So I have been collecting some parts for awhile on this build, and just tore into it the past weekend. I'd hoped to keep wheelin' it as long as possible but it's time to get it done.

Here's what I started with,
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/Jeep/n11903180_31294352_2633.jpg


I got a great deal on it, The guy's wife told him it was time for some toys to go. It's got a SBC 350, stock except for holly 750 and headers. It had a long shaft TH350 and NP241C. 3" BL(I hear the flames already) and 33" BFG AT's. Open D30 and D35 w/4.10's. I put a front driveshaft in, a SYE and new rear driveshaft for the Tcase, 4 in. suspension lift and upgraded the BFG's to 35" Krawlers.

After some upgrades,
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/Jeep/100_0455.jpg

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/Jeep/100_0453.jpg

I had some leftover parts from a toyota build, namely an ORD203/205 doubler and scored a set of CUCV axles(hence the 5/4 ton TJ, just the spring rate, I know, but I just liked the sound of it). 4.56's, open front and detroit rear, both for 800 bucks:D.

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0541.jpg
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0542.jpg

Ok, so here's what I have in mind. Uncle Sam is going to be calling again soon, and I've got about 4 months to finish this. I'll be holding out on the really crazy stuff just so I can get an opportunity to wheel it some.

The longshaft TH350 is going away and I'll be replacing it with the TH350 that was in front of the 203/205 doubler. I am going to try and get the belly as flat as possible. I am going to stick with the 4 in. susp lift and the coil set up. I have a genright strech tank in it, so I am going to push the 14b back as far as I can. Ballistic fab has some brackets on the way and I am going to go w/ a triangulated 4 link in the rear. Havn't got any parts for the front yet, but looking to go w/ a 3 link and stay in the stock location.

Tires will be something by Interco, I'm a fan. Looking for 38-39 range. Will cut fenders as need be.

My biggest issue right now is the 3" BL. I know it needs to go, but its going to be a pain in the a$$ to get to the flat belly I want w/ the t case setup. the engine and tranny area won't be a problem. I know the issue is the added stress on the mounts. Would going to a smaller body lift, and sandwiching the body b/w the cage and frame tie in mounts relieve some of the stress or does it need to go all together? I put my thick skin on this morning so any and all input is welcome too.

Pic's of tcase

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0551.jpg

The 203 case is above the framerails. The back of the 205 is below by an inch or two. The top of the 205 above the front output is hitting the floorpan. I still have more room to go up in the tunnel though.

Yes, this picture is taken in the gap b/w the frame and the body.:(
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0555.jpg

More pic's
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0570.jpg

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0571.jpg

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0558.jpg
http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/Jeep%20build/100_0562.jpg

Obviously You're not afraid to cut the floor out. If it was my Jeep I would loose the three inch body lift and go with a one inch body lift. Cut floor as needed. I cant wait to see the drive shaft length. Good luck.

Some more details. I shaved the 14b and cut just past the first hole. Again, I would have followed the 11 bolt idea from the 14b shave thread, but I cut that out for time's sake. I measured the old and new and guesstimated that w/ the shave and at least 38" tires I'll have about the same clearance as the D35 now w/ 35's.

Disc brake swap in the rear is bolt on brackets w/ el dorado calipers for the e brake. Got them from GubNi here. Thanks again.

I am waiting on sorting out the BL problem before I put the cage in.

I've got a smittybilt 10K winch. It was a great price. I'm not competing in anything, so it should be fine for what I get myself into. I got to test it out by draggin' some cars out of ditches when the last snow went thru NC.

The Taxman was very nice this year, so I think the genright 3 link front will be in order.

So, I havn't posted in awhile. Here are some updated pics

Rear axle stretch I should have listened, but I learned the had way that the genright tank wasn't gonna work. I guess I will just have to get a jeep that it will fit in now.

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/100_0636.jpg

So the coil spring idea didn't pan out. I had to half ass finish it just so I could store it for my deployment.

Good thing, is i will go to coilovers once I get back. Here is how it sits now.

http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/100_0660.jpg


http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/100_0664.jpg

Other updates... The rear driveshaft is new from HAD. 1410 at the axle with the 1350 CV on the Tcase. My leftover TH350 is hurting, so a rebuild or a new one is in order. The front is 3 linked, which was a pain on the chevy axle. I had to build a custom truss for the front 60. The panhard will need to be redesigned. The fuel cell is the 15 gal RCI tank.

I'd like to see pictures of the truss and brackets you came up with for the 3 link front if possible

Here's the only pictures I have. I used 4 inch wide 1/4'' plate. I tied the plate into each axletube, and basically jigsawed pieces together to go over the top of the diff. To get around the welding cast to steel thing, I drilled two holes in the plate over the holes in the cast spring perch. I ran two bolts thru the holes then cut them flush with the plate and welded them in. I will eventually find someone with a stick welder and nickel rod, i guess i need to add strenght. On the drivers side of the diff, the truss is tied into the upper control arm tower too. I will box in the truss as much as well, so hopefully that will be plenty strong.

With the coil spring setup, the panhard is on top of the diff on the truss. Once I switch over to coilovers, I should be able to add some more lenght to the panhard by moving its mount further to the pass. side of the axle.

edit: the frame and axle brackets are from polyperformance's front 3 link kit by the way


http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/100_0643.jpg


http://i586.photobucket.com/albums/ss310/jdavismmi/100_0641.jpg

So the jeep came with a 3 inch body lift. The aircleaner for the 350 barely sticks up past the two support bars in the engine compartment. And with the way the Tcase is now I would have to cut an even bigger part out of the floor to get it to work. I am thinking of using the new genright body mounts or making something of my own to raise the body mounts so as not to have the 3in. pucks between the body and the mount. I figure that will relieve the extra stress due to longer bolts and would help eliminate bashing the lower, thinner body mounts on stuff. I also plan to tie the eventual cage to the frame by sandwichin' the body.

Looking good....got some updates/pics?

How far did you stretch the rear?

The wheelbase is about 109". The front only got moved forward an inch or so due to the stock steering box and pitman arm. All the rest of the stretch came from the rear.

So I'm a little slow in the update department, but I have got alot done recently. No new off the wall tech, just what I've picked up on here, so mod's let me know if this needs to be moved someplace else.

On to pictures
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7552
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7549

FOA 14" coilovers went on the front. I trimmed the hood up and am in the process of bending up some tube fenders. I think I want to tie them into a grille hoop in the front so I am waiting to drop the body lift to get that in, so I can do the tube fenders.

The stock power steering setup quit on me so I upgraded.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7557

My high steer arms were set up to have the old drag link in front of the axle and the tie rod in the rear. I think there is room to fish the ram and tie rods thru the links and around the D60 chunk in the rear, but the ram will be sitting pretty high and will be underneath the front of the oil pan.

Shouldn't be a problem to keep it out of the oilpan with bumpstops. It just seems that most of the others I have seen with the ram in the rear are running enough stretch in the front that the ram is clearing anything vital.

Here is what I am working with. I have some tube bent up to mount it on and will also need to add an adjustable frame mount for the upper to get a better angle on it if I have to move it up some.

http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7494
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7554
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7553

Yeah, do what ever it takes to get rid of the body lift. Other than that, it looks good!

I finally finished plating the new rear frame. It's 2x4 in. 3/16 wall.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7749
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7746
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7747


I used some of AtoZfab's D ring tabs and a receiver. The d ring tabs go thru both sides of the bumper and are welded on both sides. The back side of the tabs is also plated around the mounts as well, so I hope they hold. The receiver hitch is the same way.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7765

This is what I am doing for rear shocks. They are 13" bbcs. The hoop will get tied in to the cage if I ever manage some time to get it done. Right now both the bolts on the shocks are going the same way. I havn't got a chance to flex it out with the shocks on yet, but if it binds I have some tabs that will put the axle end mounted parallel with the axle instead. I don't think the axle is going to move that much forwards and backwards to cause a problem, but I have had to redo simpler things on this jeep.

http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7750

I used some of AtoZfab's D ring tabs and a receiver. The d ring tabs go thru both sides of the bumper and are welded on both sides. The back side of the tabs is also plated around the mounts as well, so I hope they hold. The receiver hitch is the same way.
http://pirate4x4.com/forum/picture.php?albumid=833&pictureid=7765

Cut the rear bumber at a 45 degree andle between 1-2 inch down from the body

what size on the front boggers?

Tires are 38.5" tall. I think I may end up wanting something a little taller now with the wheelbase, but we will see. I need to actually wheel it first.