NatetheOgre

Thanks guys, it has been a while since I have updated my build.

I moved and have not really had much time to do anything lately.

I did buy some 33x12.5 tires and sold the 32's . Also got the iron rock front recovery point system installed, as well as trimming up my front bumper. Rear end is properly shimmed up now too.

Jeep is in the shop having the all the bearings in the rear end replaced as well.

Ordering up long arms soon as well.

A few things I need to address still are:
Steering
The dirty stained carpet inside, might rip it out and rhino line the inside.
Shackle relocation install





These showed up in the mail too, so now I can get those installed as well as put on my hitch and skid plate on the fuel tank.

Will probably be a while before more works gets done as I am having my wisdom teeth removed on friday.

NatetheOgre

Got my wisdom teeth ripped out today, so I will be putting off work untill next weekend.

Got a blue torch diff cover to match the front for my rear 8.25, and the jeep should be out of the shop any day now with fresh carrier, pinion, and axle bearings and all the seals too.

Then to an alignment and I am going to order up IRO's otk steering with the long arms too, just need to wait until next payday because of the wisdon teeth surgery.

Next weekend will include:
Rear quarter panel cut and fold
Re-weld the rear quarter panels I cut
Cut out the old shackle boxes and put in the new shackle relocation brackets.
Also the new hitch and fuel tank skid will be mounted up at the same time.
As well as the new nut strips to go along with everything

NatetheOgre

I also need help on my angles, my steering and track bar are pretty far off.

When I do steering I will be using IRO's otk kit and that should help a bit with the angles too, with how the link from the pitman arm comes across to the knuckle.

NatetheOgre

Finally ponied up and ordered the long arms, gonna have to wait on steering for now too.

Also got the rear end back from the shop with all new bearings and seals. As well as a blue torch diff cover to match the front.

Only real big things she needs to be back on the road is the front axle seals and carrier/pinion bearings maybe, and long arms, because my axle is way off center and my caster is WAY off.

This weekend I will head over to my buddies house who just picked up a plasma and put in those shackle relocation boxes as well as the hitch and skid.

NatetheOgre

Been awhile since I updated, not much has changed.

I Got ahead of myself with the to-do list haha.

Moving and cleaning and working 6 days a week has been taking it's toll on me.

Fed ex showed up with my long arms though! And I got my relocation brackets painted up as well as my nut strips. And got a blue torch fab cover for the rear end on to match the front. Rear end now as ALL new Bearings and seals thanks to a very good mechanic friend of mine as well as new front seals too.

This weekend I will have two days off and got more cut off wheels from work, so I will be getting to it!

Some pics too. IRO set-up




Everything is super beefy, I will post up after next weekend on how it all goes.

Also ordered a fan shroud, because I am lacking one, I am going to use it for an electric fan conversion as well. Also got a b & m cooler to throw up front at the same time.

Looking into a radiator as well, thinking all aluminum 3 row? Maybe 2? Anyone have input on the radiators? Looking at ebay rad's or maybe champion all aluminum. Cfs also has a nice rad, but cannot seem to find the 3 row anymore.

NatetheOgre

I know this thread has been lacking progress, but I have gotten the HUGE trans cooler in and also removed the a/c condenser.

I put a b&m 70274 trans cooler, it is the largest they offer. Also put a new fan shroud in as it did not have one when I bought it, made a pretty big difference.

I also put the small electric fan on a switch.

Some buddies planned a trip to hollister hills so... I now have a fire under my **** to get things done. I recruited my brother to help me as I have to go to my parents house to do any major work done because I live in an apartment now... and have no tools or room for large stuff to get done.

More to come after the weekend.

NatetheOgre

Well got some work done today, as well as more set backs.

Front shocks are too long now. I forgot to take into fact that I am running bpe and stud conversions up front, so they are a bit long. I will only have a few inches of up travel. So back to the drawing board on those.

Started the long are install and the first crossmember bolt broke. So I will be drilling it out to run a larger bolt. Not sure how large to go though? Any suggestions?

NatetheOgre

It has been a long time since I have updated this thread.

I have the long arms on the jeep and love the ride, also got a new set of d window wheels and 33x12.5 duratracs that are going on in the near future. I have not been able to get out and wheel her yet as I have run into more problems.

I went to put the hitch on and my shackle relocation brackets and found that my rear frame rails are munched and cracked, it has obviously been rearended at some point and there fix was bolting a big piece of steel over it.

So I am going to save up for a welder as well as frame stiffeners now and brace the living crap out of the frame. It has been straightened but obviously not fixed correct.

Some pics...
Passenger side

Driver side

And these were bolted up on top to "brace" it? I am going to need to figure out how to straighten the metal to bolt up the skid plate and hitch. I have nut strips inside the rails but the portion is not flat, also some of the holes are a few mm off from lining up bolts.

I know I can never tow with it, and now I do not want to put the shackle relocaters there either. So I will but a style that does not utilize those mounting bolts.

I could use some pointers as to how to go about this if anyone is reading here haha.

Thanks, also hd offroad rear frame stiffeners and a small mig welder are coming once I get my next paycheck to fix her up.

NatetheOgre

Well, made a good chunk of change this weekend doing sidework. So I am going to order up a mig welder and hd rear frame stiffeners. As well as I will go pick up some 14 gauge and 3/16 to fix the rear frame rails.

More updates to come I guess.gonna pick up some different shackles and rough country relocation brackets also because I do not want to use the rear subframe for bracing other things.

Any input on repair would be helpful if anyone is reading this haha

NatetheOgre

And the build continues!

Went to the longevity dealer in the bay area and picked up an important tool finally!


Also got some weldable primer from work so I can weld on the h.d rear frame stiffeners that are on their way as well. And I will be picking up some 1/8" and 3/16" plate to reinforce the rear as well as repair it.

Got a pretty good deal on the welder which made it possible to buy.

Also got the new motor mounts in the mail, so I have a bit to keep me busy for the time being. I also need to order up a C02/Argon tank.



Also looking at a rear bumper since I will no longer be able to run the hitch, I will see how the repairs go and start there.

NatetheOgre

Has been a long time since I updated. My progress has been really slow. I got the 2x4 steel box into the rear frame, which was a pain because of the damage.

Pics to come, I still have a lot of work to go and hopefully next weekend I will finish it all up.

NatetheOgre

So I finally have some more real progress to post.
I got the rear frame plated with 2x4 .250 wall steel on the inside. As well as I have the rear frame braces welded on.



Did not grind all my welds down as I wore through my last wheel, pretty happy with how it turned out. Also got the nates 4x4 bumper mounted up. Although I do need to finish drilling holes in the plate steel to bolt up the underside.

Also got the IRO outer steering box brace installed.


Did the zj drag link swap until I can afford better steering.


Got my new tires and wheels mounted up also, just not the front yet becasue I need to get it aligned again before I destroy my new tires.

NatetheOgre

Scored a front skid for FREE! So I will get some hardware and mount that up as well.

NatetheOgre

Well, front skid is too short and pointless with the lift. So not gonna run it.

But I finally got rear bump stops in, used some self tappers and moved them just to the side. Had to do that since 3 of the 4 mounting bolts broke off in the frame.



Also but the longer springs up front front and pulled out the spacers. Mounted up the new tires too.



Sits much more level now. I still have to do the motor mounts and get some hockey pucks for front bump stops.

Alignment will be done this week too by the local shop I like.

Hopefully I will be hitting the trails this weekend or next!

NatetheOgre

Did the 703 injector swap today, reset computer and drove the jeep a bit.

Throttle response got noticeable better, as well as my idle is much smoother. Time will tell if my mpgs got any better.