YJ Build Thread

[Ba-Riedo]

I picked up this YJ a few months back from another member on PNWJeep with the intention of building it up in stages over the next few years.

Here is what we started with:

92 Jeep Wrangler
4.0
AW4 auto out of XJ with over drive
NP231 with SYE/cv rear driveline and Tera 2LO kit, novak shifter
HP Dana 44 front axle narrowed to jeep width, 4.88 gears, detroit locker, superior axle shafts, ctm ujoints, diff cover guard, recent ball joints, seals, and grease
8.8 rear axle with super 8.8 kit installed, 4.88 gears and detroit locker, diff cover guard
Rubicon Express 4.5" Extreme Duty lift kit with shocks, stainless braided brake lines, ubolts flipped front and rear (rear with dynatrac kit)
35" Goodyear MTR's on Procomp wheels with matching spare
Hi-Steer with all 1-ton tie rod ends and beefy tie rod and drag link
Genright rocker guards and rear corner guards with welded on 3" rear flare
Rear bumper with swing out tire carrier
Smitty built 8k winch on front
HID aux lights up front
cb radio
Aftermarket radio with speakers and subs
Softtop with tinted rear windows, bikini top, wind jammer, duster cover, safari top
Full roll cage (factory with aftermarket tube added on)
Probably more that I am forgetting
200k miles on Jeep. Engine/transmission/t-case were all removed 1,500 miles ago and all leaks were fixed so nothing leaks. Lift/axles/most aftermarket stuff has no more than 3,500 miles on it.

Jonni (Jonasson Motorsports) John (Bell Off Road) and I put together a plan for what we wanted to do, build a trail capable YJ, but keep it as light as possible. We decided on coil overs F/R, tons of new armor, custom roll cage, and a good amount of front and rear stretch.

Since the eventual plan is to repaint the rig we started by stripping it and cleaning the tub, and removing all of the old wiring, alarm system, and sound mods that had been done:

When we looked at the rear wheel wells we realized that when the corners were mounted the area was trimmed just a bit too much. Jonni built a bracket using some sheet metal and plug welded it back to the tub:

Jonni shot the tub black with an epoxy primer for now:

Our armor from Barnes 4wd came in, we will be using aluminum corners, F/R bumpers and steel rockers to help save weight where we can:

Jonni and I started bending tubes and messing with the angles on the cage:

You can see the rear seat in this picture, since I had a spare PRP shorty bucket we will be using that along with a pair of PRP front Daily Drivers:

 

[KarlVP]

Bout time you built that thing. :awesomework:

 

[zukkev]

Gonna be a kick ass yj for sure..:awesomework:.

 

[Ba-Riedo]

Bout time you built that thing. :awesomework:

I've only had it since october! :haha:

 

[Ba-Riedo]

Jonni (Jonasson Motorsports) has been doing most of the fab work on this project, he and I have been working on building a flat belly using a Barnes 4wd skid plate. We added M.O.R.E. 1" motor mounts and then Jonni custom built this transmission mount:

 

[rchrd989]

gotta love YJ builds! :awesomework:

plans on extending the wheelbase?

Going to a stiffer trans mount, Ive always put the bushings at the same distance apart as the motor mounts, and the same type of bushing material. You want everything to twist together as one, or you'll break trans mounts

 

[jeepmauler]

You want everything to twist together as one, or you'll break the back of your tranny off

fify

 

[crash2]

If anything you want a softer mount at the trans since most of your torsional twist comes from the motor...

 

[Ba-Riedo]

We were looking at the mount from yesterday and decided to make something new today that would work a little different. Jonni ended up building a new transmission mount today:

This one uses a larger bushing and will be able to adjust to the angle the transmission is at. The motor mounts I am using are 1" lift M.O.R.E. units, they are the stiffer units that M.O.R.E. makes so I should be good to go.

 

[crash2]

If I remember correctly the more mounts are poly so that will work...

 

[Ba-Riedo]

If I remember correctly the more mounts are poly so that will work...

Yup.:awesomework:

 

[KarlVP]

That tranny mount is very close to what I have. (the second one you posted.)

Been running it since 2010 and I still haven't broken the back of the trans yet. :awesomework:

 

[Ba-Riedo]

Jonni has been chipping away at the cage and a few other projects. He bent a few different rear bars so we could choose the one we liked the best:

Put the a PRP seat in there:

Then I practiced welding on part of the skid plate:

 

[Ba-Riedo]

More progress, just have the seat sliders and roof spreaders to finish up:

 

[KarlVP]

May I recommend more triangles in the cage sir?

You will be pleased if you try to compete later in the future. More Triangles from port to starboard will strengthen up that cage in a lateral roll.

Edit: Something like this will stiffen up lateral support and not take up much room.

 

[Ba-Riedo]

We are talking about it that.

Jonni pulled the cage for welding, FOA air bumps coilovers will be here tuesday.:awesomework:

 

[Ba-Riedo]

The FOA coilovers came in early this morning:

We puled apart the suspension and started to clean up the axles. The rear is looking like it will be around 6 inches of stretch once we are all said and done:

Unwrapped all my Johnny Joints to assemble the Clayton Off Road links:

Jonni built these grab handles that are slightly angled, and also added a top gusset tube:

 

[Ba-Riedo]

Jonni notched the frame today:

 

[Ba-Riedo]

Started mocking up the front end and placed the coilovers:

Mini gusset to keep the knuckle intact:

Clayton Off Road arms installed w/ Johnny Joints on both ends:

We used Barnes 4wd brackets on the axle and frame end:

 

[2pwrlftrs4u]

like the gusset on the knuckle w/CO mount... def get pics when its burned in :awesomework: