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Nate's 2002 TJ, simple but effective....

487K views 5K replies 141 participants last post by  ethancromer95 
#1 ·
Nate's 2002 TJ, Not so simple anymore.

As things change I think I'll try and keep a current photo right at the top....
Updated 1/17/14

The Hammers….. Chocolate Thunder



I never really post on here but I do appreciate all that I read! Here's a few pics of my TJ. I really don't know how it's even come this far. I'm a broke family man with way to many hobbies, but this Jeep thing has been the BEST one i've ever gotten into for me and my family! The Jeep is more like a family member than a vehicle. Here's a basic mod list. Any questions or more info. needed please ask!

Powertrain:
-2.5L
-AX-5
-NP231 with TeraLow 4:1 and Rugged Ridge SYE
-Tatton CV driveshafts

Front Axle:
-LP D30
-Sierra 4.88 gears
-Aussie Locker
-Yukon Chromoly Axles
-Spicer ball joints
-Alloy USA axle seals
-Clayton 3 link bridge
-Artec LCA brackets
-Blue Torch Fab diff cover
-Big Daddy Off Road Tie Rod.

Rear Axle:
-D35 (the most famous D35 ever)
-Sierra 4.88 gears
-Superior 30 spline Axles
-Detroit Locker
-Poly performance shock mounts
-Blue Torch Fab diff cover

Chassis:
-Custom 6" rear frame stretch for 100" wheelbase
-Genright "Alien" stretch fuel tank
-1" body lift

Suspension:
-Front 3 link
-Teraflex 9550 shocks
-R/C 2.5" springs
-Teraflex coil spacers
-Metalcloak Duroflex joints
-Custom .250 DOM links (29" length)
-UCF lower frame link mounts
-Barnes 4wd inner frame mount
-Clayton 3 link bridge
-Stock track bar
-Currie AntiRock sway bar
-Custom front suck down winch

-Rear 5 link
-R/C upper and lower links
-UCF chassis link mounts
-Metalcloak Duroflex joints
-Stock track bar / with relocation bracket
-Moog rear springs
-Skyjacker Hydro shocks
-Poly Performance shock towers
-Relocated stock coil buckets
-Factory rear sway bar with extended links

Wheels / Tires:
-Raceline Monster Beadlocks 231
-35x12.5r15 BF Goodrich KM2's

Exterior / Armor:
-Barnes4WD front bumper
-Custom steering box skid
-Custom Oil pan skid
-Barnes4WD flat T-case skid plate with custom bracing
-Poison Spyder Hood Louver
-MetalCloak arched front fenders with rub rail
-Trail Gear rock sliders
-Savvy Aluminum half doors
-MetalCloak rear corner armor customized for 6" stretch with rub rail
-Swag Offroad drop down tailgate kit
-Custom rear bumper crossmember
-OR-fab front sport cage
-Custom cage additions, windshield bar, front spreader bars
-Poison Spyder rear trail cage
-Hella H4 headlight upgrade
-DDM Tuning 5000k HID kit
-4" LED rear tail lights with aftermarket flasher

Interior:
-Iggee seat covers
-Radio Shack CB
-Custom in cab winch switch
-Hand throttle
-Raptor Lined tub
-Artec Quart Crate
-Swag off road Baja Bin
-Poly Performance 10lb CO2 kit
-Crawl Magazine fire extinguisher mount
-Smittybilt mesh top
-Sony Bluetooth stereo

Recovery:
-Smittybilt XRC8 winch with steel cable
-Warn steel fairlead
-Tractor supply D-rings
-various recovery straps and snatch block

And....... well probably a bunch more little stuff but that's most it.

I've done all the work besides the re-gear.... so if you have any questions I may be able to help.









Just a little Vid of the type of wheeling we have in Central California

 
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#2,454 ·
Little White Lightning is getting some major detail love while we wait for the tank. Kinda funny.... I must be bored! Maybe I need to bring back some of my old hobbies before wheeling took over??? Anyways I busted out the wax and did some detailing on the body today. Probably the most I've ever done in 6 years to actually clean the paint. I always keep it clean.... but not like my other cars. The paint is now actually nice and soft and smooth.

I'm also repainting my flares, the fronts had some scratches, and the rear's came out weird looking when I painted them a few weeks ago so I sanded them back down. All in all... just relaxing in the garage on this rare Thursday off.

Looks cool flareless, but I like it better with them.



Paint's in good shape for 11 years and wheeled....



A jeep guy's garage...

 
#2,464 ·
Thanks man! Your rig is super clean to. You even make the stock fenders look good to me!

What's with the detailing, you were supposed to do mine first and touch up all the paint :rofl:
Then you went and painted it brown... I don't stock that color. :rofl:

I think I need to pull everything and do a more thorough job of painting my parts. I use to, and I've slacked lately, especially when trying to put it together before Moab. Essentially I just put enough paint on it to not completely rust out before I get time to re-do it all :laugh:
That's funny, I thought it looked quite detailed. That goes to show that we are all our worst critics. I know every flaw on my jeep, whether it be just cosmetic or not the best fab.... but everyone thinks is pretty legit. To ME... lot's of projects even when it's up and going.

Cant help you , unless you want a True Value .

And it still amazes me how clean your rig is ...
True Value... Ace... same **** aint it? :rofl:

Honestly I was surprised how clean everyone's rig was in Moab. Definitely a gathering of like minded folks.
 
#2,473 ·
My buddy who own's an exhaust and off road shop bought a Torchmate 4x4 Plasma table a few months ago, and just simply due to his workload has had little time to play with it. Well.... I decided to help him out and train myself how to use it. I took about 4 hours worth of online training over the last couple days and finally went and played around with it today. Using the CAD software is right up my alley.... I really enjoy working with excel and the like, so this CAD stuff comes pretty natural. It is tedious to do certain things, and I'm sure as you get better you find quicker ways to accomplish the same things. At any rate... I'm excited to be learning on it and glad he's willing to let me. If we get something into production that hit's... it might even turn into some income. We'll see.

He was also having a binding problem at the extremities of torch travel that I was able to fix. The gantry comes pre-assembled from Torchmate and they did not tighten down the inside roller bearings..... needless to say I now know quite a bit about the assembly and disassembly of the machine. :thumbsup:



I made a pretty cool sign today with this shop's name in it... I forgot to take a photo but I plan to post up some things that I cut just for fun. If anyone needs something cut out... I'm looking for some simple projects to help me learn. Just pay for the material and shipping.
 
#2,478 ·
I don't know much about excel, but I do spend about 40 hours a week in cad for the last 8+ years.it also depend on which cad you mean.... I assumed you meant the one I know and use. It seems that excel is based in math/formulas/grid without vectors where as cad (most programs) are based in coridinate geometry and points or vectors. Either way, let me know if you have any cad or cam questions and I will help it I can.
 
#2,481 ·
Yeah you're right... those are the differences. But the "feel" of the programming is very similar. If you've never touched CAD or EXCEL, trying to figure things out and make the program do what you want is a similar process. I think torchmate CAD, which is 2D, is actually a pretty basic CAD program, sure there are a lot of features I probably will never know how to use but for basic drawing it seems pretty intuitive. Now trying to make something an exact size, or making a bolt hole pattern is going to be where I really start learning. Working in abstract with no set parameters is something entirely different.

Pretty cool there Nate. I might have a request for you for our shop placard.
Sounds good Kyle!
 
#2,488 ·
I worked a little more on the table today. First order of business was to run some line cut testing to configure the plasma for the best possible cut with as little dross as possible. Worked out pretty good and we were able to get the cuts looking good needing minimal clean up. Here's a few things I cut out today. Another goal for today was to import a graphic and convert to CAD. This is pretty but after you get the graphic formatted there is a lot of touch up and modification before it can actually be cut. I learned a lot today.

 
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