LSRGreg's WJ Build... Its ON!

[dp96zj]

I keep looking at that bumper, it's so perfect, it kinda looks like it's been photochopped on there. Nice job!


How did it/the rig handle?

[LSRGreg]

I keep looking at that bumper, it's so perfect, it kinda looks like it's been photochopped on there. Nice job!


How did it/the rig handle?

The bumper and rig performed great. No issues what so ever.

I touched the bumper on the rocks once.. it got the d-ring, and just slightly touched the radiator guard down below on this obstacal..

[Flexdxj]

Quick question. Would those lower spring retainers work on an XJ? Those things look beefy. I have a stock HP D30. I would love to have a grand and If I didn't love my XJ so much or wasn't so broke I'd have a WJ myself!

edit: Nevermind I didn't realize you fabbed those up!

[LSRGreg]

I did make those myself, and i made a couple extras in case anyone wanted them. They are made from .250" thick 4130 steel, and laser cut. I would imagine they would fit as long as your lower coil buckets look the same. I used self tapping bolts to hold them in place, and they are working awesome so far, and have seen alot of use lately.

If you are interested, hit me up with a PM. i can ship them anywhere.

G-

[LSRGreg]

Finally got the steering done...



I will probably flip the tie rod one of these days too.. but for now, its finished.

[MoonWorks]

Nice! Now that's trusting your bumper design. Great job!

[LSRGreg]

I got the in cab winch control wired up and mounted...

12voltguy.com is awesome. One of the terminals on the switch broke, not sure if happened in shipping, or if i did it during install, so i asked him how much for one of the replacement push button switches and he sent me out another one for free no questions asked, and i got it in a few days! Plus it was already soldered with the terminals! Great Service! I highly recommend him for your switch panel needs!

[LSRGreg]

i found out that my upper control arm bushings on the front axle were pretty much toast. When backing up, and applying the brakes, i could feel the front axle move.

So i scored up some Johnny Joints, and replaced the drivers side. The passenger side will get changed when i make a front truss.

See how shot they were:


since they were so worn out, my caster was off a huge amount because the axle was twisted pretty far forward..



Here is the new joint after i pressed it in:



The front end feels much more solid now. But i still need to score some stiffer bushings for my track bar to get rid of the slight wiggle i have.

G-

[theksmith]

wasssup to a brother black WJ and brother Valley-Of-Tha-Friggen-Sun resident!

the dub looks great! even the crazy green

i'm thinking on going ahead and going up from my 4.5" to 6" and wondering if you ever got all the vibrations straitened out and what that entailed? and if you found out anything about the fabled 242HD SYE? there was a post over on JF a few months ago that tom woods might start actually making one, but i can't find any more info.

[MACHJGC]

Is that a Johny Joint in the upper axle mount? If so, where did you score that at? I am starting to have the same issue on my 04 WJ.

[LSRGreg]

wasssup to a brother black WJ and brother Valley-Of-Tha-Friggen-Sun resident!

the dub looks great! even the crazy green

i'm thinking on going ahead and going up from my 4.5" to 6" and wondering if you ever got all the vibrations straitened out and what that entailed? and if you found out anything about the fabled 242HD SYE? there was a post over on JF a few months ago that tom woods might start actually making one, but i can't find any more info.

wassup!

i feel that i got the vibes to pretty much not noticeable now. I am running the stock front driveshaft, and had it lengthened by Mesa Driveshaft. I think they added 1.5" to it, or something close to that.. (cant remember exactly) At first, i was running the same amount of caster that it had at stock lift height (not sure what that was, but i made it the same). It had some decent vibes from the front end, so i took a couple degrees out, and its smooth now.. up to about 80mph (haven't gone faster than that yet) and my caster is still good that it doesn't wander too much either.

On to the rear end.. this is where i had most of my trouble. I had the 242 d-shaft lengthened as well, but it vibrated pretty bad at about 50mph.. enough that the rear view mirrror was a blurr. i twisted the rear axle all over the place to try and make it better, but to no avail. So i called up Tom Woods. They still don't have a slip yoke eliminator for it, but i got their cv type shaft that slips into the t-case. Aimed the rear axle like it says on his website, and it works really nice. No vibes up to 80 (not sure about higher, since i haven't gotten there yet).

Now.. its not a smooth as it was when stock, but pretty close. I feel the tires are giving me most of the slight vibes i have. But they are very minor, and i would gladly take a 8 hour road trip in it now. Not when i was 1st messing around with it.. it was pretty bad.. but its pretty nice now. All i need now is a stiffer durometer bushing for my frame side JKS track bar, and i will be golden. I still get a slight front end wobble, and from what i hear, that bushing is just too soft. Plus i am also still running the stock steering stabilizer as well.

G-

[LSRGreg]

Is that a Johny Joint in the upper axle mount? If so, where did you score that at? I am starting to have the same issue on my 04 WJ.

Yeah.. i ordered mine through Kevins Offroad. Here is a link to Curries website: http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...t.aspx?id=1277

I got the whole kit. But the passenger side one doesn't fit like the instructions say, so the WJ has a different sheet metal bracket. Your supposed to be able to cut off the top of the bracket, and drop in that solid steel piece to locate it, but that solid steel piece is larger than the bracket on the wj axle. So for now, i am just going to leave the passenger side loose, to give me more flex. I am planning on building a truss for the top of the axle to keep it from bending under higher speed driving, and i will weld in that solid steel mount to it then.

But for 99% of you, just buy this one.. http://www.currieenterprises.com/ces...t.aspx?id=2889

And leave the passenger side with the loose factory bushing. It will flex way better, and if you ever have a problem with the driver side breaking or coming loose, the passenger side is still attached in an emergency.

G-

[LSRGreg]

I got my 2" coil spacers mounted up front today. The dub finally sits level now, and rides nicer because it doesn't feel like its going to endo into bumps. Feels much more balanced.

[dp96zj]

Interesting shock setup! Is it both upside down, with a bolt welded on the bottom (now the top)?

Hey man, whatever works! And I'm digging that front bumper all painted up. It looks sick!

[LSRGreg]

Yeah.. i was wondering how long it was going to be until i got some comments on that. I found those shocks in my buddies shed, so i cut the stock bolt off the factory shock, and welded it to the eyelet. The upper eye already had the little bar pin set up, so they worked out great. They are just to get me by until i get my Foxes built when i get some more coin. Freebies!

G-

[ELLLLLIOTTTTT]

Looks like it's time for some 37's.

[Fesnak]

How much further did u move your axles out? I am assuming they are not in the original position...

[LSRGreg]

they are pushed out from center by about 1" front and back.. the front might even be 1.25" forward..'

g-

[Fesnak]

they are pushed out from center by about 1" front and back.. the front might even be 1.25" forward..'

g-

ok thanks i have 4" of lift and claytons front arms and was curious how much u moved urs out

sweet build btw !

[merlin]

beautiful wj. thanks for doing the leg work so a noob like me can have options on what to do to my wj.

right now i'm running full clayton's with iron rock 4" springs, the rear lower arms are at the shortest and it's still pushed back 1". i wasn't looking to move to 6", but with how it's looking, i will probably end up going to 6"

[wjguy]

Looks like it's time for some 37's.

I second that just put the spacer in the back and throw some 37's under it. you know you have been thinking about it. and then that bumper wouldnt rub on much of anything

[LSRGreg]

nah.. no 37's.. its my daily driver, and 37's are too big for daily use. Plus i don't want to loose any more up travel than i already have going with the 35's, and i don't want the ride height any higher than it already is. Maybe one of these days, when its not my daily driver, and i throw some hybrid 9"/60 axles underneath..

G-

[SaturnICL]

I only have 4 1/2"'s of lift and I run 37's, mine is my daily driver and as you saw in Moab it has plenty of flex Get out the nibblers and have at it

[LSRGreg]

I only have 4 1/2"'s of lift and I run 37's, mine is my daily driver and as you saw in Moab it has plenty of flex Get out the nibblers and have at it

You gotta have more lift than that.. you had 2" pucks that were falling out of the front remember?? You had to use some bailing wire to keep them in place.

How did you trim the rear? Did you end up having to seal it all back together?? That is what i don't want to do.. cut all that sheet metal, then have to attach the two panels back together.. no fun!

[SaturnICL]

Pucks have nothing to do with suspension travel...And I removed them shortly after Moab because if you remember it was sitting nose high. So now it is just 4 1/2 " RK lift same as 311WJ.

Go to my build thread to see how I dealt with the front and rear. I rolled the fenders so they are not sharp and the back is folded onto itself. Bend/flange the inner fender out 1/4" first then fold the outer over that. nice clean and strong. You can tack weld the two together on the inside if you need.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=803802
http://www.reno4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=26492