Post by 2XS on Oct 20, 2010 17:28:08 GMT -4
i have never really done a build thread... I just dont take the time when building to dig out a camera and photo everything i have done or am doing, but i figured on this one, since i had more time on my hands then cash, i might as well document it a bit.
Early this spring I found an inca gold rubi at auction for a great deal. It was my favorite jeep color, rubi, stock, so i made the trek to go see it, and it followed me home.
By day end, i had the 33's off the grand, swapped for the 31's, and had an evening run planned in the local pit.
The 33's with stauns were the first order of business. The jeep had a few issues, including a rear locker problem, but it was all minor, and performed excellent that night.
The goal is to build a LCOG jeep that appears pretty stock on the street, but is super capable off road. Keep this one light, as my last tj was 5500lbs on the trail, and keep it around the same size as the guys i wheel with, to keep it fun. As such it is going to be put together in a very different order then the norm but everything will come with a purpose.
The rubi itself is a very capable jeep right off the showroom floor, so the 33's and beadlocks were the easy first decision. There was still snow on the ground, so being able to comfortably air down to sub 5lb pressures was great.
Next step was the shovel; If i had wanted a scoop, home depo has lots, i would have bought one there, this just had to go. Still Recovering from my accident a year and a half ago, i built the best tt i could with one arm (other shoulder still on the mend). It is ugly, but somehow functional. In a couple months it will be replaced by an all aluminum setup. When the tt went in, i also made a 1.25 body lift and installed that to allow room for the t/c and a 2 inch mm lift so i could retain the stock rear driveshaft. I didnt take any direct pictures of this because it was soooo ugly.
The rubi was working well, but my co2 setup from the grand was taking up way too much realestate in the swb, so it got replaced with a stock ac compressor. I kept this simple, just a filtered inlet, a hose that comes off it with an oil separator, safety valve, quick connect, and a factory switch on the dash to turn it all on. Because i am only filling tires at the end of a run, i decided against all the extra electrical. It saves time, space and parts. The only thing i regret here is not doing the grease conversion when it went in. I totally forgot till it was bolted in place, so its not comming out any time soon.
Unfortunately i split a sidewall in the mtz before they were 2 months old, so they had to go. I replaced them with some worn out 35 claws because they were cheap, but added the rockmonsters to the mix. The stauns were alright, but tube punctures in the snow sealed their fate..
I wheeled it this way for a couple months with the stock swaybar connected all the time, and it was pretty amusing 3 wheeling all over the place, but in the meantime i found a parts supplier for the broken swaylock i had on the older jeep, so it got put together, and a couple weeks ago it was installed, with some other pieces that had to be replaced because they were lost.
The next upgrade was front axle seals and chromollys. I had bought the outer seals years ago for my kee, and loved the way they worked but they would not work with the 60's. Now that Im back to a 44 i could use them again so i ordered those, and full circle clips for the u joints. I had to order 100 clips to be able to get the correct thickness, and was waiting hoping they would show up before our big fall run as my caps were starting to spin in the axles. The didnt show up, and i broke a trunion on the event, splitting the ears about 1/4 inch, but not destroying it. We went off to the welder so both sides would last for day 2, and then set out to play on harder stuff.
Right after the weekend i found an alloy outer and was on my way to pick it up when the opposite side spit out a u joint cap, so i just picked up full alloys for both sides, and now keep the stockers as spares if i need to get out of the woods. no pics of these yet.
I knew i wanted to do all aluminum skids, and parts, and having a friend who built firetrucks came in handy.... the oil pan skid is done, and really light, the tranny skid is done also, and the framework for the flat skid just got completed tonight.It is more pratical, and more clearance and when the skid is done on monday, it will look alot better. The basic design is the same, its just closer to the one on my old jeep, improving on that was wrong.
This will be a slow build because ins doesnt pay you much while you are recovering, and most of the work i have to rely on friends to help with, but it is giving me lots of time to plan each step, get the best parts for the job, and hopefully only do it once.
The future plan from here is 12" raceruner coilovers(have them already) in the rear, 14" coilovers in front. 3 link the front, and 4 link the rear, but keep the arms above the bottom of the frame with a mid arm. Outboard the rears, and then lift the gas tank skid. Aluminum front and rear bumpers, and rock rails but maintain 0 suspension lift. upgrade steering while in there, and some other parts, and get rid of these claws for some good rubber as i was 2 weeks till i punctured a sidewall on a brand new tire... Thats the end of mickeys for me.
My oba is going to be plumbed to each corner again for fill ups, and i bought stauns for airing down.
Early this spring I found an inca gold rubi at auction for a great deal. It was my favorite jeep color, rubi, stock, so i made the trek to go see it, and it followed me home.
By day end, i had the 33's off the grand, swapped for the 31's, and had an evening run planned in the local pit.
The 33's with stauns were the first order of business. The jeep had a few issues, including a rear locker problem, but it was all minor, and performed excellent that night.
The goal is to build a LCOG jeep that appears pretty stock on the street, but is super capable off road. Keep this one light, as my last tj was 5500lbs on the trail, and keep it around the same size as the guys i wheel with, to keep it fun. As such it is going to be put together in a very different order then the norm but everything will come with a purpose.
The rubi itself is a very capable jeep right off the showroom floor, so the 33's and beadlocks were the easy first decision. There was still snow on the ground, so being able to comfortably air down to sub 5lb pressures was great.
Next step was the shovel; If i had wanted a scoop, home depo has lots, i would have bought one there, this just had to go. Still Recovering from my accident a year and a half ago, i built the best tt i could with one arm (other shoulder still on the mend). It is ugly, but somehow functional. In a couple months it will be replaced by an all aluminum setup. When the tt went in, i also made a 1.25 body lift and installed that to allow room for the t/c and a 2 inch mm lift so i could retain the stock rear driveshaft. I didnt take any direct pictures of this because it was soooo ugly.
The rubi was working well, but my co2 setup from the grand was taking up way too much realestate in the swb, so it got replaced with a stock ac compressor. I kept this simple, just a filtered inlet, a hose that comes off it with an oil separator, safety valve, quick connect, and a factory switch on the dash to turn it all on. Because i am only filling tires at the end of a run, i decided against all the extra electrical. It saves time, space and parts. The only thing i regret here is not doing the grease conversion when it went in. I totally forgot till it was bolted in place, so its not comming out any time soon.
Unfortunately i split a sidewall in the mtz before they were 2 months old, so they had to go. I replaced them with some worn out 35 claws because they were cheap, but added the rockmonsters to the mix. The stauns were alright, but tube punctures in the snow sealed their fate..
I wheeled it this way for a couple months with the stock swaybar connected all the time, and it was pretty amusing 3 wheeling all over the place, but in the meantime i found a parts supplier for the broken swaylock i had on the older jeep, so it got put together, and a couple weeks ago it was installed, with some other pieces that had to be replaced because they were lost.
The next upgrade was front axle seals and chromollys. I had bought the outer seals years ago for my kee, and loved the way they worked but they would not work with the 60's. Now that Im back to a 44 i could use them again so i ordered those, and full circle clips for the u joints. I had to order 100 clips to be able to get the correct thickness, and was waiting hoping they would show up before our big fall run as my caps were starting to spin in the axles. The didnt show up, and i broke a trunion on the event, splitting the ears about 1/4 inch, but not destroying it. We went off to the welder so both sides would last for day 2, and then set out to play on harder stuff.
Right after the weekend i found an alloy outer and was on my way to pick it up when the opposite side spit out a u joint cap, so i just picked up full alloys for both sides, and now keep the stockers as spares if i need to get out of the woods. no pics of these yet.
I knew i wanted to do all aluminum skids, and parts, and having a friend who built firetrucks came in handy.... the oil pan skid is done, and really light, the tranny skid is done also, and the framework for the flat skid just got completed tonight.It is more pratical, and more clearance and when the skid is done on monday, it will look alot better. The basic design is the same, its just closer to the one on my old jeep, improving on that was wrong.
This will be a slow build because ins doesnt pay you much while you are recovering, and most of the work i have to rely on friends to help with, but it is giving me lots of time to plan each step, get the best parts for the job, and hopefully only do it once.
The future plan from here is 12" raceruner coilovers(have them already) in the rear, 14" coilovers in front. 3 link the front, and 4 link the rear, but keep the arms above the bottom of the frame with a mid arm. Outboard the rears, and then lift the gas tank skid. Aluminum front and rear bumpers, and rock rails but maintain 0 suspension lift. upgrade steering while in there, and some other parts, and get rid of these claws for some good rubber as i was 2 weeks till i punctured a sidewall on a brand new tire... Thats the end of mickeys for me.
My oba is going to be plumbed to each corner again for fill ups, and i bought stauns for airing down.
