Jeep Enthusiast Forums banner

Project "Close enough" - HuLuD44's TJ Build

92K views 784 replies 59 participants last post by  hulud44 
#1 ·
Project "Close enough" - HuLuD44's LCOG TJ Build

BUILD THREAD REVAMP TIME!!!! Since this thread was started over 3 years ago. And this Jeep has been through numerous transformations. Its time to freshen up the beginning of this with current specs and pic. 12/12/17

2000 Jeep wrangler sport. 6 cyl 4.0 Purchased from a dealer in 05' spotless, one owner, bone stock, with 45k on it. The Jeep has been rebuilt several times from budget 33s to 35s, to stretched on 37s and now the current set up on tons and 39s.

I will start the build log at the first major fab work I did to the Jeep. This was the Waggy 44 build, rear stretch to 104" wb, fuel cell, and sport cage. From there it will take on the natural progression up to where it is today.

Current Specs as of 12/12/2017

2000 TJ
6 cyl 4.0
IronMan Fab .25" MML
rh32 w/ Tranny cooler

Transfer Case:
Atlas 4 speed 3.8/10.3

Front Axle:
Steering 14 bolt
Barns Shave
Yukon 5:38
Yukon Full spool
Crane revolution seals
SOLID dana 70 Cs
SOLID D60 hub assemblies
Chevy KP outers
Yukon 35 spline chromos : Custom inners
Yukon Super joints
Ballistics 14 bolt truss : Modified to Driver drop
Ballistics Pinion guard
Yukon slugs

Steering:
7/8th Ballistics Heims
.25 DOM
Artec highsteer
PSC extreme Hydro Assist w/ cooler

Rear axle:
14 bolt
Full ballistics shave
Yukon 5:38
Yukon full spool
TMR Customs stubby truss with pinion tie in and guard
Disc breaks

Suspension:
110" WB
22" Frame height

Artec Back half Kit

Custom 3 link front
7/8 heim upper
1.25 heim lowers
.25 DOM
Ballistics brackets
Currie Antirock

Custom 4 link rear single tri
1.25 heims
.25 DOM
Ballistics brackets

Custom Straight panhard, 7/8 heims

14" Air shocks
Front 2" up/12" down
Rear 4" up/ 10" down

Tires/Rims:
39" Red label Krawlers (Stickies)
8 lug Steel
TMI rock rings

Armor:
Custom roll cage
Dove tail / 8" per side
Poison Spyder XC Negative flares w/ inners
Barns/Ballistics 3/8 diffs
UCF Ultra high belly
EMP Steering box
EMP Rad skid
EMP oil pan skid
Modified Smitybilt XRC stinger bumper

Misc:
Adams 1350 shafts
Hydroboost brake set up
RCI 2162 Cell w/ Genright fuel ring
1" daystar BL
JK front turn signals
Half Top / wind jammer
Best top Canvas half doors
Smittybilt Harness seats
Front and rear Suck down winches

Some of my favorite fashion shots.

August 17'


Big Dogs VA










4/16/16 Waggy44/8.8, 37 reds, 104" wb



Image uploading. Refresh page to view




Image uploading. Refresh page to view




































The back dating will start shortly....................
 
See less See more
27
#2 ·
Before this I had been running 35s on a pretty well build D30 in my 2000 TJ for 2 years now. 4:10s, Aussie, chromo everything, armored, 1 ton steering, etc... But still the trails I run found the weak point. The unit bearings on a D30 will not hold up to what I put it though. After every wheeling trip Ive been replacing one if not both hubs... At $120 a pop, somethings gotta change. So to eliminate the weak D30 unit bearings there are 2 options. 1: Further beef up the D30 with a manual locking hub kit and reid racing knuckles OR 2: upgrade to a beefier axle.
I decided to go with swapping a bigger axle since I will have a larger housing and be able to run deeper gears without blowing a pinion gear which will be the new weak point on a D30. Since I already have a build ford 8.8 rear end, trussed, 4 linked, etc... I will also needed to find an axle with the correct wheel mounting surface measurement or WMS to match the 8.8 with is ~1.5" shorter than the stock D30. SO a Dana 60 is out. Too wide. My options were down to a FS D44 out of an old ford or chevy. But it would still be slightly too wide and would have to be re tubes, or have the inner Cs cut off the long tube and welded back shorter. Too much work for me. My other option was to track down a Jeep grand Wagoneer D44. So After a few months of searching, I finally found one...



This axle has manual locking hubs which when unlocked will allow the axle shafts, gears, and front drive shaft to be independent from the outer axle and not spin taking a lot of stress off the drive train. It has a 6 lug bolt pattern which does not match the 5 x 4.5 of stock TJs. There is no conversion from 6 lug to 5 x 4.5 SO in order to make this work I will have to convert my outer axles to 5 x 5.5 BP used by 1/2 ton pick up trucks from the mid 70s - present day.

The combination of parts I am using are:

76' Chevy knuckles (flat tops- allowing for high steer set up)
90' waggy calipers and caliper brackets
76' Chevy small bearing spindles
87' Ford F150 rotors, hub assemblies
Warn Premium locking hubs
90' Waggy inner and outer axle shafts

To match the 8.8 to the 5 x 5.5 BP up front I will be running .75" adapters at first but will be doing the Superior axle 8.8 C clip eliminator kit which comes with the axle flanges drilled for both 5 x 4.5 and 5 x 5.5

I found the knuckles here on Jeepforum, and the rest that didn t come with the axle I picked up in a kit from Horsepower sales:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5x5-5-CONVE...Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item4852043b1a

As far as other parts:

-TnT waggy 44 truss: All high clearance brackets, cross over steering track bar bracket, adj coil mounts for 2" stretch
-Ballistics Fab high steer kit and arms:
-Panhard with .25 DOM, 3"JJ and 5/8 heim
-Ballistics 3/8 diff cover
-Yukon 4:88 -
-Carrier- 3:92 and up
-Master install kit
-Yukon Grizzly locker
-Alloy USA chromo X joints
-Spicer ball joints
-Timken bearings and seals for all outer axle components

All cleaned up with the TnT Truss system. Has to notch the casting for the truss to fit. I thought about cutting the truss but the coil bucket was in the way and I just stuck with the TnT instructions.



Artec knuckle bolt kit and ballistics high steer arm. In these pics there only one for the Pass side. And the tie rod and drag link mounting points were not to my liking. They have since been stacked with on 6" grade 8 bolt and a second knuckle bolt kit was added to the Driver side to double sheer the tie rod at both ends.



Burning in the truss and high clearance CA mounts.

Ill say this now. I am not a welder! I sell seafood for a living! But I believe in a true DIY mentality and and learning as fast as I can. So deal with it! ahaha





Steering and trackbar mock up



The diffs were set up at a buddies shop. Goonies garage. His gear guy did a great job for a pretty good price.



The finished (at the time) axle. As I said some changes have been made to the steering over time. But now I am very happy with it.



WARNING: The following is graphic in nature and may disturb some ahahah

Had a little OOPs while doing the axle install. While cutting off the stock frame side track bar mount I blew a blade on the grinder and accidentally laid into my knee. A quick hospital trip, minor surgery, and a few weeks to heal up and the axle when in with out further issues.



They had to go in an separate the bones to get all the blade and metal shavings out. Its ok I didnt have much a knee left after a helo insertion back in the Corps.



Axle finally under the Jeep. With a set of cheap 37" MTRs I picked up for rollers before I could order the pitbulls.



And thats pretty much it for the axle build. I have a lot more pics and did a more in depth write up on another forum. So any questions feel free to fire away.
 
#4 ·
That pic always gets a response ahhha. I blame the cheap HF blade I was using. Never again.

Next I want to breifly get into the stretch build. After doing a patch job on my buddys TJ with a safety-cap product, I decided to take a closer look at my frame. As everyone sees now the front of the rear wheel well arch has become a big problem for TJs. My freinds was GONE. The UCA mount ripped off etc... Safety-cap make a great prodct BTW... Anyway this is what I found.



Being from LI my Jeep sees a lot of beach time. It was taken care of very well, hosed down after every beach trip, painted all the time... but the salt won. I could have done the same Safety-cap patch and saved a bundle. But the stretch was gonna happen down the road anyway so screw it.

I did a little write up on the TJ section. But Ill go over it again here for my own sanity. Here s the write up till I can post more.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/artec-tj-back-half-frame-kit-rear-stretch-build-1861746/
 
#5 ·
Pre stretch WB was 95"



To save time since I am allowed minimal time laid up in the garage that I use I pre built the back half. I would have preferred to build it on to the back end as I went but that wasn't and option. Just took my time with all the measuring and crossed my fingers it fit.













It took me a few weeks to build the back half but the rest was done in a night.
 
#7 ·
Thanks. Only a few more things to bring it up to date.

Started the A to Z fab sport cage. Havent finished yet. Still have the wind shield spreader and a V. Then the rear. Bought a few sticks of tube and will be doing a fast back. Tire carrier built inside the tub. Quick fill mount, and small rear stinger.





Still have a bunch of parts waiting to go on.

- New 2" coils. Lowering from 4"
- Front Antirock. need to make axle mounts.
- PSC hydro assist.
- Finish rear cage.
 
#12 ·
Nice job on the axle man! I think Im going to go a very similar route. I was going to build an HP30 with 4.88's but was nervous of the small R&P. Does the 44 have a much bigger gear set? Are you confident in it?
 
#14 ·
Riot1987- Yea Im very happy with the waggy 44. My whole goal is to keep it as small and light as possible. I could have easily went tons but I didnt want full widths or go threw the hassle so narrowing. It being a LP doesnt really bother me. The gears are true D44 gears. And with the full truss I dont anticipate on blowing gears. May eventually gusset just for the hell of it. Having a TT with the LP axle isnt bad either. Manual hubs so its fine on the street.

Im very happy with the axle set up as of now. IF i decide to change it, Ill prob swap some 8 lug D44 outers on the waggy and match it with a 60 rear. But for now Im just gonna Chromo front and rear with the rear C clip elim and call it a day. Yukon shafts w/ super joints front. Yukon shafts and C clip elim rear. I have no worries about it on 37s.
 
#15 ·
You happy with those 4.88's? Im running 35's and have a bit more motor than you but I pull a lot of hills up the freeway. I was thinking of going to 4.88's or 5.13's. You think the 5.13's would be too deep?
 
#17 ·
Hey man, do the waggy knuckles and chevy knuckles both take the same ball joint? AND, will that 6-5 lug conversion kit work with those waggy knuckles? I would like to run high steer eventually so those chevy knuckles will be in the future but if I can get by with the waggy knuckles for know, Id like to use reuse em ya know?
 
#20 ·
All that just to go to the mall? Man long islands rough isn't it? :p

Nah nice work, see you at Rausch soon hopefully
 
#22 ·
Yea the waggy knuckles work fine with the BP conversion. I just went with the Chevy knuckles for the high steer option. Only one was tapped for studs so I sent the other to parts mike.

egofrey: Dont even start ahahha Thinkin my next trail ride wont be till the spring. I got so many parts piled up its getting ridiculous. With the new business I dont know when im gonna find time to wrench. Gonna set up the first official NOVA trail ride to Mabell in the spring. Hopefully you get that cage done by then. You dont wanna miss it.
 
#24 ·
hulud44 said:
Yea the waggy knuckles work fine with the BP conversion. I just went with the Chevy knuckles for the high steer option. Only one was tapped for studs so I sent the other to parts mike. egofrey: Dont even start ahahha Thinkin my next trail ride wont be till the spring. I got so many parts piled up its getting ridiculous. With the new business I dont know when im gonna find time to wrench. Gonna set up the first official NOVA trail ride to Mabell in the spring. Hopefully you get that cage done by then. You dont wanna miss it.
I'm hoping to Sign my reenlistment Wednesday morning, then I wait for my bonus, soon as that hits my bank my first day off it'll be on the trailer to go get the cage done

But there's no way I'll do Mabel without the cage done
 
#26 ·
hulud44 said:
this is where I got my parts. http://www.horsepowersales-llc.com/servlet/Detail?no=24 Yea lots of opportunities to end up on your roof that trial. If not if, its when ahahah Im prob due myself. I have not wheeled it without someone or multiple people breaking something
I don't think I'll break, I love skinny pedal but it's built like a rock bouncer ahahaha
 
#28 ·
Nice, I love the comfort of my seats and they hold me in so well, only thing I don't like is they only have a single shoulder slot so I am forced to Run a y style harness. I need to install matching rear bench before the cage


You'll love having a suspension seat, wheel With them once you'll never wheel in a stock
Seat again
 
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