spacers will be here today. I may go rent those spring compressors from Auto whatever. Take it and just put it on, then jack the jeep up so the coil will hopefully just fall out and make it easier.

Also getting the rear IRO sway links today. Will do both at the same time, makes the most sense. Since I am only sitting at about 1.5 inches of lift in the rear, the additional 3/4 spacer should give me around 2.25 inches of lift in the rear. Around 21.25 hub to fender.
I got a spring compressor when I put my 3/4 spacers in. It was actually more work to use the compressor then it was to jack the other side of the axel up. Only time I can see a spring compressor being better would be if it was a air spring compressor. Those ones you get that you have to tighten are junk.

Did you get the ome hd springs or the medium ones? I got 2.75" with the hd springs. Not sure why you would only get 1.5" with yours unless they were mediums or you have the upcountry springs already.
 
#4,381 ·
99WJdan said:
I got a spring compressor when I put my 3/4 spacers in. It was actually more work to use the compressor then it was to jack the other side of the axel up. Only time I can see a spring compressor being better would be if it was a air spring compressor. Those ones you get that you have to tighten are junk.

Did you get the ome hd springs or the medium ones? I got 2.75" with the hd springs. Not sure why you would only get 1.5" with yours unless they were mediums or you have the upcountry springs already.
I for some reason netted next to nothing with the OME HD rear springs. As it sits right now, im 20.5 inches hub to fender. Stock was supposed to be 19 inches. I am getting that 20.5 with the ome HD spring AND a 3/4 spacer in there already. Net 1.5 minus .75 = 0.75 inch of lift with just the springs. Remember that ive never replaced my isolators. So that has to be a key factor.

I am adding another 3/4 spacer to the rear now. I am not stacking. I am putting one on the axle and leaving the other on the frame side. They are small to where i feel there will still be plenty of bump stop to hold the spring and isolator in there.
 
#4,382 ·
This is what my rear springs are.... idk if those are HD or MD.... because these numbers just dont seem add up
 

Attachments

#4,384 ·
99WJdan said:
Ill check what mine say when i get home.
I Googled, in fact those are HD spring tag. So if they are HD's it has got to be because of these 3 things.
1. Stock Isolators
2. Extra weight in the trunk, subs, hitch, junk, etc
3. The "B" springs are apparently 0.25 inches shorter then the "A" springs. (I have B springs in all 4 corners)

So thats gotta be why.
 
#4,385 ·
You could always break out the ratcheting tie straps - not quite as effective as a real spring compressor but if you hook it up while the spring is compressed, you can then drop that side of the axle without the spring extending on you. I know my spring compressor is kind of a PITA to use, very slow process.
 
#4,386 ·
billzcat1 said:
You could always break out the ratcheting tie straps - not quite as effective as a real spring compressor but if you hook it up while the spring is compressed, you can then drop that side of the axle without the spring extending on you. I know my spring compressor is kind of a PITA to use, very slow process.
Ohh that could work too. I basically just want to be lazy and just have something to keep the compressed. So when i jack up the jeep. The springs will just fall out, because they wont be extending. Lol.
 
#4,388 ·
Ohh good tip, smart. Yeah, same here, I was a little surprised that the tube popped off, it seems a little short. But then again the shock and sways were off so it was able to drop more.
 
#4,392 ·
billzcat1 said:
Issue #1. This is normal to a certain extent, even with perfect suspension and steering geometry. Doing the TREs will firm this up a little. An HD steering stabilizer will help. I know you have the RC, but a lot of people recently have commented that their RC SS really sucked (surprise). Since installing my Moog STB, it rolls over bumps like a steamroller.

Bump steer is a possible issue but at only 2" over stock it should be a non-issue. What you are experiencing is probably not bump steer. If you still have a stock track bar, be sure to loosen and re-torque both ends of the bar so that the bushings are not preloaded.

Issue #2: I ran the front Bilsteins/BDS springs pretty hard at 2" without bump stop extensions. I decided I was going to get "more serious" with the wheeling so I made some extensions. On my last trip out (my first with the extensions) I really couldn't tell the difference with them in. I never felt like I was hitting the bump stops, but then there was nothing that was crazy difficult where I needed all the flex I could get. We'll see when I hit a real trail.

I guess the short answer is no - you will not max out your shocks daily-driving with your current setup.
1. So it sounds like my TRE's are just about shot then. Which I don't doubt because the lift is exposing some more issues. Ive been looking at them and there is zero grease in the boots. So I guess id be that the new stuff is going to help a ton. Surprise surprise with RC SS. Looks like a Moog Super Trail Boss SS will be on the list too. Going to see what the new tie rod setup does first. So do you think what I am currently experiencing is a TRE problem and not "bump steer" Does the preload on the TB have any effect to what I am feeling?

2. Okay good good, i didnt think id hit a bump DD'n big enough to cause 4 inches of uptravel. Then as you said, if more wheel starts to happen. I can just toss on a bump stop extension to prevent the shocks from maxing out.

Thanks.
 
#4,393 ·
1. So do you think what I am currently experiencing is a TRE problem and not "bump steer" Does the preload on the TB have any effect to what I am feeling?
True bump steer is unlikely at this point. At only 2" over stock the track bar and drag link should be pretty much parallel. The preload is kind of an issue. Once you pick your ride height, all your front control arms, your rear lower control arms, and your track bar bolts need to be loosened, the suspension cycled up and down a couple times, and then the bolts re-torqued at your normal right height.

2. Okay good good, i didnt think id hit a bump DD'n big enough to cause 4 inches of uptravel. Then as you said, if more wheel starts to happen. I can just toss on a bump stop extension to prevent the shocks from maxing out.

Thanks.
Yeah, I didn't even do the rear bump stops, just the front. With them installed, I only have about 2" of uptravel on the axle, maybe 3" at the wheel depending on how it flexes. As I said, it seems to be working but I haven't really tested the suspension with the springs out to see where the bump stops need to be.
 
#4,394 ·
I am now 2.5 inches of lift in all 4 corners with the new spacers in. I got my rake back! Hub measurements are F:20.5 R:21.5 so I am happy now.

Billz- I still need to loosen, jump up and down in the Jeep and re-torque all the control arms and TB. That may change some of the lift measurements too. :rolleyes:

I also got the IRO 3" sway links installed and that is great.

This weekend, Mechanic is doing: Brake Rotors/Pads, 4 Moog Tie Rods and new sleeves, and alignment.
 
#4,396 ·
Billz- I still need to loosen, jump up and down in the Jeep and re-torque all the control arms and TB. That may change some of the lift measurements too. :rolleyes:
I gained some lift by doing that when I put those 3/4" spacers in. It wasn't a crazy amount, I think it was like 1/4".
 
#4,395 ·
You know you are doing something right when your Jeep is getting close to the top of your garage and or the release string on the opener is hitting the roof cross rails ;)

Since I have been home, I have made $800, $700, and just now $655.xx Credit card payments over the last month. Finally, all paid off and time to start putting money back in the savings! Most of that was spent on Jeep, Jeep Parts, Gas. :D
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top