Project Hookup - Now with Solar

[WJJEEPIN]

I like my stock gears with 265s at 70mph im at 2000 rpm getting about 16-17mpg on 89 and 13-14 on 87

So I'm guessing you have the BFG At's and 3.73 gears. Correct?

That is just about the same as my 31's and 3.55 gears. Which leads me to believe that the next step up being 4.1 gears with 33's should be pretty. Plus I can do gears now since its upwards of 1K, it wont be too bad on gas temporarily and then get tires when the funds are there.

I have run the ratio calculators and for good torque and fuel looks like for the 33's the 4.1 is optimal, the 4.56 would be better for off road and I will go there but for now I'm looking at a dual purpose rig until I can afford another car.

[Pitch]

Nope, not being passed by mopeds or anything. Its only in the mountains 4.5K + feet where it looses the pep. Around town and in the hills around sea level I get no lag at all.

My only problem with 4.56 is that it puts me at 2000 RPM at 60 MPH. Great if the vehicle becomes a secondary vehicle but as it looks now its a DD for a year to two years. And the 4.1 puts me at 67MPH at 2000RPM.

To me that spells OUCH at the pump. As it is I fill up my 20 GAL about once a week and fuel is at $4 for 87.

I will preface this with: My perspective is from 7,000 ft (elevation where I live), and generally at elevations above 4,500 ft here in AZ and UT.

To me, you will end up downshifting the engine more and revving it over 3K rpm for passing vehicles and on hills most of the time with the 4.10's. That will shoot your fuel economy in the foot and negate the benefits of the higher gearing. But if it is flat where you live and you can cruise at highway speeds with little need for fast acceleration, then go for the 4.10's. I feel the power benefits of deeper gears outweigh the ~.5mpg gained with taller gears.

[WJJEEPIN]

I will preface this with: My perspective is from 7,000 ft (elevation where I live), and generally at elevations above 4,500 ft here in AZ and UT.

To me, you will end up downshifting the engine more and revving it over 3K rpm for passing vehicles and on hills most of the time with the 4.10's. That will shoot your fuel economy in the foot and negate the benefits of the higher gearing. But if it is flat where you live and you can cruise at highway speeds with little need for fast acceleration, then go for the 4.10's. I feel the power benefits of deeper gears outweigh the ~.5mpg gained with taller gears.

Thanks for the help. After thinking about it I agree. I also spoke with Arlo since we have the exact same drivetrain and he has the 4.56 and 33's and he agreed that while the 4.1 for flat fwy driving might be a hair better for all other aspects the 4.56 will be beneficial.

I just picked up a big bearing 31 spline 9 that will be delivered in the next week and I will be working on it over the next few months piecing together to eventually slap her in the dub. I'll be posting pix as I go along.

[WJJEEPIN]

So after a week on the IRO 5" springs the rear started settled around 4" of lift and that wasnt even packed up with junk. So gave them a ring and they shipped me a set of rear 5.5" springs and its sitting solid!!!

My brother and I took my dad for his first wheeling mini trip to Hollister this past weekend and had a blast. He is HOOKED!!!!

It was this moment that really got him. it was a mini rock garden and ended with a steep downgrade. If you could see his face it was in shock, WIDE EYED and stiff as a board as he rolled down this incline. The pic doesn't do it justice.




Met up with a dude and his son, had a killer buggy on 44's. Followed them through the rock patch.



Made it most of the way through when i heard a crunch and a loud hissing.


Made it out of the patch and put on the fullsize spare and pounded the rim back into round and it now holds air again.


Also went up the stair step and on the way back down both my dad and brother started yelling at me to stop your leaking fluid badly. Shocked I hopped out and popped the hood. I didnt hit anything and there was no clunk so I assumed a hose failed. But all the hoses were in tact. I then remembered that in my laziness I still havent relocated the washer tank. The tire pulled the pumps from the housing.


I disconnected them, kept wheeling and put them back in today and they work fine. Its still on my todo list, just need to figure out where I can put her with the airaid intake kit as the filter is larger than the K&N.

[WJJEEPIN]

After messing around in the obstacle course for a while we headed into the hills and went to the highest peak in Hollister. Cool trek with some cool views and steep drop offs on the side. The WJ started overheating by the top of the hill.





Overall a great time and now my dad is non stop bugging my mom for a jeep.

Still working on the 9" build checklist. I plan on breaking it down this weekend and cleaning it up so I can get all the measurements for the Disc break conversion.

I am thinking of skipping 33's and building it for 35's. Just need to convince the wife I need POS dd so the $4 a gallon doesnt run me into the poor house.

[WJJEEPIN]

So here is how she started. The tag decoded let me know its from a late 70's F100 its a Big Bearing 31 spline and has 3.5 gears. I've decided to build it to run 35's and still take me to the mountains and to the trails and back. I was teetering between the Detroit and ARB and while I have heard great arguments for the Detroit, getting the ARB for the ability to have 100% street manners for only $200 more and running it off my CO2 tank just tits.


To Get for the 9":
4.88 Gears
ARB
Master install kit
Disc Break setup (going to try and get my WJ setup to work since I just redid them and have the disc redrilled)
Brackets and truss built and welded

To get for the D30
4.88 Gears
ARB
Master Install kit

Here is what she looked like when I got her.


last night I got my first chance to break her down and do some tagging/bagging and cleaning.
Big Style Old Bearing.


31 Spline looks a little worn


Cleaned her up






Ring looks good, too bad I'm not using it.



Ran out of time so I had to press pause. the Axle still needs to have the brackets cut off and hit the whole thing with a flap disc. I sprayed the axle with WD40 so hopefully no more rust till I get back to it.

[WJJEEPIN]

So my dad has wanted a jeep for about 20 years now. My mom has been KILLING his dreams for a while. She said that she would think about it if my dad enjoyed hollister with us. So he was FIRED up and found a local TJ for sale.

Highlight Specs:
02 sport 30K mi Auto Tranny
4.56 gears
d30 ARB 30 spline superior axles
D44 Detroit 33 spline Superior Axles
35"MTR's
4.5"lift + 1" body spacer
SYE & DBL Carden rear shaft
Warn 8274 winch
Rear custom tire carrier

Parked next to the Dub makes her look stock. I have now driven it for the past two days and I am Stoked to the dub up with 35's..

Comparison Pix

[redline61]

Pretty nice TJ, I'm jealous.

[cocheese]

thumbs up on the Pabst!

[WJJEEPIN]

Pretty nice TJ, I'm jealous.

Me 2. I'm trying to talk him into leaving it at my house...

thumbs up on the Pabst!

How can you beat a tallboy for a dollar. IMO better tasting the Crud or Crudlight.

[WJJEEPIN]

Its upside down but you can read the tag... High pinion third member from Currie. 4.88 Gears, Detroit locker and all buttoned up and ready to go. Now to rebuild the brakes and get the axle prepped for getting welded in.

[AprilzWarrior]

Looking good.

[SuicideTireZJ]

God does he get ANY airflow to the rad with that 8274 on there?

[rradford9]

Its upside down but you can read the tag... High pinion third member from Currie. 4.88 Gears, Detroit locker and all buttoned up and ready to go. Now to rebuild the brakes and get the axle prepped for getting welded in.

I thought you were going with teh ARB? Thats TITS though! How much did that cost you (if you dont mind sayin)? Any luck with the WJ brakes on the 9?

Aren't you jealous that your dad just went out and bought a turn key jeep that dwarfs yours...I wish my dad was like that!

Great build so far. Looking forward to the updates

[WJJEEPIN]

I thought you were going with teh ARB? Thats TITS though! How much did that cost you (if you dont mind sayin)? Any luck with the WJ brakes on the 9?

Aren't you jealous that your dad just went out and bought a turn key jeep that dwarfs yours...I wish my dad was like that!

Dont mind answering, he originally wanted $900 but I talked him down to $800. But its all set up with 4.86's good bearings and a Detroit. I have decided as a temporary solution I am going to use the drums to save some money and will look into discs down the road when I get some more funds.

Oh and hell yeah I am very jealous. But while he enjoys working on the rig with me he would really never do it without me. And this way he is ready for any trail we go to. Its already crossed the Rubicon a couple times so its very capable and perfect for him.

Yeah I would like an ARB but I've been drivin my dads TJ w/ detroit and its only really noticeable when punching it into a turn, plus I am working on the wife to let me get an old honda for my DD...

My plan is working to push the WJ to a toy status with 35's for weekends and trips to the mountains.

God does he get ANY airflow to the rad with that 8274 on there?

I've had no issues on road with it. It did get a bit warm when climbing to the top of Hollister with the A/C on.

But it doesnt have the stock fan on there. The previous owner put a mopar fan on the radiator. I want to get a low temp thermo and get a better fan controller so it goes on at a lower temp but that is in the works.

[jsteves]

Great choice on the 9"...bad idea putting 4.88's into a d30. Personally, I never ran more than 4.10's in my 30 for fear of the tiny pinion teeth. My dad has run 4.56's in his without issues but 4.88 is really pushing it.

[WJJEEPIN]

Great choice on the 9"...bad idea putting 4.88's into a d30. Personally, I never ran more than 4.10's in my 30 for fear of the tiny pinion teeth. My dad has run 4.56's in his without issues but 4.88 is really pushing it.

Interesting. Its temporary, until I can afford to start putting together another 9" for the front.

I dont beat on the WJ, for now its mostly a DD and will shift to secondary status in the next year. I have a line on a new ARB (old style, which I plan on securing the bolts) for only $250. That way I dont need a carrier. My plan is to run it that way with some 28 spline u joint shafts from the Dutchman. Treat it nice and only lock and crawl with it.

[WJJEEPIN]

Found a local dude selling an Dana 30 ARB (RD30) he picked up for his rig but ended up blowing the diff before he got a chance to install so he went to Dynatrac 60's. It sat in his garage for a few years waiting for me.

I know its the older version but I will be applying loc-tite to the bolts for good measure. If it dies then it will be an even better excuse to the wife to get a better axle up there.



Sorry for the crappy photos, it was a quick pic session before work. I will retake tonight when I get it all apart.

[97 zj Steve]

nice wheelings pictures...looking good

[WJJEEPIN]

So I needed to get the C02 relocated so i can have it run the front ARB I had to find a spot to get it standing and out of the way of the spare tire well as it now still holds the spare. I plan on raising the tank when doing the axle swap but for now its still in use.

So I pulled and sold the pocket.


Measured and cut so it fit right behind the wheel well. As you can see the handle at the top just barely touches the rear pillar.


Fits just right and I even trimmed the rear cover to hide the sub.



Now i have room for the custom sub box I am putting together to really open up my trunk space.

[WJJEEPIN]

Project update:

The pile of parts begins to grow. So I was getting really tired of the bumpy ride but the $1200 needed to get the Clayton Long Arms for the front and installed was too big a jump for now. So I started talking to IRO and they custom built me some "High Clearance" long arms for the front of the Dub.

I know people are not huge fans and I'm not going to argue that Claytons is not superior but this setup is MAD BEEF, only $500, free shipping, DIY install and I'm on LA in the front. They are a large straight lower arms with fixed uppers and laser cut plate as a brace. I had to trim the OEM lower mounts but I'm way past going back to stock.

Set of Dutchman front chromo U's for the front.


I picked up a set of 12" travel rear Bils off Amazon for only $80 and got free shipping....


Took a few of the 9" parts to the local machine shop pulled bearings off and cleaned the rear shafts and backing plates, sandblasted the drums and resurfaced them.

Birthday just passed and got D30 R&P (from gma)/ Master install (from wife)/ Truspeed Speedo Corrector (from padres). Have a family party Sunday so crossing my fingers for some fundage.




Just got off the phone with Currie and ordered the new bearings/seals and drum rebuild and seal kit for the 3rd member.

Just need to strip and clean the 9". Redrill the drums and shafts to 5x5. Once its in I will be working on making the D35 breaks work with the 9" till then the drums will suffice.

I think I'll be making an appointment with http://www.westcoastfab.com/ in January to get er all welded up. Pics to follow.

[kyle95sr5]

Been following your build for quite awhile now. Looks really good man! Very similar to mine. I like how your on a budget and not just throwing out money like alot of people on here. Do you know if IRO is planning on "mass producing" their High Clearance LA? I think they offer them with their axle swaps but haven't seen or heard of them offering them up to just anyone.

[WJJEEPIN]

Been following your build for quite awhile now. Looks really good man! Very similar to mine. I like how your on a budget and not just throwing out money like alot of people on here. Do you know if IRO is planning on "mass producing" their High Clearance LA? I think they offer them with their axle swaps but haven't seen or heard of them offering them up to just anyone.

Thanks. That has been my goal to make a capable rig by finding the best hookups I could.

Dont know about mass production but I got mine in 3 weeks. As far as I know they are available on a request basis only now. Well worth it. Talk to Josh tell him Will sent you and he can talk about what are your plans for your rig and help suggest some thoughts for a setup. I am going to 35's so I had him make the arms longer to clear the tires.

[WJJEEPIN]

Drums Rebuilt! I know disc's are better but for $120 I cleaned, painted and rebuilt the drums. If they can stop a fully loaded f150 they should be able to take care of my wj for a while till I can save up some funds for the discs.

Before:

After:


I didnt take a pic of the drum itself but it was completely covered with grease rust grime and old paint. Here it is after sandblasting turning and a fresh coat of paint.


Time to strip, clean and paint the axle and then off to my buddy to weld her in. Likely still after xmas but getting close.

I still need:
-Rims
-Tires
-E-brake cable
-Run Abs/Tone Ring wires to front
-Get tone rings milled and pressed on new u-joint axles
-Get ARB and gears installed

[AprilzWarrior]

Project update:

The pile of parts begins to grow. So I was getting really tired of the bumpy ride but the $1200 needed to get the Clayton Long Arms for the front and installed was too big a jump for now. So I started talking to IRO and they custom built me some "High Clearance" long arms for the front of the Dub.

I know people are not huge fans and I'm not going to argue that Claytons is not superior but this setup is MAD BEEF, only $500, free shipping, DIY install and I'm on LA in the front. They are a large straight lower arms with fixed uppers and laser cut plate as a brace. I had to trim the OEM lower mounts but I'm way past going back to stock.

install pics ?