Clayton Off Road Mfg.

We are starting on this build this week, it's a nice clean TJ with only 48k on it. It's getting our 5.5" Long Arm Suspension Lift Kit, Bilstein shocks, SYE kit and a Tom Woods drive shaft. We will be using the factory transfercase skid plate for now. Here are a few pictures as we progress through the install of our parts:







Tom Woods/ AA SYE kit:





We use these brackets to determine where we need to weld our new control arm brackets:



Getting the frame all cleared out:



Using the location plates:



Getting the new control arm brackets in place:





Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

New control arm brackets tacked into place:



Fully welded:







Cutting off some of the old control arm brackets with the plasma:



Cut through the welds along the top edge with a cutoff wheel:



Use a hammer to take the pieces off:





Then clean it up a little and the rear control arm brackets are totally off:



Add some paint to prevent the East Coast death rust:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

Starting to work on the rear axle bracketry:



Getting it ready for the truss:



Tacked in:



Fully welded in place:



Axle painted, and lower arms bolted in:



Nothing the factory skid plate:



Tight fit next to the LCA brackets:







Getting ready set the pinion angle, 2 degrees down:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

To set the pinion angle, we use a bottle jack to make sure we get the pinion exactly where we want it:



Centering the rear axle over the body, we use ratchet straps and pull the body where we want it:



Once the pinion angle and track are set we put the upper arms in. Adjust the upper arms to the exact length so the bolts go in easily:



Rear arms in:



Starting on the front end:







Cleaning up the old trackbar mount and adding our bracket to make it a double shear bracket:



New double shear track bar mount up front:



Trackbar bracket ready for paint:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

New front end parts (JKS disconnects, new pitman arm, trackbar and bracket, springs, and control arms) installed:



Clayton Off Road springs and Bilstein shocks installed:



Front radius arms, springs, and shocks installed:



Front and rear suspension complete:



Starting on the exhaust. Cut flange off the cat about a half inch in front of the necked down portion:



Grind off the weld off and knock old pipe out of the flange:



Clean up the ID of the flange:



Cut flange off the muffler right at the end of the muffler pipe:



Clean up the ID of the flange so it goes over the new muffler with a little play:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off RoadNew front end parts (JKS disconnects, new pitman arm, trackbar and bracket, springs, and control arms) installed:



Clayton Off Road springs and Bilstein shocks installed:



Front radius arms, springs, and shocks installed:



Front and rear suspension complete:



Starting on the exhaust. Cut flange off the cat about a half inch in front of the necked down portion:



Grind off the weld off and knock old pipe out of the flange:



Clean up the ID of the flange:



Cut flange off the muffler right at the end of the muffler pipe:



Clean up the ID of the flange so it goes over the new muffler with a little play:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

Weld bolt into the flange on the cat facing the muffler:





Cut about an inch off the inlet to the muffler:



Put the flange on to the cat. it's a tight fit so you may need to use a hammer. Try and angle it towards the center of the Jeep. Then install the muffler:



Make sure the muffler is centered between the upper control arm and the transfer case. I like to use a level to get it level with the frame rail:





Tack weld both flanges in place when the muffler is located where you want it:





Unbolt the muffler and weld around the inside of the cat flange:



Outside as well:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

Once it is welded up you can bolt it back on:



AA SYE and Tom Woods shaft are installed along with the new muffler:



Cut the tip of tail pipe off the old exhaust where it is a full diameter after the bend. Clean up the end and it needs to be hammered a little to get it round:



Slide the tail pipe in to the muffle and angle it slightly to the outside of the Jeep. Put a couple tack welds on if you are going to have a custom tail pipe bent up to exit in the stock location:









Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

Clayton Off Road Mfg.

We finished up our part of the build today and got the TJ ready for it's owner:



Next up is this TJ:



Alex
Marketing Director
Clayton Off Road

JEEP-AK

Great work, real clean. I wish I could have that beast!!!