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Impact Orange LJ

273K views 2K replies 129 participants last post by  dayriesw 
#1 ·
****EDIT: lost all the pictures due to photobucket on 7-4-13.... Slowly trying to replace broke links with new flickr links.
*** Jeep is driving around and back on DD duty... 7-6-13

This is my third Jeep.

First Jeeps build thread
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f22/my-dream-vehicle-903781/
/\ Build thread to my first CJ





My Second (and back up for the LJ)


In late summer 2010, I traded my safe and secure DD for a 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ with a few mods. This thread is started to help me keep track of all the things I done with this Jeep and for help and input from fellow Jeepers. I have a "build" direction and an idea of what I want the LJ to look like and how I want it to handle, but I view this Jeep as a life long project. With that said, here she is.

IMG_0093 - Copy
Still on the lot.

It came with:
~51,000 miles
4.0 I6 232
6 speed manual
231tc
dana 30 locked (full time)
dana 44 rear locked (full time)
Clayton belly skid
Big Daddy off road bumpers (f and r) with steering skid
35" x 12.5" BFG KM2
~3" lift-might be RE
~1" body lift
Full cage
Full hard doors
currie/rusty's cross over steering (found this out much later)
and a few other things

This is my third Jeep, but my first DD.

After it got home to meet the other one.





Drove it like that for a while, then started to change it the way I wanted....


Painted Flares




Wheeled it




Wheeled it




Wheeling with fellow member


Replaced the winch on the front with the one that was on my CJ. 8274 are the best


New doors


Wheeled




Added switches


New wheels and tires. MT Kevlars 35"x12.5" on Procomp Steelies

After the new tires went on, I realized the steering need another upgrade. Currently the Jeep is parked until this weekend when the new steering goes on.

I am going to leave it at this. I'm sure there is more that I forgot.
 
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#891 ·
I had to look it up, I forgot this is a deep cycle too.

Its a shame the Optimas went to pot , they used to be a good battery . I ended up with the Sears / Odyssey AGM . So far it has been great , even when I have winched heavily with it . But as long as they will honor the warranty I would run the yellow top too .
Exactly.

You get this thing started?
Wondering this too.
Yep. Dropped in the battery and started up on the first try. Back the jeep back inside just as it started to rain again.

The alminum didn't come in this week but should next. But all this did. Knuckle savers and random tabs.



Black magic must have a deal set up with usps or something. Shipped from Cali to LA in3 days and email communication was great.
 
#888 ·
Its a shame the Optimas went to pot , they used to be a good battery . I ended up with the Sears / Odyssey AGM . So far it has been great , even when I have winched heavily with it . But as long as they will honor the warranty I would run the yellow top too .
 
#892 ·
My stuff gets here from him just as quick too, in Ohio. Blaine is great, standup guy, easy to talk to, and funny. My assist parts minus the ram made it here in two days I think.

The Ram got delayed because someone sent him the wrong size one, and his order from PSC is taking forever. He called me the same day when he realized he wouldn't be able to send it out, and I've been in touch with him since then.

Stuff happens, and when it does I expect a call or some kind of communication. It's the companies that take weeks to get stuff out, don't tell me its backordered, etc that piss me off.
 
#899 ·
Thanks GB. The axle is peeeerfect now, in that the tires are strait up and perpendicular to the ground. O, and it does not appear to be leaking either. I just like being in a place that has everything: fridge, dog, and tools.



(sidenote) check out the military dump trailer and factory racing bmw in backround and behind that is an old 2 door Trooper 4x4. Also, there was a vintage 70 two door convertible parked right behind the 300 in the garage I was in. The guy who owns the garage is restoring a late 70s K5 blazer which he just painted black. He also is halfway thru with a brown/marron CJ-5 with a chevy V8 and 3 speed getting the works. On the otherside of the garage is a couple boats, some of which need 3 axles on the trailers to pull (I don't know anything about boats, but these are huge) and a couple deuce and a halfs along with some other random vehicles and a few more military trailers, one is getting the overland treatment for camping with a roof top tent. It is like a big kids toy box full of the most random vehicles ever.

Looks great! Sure does sit low
I want it to be 1" lower but this will work for now. And thanks. Now I just need to get the first paint scratch over with....

Love it....
Thanks man. Bring the truck to the south or I might have to visit Nashville one day.

EDIT: Oh yeah and I got the black magic knuckle fixer kit installed with no problems and the u-joints and shaft back in.

Short list:
inner fenders
check front blinkers
remount doors and adjust for the spacers
add resin/paint hood
drive the piss out of it and wheel

Longer list (all of which depend on the first wheeling trip):
extended front shocks 1" - 3" higher - not sure what kit, if there is any
outboard read shocks
remove 1" lift spacers
cut off stock trackbar bracket (frame side) and mount new one 1-2" forward - not sure what kit or go custom?
new trackbar - custom?
figure out roll bar situation.......

I will be driving the Jeep tomorrow. :thumbsup:
 
#902 ·
Thanks. I am not sure yet about the going down another inch vs getting hung up more. It was just my personally plan to be at 1" of lift with 35s. Right now I am at 2" (1" body and 1" spring spacers). The front stretch (probably tnt) is what I have thought about since Bennett did his. I think the LJ wheel base is pretty good how it is but would like the better approach angle among other things.

Whats the measurement to your frame rail ?
What do you mean? Are you talking about track bar mount to frame rail?
 
#909 ·
17.5"

Thanks for the vote brother :highfive:

Your rig is lookin' hot too
So is yours. Can't wait to wheel with yours.

I think this is a great post and wish that I could do half the things you have done to your LJ to mine.
Thanks man. It means a lot.

Well, the only thing I didn't do yesterday was refill the front diff. Did that tonight, verified all the bolts were tight. And hit the road. Get to the end on the block and the pedal wet down to the floor. I forgot to throw on the brake cap, good thing it was just sitting there where I left it. Drove around for 20 minutes, got up to 45ish and it drove better than any jeep I have ever owned. Just as I was feeling on top of the world and about to shift into 3rd, grrrrrrrrrrrinding from under the hood. Noticed it was only under acceleration, after it happened a second or third time, I pulled over and the fan shroud had cut one of the zip ties holding the overflow bottle in place. It made the loud noise only when the engine was torqued under revs. Made it home to discover this.



Just a few scuffs but no real damage and was still holding a good bit of liquid after driving 3-4 miles home. I'll get a new one and possibly a rad shroud too soon. Just after pulling the bottle, the rain started coming down like no one's business so I might try to install it in the morning.

:cool:
 
#911 ·
Did some urban flexing yesterday and the frame side JJ (guessing) mount on my JKS trackbar is contacting the front of the dif cover. I have been looking and reading the "does your trackbar hit your dif cover for 0"-3.5"" thread. It looks like I have a friend in town that has a stock replacement track bar that I might try, but eventually I will probably try or get the metalcloak one or the clayton relocation bracket and there bar (it mounts in double shear, not that it has been a problem up to this point) or get a double shear bracket and get real custom..... which is the last choice at the moment.
 
#912 ·
Well, MC is out of stock on their track bars.... I guess selling like hot cakes. I might try to get stock replacement tho, my buddy who thought he had one was mistaken. I am checking with another.
 
#923 ·
Yeah, I think I do. It is the switch for the LED light bar. I put in a switch that I found on ebay. The picture didn't have it, but when it showed up at my door, there was an indicator light. The light stays on even if the jeep isn't running. I need to swap switches, swap the + to a keyed source or just keep turning the battery off when I leave the jeep (which is what I have been doing).
 
#927 ·
I use Flickr but have a few issues with it.

1. It's not easy to get the actual image url of the stuff you upload. I have to find the picture in my gallery, click it, then choose the size I want etc just to be able to right click it and copy the direct image link. Almost every other site provides a quick link to paste into forums, including the tags etc. If you use flickr's link for this is spams a bunch of other crap along with it.

2. It's cheap, which is good, but if you let your sub run out they hold your pictures past the most recent 300 (I think? Maybe 200.) and won't let you access them unless you pay again.

3. They move their files around a lot I've noticed with disregard for keeping the original URL's the same. I'm sure they have some kind of system or process that keeps everything in the interface on their site workings and changes those links, but a lot of images I have posted have broken over time because the URL's changed.

Pretty much the only reason I use it is because they have a good API which lets developers make good apps for it. It takes me literally ten seconds to upload every photo I took with my phone during a day of working on the jeep.

Jeep is looking good though! Mine should be back in working shape and regeared soon. Going to PA to pick up a replacement rear housing Thursday, then I'm going to start sourcing parts and housings for a ton swap.
 
#929 ·
Thanks for the compliments guys. I am trying to get one measurement before I order the MC TB (unless it doesn't fit). Then hopefully some dirtier, off camber pictures soon to test out the new ride height better than the LA streets already are. On a side note with all the time I was devoting to the jeep, I have been using this time lately to ride bikes to win a weight loss bet with a friends. I have been averaging 25-35 miles a week (with day breaks between each ride)..... hence the urban exploring picture above - finding more route.
 
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