[jboy416]

i have posted this on my local jeep clubs forum but we are only 300 strong... i could always use some more tips towards my build as it is never ending...

the time line might be off and some of my comments might seem wierd as this is copied from my local thread but...this all took place from nov 15 till now.

and i need your feedback as to what works and what doesn't

so here is what i started with...



2000 TJ Sahara.
33x12.5x15 Pro Comp MT's mounted on 15x10 pro comp street lock wheels
4" pro comp suspension lift
3.73 D30/35

the guy had never wheeled it, there wasn't a scratch on it and only had 73,000km. (i just clicked over 100,000 yesturday)
needless to say i was happier than a pig in ****! but much like most of my vehicles i can not leave well enough alone...and my wallet can attest to that.

so i joined a few random 4x4 forums and started reading and trying to get out there with guys/gals to further my driving skills.


 
then i added some PIAA fog lights and got myself a used HI LIFT and full size spare. and made a leather shift boot to make shifting easier. (i have a TC drop)




i want to move my hilift location but i said i would do it when i knock it off of my rear bumber...but the friggn thing will not fall off...guess it was a good mounting job??

when i first bought the jeep i had this long list of things i wanted to add. but as i wheeled the things on the list changed. and so did the priorities of some of the upgrades.

[jboy416]

pulled a few people out...




have DEFINATELY had to be pulled out!




but thats half the fun

then i added some front shackles and some 6" xenon flat fender flares

[jboy416]

got tired of the stock radio so i put my deck in from my old car and my old speaker...some how they were the right size.

but my old sub wouldn't fit so i bought and pioneer shallow mount sub and a 4 channel amp to run my rear caponent speakers and the sub. i ended up putting it into the rear seat kinda like SirGCal did on jeepform.com




over thanks giving i got around to bedlining my tub/adding a cb/and adding a second battery to my jeep.

i didn't get any pics of the prep i did but i completely striped out the interior/dash/and roll bar. taped it all off and sprayed the bedliner on. i was gonna roll it on in certain areas but the gun worked so well i just used a small peice of cardboard as a sheild and sparyed away.







i don't know about you guys but as i add parts so does all the random sizes of bolts. my jeep now has SAE/metric/torx... its kinda a nightmare so as i fix or mod things i try to keep all the bolts the same. so when i put my roll bar back on i replaced the torx with some metric 10.9 bolts (same as grade 8 SAE bolts or so said the fasteners guy)

[jboy416]

since the dash was already apart from doing my bedliner this was a great time to add my cb radio. i went with the cobra 75 sw for two reasons.

1. i got it super cheap on ebay and 2. its all inside the mic. so all i had to do was mount a small box and the cb and all its controls are on the mic. making it super easy to use.

here it is with all its parts.


i mounted the box


made a small hole for the mic to plug into.


mounted my antenna


mounted an external speaker


and here is the final product

[jboy416]

i also go tree planting every summer so last season i bought satalite radio for my work truck (kinda hard to get radio when your in the middle of BFN in an isolation camp) so i decided to mount it in the tj. i hide the antenna under the rollbar padding in the passenger side. it has no problems going thought the jeeps hardtop!
 
i ended up getting a second optima for ****s and giggles as it was a good deal. i already have have a yellow top in my jeep. i like the way mean green did there dual install but i really didn't want to pay $200. i wanted to pay free. so i made one.
here is mean greens


so basically if they can do it so can i. i test fit everything



so it all looked like it was all gonna fit. but it was super tight!

so i ended up trimming the legs off of that plug thingy behind the batteries (ECU) maybe?


and had to move the fuse box forward a little bit


i made the battery box out of an old bedframe's angled steel.

[jboy416]

painted it installed it and wired it up...haven;t installed a battery isolator but have concidered it and am checking out my options.



 

[jboy416]

ok ok...went to van on sat with johno and we got me an 8.8!! started to strip it down and cut off all the old brakets. here is a few pics of us getting it started and cleaning it up... :

the 8.8 3.73 LS but i will be regearing to 4.56


grinding er down...


YOUR NOT DONE YET!!!! KEEP GOING...NO SLACKING


johno got tired so its my turn


grrrind...

[jboy416]

so todays agenda... rockers, gas skid tank, steering skid all from rokmen. winch plate and winch, body lift, motor mount lift from JKS

so here are the rockers and jessie. while the gas skid and steering box are great these rockers are awsome...the welds at tig welded and are superb. all holes are counter sunk and the mounting system is stellar



full colour instructions



all the hardware is included and has 3/16 thick backing plates that mount inside the cab




ok time to strip her down...took the doors off for easy access inside and had to take the flares off




man those tires stick out far





test fit the rockers



and drill the first hole

[jboy416]

now i have drilled holes in the jeep before but never threw the body :-[ better get this right!!

alright with all the mock up done i wanted some way to protect the body from little rocks getting caught behind the rocker.



so i tape of an edge slightly above the rocker to spray under coating



i don't know what hurt more...driling that hole or sanding a perfectly good paint job??





but the end result turned out great



ok...i also finished up my winch plate



not much to say here... its a winch plate. i used the brake and sheer at camosun college to do this!!

ok paint...the product of choice is POR 15. i have never used this stuff but i have heard good things...



this stuff is supposed to chip and crack resistant and can be painted right over rusty surfaces...but for new metal it has to be acid washed.

so i make my self a little rack system in the garage.



and use the acid wash in a spray bottle to etch the metal



add some other items to be painted

[jboy416]

make myself a littlepaint booth



and paint away



i did a total of 2-3 coats. and the finish was alot more gloss than i wanted. but thats ok. but this stuff is great! i droped one of the skids and it didn't chip...and it had only been painted 5 hours prior. i them hit it with a wrench for ****s and giggles and still no effect

[dz1087]

Good job man. Fabbing your own stuff is always fun ain't it?

[jboy416]

ya..it is...i just need to learn to weld better and i wil be a happy camper

[MB98XJ]

Wow. Awesome. Any more pics or is that the latest update?

[Brads_nky_yj]

wow.. that makes me like the Romken stuff alot more. Nice Jeep man!!

[Divebum]

It looks great, How much did those rocker guards run ya?