Jeep Enthusiast Forums banner

WJ West Coast Style

51K views 147 replies 35 participants last post by  Grewe02 
#1 ·

That is Our 2004 WJ the day we rolled it. Quick history, it was my brothers DD and gift for making Eagle Scout. He rolled it on some local trails due to having the front swaybar dissconnected. The vehicle was totaled by insurance and repurchased by my brother. We started building in October of 08. After getting the jeep running again. He had cage as well as the necessary safety equipment installed.

When he rolled it the lift was a Teraflex 4in long arm kit with with bilstein 5100 shocks. We ran that lift and shock combo for a season and in Oct of 09 installed fox 2.0 Twin tube bypasses in the rear. In Oct 2010 we added more tube work in the rear and 4in Fox bump stops

along with a hid light bar

We ran it like that for a long time untill I destroyed the front end in June 2012, (the story is below). I attached photos of after we gutted the jeep, Some early cage work and when we replaced the front clip and window

Now the Jeep has a TTB from a bronco in the front riding on 2.5x14 bilstein 9100 bumped and strapped with 15 inches of travel.
Front End Swap
Custom Swing Steering
The rear frame has cut just in front of the stock coil buckets to make room for 14in coilover shocks and the bypasses from before. Along with the new shocks I added an 8.8 from a bronco with 4.56 gears, a truss and custom upper 3 link mounts. It is strapped at 12in of travel for now.
Rear Build
The interior has full cage with two race seats and 5 point harness. I added a 5 speaker stereo and CB. Race Radio, Custom Dash with GPS and Intercom are still to build.
 

Attachments

See less See more
7
#9 ·
Picked a direction for axle swap. After much seaching for a front axle with no luck, decided to swap in a front end from a bronco. Picked up this bronco for cheap and began taking it apart.

Before disassembly

Whats left


It cost me 1000 dollars for the bronco and I was able to get two axles, fuel tank, wheels and radio antenna. Also been able to sell a lot of items. I currently are only down 200 from making all my money back on the bronco.

I built a jig to be able to use the ford geometry and mount locations under the jeep


My hope is now I have the spread and locations that ford designed to make the swap easier to do.

Another shot of the jig


Took apart the beams this week and had to get them at least sitting under the front of the Jeep. To see how it looks.


Next Ill start making a cross member to mount the beams and everything else.:hahaha:
 
#18 ·
I plan on running it mostly in Ocotillo Wells and surrounding areas. I also will make trips to other So Cal locations.

Looking like ill be posting new updates sunday nights giving details on weeks activities. So If your interested in following either subscribe or check sunday nights.

This week I shaved the front frame area to prep for plating the frame rails
This is how they looked before, notice the lip where they joined the sheet metal.


I cut it off, rewelded the frame and then smoothed it out.


After months of staring at the jeep not making progress I had to do something I could finish in a weekend, so we made a rear bumper/ relocated how my spares mounted. Before they just stood up in the tub where the stock spare was located. This new position allows me to raise the fuel tank between the frame rails so gain better departure angle in rear.





Hopefully in the next week, Ill get the crossmember and beam mounts tacked in place so start getting the front end plated and caged.
 
#19 ·
Subscribed!!!

:cheers:
 
#21 ·
Got a random wednesday off. Took the time alone in the shop to get stuff done.

Made templates for the frame plates, then started to tackle the beam mounts.
After 6 hrs ive done it. I have TTB mocked up in a jeep and surprisingly there is a lot more room than I thought. My beams right now are completely stock, no cutting or extending, and it looks like im going to get decent travel and improved ground clearance over solid axle. Its a rough design for right now, but I didnt want to start building with 3/16 plate. The jig I made from the bronco worked perfectly the beams are centered under the jeep and everything works so far. I need to trim off what I dont need from these mounts and add in some pleaces. Then Ill make new mounts from thick plate, throw the axles and gears and get the radius arms going in the next week or so. If anyone knows where I can get a set of 14in coilovers for mock up that would be great.




 
#25 ·
I like it, cant wait to see it done, I will be in Ocotillo a lot, should be able to see it in person at some point..I like the direction you are going in, a lot of work, but in the end will pay off!
 
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