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Maertz's Half Ass Build Thread
Ok well I had a really crappy recap on here, and am going to try and slowly fill this one in and copy over more info from my thread on another site. Feel free to ask any questions and I can try to explain more if my description sucks. This was my very first jeep and build, so I learned a ton. To this day if I were to rebuild it I would have done it completely different still.
This is Where i started out... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._2583605_o.jpg First thing I added was a Bestop Narrow Bumper. I belined it to match the rear bumper I had gotten as the front one was glossy. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._6103498_o.jpg I then added these pos rampage side steps. At first didnt think I would ever get to extreme and they really helped the short girlfriend get in...Still a waste on these. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._2560349_o.jpg Another wasted add on here was the Airraid cai I installed. I was a sucker for thinking i needed this at the time... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._4622908_o.jpg Next on the list was a rear bumper. I went with a ****tybilt tubular for some stupid reason. At the time id say it probably had to do with how inexpensive they were. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._7318240_n.jpg I also had installed crappy utility lights... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._2981144_o.jpg Next i added a Magnaflow Cat back exhaust. Again more wasted money as this thing sounded like *** and was just waiting to get beat on. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._2025006_o.jpg Next I added some rims. Im a sucker for black on white look.... These have gotten beat to crap over time, but held up fine. I wish I would have went steel so I could have welded on bead lock rings later though. O well, there only 8" wide so there technically poor mans bead locks. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._5246448_o.jpg Seen as i like to wheel alone when I was in Wisconsin i figured i would put on a winch. I got the xrc 8. This thing has been through alot and never let me down. If i were to do it again I would have just gotten a 10k. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._6552293_o.jpg The new rims gave it a slightly wider stance... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._2635565_o.jpg Next on my list was to ditch the carpeting as my dog has white hair and it was annoying as all hell. I bedlined everything. I used rustoleum bed liner. Its held up very well. I also chiseled out all of the sound foam stuff. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._4437010_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._6281185_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._6763675_o.jpg Got to test all of this out briefly. At this point I probably had no idea what a sway bar disco was if I had to guess looks like its still connected... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._3052598_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y..._3210666_o.jpg After that I installed a zone offroad 3" lift. Yet another waste of money, but at the time it served me just fine. At the same time I installed some 35" Mud Grapplers and a Dual Steering Stabalizer. I also installed synergy 1.75" wheel spacers. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...88926744_n.jpg I also chopped the fenders down. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...29904034_n.jpg Next up was some coast 1310 drive shafts. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...31845542_o.jpg I clearly didnt have this correctly. ALso over greased the hell out of it. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...39814511_o.jpg Also added a cb and antenna. And the ****tybilt oversize tire carrier. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...59244309_o.jpg My next up was to finally adress some of the strength issues. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...20043024_o.jpg |
Again as i love the black on white look I painted the riddler dif covers.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...36979649_o.jpg They installed easily. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...04797043_o.jpg Also installed were the gussets,sleeves,gears. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...51628166_o.jpg I then removed my stock reverse light bulbs and cut out the housing a little to fit in the wall-mart rock lights. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...90190092_o.jpg Got some more time to test the lift and all the others installed. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...69251318_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...08061782_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...00005202_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...12098034_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps73b28ecd.jpg I opted to remove the cai and utility lights i had on and installed some ebay led lights and lightbar. I also Installed a chinese replica snorkel... Go ahead flame away. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psa78885ca.jpg Installed some basic tailight guards.. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psee21727c.jpg Next i removed the magnaflow exhaust and installed an MBRP offroad exhaust. Much happier with this one. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps11365059.jpg Also installed a poison spyder evap skid while i was there. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psf951f07b.jpg Next I ditched the ****tbilt rear tubular for an eautogrilles swing out tire carrier. This thing has been beat on pretty good and I have no complaints at all. Sure the coating got its *** kicked and it got dinged a little on rocks, but all in all i was happy. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps665d275f.jpg Mounted my hi-lift to it by drilling 2 holes and putting 2 bolts thru them.. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps04db287d.jpg I then bought a hitch cargo rack from harbor freight for like 75 dollars and cut it up a little. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psaa944a7a.jpg Grinded my swing out bumper to prepare it for the cargo carrier. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb2963bec.jpg And walla. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps40f78243.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps5f353311.jpg That was about it in Wisconsin, I then packed up and for some reason moved to Albuquerque New Mexico... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...50528346_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...63769179_o.jpg Once I got here and got to experience he new type of wheeling to do, alot of my build plan changed. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psf275adfc.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps77280929.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps97cc7fc4.jpg Now comes alot more of the fun stuff... |
Next was a real quick basic install of some hood louvers as its hot as hell down here.
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb46b34ab.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps72618643.jpg My stock bjs were about shot at this point having about 1/4 of play. So i swapped them with some synergy ones. Prolly used way more tools then needed. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...98090533_o.jpg This was my bj press. Id recommended anyone else doing this to just get the tool... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...73408780_o.jpg Got tired of driving a few miles to air up so I installed a 5 gallon tank. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...66033022_o.jpg I installed the dual viair 444cs here. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...47158363_o.jpg Next up i did the rubi locker modification as the stock set up really annoyed me. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psa3b597f6.jpg Also moved the winch controller into my dash. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6f55cde0.jpg Somewhere I bent my rear axle flanges so I installed some chromolys. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...56929699_o.jpg Got tired of the short wheel base and no good control arms. Started making my own. I used 1-1/2od x .250 wall dom tubing. The rest of the bungs and rod ends I got from Ballistic Fab. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps32d2edc3.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb6a1aa1f.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...47535313_o.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...15715164_o.jpg The front I ran into and issue because the axle mounts have massive bushings. Every other arm I could just drill out to 5/8 Bolts, not these. I had to reuse the stock end. So cut it off and weld it to the dom tubing I had. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...37994229_o.jpg Got the rear arms in and it will be pushing the axle back about 4" You can see where i will have to trim. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps3bd40e60.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps3eb88513.jpg Here is the rear stretched and cut out. I dont have pictures, but I also had to move the coil mounts and trackbar. Track bar bracket I got was a ballistic fab weld together bracket. Not really for this application but it worked great. The coild mounts I welded to the axle using 1/4 flat stock for the Flat part and gussets. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse6cea7ab.jpg I got new shocks at this point some 12.5" travel shocks. With the stretch I had to move the rear sway bar and track bar. I also had to move the shock mounts. I welded a square tube that perfectly fit down to the frame and added tabs. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps4093de03.jpg Heres a better pic of where it fits. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps781a2cca.jpg The front was also stretched about 1" but you cant really notice it to much. I should have went more... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...74220353_o.jpg Next up was a drag link. This was pretty straight forward... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...30016452_o.jpg At the same time i flipped it to the top of the knuckle and added a synergy track bar mount. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps8fabaa5c.jpg As you can see the pos dual ss is always getting hit so I removed it. Also fyi the drag link flip can be done safely on 2.5" on my rig. Everyone claims 3", but 2.5 is plenty safe. Next up was a track bar and tie rod. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb2e0dfeb.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb9f5cd00.jpg The 1.5"od x 1/4 wall tie rod got bent to **** the first trip... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps2bcd9340.jpg I also made a rookie mistake and made the rod ends have mo alignment... This is what i got next. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse840c130.jpg So I upgraded to 1.75 od by 1/4... So far much better. Also used misalignment. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps4b09daca.jpg Heres everything installed. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse2be267a.jpg Tested out the new shocks, and RK 3.5 coils. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps69f81b4a.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps42f180c0.jpg Worked out ok. But my shock was rubbing the frame, had to move the lower mount out a little. Also contrary to what most say the rear sway bar does limit the flex about 3" in my tests. I removed the front sway bar as its useless. Keeping the rear is plenty. |
Did a little bit of trail riding...
http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps90cda298.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps0d560fac.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7af36e7a.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps1e7cdb99.jpg Then we took a pretty intense trail and this happened... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psfa98ea04.jpg Heres a closer look. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psfc71938f.jpg It also almost took out my bj. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse4817b47.jpg We just pulled the shaft and drove home. I ordered up some alloy usa chromolys and havent had another problem....yet. Learned the hard way on a few g5 bolts. So i swapped everything to grade 8. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...pse197a49c.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps99efae4f.jpg Few more carnage pics... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psd90aeffb.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psaf0c8dcd.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps508c0a60.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps422e5365.jpg Had some issues with the rear coils coming out. So I had to make some coil retainers top and bottom... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psea295e98.jpg Some more wheeling and measurements...Testing clearance. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps4fe86131.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps10089209.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps04910dee.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psb9884029.jpg I have since moved to Farmington and havent done much since. Except Explore. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps072709c7.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6e63a75c.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7923d8e3.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7f6629cd.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps5760d18d.jpg I will however be getting a metalcloak rear trackbar brace, so I will be installing that and making a rear track bar as well. SO that will be coming up soon. Heres a quick mock up. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psbe0fd968.jpg Well thats my super quick recap. Im sure I missed a ton of stuff and I know i didnt go into much detail, I always forget to take pics...Slowly getting better...Ive learned tons just in this project alone...The whole time in albuquerque we were also working on this guys build. My YJ build/adventures Thread - Page 6 - JeepForum.com Hes the one who helped do all of the welding. Painted the rear track bar bracket, but will probably be awhile to install it. Still need to drill it out and make the rear track bar.. Waiting on rod ends... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps4eb1b980.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psaa5138c8.jpg Painted the rear track bar bracket, but will probably be awhile to install it. Still need to drill it out and make the rear track bar.. Waiting on rod ends... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps4eb1b980.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psaa5138c8.jpg Well threw the jeep on the forklift to get a half *** idea if it would hit with this Eiffel tower in the back. Its damn close, but it just might clear at full stuff.. I may need to cut out the old shock mount location in the worst case scenario. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psdfc0fa66.jpg No damn clue why its about 6.5" up though. im still not sure I want to run it that high as my fronts only raised 3.5"... I also cant use the second hole down due to the crap design of this.. I feel it would be come pretty weak cutting it up enough to get it to fit. That second hole would be ideal. My track bar will be damn near level in the top hole....Would make the track bar simple though with no bends possibly. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps6e681f11.jpg Side note, best radio reception ever... After researching all of this more though, the Metalcloak rear trackbar bracket is a damn good option and the height doesnt matter one bit. Well track bar is almost ready to get welded and tested out. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...pstd4ddii6.jpg Hopefully this weekend I can see if it will hit anything. Also played around with my suspension geometry slightly. On my rig with the mc bracket in the rear raising it 6.5" (wich barely hits my frame on uptravel) and the front raised 3.0" (synergy kit) my roll centers are 22.3" rear and 22" front. That seems fine imo. Slight understeer, but nothing major. I need to work on the rear antisquat a tad bit though, but its hard to figure out the exact sprung mass cg. I might call it good. To fix it though i would have to raise my rear lower arms, at the same time I would raise the shock mounts. It would only gain about 1" Clearance on the arms and maybe 1/2 on the shocks... The more i look at there bracket its a good setup. Got the rear track bar finished. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...ps7odffhli.jpg http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psu1fqtbnl.jpg While testing it out i broke this... http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psbdba69ee.jpg Fixed it up. http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psaa6cbadb.jpg |
I really like your Jeep. I'm definitely learning some things from you.
How is the on road handling with your stretch and, was it 3.5" springs? Looks like you're using all the stock frame and axle mounts for the control arms, did I see that right? How it all work? |
Nice job on the build you have mad flex! :thumbsup:
Where is this? http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...psc1467e20.jpg |
Originally Posted by HardRooster
(Post 3816237)
I really like your Jeep. I'm definitely learning some things from you.
How is the on road handling with your stretch and, was it 3.5" springs? Looks like you're using all the stock frame and axle mounts for the control arms, did I see that right? How it all work? |
Originally Posted by sm_rubi
(Post 3816251)
Nice job on the build you have mad flex! :thumbsup:
Where is this? As for the picture my friend. Thats in Chokecherry Farmington NM . Just a little trench in the first playground. The whole chokecherry area is about 3 mins from my house. |
Nice looking rig, it's come a long way.
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