93 ZJ Robot

[piku303]

damn...shits haggard.

[MUDDTRACKS]

Replaced the front control arms tonight with some spare used stock ones from a street-only driven ZJ. They were supplied to me a couple months ago by MallCrawlin's beloved rockhardmj. It was dumb for me to have not replaced these a while ago...

Here is what the old ones looked like (click to make bigger)...

The passenger side LCA:


The driver's side LCA wasn't in much better condition:


The ZJ almost drives like a Cadillac now...

Whats wrong with those arms they still got some life in them

Thats one hell of a beater

[OverkillZJ]

I may be a bad influence on people pushing theis ZJ's, but with Jarod it didn't take much - he just beats the shit out of it! It was fun getting it off of the trail with 1.25 control arms attached, haha.

[MUDDTRACKS]

wow

[SirFuego]

Picked up the winch today from a local vendor. Didn't realize it came with a roller fairlead and snatch block...




My buddy will be fabbing up some bumpers for me in his spare time. Going with a basic design for the rear bumper. Imagine 2x4 or 2x5 with a couple D-rings just below the tailgate (look at pic below). Hitch will be removed so it should really help departure angle. Rear quarters would still be exposed, however. Just trying to keep the design simple.

Sorta like this XJ's bumper minus the hitch...


Front bumper will take some cues from the Chalupa and AprilzWarrior's Big Bling ZJ.
I want the bumper to provide protection for the radiator (probably will be replacing Kevin's Radiator Support with a new rad support in the process). I want the winch to be as close to the radiator as possible, so we will probably notch around the grille like the Chalupa. Planning to have the winch sit between the frame rails to improve airflow to the radiator and also hopefully give enough protection to where a stinger/guard won't be needed for winch protection.

Oh and the ZJ got a new inspection sticker today

[SirFuego]

Trying to make some room in the front inner fenders, so I ordered myself a couple gifts today:


The other gift directly complements this and was ordered through a MallCrawlin' vendor (whoever could that be?).

Will have pics once they come in.

[ILikeMud]

I can't bring myself to buy a open filter intake.
I'm scared I'll suck water in and blow another motor.

How much did that whole set up run you though?

[SirFuego]

It was $160+shipping+the cost of the air filters. I couldn't find anywhere that sold Turbo City stuff except for www.turbocity.com, so I just ordered it from there. I shot a PM to Dirk for the air filters.

I was skeptical about the open air filter for a while, but I have a couple reasons for going with this:
1) Puts the air intake pretty much as high as you can go without a snorkel.
2) Frees up room in the engine bay.
3) I try to avoid mud/water as much as possible

[ILikeMud]

Yea, after my old ZJ I've sworn off mud and water.

[SuicideTireZJ]

Shit, you should have just traded your stock setup for my turboshitty intake. It SUCKS.

[SirFuego]

Why don't you like it? Because the air filters suck in hot air from the manifold? Or was the "IT SUCKS" just a play on words?

[Jeeperoni91]

Shit, you should have just traded your stock setup for my turboshitty intake. It SUCKS.

whhhhhhat? i am thinking about getting one of these to replace my K&N FIPK kit to get the filters higher. why dont you like it?

[ILikeMud]

I should say that I'm surprised my LCAs held up as long as they did on the old ZJ.
When Joel (Canadian_driver) got my old axles home, he told me the LCAs had some major stress cracking.

[DieselZJ]

Yea, after my old ZJ I've sworn off mud and water.

But that's opposite of what your username implies

[jfowlzj95]

But that's opposite of what your username implies

Haha yeah he's been through multiple names... well actually only 2 but he's had it changed more than once.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum//sh...ad.php?t=11207

[SuicideTireZJ]

Yeah the main beef I had with it was that it put the air intake over the hottest part of the whole vehicle. Not a smart move. I'm almost positive any gains I would have noticed due to extra flow were negated by the outrageously hotter air being sucked in. Plus it didn't fit very well, especially with the filters they provided. You might not have that problem. The only advantage it gives you is a few more inches of fording depth (not too useful for the kind of wheeling I do), the ability to use a rechargeable filter element (but you can buy K&N's for the stock airbox, so not a biggie either), and it saves you a bit of space under the hood.

Just not worth ~$200 IMO. By no means am I saying you'll hate it. I just could have spent my money on better things, personally.

[ILikeMud]

But that's opposite of what your username implies

Yes, however if you look at the build for my previous ZJ, you'll see why I no longer like mud or water.
I've had this user name on every Jeep board since day one. Only place it's different is Pirate and if I knew who to msg on there to change it I would.

Haha yeah he's been through multiple names... well actually only 2 but he's had it changed more than once.

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/forum//sh...ad.php?t=11207

Techincally only 2, ILikeMud and Yota Tony.
Matt changed my name to KRIKEY MUD as a joke.

Yeah the main beef I had with it was that it put the air intake over the hottest part of the whole vehicle. Not a smart move. I'm almost positive any gains I would have noticed due to extra flow were negated by the outrageously hotter air being sucked in. Plus it didn't fit very well, especially with the filters they provided. You might not have that problem. The only advantage it gives you is a few more inches of fording depth (not too useful for the kind of wheeling I do), the ability to use a rechargeable filter element (but you can buy K&N's for the stock airbox, so not a biggie either), and it saves you a bit of space under the hood.

Just not worth ~$200 IMO. By no means am I saying you'll hate it. I just could have spent my money on better things, personally.

I'll trade you my stock air box for the Turbo City stuff

[OverkillZJ]

Yeah the main beef I had with it was that it put the air intake over the hottest part of the whole vehicle. Not a smart move. I'm almost positive any gains I would have noticed due to extra flow were negated by the outrageously hotter air being sucked in. Plus it didn't fit very well, especially with the filters they provided. You might not have that problem. The only advantage it gives you is a few more inches of fording depth (not too useful for the kind of wheeling I do), the ability to use a rechargeable filter element (but you can buy K&N's for the stock airbox, so not a biggie either), and it saves you a bit of space under the hood.

Just not worth ~$200 IMO. By no means am I saying you'll hate it. I just could have spent my money on better things, personally.

TurboShity intake does its job if you find it cheap. I did not have any drop in MPG, my rig got around 16MPG highway on 35's, hand calculated, despite sucking in the hot air. It's nice because it's simple and out of the way, and frees up space in the engine compartment.

[SirFuego]

It's nice because it's simple and out of the way, and frees up space in the engine compartment.

Yeah I honestly had a tough time paying that much money for something so "simple" with minimal gain in the power department. But right now I want to clear as much room in the front of the engine bay as possible. That area could be put to much better use -- especially if it's not there.

[ILikeMud]

Is the ZJ your DD?

[SirFuego]

No not at all. Part of the reason it's been banged up so much. I have a Ram 1500 for a DD/tow rig.

[SirFuego]

I should say that I'm surprised my LCAs held up as long as they did on the old ZJ.
When Joel (Canadian_driver) got my old axles home, he told me the LCAs had some major stress cracking.

Sorry, just saw this today...

I'm sure the bushings needed replaced anyways, but I think what ultimately did them in was hitting them on a couple rocks at Rausch Creek when my front tire would slide off of them. I think me trying to get up that rock ledge was just the straw that broke the camel's back. The LCAs would have probably held up better if I had some type of LCA skid on the axle.

[ILikeMud]

If your keeping your axles for a while, I'd do some LCA skids.
My friend almost ripped the LCA mounts off the axle in his TJ. He brought it to a shop and had them straighten and gusset the LCA plus add skids on all 4 LCAs.

[2jeepsforus]

Yeah I honestly had a tough time paying that much money for something so "simple" with minimal gain in the power department. But right now I want to clear as much room in the front of the engine bay as possible. That area could be put to much better use -- especially if it's not there.

As I said on WNYoffroad, put your second battery there. That is truly what I plan to do, when all this divorce stuff is over with.

Dave

[SirFuego]

Dave, OverkillZJ's and ATL_ZJ's build up threads have inspiration for what I want to do to the front end. There won't be room for another battery if all goes as planned If it doesn't go as planned, then yeah, there will either be another battery there and/or an air tank.

Tony, about the LCA skids, my buddy has an HP30 he's going to re-gear for me to bolt into my ZJ to match an 8.8 I'll be getting soon. He said that he'll weld on some LCA skids for me.