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Louie4's YJ

352K views 3K replies 156 participants last post by  Skerr 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, I figured I would make a "build" thread. I have had my YJ for nearly 10 years and have been doing mods here and there so I won't have a lot of pics of the entire process.

I got my '93 YJ when I turned 16. I paid $1500 at the time which was a steal. I can't find any stock pictures but I have some of the earlier versions.

Some specs as of today:

-3.5" Black Diamond lift springs
-Stock TJ alloy wheels
-Worn out Aurora 31" x 10.5" M/T's (cheap)
-Detroit EZ locker in the rear
-Lock-Right in the front
-Yukon 4.10's front and rear (Yes I still have the D35 and I regeared it:thumbdown:)
-Some kind of hack 'n' tap SYE and a Tom Woods rear driveshaft from a wrecked '95 YJ
-Currie boomerang shackles front and rear
-Herculined Tub


Here's some pics from Tellico when I had 2" double military wrapped springs (complete crap), Liberty all-terrain 30" x 9.5" cheapo tires. I can't remember if I had my rear locker in or not.

I got my SYE from a buddy that worked at the old shop I used to work for.
I had to get the driveshaft shortened because the '95 YJ it came off of was a SOA. Took about 2" out of the center section.


I'm sure a lot of you have had this problem with the rear shock mounts on your Dana 35. I backed into a rock and after a year of on road driving it finally gave out. I replaced them this past April with some generic ones I got from a 4WD shop I rode past. I'll post the new ones up later.
Also, this was the first break. I got my neighbor to weld the piece back on one time and it broke again another year later.


This doesn't show the entire process but it shows some of the gear pattern pics of when I was re-gearing my front and rear axle. I rebuilt both axles replacing all the bearings. I set everything up myself. It was my first gear install and they haven't torn up yet so that's a good sign. I don't know if I would do it again just because of the hassle factor. I don't have all the tools a machine shop has but I have more than the average backyard mechanic. The most important tool I bought was an in-lb torque wrench. I got it from Amazon from a bike shop.


Some of the D30. I had to take the ring gear off to put the locker in. I wasn't thinking and forgot to put it in.



After I re-geared my rpm's went up and vibrations from my front driveshaft were becoming very noticeable on the road. I had originally got a ZJ front driveshaft planning on putting that on the front. I took it to the driveshaft shop and the guy there wouldn't warranty the ZJ one because going to a length of 43" with an O.D. of 1.75" he said it would fail at 3000 rpm's. I was surprised because my stock front driveshaft was that length and I have been running it for a long time. He said he would have to go to a 3" O.D. to warranty it. Well, I ended up spending $50 to have my stock one straightened and balanced. I still have a few vibes but not as bad. Here's some pics of the ZJ front driveshaft and the one I put in.
 

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#230 ·
I figured I'd throw up a little update. I want to thank Joe for moving my thread into the YJ tech section. I figured I'd get more responses to my tech questions and I'd just rather have it in here.

Right now I have bead on a Teraflex cross over steering knuckle, a tie rod, and drag link. They are used but we'll see how it pans out. I'm also going to pull my t-case out and most likely rebuild it and put a true neutral plate in while I'm in there thanks to Rikrotor's thread. Plus my front output yoke on my t-case has some play in and out. Based off what Rikrotor said it's most likely the bearing.
 

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#235 ·
You are going to send scrap steel in lieu of your insurance payment?:confused:

:teehee:

:wave:
I wish but I am switching to another company. Allstate keeps raising my rates.

One day but not today.

Looks like you're doing something pretty structural and not that big. You're outboarding springs or doing a homemade shackle reversal?
Nah.

Something like this. I plan on putting some gussets in there to similar to the JKS u-bolt plates.
 

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#237 ·
Awesome repairs, Lou.

I laughed at every post where you ran the extension cord to the parking lot from your 3rd floor apartment, and at hanging Jeep parts on your balcony to let the paint on them dry.
Thanks :cheers2:.

Yeah it seems that I am "that guy". I try not to annoy my neighbors especially the ones beside me. They hang out on their deck in the evenings and I can't paint anything until they go inside. The maintenance man is cool with me working on my jeep. He's even picked up parts for me from UPS.
 
#238 ·
Great thread, Louie.

Quick question: did you notice your Jeep get any hotter or cooler with the XJ Water Pump?

It's just weird they'd use two different style pumps on the same engine (in, let's face it: basically the same vehicle.)


I also enjoyed the two parts you spray painted over and the colors didn't match... then on the other side the paint's scraped off.

It's doing what Jeep's meant to do!

And I'm also very jealous of you. Down here in South Florida, there's nothing for us to drive on. Except mud. Lots and lots of mud.
 
#239 ·
Great thread, Louie.

Quick question: did you notice your Jeep get any hotter or cooler with the XJ Water Pump?

It's just weird they'd use two different style pumps on the same engine (in, let's face it: basically the same vehicle.)

I also enjoyed the two parts you spray painted over and the colors didn't match... then on the other side the paint's scraped off.

It's doing what Jeep's meant to do!

And I'm also very jealous of you. Down here in South Florida, there's nothing for us to drive on. Except mud. Lots and lots of mud.
Thanks for the compliments. As far as cooling goes with the XJ pump there was no difference. The only difference is the flange on the shaft. It gave me more clearance for the fan and since I had the radiator and fan out there was no reason not to swap it. With the Taurus e-fan my engine ran almost too cool at times but on the highway it overheats.

Coincidentally I spoke to a guy named Doug at Morris Mountain who was wheeling a built Jeepster. He worked for Built Tough Radiators who custom make their radiators for your application out of Texas. I told him my problem and he said my radiator was plugged.

For aesthetics I'm more function over fashion. Rust was starting to develop on the body where I smashed into a tree and I can't have that. It's not very classy but it serves a purpose. I hear you on the Florida wheeling. Luckily I have access to the Appalachian Mountains and the hill country in East Alabama.
 
#240 ·
Got a little more accomplished last night but I can't say I really did anything. I cleaned up the metal pieces and prepped them for welding. While I was doing that one of my welders on second shift saw me (I was using the shop at work) and asked what I was doing. I told him and he insisted I let him weld up the steel. He really enjoys welding steel (my company welds aluminum) so he got a few steel rods and used the TIG welder to get it done. I must say it's good work and I was very appreciative. He put a good bead on the outside and did two passes on the inside. I still need to cut some gussets, weld them in and put some holes in it but it's coming along nicely.
 

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#241 ·
I am interested to see how you set up your tereflex steering knuckle as I am looking to do the same thing. Are you planning to run 1 ton joints? If so, do you know if the knuckle is tapered for them or are you going to have to modify it? Also, are you planning to run the joints over or under the knuckle? Just curious.

Patiently watching:D
 
#242 ·
I am expecting to get the 1 ton TRE's. I have a Snap-On 7* reamer my buddy let me borrow so putting a taper in it shouldn't be too bad. The Teraflex knuckle from what I understand is tapered for the stock TRE's and it's under the knuckle on the tie rod but I'm unsure on the drag link mount. My plan is to mount the tie rod over the knuckle and see how the drag link mounts to it. Depending on any interference I will flip the drag link on the knuckle and run it that way to keep it out of the tie rod on full compression. If the pitman arm is interfering I may look for a Ranger one or maybe try to flip it and taper it accordingly. From what I've read (and hopefully I'm not wrong) the 1 ton TRE's are large enough so the taper I put in will be the thickness of the knuckle arm.

It's a bit of a gamble I think but I'll make it work somehow. I'm still waiting on the guy to make my new tie rod then he's going to ship it all. It might not be for another couple weeks but I'm not in a huge hurry so I'm working on the spring plates.
 
#260 ·
My dad had deer hair stuck in the hood of the old Volvo wagon he drove around. He wrecked it and hit a deer not too long after it and it was caught in the crinkles of the hood up until it caught on fire at the Autozone years later.

That's just one of the colorful stories I have about my dad's vehicles. There are countless more.
 
#262 ·
Hey Louie, I sent you a pm about the ranger pitman arm.
 
#264 ·
I'm going to get back on the u-bolt plates this evening, I'll post pics of the progress. My new steering system should be coming in the next couple weeks also. Pretty stoked about that.

I was also thinking about the future. I think I've decided to go SOA when I get a place to work on my jeep and a healthy income. That's years away I know but that's the next stage for my YJ, SOA and 35's.
 
#265 ·
Here's what I did with the u-bolt plates. I wish I welded more than twice a year. They suck but they will work. I also found out that I should have made them a little longer. I'm unsure how much space I'll have if I weld the gussets under the angle on the outside. I got the u-bolts on order so I'm going to wait and lay it out.
 

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#267 ·
Louie4 said:
Here's what I did with the u-bolt plates. I wish I welded more than twice a year. They suck but they will work. I also found out that I should have made them a little longer. I'm unsure how much space I'll have if I weld the gussets under the angle on the outside. I got the u-bolts on order so I'm going to wait and lay it out.
Lookin good!! I have been meaning to make those too. My welding has been getting better over the last few months so I may attempt this soon.

Just a heads up on the ranger arm I got a guy off of pirate sending me what he thinks is the right arm for our aplication.
 
#270 ·
Are you referring to this one?

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/78STEER.html

I was about to buy it but the shipping was $75 to Georgia which put me around $340 which was right on par with the JCR at $339. The difference being the JCR is already assembled.

I ended up going with a few used items from a friend on a different forum. I'm also getting the Teraflex knuckle. It will probably be the same price as the the kits above after shipping but I couldn't pass on the deal with the knuckle included.
 
#271 ·
I got my u-bolts today. I think it's going to work out pretty good. I will need to cut out some more gussets and just cap the ends.
 

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#272 ·
This has nothing to do with my build thread but I thought it was interesting. I was leaving for work this morning and noticed this Ford truck in my complex sitting by itself, not too far from my Jeep. I didn't notice what was wrong until I drove past it. Not sure what happened but it hit the ground at one point. Look at those sweet lift blocks.
 

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#275 ·
If I see him I'll ask what happened. I noticed it because that F250 is not a regular vehicle at the complex so I'm wondering if they had a problem and pulled into the parking lot. I know I've set my jeep up without a wheel on the front but if they don't know this guy it might get towed. I wouldn't mind having a local buddy with a good truck though.

looks like a nice 2fiddy
It does look to be in decent shape, minus the 3 wheel stance.
 
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