YJ Unlimited build

[lamontagne]

Well I figured I would start an official build thread on my YJ, so here it goes...

(BTW, this will be picking up after I left off with the "Need help for the weekend" thread for those who were watching)

I picked up this second owner 1994 YJ about 2.5 years ago with the intent to do something wild. This is my third Jeep, all of which have been 1994's and all black. Go figure.

Anyhow let's get started! :wings:

The Plan:
To build a solid, do anything, go anywhere Jeep to support my growing family.

How:
Front ... Dana 44 (3/4 ton 8 lug) 5:13 gears, locked, alloyed, coil conversion and long-arm three link
Rear ... Dana 60 HD, 5:13 gears, locked, 35 spline alloys, disks, spring under for stability and weight carrying
Wheels/tires ... Hummer H2's and 37's for now, but I am building with room for 40's
Engine ... stock 2.5 EFI (For now anyways)
Trans... AW4 auto
Body...stretched 15inched to LJ dimentions

Armor, cargo carrying...TBD

 

[lamontagne]

Now for some pics...

Here she was when I brought her home...

A week later looked like this..

 

[lamontagne]

AXLES!!!!

Rear is a 1970's or 80's something Dodge Dana 60 HD..

All cleaned up..

Front is an F-100 3/4 ton Dana 44 with a TnT truss and PolyPerf brackets

 

[lamontagne]

Front coil conversion was real fun!

As stated earlier I started with a Ford F-100 3/4 ton Dana 44, 8 lug. I installed a TNT truss, Poly Perf lower link brackets, and lower coil buckets from an XJ Cherokee Dana 30.

Coils used are RE XJ 3.5in lift.

Upper coil buckets started out as Ballistic Fab units, but I only ended up using the piece from the very top and fabbed the rest my self. I also used coil isolators and bumpstops salvaged from an XJ.

The long arms are Rock Krawler units for an XJ conversion and the frame brackets are Poly Perf with the drivers upper modded for the upper arm.

Track bar frame bracket is also a Poly unit and the track bar is a modified RE XJ unit, but I'm not 100% about it and will most likely change it out soon.

Steering is all hiem jointed using grade 8 hardware and 1.5", .250 wall tube.

Pics!
Pass side upper coil bucket under construction

Drivers side

Frame bracket ( I love these things!)

Almost done!

 

[lamontagne]

Full dump compression the axle is lower than a stock Dana 30!

Its tight, but it all fits..

At ride height, lift worked out to about 3.5 to 4 inches over stock with 37's.

 

[lamontagne]

How about the start of the roll cage? I used a front cage add on kit from Desert Fab and added a few bits of my own..

More will added later when the stretch is done.

 

[lamontagne]

Ahhh...now for the meat of this build. The frame and body stretch. Dimentionally, the YJ and TJ are VERY close. Only a slight mod of the windshield frame is all that's needed to install a TJ top on YJ tub. Additionally, the only difference between a TJ and an LJ (or TJ Unlimited as its officially called) is 14 and 7/8 inches in length. Not accounting for wheelbase mind you, I'm just talking tubs.
Now the biggest gripe among LJ owners is the rear overhang. You see Jeep extended the body 15in, but only extended the wheelbase 10in! Leaving an almost Scrambler-esque overhang in the back.
What I have done here is to extend both the body AND frame 14 7/8in! I will have the interior space of the LJ with the rear overhang of a stock YJ. My wheel base worked out to 109in. A little longer than I would have liked, but its trade off I'll gladly accept.

Cut marks taped off

Frame extension pieces..

Body taped off

No going back now!

I think the cut turned out pretty straight?

Body section for splicing in

 

[lamontagne]

Oh no! What have I done!

Putting it back together

Relocating the front spring hangers

 

[lamontagne]

Because I just my someday link the rear of the this thing, I thought now would be the best chance ever to make the nessassary mods, what with the body off and all.
I was inspired by the GenRight inboarded rear shock mounts so fabbed something similar!

Taking shape

Closer to done

The cardboard is a mock-up for the upper bolt.

 

[lamontagne]

I have some more pics on another drive, I'll try to retreive them later.

 

[XXXpedition]

that's an awesome build!
looking forward to more pics :victory::victory:

 

[Root Moose]

Some nice detail work here!

Did I miss it or do you still need to gusset the backside of the front upper coil buckets?

I think you're the first one I've seen to play around with the wheelbase relative to the tub length. It's something that has been in my mind also.

 

[bigredcherokee]

Great build. excellent fab skills subscribed.:sombrero:

 

[lamontagne]

Did I miss it or do you still need to gusset the backside of the front upper coil buckets?

You didn't miss it. I haven't taken any pics of the front lately. I still need to build the shock hoops and they will tie the cage to the coil buckets to bumper. :coffeedrink:

excellent fab skills

Thanks! Compared to the folks I'm trying to emulate though, I'm just a hack, but i'm doing the best I can with the tools and time I have.

 

[Root Moose]

You didn't miss it. I haven't taken any pics of the front lately. I still need to build the shock hoops and they will tie the cage to the coil buckets to bumper. :coffeedrink:

Ahh! Good idea!