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project Bumptastic

189K views 1K replies 103 participants last post by  marcus2137 
#1 · (Edited)
Here she is build. the goal is having a desert and rock trail rig. I love the rocks and love the woops. 2002 TJ X
(Current drivetrain)
Engine: 4.0, true flow filter in stock box, flowmaster 50, Flexalite E fan
Trans: 32RH, deep pan from rubicon express, external cooler
Axles: HP dana 30 rear 8.8LS, 4.56s, alloy usa u joints, rock crusher diff guard.
Tcase: NP231 AA SYE
Tires: Interco trxus MTs 33x12.50x15, rims some black steelies.
Suspension: Rubicon xpress/Currie, Fox 2.0 pro series adjustables, bilstien bumpstops, limit straps.
here she is back in the day 3 days after i bought it with some azusa mud on it.

 
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#3 ·
So i chose to build the jeep in stages for two reasons, one was $$$ and the second was to learn the vehicle. how it works and drives as i mod along.

first thing was the almighty budget boost with 31x10.50x15s
I got a smokin deal on Rubicon Express 2inch budget boost with the twin tube RE shocks.
truckhaven with the bestop half doors


i then proceeded to wheel the crap out of the jeep. I ran bridgestone dueler at revos and disco'd the front sway bar when wheeling. I used the stock side rail/step as sliders until i bent them so bad i could barely unbolt them.

 
#4 ·
For the next 2 years i collected parts and saved money for the Rubicon Express 3.5 kit.

The kit consisted of twin tube shocks, springs, lower control arms, tcase drop, rear trac bar bracket, front replacement adjustable trac bar, gen 2 quick disco's, extended brake lines. slapped on 33x12.50x15 interco trxus MTs.



on john bull in the rain
 
#5 · (Edited)
after the 3.5 kit, it was time for a tire carrier, and making things stronger as i could.

I went with the LOD Xtreme tire carrier.


Also had some breaks and hang ups in the process.
the biggest was the lame *** stock radiator. completely blew up on the trail.


replaced it with a all metal 3 row and went to the flexalite setup.
 
#6 ·
smacked my stock front steering and dented my diff cover.

I went to a Big daddy front tie rod, and rock crusher diff cover. Both held up very well. iv hit my front cover hard several dozen times and landed on my steering a few too many times.
 
#7 ·
the next big thing was Flat fenders
scored a set of sniper fabs weld it yourself kits.
a full weekend and they were done. I incorporated gen rights LED kit.

I coated everything with a spray on bed liner/undercoat in a can.. came out great. the welding was done between me and a couple friends with a miller mig.

just before doing the flat fenders i started going out to the desert more often and wheeling faster and faster.
Speed is addicting and one of the big runs i do every year is Barstow ca, to laughlin Nevada and back. we going during the week and scream through the desert. record so far is about 5 hours one way. this year were hoping to beat that considerably.
we have also been going to pismo a couple times a year hitting the woops and jumping the jeep alot.

 
#8 ·
after the years of abuse my rear tire carrier started shaking like crazy on the highway and while wheeling.
After looking into it, it was due to crossmember fatigue. (one thing i will be beefing up in the near future)

Sooo since i was doing alot of desert wheeling, a couple friends and I decided to build one.
We opted to make it more of a desert carrier. making it strong and low profile.

we welded up a crossmemebr just behind the back seat were the tire lays on and where I have two points for the tire strap. ( you will see later)

In the build we opted to reuse the LOD xtreme bumper. (minus the swing carrier)
so we custom built some brackets


time to bend some tube


welded up


added an upper bar, and some fish mouth gussets with a dimple.


still swings out to load gear ...


mounted and painted


so far so good, no shaking at all, its been nerfed/hit a few dozen times and has been landed hard on a few rock with no issues.
 
#9 ·
Nice progress! Where'd you source the radiator? I've been thinking that I'm going to be needing one of those sooner or later, but haven't started looking yet.

That tire carrier is AWESOME, but it's so different than anything I've ever seen that I dunno whether to love it or hate it, lol. :thumbsup:
 
#12 ·
the radiator i sourced form a local radiator shop. a guy my dad and i have used for years in the boat mechanic work we do. I wanna say its the same one radiator barn sells. 3 row all metal. I had the same thought about my rear tire carrier too. the cool thing is i can throw on the LOD swing carrier in a couple minutes. Its all easily swapable, aaand with the "prerunner" setup I can actually see out my back rear view mirror. hahaha
 
#10 ·
so now that i was going faster in the desert. it was time for a shock upgrade. twin tubes just dont cut it. they heat up fast and dont have the compression valving needed to keep up with anything past 1st gear for long.

after watching the for sale ads everywhere for months we found Fox 2.0 reservoirs with 8 way adjustable setting on the compression. these shocks are bad *** for my money. yes theres way better but bang for my buck its an insane difference on control and ride. i can make the jeep ride smoother then stock and then with a quick adjustment be able to take woop section with ease. is the jeep a desert racer?? heck no but its way faster and controlled then i thought it would be.
 
#11 ·
also added a genright front stinger and radiator hoop. with some cutting i made it work on a stock bumper.


also i scored a sweet bonus at work and have always wanted some nice suspension seats.
I went with the Corbeau Ultra baja SS with crow 5 point harnesses.


a tight fit but they work great.


I built my own seat adapters and retained the stock sliders and flip up.


the seat adapters consist of .120 wall mild square. with grade 8 holding them all down. also in this pic is the rear bar for the 5 points.
 
#13 ·
so thats pretty much where im at. I have lots going on. an 8.8 in the garage ready to be welded up. gussets and truss kits for the dana 30 and 8.8. Ive had a HOWE performance steering box ported for hydro assist sitting forever. ive done tons of wiring
the wiring is done with a boat fuse box, with everything on relays and fused correctly.


the electrical ive installed are, IPF lights, CB radio, rock lights, rear amber LED, E fan.

Any questions, suggestions, comments are welcome. if anyone needs any help or info just post up.
 
#14 · (Edited)
A vid of the fox shocks at work






a cool water go pro vid,


I have tons of pics and vids of the products and wheeling trips. Ive wheeled the jeep hard since day 3 of ownership and am still loving everyday of it.

and no i havnt stopped wheeling on the rocks. heres the jeep on "jack" hammer over new years
 
#15 ·
almost forgot,
After my Kabooom in Azusa I started doing some maintenance. Ive been running my stock TRE's and finally replaced them..... well in the process i destroyed my big daddy tie rod. I sheared the TRE in half with 70 percent of the threads still in the tie rod....


Sooooo a friend and I built this. 1.25" 4130 chormoly. .120 wall. all tig welded. McKenzies supplied the threaded sleaves that the TRE's thread into. grabbed some jam nuts and kabooom here she is.


here she is all pretty and installed


not bad for 60 bucks
 
#24 ·
It was on twin tubes when i first started going out in the desert with it. they just didnt cut it. they heated up and went soft pretty quick so it wasnt bad but nothing like the new fox shocks. Ive ran monotubes before and had mix results. for a year now ive been on the Fox 2.0 resi adjsutable shocks. and the difference is amazing. I have a mojave rd run to laughlin and back in March so im really gonna try and add a few new things and beef up the axles before i go. ill be sure to post up as i go. I really believe the shocks are the reason why the jeep hasnt cracked bent or fallan apart. nothing is harsh so im not slamming the jeep into anything. its all a controlled/slower compression then your typical white rocket shock or monotube. i had the jeep on a aligment laser thing rack last week and its all still within spec.
 
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