Mehno-Teh, another JK build

[Ravenmad]

I guess these all start one way or another, I wanted a jeep, I have had 12 over the years, this is my 3rd 4-Door Jk and I am well acquainted with there strengths and weaknesses. This should be a fairly quick build, bought the jeep in Oregon 2 weeks ago, drove it back to Colorado and started buying parts. I will try to keep up with pictures and if I start to stumble down a road you have gone before and changed your mind or suffered for it, please, chime in and stop me before I got full blown crazy...

The doner vehicle is a 2015 Rubicon Unlimited, Anvil, all color matched hard top and fenders with black leather interior and pretty much every option, auto, nav, and max tow package. NO soft top though...

So Far this week;

AEV front and rear bumpers
AEV spare tire carrier
Fuel caddy
Pull pal mount with jack and Pull pal
AEV rear backup camera
WARN 9500XP with rope
WARN SDB lights
AEV leveling kit 2.0 ( hold me over until I decide for certain what components will make up my lift with a goal of 3 inches when it's done ).
Weather tech floor mats
Cobra CB radio

Hard Rock Hood with modified vent in-certs to actually function.
Spyder trax wheel spacers ( in order to get by with the stock wheels until the new Hutchison beadlocks Arive ).
Picking up new KO2's in 34X10.5X17 tires from Discount Tire (all 5) tomorrow the 8th.


Next week;

Sleeve and gusset the front 44 ( hold me over till I get a new dynatrac front diff.
4:88 or 5:13 gears
Spin tech hub kit
RCV axles front and rear
Tom Woods drive shafts front and rear (1350)
Nemisis billy rockers
TnT customs full belly skid system
GenRights second fuel tank


Near Future;

Dynatrac pro-rock 44. Front
Upgraded steering linkage
AT rear storage system with fridge and pull out oven...

I already have an off-road trailer that is set up well enough to camp out of. It will get some money and love once the jeep is done...

 

[Ravenmad]

What she looked like before the money was spent...

 

[Big mike]

You will be pumped up with the 4:88 gears . I thought long time on 5:13 so glad I went 4:88.
5:13 are great for 3.8. And while your at it IMHO lose the factory locks and go arb air lockers ! Better and more reliable .
Mike

 

[daveh]

If it were my build, I'd hold off on the gear order until you've logged some miles. Those KO2's aren't much taller than the stock tires. 4.56 gears might work better with that tire size or you may find the stock 4.10 gears sufficient.


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[Ravenmad]

I agree on the ARBs. I figured when I order the Dynatrac front housing I will get it loaded with an ARB and gears from Dynatrac. I am Deff. Gonna drive it for a few weeks on the factory gears (3:73), logistically I will have to any ways while I wait on my friend to set up the new gears... I struggled in my mind for quite a bit about tire size, really wanted to run 37s, but in the end this will have to perform daily driver duties, and explorer/camping duties... I deff. Want to maintain the greatest fuel range posable, and overbuild the mechanicals so I don't have to worry about parts breaking in say the middle of the black rock desert, or half way to Alaska on some hidden back road a local said was amazing...

 

[MTSN]

I honestly think any axle mods are unnecessary until you go larger than a 35" tire. Your housing and gears will be plenty strong and suited for the 34" KO2 considering they measure out to only be marginally taller than the factory tires.

 

[Ravenmad]

Got the 34s on today, difficult to balance but they do drive good... On the rims with equal air pressure they are 2.15 inches taller than the stock BFGood's... No question, I think the stock setup will handle 34s fine, however, I am a huge believer in overbuilding power train items... Everyone has a pet peeve and everyone has areas were they prefer to spend money, me, I prefer to overbuild power train items and not worry later... I know a bunch of guys who run 37s, heck, in the past I ran 37s on near stock axles with nothing more than a gear swap, (stress is the word that comes to mind)... Will my jeep be perfect? heck no, will it serve every purpose? Nope..... Lolol. Darn jeeps

 

[da10A]

Really nice to see a build based on performance and moderation. Way too many overbuilt jeeps out there. i will definitely follow your build, since I recognize my mentality in your judgement. Most likely because I also owned jeeps for some 25 years and know what mistakes not to make again. Cheers(b)

 

[Alphonse]

Why the spin tech hubs? Is it for the better mileage? If so how much better would it be?

Those seem like adding a potentially weak link and you said you wanted to overbuild the drivetrain. I'm not really all tha familiar with the locking hubs so maybe these are dumb questions, lol

 

[Ravenmad]

Yup, 1-2 mpg gain
Better tire wear
Better handling
Serviceable bearings for about $30. Instead of $200 for a unit bearing
Break diff= unlock hubs and drive to a suitable location for repair instead of tearing it apart on the spot of treachery...

Bad:
Must maintain adjustment and lubrication
Initial cost

 

[Ravenmad]

Some pics of today's shakedown run on Spring Creek... Deff. Got some scratches, tomorrow I will be ordering an OME lift to replace the AEV leveling kit... Tires worked great, they do have a vibration about 65, but I was born and raised in Oregon, rarely drive faster than 65....

 

[Ravenmad]

 

[Dynatrac]

Ravenmad, sounds like you’re well-versed at building dependable JKs, and on a good path with your latest build. We’re glad you are thinking about a Dynatrac ProRock 44 as an eventual upgrade.

If you’re thinking economically, though, you may want to skip trying to strengthen the stock axle as a stop gap. With the money you’ll spend (especially if you are paying someone else to do the work), by the time you do all of the strengthening to a stock housing and change the ring and pinion gears, you’re within a few hundred dollars of purchasing a ProRock 44 which is significantly stronger and has better ground clearance than any stock D44. We offer one ProRock 44 that accepts the factory Rubicon and another that is built to accept common aftermarket lockers. Our ProRock 44s also come with brand new suspension bushings and either new stock balljoints or our rebuildable Dynatrac HD Balljoints, which eliminates another weak point in the frontend.

This article and video cover what makes a ProRock axle different if you want to learn more: http://www.dynatrac.com/blog/what-makes-a-dynatrac-prorock-axle-different-and-better-for-your-4x4/

 

[Ravenmad]

Well, I agree... Just picked this up from a guy who had it for 4 months and decided he wanted a dana 60.
Pro rock 44 unlimited
5:13 gears
RCV shafts
Reid knuckles
Big break kit
Synergy heavy duty steering...

 

[Ravenmad]

Now, now I have to decide, spin tech hub kit for the front, then either an axle upgrade and gears in the rear, or a full float 60 rear in the 5on 5.5 flavor...

I contacted dynatrac about upgrading the outers on the front to make it a hybrid 44/60 so I can have bigger brakes and much better ball joints ( waiting on the quote ), if it's good then I will have them build me an XD60, 40 spline , full float rear... I know its overkill for what I'm doing, and of course most would then say build a 60 front.....