Jeep Liberty pickup

[m-l_johnny]

I wonder if the unibody or uniframe (whatever you want to call it) construction is going to allow it to twist and distort now that you've cut the roof off.
I've read it's supposed to be stronger than the Cherokee's were, but still...

Interesting project.

 

[CrazyDrei]

I wonder if the unibody or uniframe (whatever you want to call it) construction is going to allow it to twist and distort now that you've cut the roof off.
I've read it's supposed to be stronger than the Cherokee's were, but still...

Interesting project.

m-l_johnny,

Liberty is a weird truck, it's not a body on frame nor is it a unibody, it's more of a body around a frame design. So there are two frame rails that run the entire length of the truck with several cross members and sheet metal filling in all the gaps. From the looks of it the roof provides absolutely no structural rigidity, sunroof was the only cross member between the windshield and tailgate.

Don't have pictures or video but I ran it up two ramps front left and rear right with a 1,000 pound load, all doors and tailgate opened and closed with absolutely no problems.

Only time will tell how it actually holds up.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[CrazyDrei]

Rescued and fit two Yamaha Raptor 700Rs in the bed of my Liberty this morning.

Typical morning, made kids breakfast, sent them out to play on their quads. As I'm preparing for the day my 4 year old knocks on the door and says that his quad is stuck on the snowmobile trail in our yard.

Apparently I forgot to charge the batteries last night and 1/2 mile from the house one battery died.

Second one made it most of the way back to the house before that battery died too.

Kids were so happy that our Jeep pickup was able to come rescue them and save them a long trip back home.

I did not think that I could fit two quads in the back on this bed, who knew.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[CrazyDrei]

Tractor tires are on!!!

I am keeping this a very low budget build, $1,000 and that includes the Jeep and the tires, unfortunately the used R1 tractor tire market is non existent around me and I had to buy new tires.

I have 16" rims so my two choices were 8x16 (30" tall) or 9.5x16 (33" tall). With the factory wheel backspasing and offset I should be able to fit a 33x9.5" tire up front without rubbing. Narrower tractor tire has a decreased scrub radius so it will fit, where as a 33x10.5" mud terrain tire will rub.

So I started searching for 9.5x16 tires. They are all in the $150/tire range, that's pushing my budget. Then I found a set of brand new blemished 9.5-16 on eBay for $100 shipped, unfortunately they only had two so I bought both of them. Name of tire was scrubbed off in their pictures. When they arrived it was Titan High Traction Lug and they looked huge, like way bigger than 33". I looked then up and yep, 9.7" wide and 33.7" tall. And to make things even worse they are $250/tire so getting two more was out of the question and I could not return them because shipping would have cost me as much as I paid for the tires. So I started looking for the next tallest R1 9.5-16 tire: Alliance FarmPRO TD45.

Alliance FarmPRO TD45 on left and Titan High Traction Lug on right. Looks like I will be running different diameter tires front and rear. How bad could a 0.5" diameter difference really be?

Tractor tires are mounted, you are getting dizzy, very dizzy!

Over 1,000 lbs of firewood in the back, no issues with the tires so far. Kids absolutely love this thing!

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[CrazyDrei]

First drive with the tractor tires and I got stuck within 30 seconds.


What will it take to keep the Liberty from getting stuck in my yard?

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[Todd780]

First drive with the tractor tires and I got stuck within 30 seconds.
What will it take to keep the Liberty from getting stuck in my yard?

44's. No lift.

 

[CrazyDrei]

44's. No lift.

Todd n Natalie,

HAHA, I knew someone following my Suburban build and shenanigans was going to suggest that! I would definitely have to get a second inline transfer case if I want to even think about running 44" tractor tires on the liberty.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[CrazyDrei]

Got the bed liner fitted and installed.

Back is gutted and top of the truck is chopped off. I am ready for a pick up bed.

Found this Sierra bed liner at the dump, it was free so I will make it work!

Sides are cut off. This will be the middle section. I still need to trim it to fit into the back of the Liberty.

I realized that the flimsy plastic liner does not provide enough support to have a substantial load, so I trimmed a couple milk crates to fill the void and provide the support I need for the front of the pickup bed. Plywood was just used as a reference to gauge how high to make the crates.

Liner resting on the milk crates and now provides adequate support for a load.

Trimmed the passenger side of the liner to neatly fit over the wheel well.

Last touch was trimming the corner to fit in properly.

Drivers side was not going to be as easy because of the extra metal where the fuel fill neck is. For now I will work around it however I might have to gently massage the extra metal over the wheel well out of the way at a later date.

Drivers side of the bed liner will need a lot more work and I will wait until it warms up above freezing to get the ehat gun out and re-shape the plastic to fit the contours of the Liberty better.

I had some extra 3/4" plywood laying around and decided that it does need to go in the bed to provide the rigidity for the floor.

Bed liner is assembled outside the Jeep, initially held together with drywall screws then changed over to 1/4" bolts and nuts for the final fit and finish.

Final fit with the OEM lip. Passenger side is in there perfectly, will need minor heat gun reshaping and a couple bolts to hold it to sheet metal. Drivers side will need a lot more time with a heat gun to reshape the liner above the wheel well and about half a dozen bolts to attach it to sheet metal.

Maiden voyage with the new functional pick up bed (liner). Have about 1,000 lbs of firewood in there and it handled it effortlessly.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[skrypj]

Can't wait to see what you do with this project. I have a 2005 Diesel Liberty.

I am sorry I did too until it threw a rod a rod through the block last november. I think you are on lostjeeps?

 

[skrypj]

I am building this pickup on the KJ Forum however they are having a very difficult time accepting the fact that I am turning a Liberty into a fully functional pickup. I had axtremely good feedback building my Suburban here on ExPo and here we go with the Jeep!

I finally got my first Jeep and it's a Liberty.

Always wanted one and finally found the perfect one. 2004 Liberty, 4x4, automatic transmission and the coolest bumper I have ever seen. I think the craiglsist ad read something along the lines of: Liberty, runs and drives, 4x4 works great, daily driver 411,000 commuting miles, some rust, couple scratches on front fender and custom bumper. Clear title, 2 owner vehicle.

I was so sold on the custom 2x8 front bumper. The price was right, so I pulled the trigger and handed over the cash!

I can now build my dream Jeep Liberty pickup and keep it low budget: under $1,000 for EVERYTHING including the Liberty itself.

MY PLAN:

• Gut the interior from the B-pillar back
• Reduce weight by 500-1,000 lbs
• Cut off the roof along the bottom of window line all the way to the tailgate
• 2" lift/level kit
• Make a "pickup" bed from B-pillar back
• 31" or 33" tractor tires
• Find or make a real front bumper
• Weld rear doors to the rear quarter panel
• Lincoln locker in rear
• John Deere green/yellow paint
• Possibly lunchbox locker up front
• Possibly 5.13 gears

Wish me luck, chime in with any feedback and most important of all: enjoy the build and shenanigans!

The front diffs on these are aluminum and notoriously weak. And they do use different gears than the regular D30. I think between the 5.13's and the locker you could end up cracking the housing if you get into a tight spot. Just something to watch out for.

 

[CrazyDrei]

The front diffs on these are aluminum and notoriously weak. And they do use different gears than the regular D30. I think between the 5.13's and the locker you could end up cracking the housing if you get into a tight spot. Just something to watch out for.

Mass-hole,

Yeah I figured that one out already. 3.55, 3.73 and 4.10 gears are the only options for the aluminum D30A. 4.10 gears are $400 shipped and seems unreasonable to spend more on the front gears than what I paid for the Liberty itself.

I can possibly go to a solid axle D30 up front or more likely than not just to keep it the way it is. Probably not going to do a lunchbox/spartan locker up front either.

Will see as I keep on working and playing with it.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[skrypj]

Mass-hole,

Yeah I figured that one out already. 3.55, 3.73 and 4.10 gears are the only options for the aluminum D30A. 4.10 gears are $400 shipped and seems unreasonable to spend more on the front gears than what I paid for the Liberty itself.

I can possibly go to a solid axle D30 up front or more likely than not just to keep it the way it is. Probably not going to do a lunchbox/spartan locker up front either.

Will see as I keep on working and playing with it.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

What gears does yours have now? The diesels like mine came with 3.73's and I think the 4 cylinder models may have had 4.10's from the factory. You may be able to snag a 4 cyl diff from a pick-n-pull ready to go with 4.10's.

 

[CrazyDrei]

What gears does yours have now? The diesels like mine came with 3.73's and I think the 4 cylinder models may have had 4.10's from the factory. You may be able to snag a 4 cyl diff from a pick-n-pull ready to go with 4.10's.

Mass-hole,

I have 3.73s right now. They seem to do OK with the 33" tractor tires. I have been looking for either a parts 4 cyl just for the gears or D30A with 4.10 at pick a part, but no luck so far. If I find a set at a reasonable price I'll jump right on it, if not, I'll keep on driving it just the way it is.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!

 

[bugnout]

I am sorry I did too until it threw a rod a rod through the block last november. I think you are on lostjeeps?

I recognize your user name from lostjeeps. My KJ is still running at 160k but spends a lot of time in my garage these days. I'm traveling too much. One of these days I'm going to get back to Moab with it.

 

[CrazyDrei]

I recognize your user name from lostjeeps. My KJ is still running at 160k but spends a lot of time in my garage these days. I'm traveling too much. One of these days I'm going to get back to Moab with it.

bugnout,

Not LostJeep but KJ Forum. Good to hear that your KJ is till running, surprisingly mine is too with 412,000 miles on the original motor.

Stay tuned for more shenanigans!