Well I figured I'd put a post on my TJ build-up. It started a long time ago and will never really end. I don't have any PICS uploaded right now so you'll have to use your imagination.
This is the story of my 1999 Jeep Wrangler Sport from my acquisition to its current state.
I bought my Wrangler in 2005 after returning from my second trip to Iraq. I had an XJ already that needed re-gearing and a new R&P up front but chose to part it out and build a TJ. When I bought my TJ it was COMPLETELY stock with only 42,000 miles on it.
The weekend I got it home I had a ?? coil spacer lift at my house I put on it for a little extra height. I went wheeling that Sat.
I wheeled my jeep stock for quite a while. My first mod was due to my own stupidity (first two times out I had no front or rear tow hooks; I DON?T RECOMMEND THIS) well after a pretty bad stick we ripped my rear bumper off so I had to replace the bumper and get tow hooks.
After wheeling stock for QUITE some time I bought a simple 1? body lift for me jeep. This was an inexpensive mod that gave me room for larger tires. After helping a friend of mine do some work he gave me a set of Mud Kings off his Rubicon 265x75x16 (32?s) I now have MT?s, tow hooks, and a jeep starting to look like a wheeler.
I wheeled my jeep like this till I deployed for my 3rd trip to Iraq. While deployed this trip I purchased a HUGE round of mods for my jeep to include more lift, a full array of skid plates, a front locker, and a winch. I purchased a Rough Country 4? X series Lift Kit let me say I LOVE it. This thing was very complete. Other purchases were a Skid Row radiator skid plate, a Skid Row engine skid plate, a Kilby steering box skid plate, a Kilby gas tank skid plate, and a set of warrior trail corners. I also purchased a Lock Right locker to install in my Dana 30 front and mounted my M6000 winch.
I think my first wheeling trip out I mashed my stock fenders so I chose to flat fender my jeep but couldn?t afford Tube fenders so I started cutting. My results were a decent looking flat fender that was effective on the trails
In Aug of 06 I smashed the flat fenders even worse and tube fenders went on sale. I bought a set of Smitty built full replacement tube fenders and put them on and a buddy built me a front winch bumper
I wheeled my jeep like this up until Sep 2006 when I had catastrophic brake failure so rather than put ANY money into my stock D35 I started my axle swap to the ford 8.8 in it now. This was the start of my biggest round of mods yet. I started by finding a Ford 8.8 out of a 96 or newer For explorer. By choosing these years from this truck you get the added benefits of rear Disk brakes and 31 spline axles. Once I had my axle I started buying the needed items for the swap such as brake parts, gears, install kits, well the lift goes on. Once I had everything I would need I contacted my mechanic because I can?t weld and to put this axle under TJ you need to weld all the coil spring bracketry on. I dropped everything with him and went on the lookout for locker options. I was going to get a spool for the rear and keep my lock right in the front but I stumbled upon a Super 30 kit with ARB and compressor. This upgraded me from stock 27 spline shafts up front to a BEEFY 30 spline AND Chomolly shafts. This opened the door for me to run 35? tires or bigger. Well with an ARB in the front I opted to go ahead and get an ARB for the rear to, this was my biggest purchase thus far.
My jeep sat several months over the winter while waiting for my mechanic to have the time to do the work, but I FINALLY got it back Feb 07. Once I got it back I had several loose ends to tie up. I had to plumb the rear brakes myself, plumb the ARB air lines, wire the switches and the compressor, install my SYE, build a rear DS, just ?tune? my suspension. To tackle the air supply problem for my ARB?s, I say problem because I had an air supply but it is a Viair compressor not an ARB compressor so I need a tank, I got a 2 gallon tank that fits directly behind my back seat and effectively now have on board air.
Now that my jeep is home I have finished putting it all back together and I must say I am very happy with it. After all the lift and the trimming I made room for the 36x12.50x15 Super Swamper TSL Radials I bought After installing the tires the same guy that built my bumper started making Weld on Bead lock rings so I bought a set of them so I now have Bead locks too.
Somewhere in this mix there are parts I know I missed like Solid Diff Cover for my 8.8, Rock Crusher Diff Cover for my D30, Adjustable front and rear track bars, no front sway bar, rear sway bar disconnects, For Communication I have a uniden CB and Whip antenna, Alloy USA outer seals on my D30, and an upgraded Grand Cherokee tie Rod, 1? full replacement Motor Mount Lift???.well below is about as complete list of my specs I have??
99 TJ; Clarsville, TN
4" Rough Country X, 1" BL, 1" Spacer, 1" MML
S30, ARB, Rock Crusher Cover, Rustys LCA mounts
8.8, ARB, SOLID Cover
4.56 gears, SYE, ZJ Tierod, Tera-Flex Front, JKS Rear Adjustable Trackbars
36x12.50's TSL's/Beadlocks
Custom front/Rear bumpers, M6000 Incab Remote
Skid Row engine/radiator skid, Kilby steering/gas skid, Trail Corners, A-Z rockers, tube fenders
Uniden CB, whip, Viair Compressor W/OBA
Since writing this I have gotten a full weld in cage (pix of it in another post in the Fab Section) A bigger front stinger tied to a hood hoop, Throughout the process I installed about every skid plate I could buy, and I am modding my rear bumper to a swing away tire carrier. I no longer have the 36's on there as I got a KILLER deal on a set of 35" ProComp MT's.
I built this jeep to wheel and I do that hard. She hasn't let me down yet and I couldn't be happier with this build
