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My YJ build

18K views 22 replies 8 participants last post by  banks316 
#1 ·
Just posting this up for a few reasons. 1 She looks sweet 2 to give others ideas for when they start there build. So the nuts and bolts.

History - Bought this jeep for 1700$ with only 106k miles even had a nice hard top and full doors. It was a in a wreck hit a rock at 50 mph. Frame was bent and needed new front fenders. Picked up a frame from a 95 2.5L YJ for 100$ and swaped everything over

Lift - +2 SOA used a set of stock rear springs for the front with a +2 shackle. I used the stock front springs but turned them into an S shape thrid trip out. Rear used +2 positive arch spring and stock size shackle.
Top that all off with rancho 9000xl shocks. I wouldnt recomend them the shock body is way to fat and after 4 trips they are dented bad from the leaf spring plates. I will be replacing them soon along with the front leaf springs. Going for a procomp MX6 and Rubicon express 1.5inch front leaf spring.

Tires - I picked up a set of 36 13.50 15R Swamper Iroks with a Procomp black steel 15X10 rim with an off set of 3.75

Steering - Tera flex front passanger knuckle. Built my own tie rod bar used an old 72 dodge power wagon tie rod bar cut it and sleeved it. Used the stock YJ drag link just cut it and sleeved it lenght

Drivetrain - Stock 4.0l with AX-15 trans, used JB conversions SS SYE with a CV style axle. Kept the Dana 30 up front and added 30 spline molly axles with Eton eletric lockers with 4.56 gears. Rear used a dana 44 out of a 87 XJ and top that off with molly axles, Eton locker, 4.56 gears and disc brakes off of a ford 8.8.

Interior/Exterior - Interior I used the Smittybuilt seats and hurculined the whole inside. Makes easy to wash up. Exterior i built custom front and rear bumpers out of 5"x2"x1/4" HSS and in the front used a harbor freight winch plate to mount a warn 9.5ti winch.

Pic of the Steering set up.


Front Bumper with out winch


Rear Bumper



Total cost of this build was 6800$ish.

Being able to do this



As your friend sits in his lifted XJ and saying no i cant do that. PRICELESS
 
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#5 ·
So I posted my build sheet a year ago, so heres an update since then.

Had alot of issues bending stock OEM springs so I upgraded to Rubicon Express 1.5" SOA 6 pack leafs front and rear $640 for the whole set up. WOW a huge improvement.

After a number of contacts with trees and getting pulled over for not enough tire coverage with the flares I bough the full Metalcloak set up. I cost alot around 2k unpowder coated but worth it. With that and new springs I threw a set of 37 12.50 17R Goodyear MT/R's

Sleeving a dodge tie rod didnt work out very well bent two of them. Bought a 44in piece of 1.5" .250 chromolly DOM and build a tie rod out of it using the Tera Flex joints.

NP231 cause alot of issues with my clutch leg so I drop that out and put a Stak 4x4 3 speed case 5.22:1 and a 2.97:1. Will never go with Stak again. Lot of issues with popping out of gear while on road or trail.

After all these upgrades left my jeep very heavy and under powered. So 4.7L stroker was dropped in. Much better and fuel milage is around 14mpg.

Ditched the hard top as it was a pain for me to remove by myself, and traded my full doors for half one. Bought a Rampage framless soft top I really like it. The way all the back windows tuck up inside the back section of the top.

Still got a few issues to work out. Front shocks need replacing, there getting smashed when i flex all the way. Stock header is cracked beyond repaired getting a new header ordered soon.
Well heres a few pics of what she looks like now.

Lookin sexy in Moab


Testing out the flex on a trail called Canopener. Not fully flexed out but still a nice pic.


With my new top on....Yea i know white doors but ill be Monsterlining her soon. Hivis Orange with black flares and rocker armor.

 
#8 ·
She keeps evolving, Genright front fenders with 4" flares, Comp cut rear with 4" flare, and custom boat side rockers. New bumpers are built and she is in the shop getting Monsterlined. Rear stretch coming soon along with the front. And yes another new set of tires Swamper M16's they were ment for my ZJ but havnt got to that point so i put them on my YJ.






And as the Jeep keeps evolving so does my welding skillz
 
#9 ·
Nice Jeep! Man I wish my welds where as clean.
 
#14 ·
Reverse high steer very nice. I love the interco wheels. I run my M16's at 6-7 PSI with no issues. But at the same time I use to run my old Iroks at 5-6 psi with pro comp black steel wheels
 
#16 ·
I bought these wheels/tires for my ZJ but Im in no mood to finish the ZJ so i can run them. Ill stick with 35's on it, plus these tires are AWESOME. Best set of tires Ive ran for how I wheel.
 
#21 ·
Nice progression Banks ! Jeep looks great ! How much of a difference on the road was it once you changed up your steering to heims joints? This is my next step and haven't decided to go either knuckle or just R.R ott . I guess knuckle would be better . Sold the cloaks I assume ?
 
#22 ·
Really no difference on the road with the steering, biggest difference was how much my drag link joins flex compaired to the stock joints. Also the other reason is cost. One joint cost $20-$30 compaired to tge teraflex joints ($50) that I was running. Yes I did sell the set got $1400 out of it. Btw I bought the kit from Roughstuff for $250, that includes everything but the bolts.
 
#23 ·
So last week I drove my YJ to Moab for some fun. Seems I left the wet soggy NW only to end up in Moab during the monsoon season that dumpped 4+in of rain. But good wheeling over all and I learned what needs to be done to my jeep for a future trip. Planning a 3-4in stretch and trying to get the rear to droop more. Also traction bar and regearing to 4.88, 4.56 do good on the freeway here where I live but just didnt cut it going through the mountains to Utah.

Fins and Things


My YJ and my buddies JK




Moab Rim


Why I need alittle stretch


 
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