1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee (WJ) Upgrades and Fixes

-4.7 with 8 Angry Hampsters
-Dana 300
-60's Front and Rear
-ARB Air Lockers
-6:17 Gears
-38.5's (soon to be 42 Iroks)
-Twin Sticks
-Turn Brakes
-Hydro Assist (Soon to be Full Hydro)

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1450.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1449.jpg

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http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1454.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1461.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1460.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1463.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1462.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1461.jpg

And the tear down begins.......

Starting with the front axle rebuild...


http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1467.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1466.jpg

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http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1469.jpg

hell yea!! sweet comp cut and i love the rear chop

wow very nice

Well all the cutting and cage work was already done when I got it, but I am fixin' to really do some cutting to fit the new 42 Iroks underneath.

no swaybar with 4 airshocks?:eek:

Looks pretty damn nice man. With a little ingenuity you can cut about 3 more inches out of all your fenders, and give yourself a shitton more uptravel. I cut my rear wheel well in half and shifted it back about 3.5" so I could cut the fenders out more. It stuffs the tires up NICE, but I'm only on 36's. You could go further back with the rear half of the well than I did if you did something with the gas filler lines

http://agitatedpancake.com/random/jeep/rearfenders/dscn4080.jpg

That pinion is tiny, looks like its out of a D30. You worried about it at all with 42's?

no swaybar with 4 airshocks?:eek:

Am working on that... That is one of things I am going to try and add during this upgrade

did you have to modify the input shaft on your D300, or obtain an aftermarket, to adapt it to your 545rfe tranny, or did you swap trannys as well?

-Turn Breaks

What breaks when you turn? :flipoff2:

WTF is that shit looks like a jacked up polar bear:flipoff2:
Hey isnt there a badass offroad shop across the street from yall. HEHE:D

What breaks when you turn? :flipoff2:

Everything!!! LOL

awesome looking wj!

WTF is that shit looks like a jacked up polar bear:flipoff2:
Hey isnt there a badass offroad shop across the street from yall. HEHE:D

NO COMMENT SMART ASS!! :flipoff2:

Getting ready to build a truss on the front axle, will post some pics soon!!!

this is a nice set up. looking foward to the front axle truss

moar pleez

Ok time for a little update...

-Full hydraulic steering kit has arrived
-42" Iroks have also arrived

Going to purchase a new piece of equipment today, will post a picture later of it.

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1480.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1473.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1474.jpg

Oh shit now I'm super jealous damnit! Those are some damn sweet parts you have stacked up for this thing, can't wait to see how it turns out! I've been trying to decide if I want to bump up the tire size to something in the 39 range sometime soon, but with 42"s you'll definately be one of the biggest WJ's i've seen

Oh shit now I'm super jealous damnit! Those are some damn sweet parts you have stacked up for this thing, can't wait to see how it turns out! I've been trying to decide if I want to bump up the tire size to something in the 39 range sometime soon, but with 42"s you'll definately be one of the biggest WJ's i've seen


39's you know wanna :)

Brett

Well had to pick up a new welder as the old Miller wasn't enough for the 1/4" steel plates on the truss... So picke3d up the Hobart IronMan 230

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1483.jpg

And finally you will see a couple pictures of the mock up of the front axle...

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1482.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1481.jpg

Oh shit now I'm super jealous damnit! Those are some damn sweet parts you have stacked up for this thing, can't wait to see how it turns out! I've been trying to decide if I want to bump up the tire size to something in the 39 range sometime soon, but with 42"s you'll definately be one of the biggest WJ's i've seen


Come on you know you really wanna run some 42's!!!

Haha Brett I'm sure I'll end up there soon enough.

The one thing I'm a little worried about is how well the rear 9" in my jeep will hold up with something near a 40-42" tire under 5300lbs lol! Once this thing is build you have to tell me how the iroks do on the street, as my jeep is still a driver when it's not crippled! My irok radials are fantastic but I know the bias are another story haha

Haha Brett I'm sure I'll end up there soon enough.

The one thing I'm a little worried about is how well the rear 9" in my jeep will hold up with something near a 40-42" tire under 5300lbs lol! Once this thing is build you have to tell me how the iroks do on the street, as my jeep is still a driver when it's not crippled! My irok radials are fantastic but I know the bias are another story haha

This is my second set of Bias Iroks and they work great on the trail, but they do wear out fast being that they are bias. I am going with full hydro now, so don't know how much of the street the rig will actually see. Hoping to be able to drive it back and forth to my shop on occassion, but will have to see how it handles.

Nice build!
Don't mean to highjack but, Greg the bias Iroks are fine on the street. My 39s aren't balanced or anything and they've seen 2 trips to MOAB (2500 miles or so round trip). Even had them up to 80mph for a few seconds on the way back to Ron's that Sunday after the 'Con. But they do wear hella fast. They are cheap though:p.
Just do a 60 rear and be done with it:D.

Nice work on the truss. Is that a chevy dana 60? Is there any particular reason you staid with a 15" wheel?

Nice build!
Don't mean to highjack but...... Just do a 60 rear and be done with it:D.
Most 60 rears suck without putting a bunch of money into them. Do a 70 or 14 bolt.

I dont even have words for this. Great work. My jeep is getting jealous of me looking at yours. Subscribing.

Nice build.

Looks like a Trail gear full hydro kit. 8" ram?

Airshock mounts on the High Steer arms: any concern there of shearing them off? Looks like stock knuckles

Nice Dub! I never could find the buildup of this rig on the net when I had my WJ but searched for it everywhere after I found one pic in a bumper thread somewhere. The tubework is amazing!

How heavy is this thing?

*** STATUS UPDATE ***

Front axle is now back under the jeep, and steering is installed.
Next up finish plumbing the steering, then cutting and plating the body for the 42's...

Thought I would have been done by now, but had some paying work in the shop that took priority.

Goal is to be completed in time for the Chili Challenge. Also have some other things I may upgrade over the next couple winter months...

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1485.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1484.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1486.jpg

did you double up on the steering ram mounts? or are there usually that many clamps?

either way looking good

did you double up on the steering ram mounts? or are there usually that many clamps?

either way looking good

No that is how the trail gear ram kit comes.

Nice work on the truss. Is that a chevy dana 60? Is there any particular reason you staid with a 15" wheel?


Most 60 rears suck without putting a bunch of money into them. Do a 70 or 14 bolt.

Thanks I put a lot of work into the truss, and yes it is a Chevy Dana 60 with Ford knuckles and brakes, but looking to change the knuckles to aftermarket. Stayed with the 15" wheel because they were on the truck, and could allocate the money elsewhere.

How heavy is this thing?

I believe it is right around 5,000lbs. Looking for ways to lighten it up, but it is just a trail rig to get the family out in. Buggy hopefully coming next year.

Nice build.

Looks like a Trail gear full hydro kit. 8" ram?

Airshock mounts on the High Steer arms: any concern there of shearing them off? Looks like stock knuckles

Yes it is a Trail Gear Full Hydro Kit with the 8" Ram, and yes the air shocks were originally on the high steer arms, but have since been changed as you can see in the new pictures. Also yes the knuckles are stock and hoping to upgrade to aftermarket soon.

I believe it is right around 5,000lbs. Looking for ways to lighten it up, but it is just a trail rig to get the family out in. Buggy hopefully coming next year.

Hate to tell you but my buggy'd ZJ (Grand) is 5,300 pounds. Your rig I would guess is about 6,000 pounds.

could you post up some pics of the backdoor/hatch fab?? (C-pillar??) i've been really tempted to do something like that...

could you post up some pics of the backdoor/hatch fab?? (C-pillar??) i've been really tempted to do something like that...

That part was already done when I bought it, so can't answer many questions about it, but can definently post some pics. Will take them today and post this afternoon.

could you post up some pics of the backdoor/hatch fab?? (C-pillar??) i've been really tempted to do something like that...

Ok so here are some pictures I took, probably overkill, but if there is anything more you want to see let me know!!

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1495.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1494.jpg

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http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1490.jpg

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http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1487.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1498.jpg

Hate to tell you but my buggy'd ZJ (Grand) is 5,300 pounds. Your rig I would guess is about 6,000 pounds.
Doesn't your rig have an inner and outer cage and ridiculous amounts of tube like slider supports off the cage? :D



but I'd venture to guess you rig is closer to 5500lbs

Doesn't your rig have an inner and outer cage and ridiculous amounts of tube like slider supports off the cage? :D



but I'd venture to guess you rig is closer to 5500lbs

One cage, less tube than this rig. And the slider supports are gone. :flipoff2:

I have weighed the rig, with and without water in the front tires.


I do like the build though. Cool lines.

Well steering is finally installed and working great
42's are under truck and truck is rolling again...
Fixed the yoke on the transfer case and re-installed both drive shafts.

Now it is time to start cutting her up to fit them 42's

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1457.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1455.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1503.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1500.jpg

http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1502.jpg

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http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu199/nibman/Jeep%20Grand/100_1499.jpg

any updates??

Whose fluid reservoir and filter block is that? I have never seen one like that.

Do you have any information from the guy who cut the hatch? That whole thing looks awesome, i would like to see if he has an email address you know of or a shop or just something so i can get in touch of him. The build is looking amazing, truely jealous!!

Sickest Dub-J I've ever seen. Top notch.

Nice rig It was actually one of my inspirations for my build! My rig weighed in at 6460lbs. They have a 4600lb curb weight full of gas stock.
http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo154/Saturnicl/1-1.jpg


(personal acct. is SaturnICL on PBB and others)

no SH*T Chris, yours seriously weighed in at 6400lbs? That's insane, I need to make sure my WJ stays on a diet to keep it below that 6k mark haahha

Ya with the spare tire and tool box loaded. The axles wheels and tires are most of that girth so I didnt mind to much it was all down low.

Whose fluid reservoir and filter block is that? I have never seen one like that.

It is the Trail Gear full hydro kit..

Do you have any information from the guy who cut the hatch? That whole thing looks awesome, i would like to see if he has an email address you know of or a shop or just something so i can get in touch of him. The build is looking amazing, truely jealous!!

As far as I know a lot of the work on this rig was done by Twisted Fabrications, and they do have a website, but have had no luck trying to reach the man that built it... I have left numerous messages and emails and he will not return the messges...

Nice rig It was actually one of my inspirations for my build! My rig weighed in at 6460lbs. They have a 4600lb curb weight full of gas stock.
http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo154/Saturnicl/1-1.jpg


(personal acct. is SaturnICL on PBB and others)


Nice rig man, it really looks good!!!

any updates??

Sorry it has been awhile since I have updated any progress....

However have done some cutting to incorporate the 42's. Also have installed a suck down winch in the rear to keep the jeep more stable (the rear shocks keep loading up) Going to try and reconfigure by pulling out all the oil and starting over. The winch works great though...

Will post a couple pics later today of the fenders and the new winch.

bump :flipoff2:

***Newest update***

I have decided to throw it out there for sale.. see if there are any bites, so check in the for sale thread!!