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Finally. My YJ build

67K views 278 replies 62 participants last post by  sps1102 
#1 ·
Well I started on my 88 YJ build last Thursday. Here is what I am starting with
88 YJ 4.2 5spd 3.07 gears non AC
Right now it's running 31's
I have had it little over 2 years and paid $1850 for it.
Frame and body are in good shape so that will be my platform

I have a 95 Sahara that I bought originally to fix up for my in-laws but it was too rusted out so now it will be a parts vehicle for my build

Last Thursday I ordered my RE extreme duty 4.5 lift, ARB locker for the front. Chromemoly front axle shafts and 4:56 gears for the front D30
I have a 8.8 disc brake rear with ARB and 4.56 already at the shop.
I pulled the 4.0 out of the 95 Saturday and got the motor torn down along with the crank and Rods out of another 4.2 I have and they will go to the machine shop tomorrow.

I will have pictures posted tomorrow.

This week I hope to have the body pulled off of my 88, sandblast the underside and inside of the tub and rynolined by next week. After that is done it will be off to the body shop for some minor repair and paint. The color of choice is a color I painted my 67 GTO. It is called medium quasar blue metallic. While the body is it the body shop I should get my motor back and start getting the chassis put together.
Hopefully if everything works as planned I'll have my jeep back together by the end of the month.

I plan on taking lots of picture and hope you guys and gal's enjoy.
 
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#2 ·
This is the patient my 88 YJ

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Here is the donor vehicle. 95 YJ Sahara with a severely rusted out frame and the sheet metal is not all that great either. But it does have a very good AX15, that is actually in my 88 right now, and a good running 4.0

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Motor out of the 95 and waiting on tear down.

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I screwed up pulling the first piston out. I thought I could just pull it out the bottom without pulling the head and pulling it out the top. Well I should have known better. I had to break the rings off the piston then push it out the top.

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As it always is, as soon as I start a project at the shop we get slammed business wise. I may not even be able to get the engine to the machine shop and it may be a couple of days before I even get a chance to break down the 95. :banghead:
But I guess I can't complain since the business is what allows me to do all of this.
 
#5 ·
Also watching.. just wanna see the next steps :D I've got a build thread of my own that stalled out because I'm too busy working on other projects (and gathering parts) and haven't had a lot of time to deal with it. That said, keep posting!
 
#6 ·
Baldwin I want to see the next steps too lol.. We got freaking slammed at work but I plan on doing some stuff tonight if I get a chance. Still have not had a chance to get the motor to machine shop and that is starting to piss me off. I think I'll be able to later this afternoon. Really want to start on the 95 getting it torn apart. Its going to be a bear due to all the rust on it though. I'll post more pictures later.
Thanks you two for at least responding :) I was beginning to think I had bad internet breath. :)
 
#9 ·
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Pictures of the 4.2 crank and rods. I also put all the bolts, nuts and small brackets in plastic zip lock baggies and labelled them so I can remember what goes where. Also keeps everything from walking away :)

If yall noticed the bright green jeep in the background. That is an 87 I bought that my family has named "Shrek" Shrek will be my next build after this one and he will be getting the 5.3/4L60 powerplant along with some upgraded axles. Going SOA on him as well.
 
#10 ·
rykemc said:
Pictures of the 4.2 crank and rods. I also put all the bolts, nuts and small brackets in plastic zip lock baggies and labelled them so I can remember what goes where. Also keeps everything from walking away :)

If yall noticed the bright green jeep in the background. That is an 87 I bought that my family has named "Shrek" Shrek will be my next build after this one and he will be getting the 5.3/4L60 powerplant along with some upgraded axles. Going SOA on him as well.
Smart choice on the baggies!! I've been wanting to do soa but I've got so many other things i need to do and not enough money!! Never enough
 
#17 ·
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Look what UPS brought me :dance:
I feel like a 12 year old boy on Christmas day :punk:
I guess there is no turning back now.

Kind of what I am thinking but see what you guys think.
Get 8.8 ready to go. Grind off the old perches, shock hangers ext.
Go ahead and install the springs and 8.8 so that I can get my travel figured out so I can order my shocks.
Install SYE so I can measure rear driveshaft length.

Once all of that is done then I can tear down my 88, and the 95 and start swapping over fuel tank, fuel lines, wire harness ext.

Should get the motor back probably end of next week or first of the week after. Get motor, trans and T-case set back in and finish up the chassis.

Once chassis is done, start prepping the tub for rynolining.

Get everything back together, send jeep to body shop for paint. Finish wireing up motor and interior and install new seats, rollbar and may even go with a new stereo system since I got this nice little surprise in a tahoe I bought yesterday :)

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#18 ·
Got the springs installed last night so that I can see what type of shock travel I will need.
First picture is with new springs up front, the 2.5 procomp out back that was originally on it.
I'll tell you this much, the "out of the box" impression I have of these RE springs is nothing short of awesome. They are 100 times the procomp springs and are very stout. I think I am going to be real happy going with this setup.

Second picture I have is with a 33x12.5.15 on a 15x10 rim. This is not the rim or tire that I am going to run just one I had here at the shop so that I could see what it will look like. My 31's is on back.

And third picture is playing around with some flex shots. :dance:

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#23 ·
So I got the SYE installed. For those thinking about doing one and want to know if you can do it yourself. Go for it. It is not a big deal at all.

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Also got my spring perches, shock brackets, u-bolts and plates in from Ruffstuff. I must say the product is great, service was great and the parts shipped same day and was here at my shop in two days. I would recommend them!!!!

 
#26 ·
One note about the rear driveshaft, since I am running the 8.8 and a SYE from advanced adapters I could not find a driveshaft on quadratec's website that would fit. All the ones they had listed were too long. I called them up, spoke to customer service, gave them all the details on my build. They put me on hold and called Tom Woods and talked to them. TW knew exactly what I needed. It is shipping out of Nevada today and I should have it Tuesday or Wednesday :)
 
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