High School TJ build

This little Tj is coming along, that big dent in the side is gone due to a friend in town, repainted the hood and part of side panel where the dent was, the paint didn't match to what I thought it would, but that's ok, it gives it character. Repainted the the fender flares black, looks so much better than it did. Put on some Rugged Ridge rockers on it, took the old front bumper off, working on building a new one. It has a cute 2" coil spacer lift, I swapped the tires I had on the XJ and put them on the TJ. I've put some quick disconnect sway bar links on her as well. The heater wasn't working very well, turns out the heater core was clogged inside the pipe and as well as the fins, cleaned it up just enough to get a welcome breeze of nice warm air. As of plans on this daily high school driver, the floppy mirrors need to go, every time I close the door they move out of position, I have a hp d30 and a Ford 8.8 that need a little work before I throw them under. I also plan on putting 4.10 gearing and a lunchbox locker in the front, the 8.8 came with a limited slip that I'm going to keep in there for "High School Budget" reasons. Hoping that I can get 35" tires on there after my axles. I want to do high-line fenders just to get me that extra tire clearance that I may or may not need. This little Tj has been a good little Jeep for me so far, has done what I've wanted it to do for me so far, haven't taken it wheeling yet, but I can tell you it climbs curbs no problem.
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Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
Bummer about the t-case Eric, but glad you found the problem. I like your plan with the rear suspension. That makes a huge difference.
 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
Funny story, I'm in math class going through triangles again and the thought comes to me, "why don't I just triangulate the rear end?"
So now I'm curious, I know they make kits and there's cool calculators but my concern is what do you do with all the brake lines and fuel lines? Are they good where they're at on a TJ (along in inner frame on the driver side) or would you have to move/reroute them (if so where ?)? I'd be keeping it at 93.5" wheel base even though it's tempting to stretch it to 100"-102".
 

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
Funny story, I'm in math class going through triangles again and the thought comes to me, "why don't I just triangulate the rear end?"
So now I'm curious, I know they make kits and there's cool calculators but my concern is what do you do with all the brake lines and fuel lines? Are they good where they're at on a TJ (along in inner frame on the driver side) or would you have to move/reroute them (if so where ?)? I'd be keeping it at 93.5" wheel base even though it's tempting to stretch it to 100"-102".
Those lines are OK where they are. You probably have to bend them around a bit to fit....I can't remember right now. But you don't need to relocate them.
 

DaveB

Long Jeep Fan
Location
Holladay, Utah
On my triangulated rears I run a hard line to where the upper control arm meets the frame then go rubber for 8 or so inches, then hard line to where the control arm meets the axle then back to rubber to tie to the axle hard lines. This allows for lots of articulation and no brake line stretching.
 

SoopaHick

Certified Weld Judger
Moderator
I ran my TJ without sway bars for a month or two (they both broke near the same time) back when I daily drove and commuted 60 miles a day. There were some serious pucker moments when it got windy or people cut me off/merged without seeing me and had to swerve out of the way. It's surprising the stability that even that wimpy little rear sway bar can give. I'd suggest at least keeping that rear one.
 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
I ran my TJ without sway bars for a month or two (they both broke near the same time) back when I daily drove and commuted 60 miles a day. There were some serious pucker moments when it got windy or people cut me off/merged without seeing me and had to swerve out of the way. It's surprising the stability that even that wimpy little rear sway bar can give. I'd suggest at least keeping that rear one.
Good to know, I'll probably keep it.

Looking into triangulating the rear a bit more it looks like Teraflex has a pretty cool kit, also way more than I want to pay, that has precut control arm lengths. Thinking of just using those control arm lengths and using the length of the control arms to determine frame side bracket location?
 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
The Tera arms are adjustable but the middle is 33.875". At that length I'd have to cut into the skid plate and probably cover a mounting hole. The longest arm I could probably have is around 25.5" without cutting into the Skid plate so I've opted into the orginal plan and just using jk length control arms, which are about 3" longer than stock tj and I have them, and not triangulating the rear axle.
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
The Tera arms are adjustable but the middle is 33.875". At that length I'd have to cut into the skid plate and probably cover a mounting hole. The longest arm I could probably have is around 25.5" without cutting into the Skid plate so I've opted into the orginal plan and just using jk length control arms, which are about 3" longer than stock tj and I have them, and not triangulating the rear axle.
Don't give up yet, ditch that track bar.

You really only need to add a little more triangulation to the upper TJ arms. There are several DIY 4 link kits on the market as low as $400, but they use heim joints. Heims are OK for a trail rig, but a daily driver in Northern UT sees salt, snow, and rain.

At the bare bones minimum, you need two frame brackets, a bridge or truss, and two brackets to weld onto that truss. You can reuse those JK arms for your uppers and place the brackets/tabs where they and on the frame and the bridge.
 
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ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
Don't give up yet, ditch that track bar.

You really only need to add a little more triangulation to the upper TJ arms. There are several DIY 4 link kits on the market as low as $400, but they use heim joints. Heims are OK for a trail rig, but a daily driver in Northern UT sees salt, snow, and rain.

At the bare bones minimum, you need two frame brackets, a bridge or truss, and two brackets to weld onto that truss. You can reuse those JK arms for your uppers and place the brackets/tabs where they and on the frame and the bridge.
Well it's a good thing it's mostly a trail rig only other driving it really does is on Sunday's (when it's not being worked on or broken anyway).
I was going to just use heims anyway. I'm curious if I could just make the 25.5" lowers work? Not sure at what angle it begins to be considered triangulated. I based most of my calculation off of a 30,60,90 triangle thinking probably around what it should be?
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
Link length will be determined by how much space you have after figuring out where your brackets will fit.

Two of these on your frame:

Then this pair on top of a truss or a bridge:


If you can make JK arms fit inside those dimensions, that would be a cheap setup.

If you end up using heims, you could use something like this on top of a bridge/truss:

 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
Link length will be determined by how much space you have after figuring out where your brackets will fit.

Two of these on your frame:

Then this pair on top of a truss or a bridge:


If you can make JK arms fit inside those dimensions, that would be a cheap setup.

If you end up using heims, you could use something like this on top of a bridge/truss:

There are some pretty cool brackets out there, Teraflex's brackets are pretty awesome if you ask me!

Here us the truss I was thinking of.

You can also get some pretty steller brackets for that truss too. Kinda helps keep it a bit more low profile to help it not hit the gas tank?

I already have the frame side upper brackets and would just need the lower frame side brackets. I'd get the Truss and those truss brackets and just reuse the current lower control arm mounts on the axle?
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
There are some pretty cool brackets out there, Teraflex's brackets are pretty awesome if you ask me!

Here us the truss I was thinking of.

You can also get some pretty steller brackets for that truss too. Kinda helps keep it a bit more low profile to help it not hit the gas tank?

I already have the frame side upper brackets and would just need the lower frame side brackets. I'd get the Truss and those truss brackets and just reuse the current lower control arm mounts on the axle?
The links I shared would mount on top of the bridge/truss. They don't have a designated degree of angle, so you can set the angle with your frame side brackets. The ones you posted are cut for a 20 degree angle, so you need to match that the the frame side, or have frame side brackets that turn the joint sideways.

If you aren't stretching it, you could leave the lowers alone.
 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
The links I shared would mount on top of the bridge/truss. They don't have a designated degree of angle, so you can set the angle with your frame side brackets. The ones you posted are cut for a 20 degree angle, so you need to match that the the frame side, or have frame side brackets that turn the joint sideways.

If you aren't stretching it, you could leave the lowers alone.
They also have 10 degree brackets, I think I got 10 degree frame side but I'll probably just get new ones just in case.
 

TJustin

Porch Dog
Supporting Member
Location
Payson, UT
You'll love rear suspension changes. It has been one of the more favorite changes to my TJ.

Sounds like you are well on your way with collecting hardware, but here is what I used, hopefully it can give you some ideas/direction:
Side note, if you don't already have your arms built/purchased and are interested in a set, let me know. I have double adjustable uppers and lowers (without joints) that I no longer need because I stretched the rear over the winter. These arms were for a stock rear (no stretch). If they work for you, I'll make you a heck of a deal for all 4 arms.
 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
Literally just priced everything out on Barnes 4wd and I like most of the stuff and the price is pretty decent (that also includes all the coil correcting brackets and outboard shock towers + axle side brackets). The only thing I dislike is the upper control arm brackets. I might just have make myself some that I like?
 

ebryson

Active Member
Location
Bountiful, Utah
After putting in my T-case today and looking at the rear end it looks like I'd have to figure out some new exhaust routing. Not a huge fan of rerouting exhaust. Is there some neato exhaust routing? 20220423_130206.jpg

The Driver side I'm really not to worried about anymore, nor the gas tank as it sits behind the rear axle. The fuel and brake lines on the frame I'm not to worried about but the brake lines on the axle look like they would interfer with the truss. 20220423_130112.jpg
 

TRD270

Emptying Pockets Again
Supporting Member
Location
SaSaSandy
After putting in my T-case today and looking at the rear end it looks like I'd have to figure out some new exhaust routing. Not a huge fan of rerouting exhaust. Is there some neato exhaust routing? View attachment 148619

The Driver side I'm really not to worried about anymore, nor the gas tank as it sits behind the rear axle. The fuel and brake lines on the frame I'm not to worried about but the brake lines on the axle look like they would interfer with the truss. View attachment 148620
I vote zoomies for exhaust problem solved
 
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