Jeep Build- Jeep YJ Unlimited / family wheeler

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
I have been wanting to post a build thread for this project for several months, but until lately all of my pictures were stuck on the camera and my phone. I have since lost all of the pictures that were on my phone.
This is my second YJ build. My first build spiraled beyond what my budget and time would allow. When I started the last build, I had 1 child and our family of 3 had 2 incomes. Cutting back to 1 income in a declining economy and gaining 2 more kids made me realize that the project I had been building, was too much for me to ever complete. Previous build thread- http://www.planet4x4.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11454
I have since parted that rig out and bought a running/driving (sorta) Wrangler to start over with.

I purchased this 1989 Jeep Wrangler early in 2013.
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The Jeep is an early TBI 4cyl with manual trans. It has NP231 with Tera 4:1 and SYE. It came with a ball joint front Dana 60 and Sterling/Ford 10.25 rear. The rear is welded and the front is open, both 4.10 gears. 295-17 tires on Weld wheels. Suspension has a 2+”-ish lift with 1.5” lift shackles, spring over. WAY TOO TALL. THIS JEEP IS A PILE OF CRAP! But, it was in my budget and I knew that it had enough decent parts that I wouldn’t loose any money on my initial investment. I planned work on it in phases and hopefully keep from having it sit in “project mode” for years at a time.

Goals-
Keep it “streetable-ish”.
Longer wheel base for 40-42” tires.
More interior space with seating for 5 passengers.
Strong/capable/dependable drivetrain.
Nice enough looking to be proud of, but not too nice to abuse.

Parts and plans-
So far I have gathered a few parts but most will have to wait for funds
Ford ranger 40/60 front bench (Have)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ soft top with door surrounds (Have)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ belt rails (Have)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ factory sport cage (Have)
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited LJ Corner armor (Have)
Jeep Wrangler TJ/LJ windshield top gasket.
Jeep CJ7 tail gate (Have)
GenRight YJ fuel tank (Have from previous build)
Ford 78-79 front king pin Dana 60, (Settled for later king pin D60)
Lockright “locker” for front Dana 60 (Have)
14 Bolt rear with disks and shave kit (Have)
Boat side rockers
Flat belly
Highline stock fenders with extended flares
Drop/Hood grill for visibility
Spring under (YES, LEAF SPRINGS)

I have done tons of little things to make it driveable since then.
Trans mount was gone
Exhaust was simply slip-fit together
Power steering lines were so loose that they weren’t doing any assist.
Brake master cylinder was empty
Drivers motor mount was held together with a ratchet strap.
Fuel cell was held in the tub with a matching ratchet strap.
No front fenders or any flares


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I bought some 37s from a buddy of mine and wheeled it a couple times.
PIC ON 37s
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But then I bought some 42” Iroc’s from on here (damned RME!)
At the same time I decided to have the Weld wheels that came on the rig powder coated charcoal gray before I got them mounted up. To help hide the inevitable rock rash on the wheels I sanded the powder coat off of the outer lip of the wheels. (They looked better all charcoal) I took it wheeling and of course, I scratched all 4 wheels in the first trip!

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The first mod I made was to add the Ford Ranger bench seat. Since I have 3 kids, I needed to figure a way to have seats for 5 passengers. The Ford Ranger bench seat is a 60/40 split bench with the larger portion being on the drivers side. The center is a center console that flips up the be a seat back. I mounted the seats to the factory Jeep sliders and bases. I was able to retain the flip up passenger mount to allow access to the rear seat. Factory Jeep seat belts still work and the center passenger seat has a belt incorporated into it from the Ranger.

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Next, I started raising the front fenders and lowering the grill. I cut and notched the grill to fit lower in the frame. I drilled new holes in the back of the fenders to mount them higher on the tub. Then I cut the inner fender where it mounts to the grill and bent it around the grill and bolted it on with new higher holes. I screwed up and mounted the fenders 1” lower than planned….. This is still a project. I need to clean up the cut on the bottom of the hood, raise the fenders the additional inch, and clean up the area where the fenders meet the grill. I also need to add the hood pins. I raised the fenders in anticipation of lowering the suspension in the next project.

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The suspension was way too tall for what I wanted. It had lift springs, lift shackles, and springs on top of the axles! I put it in my garage to install the 37s, and I had to compress the rear suspension with a ratchet strap just to get the hard top to clear my garage door.
SO, the lift shackles are off, and the springs are going back under the axles. Since I couldn’t afford the 78-79 Front Dana 60 that I really wanted, I settled for a newer king pin Dana 60. This causes issues with the front spring placement. The newer Dana 60s have the diff off set further toward the drivers side than the older axles. (That’s why the older axles are so popular.) Knowing that, I started on the front outboard spring process. This brings me to where I am today. I have cut off all of the passenger side spring brackets, built a new front hanger, and stripped the front axle clean. It looks like the spring pins will be 35” center to center when I am done.

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idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
I'm digging this! Front end looks awesome. Carry on.

x2... highline YJ= Awesome!

Good stuff here

Thanks guys! I'm excited to have this on here to get all of your input.
I forgot to mention in my first post that I have gained a lot of inspiration from chocflip201's YJ Unlimited build on here. Hopefully my build will inspire him to post more progress in his build thread!
 

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
More pics, please.

That's a really cool mod to the hood and raising the fender up. What does it look like at the bottom of the fender (near the rocker)? Is there a gap left over or did you do something to finish it off?
I just left the gap at the bottom of the fender. After I extend the body/frame to Unlimited length, I will do boat-side rockers. That will take care of the bottom of the fender. Really the place where it looks bad is where the fender now over laps the grill next to the head lights. That is where I still have a lot of work to do. My wife and kids went out of town for the weekend a couple weeks back and I decided to tackle the fender/hood/grill project while they were gone. It took a lot longer than I expected it to and now I just haven't gotten back to that part of the project.
I had a ton of pictures on my phone of the fender project, pics of the Ranger seat mod, and a bunch of before pictures of the Jeep. But a couple months ago, my phone decided that it didnt like my pictures any more and they were all deleted. Pretty disappointing deal. I have learned to upload them to picasa now. I had 2 years + worth of pictures and videos of my kids and my jeep on there.
 

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
Front axle is stripped of brackets, ready for new spring perches.
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Passenger side frame rail has all the brackets removed and is ready for new spring hangers.

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Front spring hangers are built. I used the tubing out of the factory Jeep front hanger. It is welded into a piece of 2.5x2.5-1/4 (receiver tube) and ground smooth. I will weld this to the bottom of the frame rail, set 2"+/- outboard. Then I will brace it back to the side of the frame and tie the front side into the bottom of the bumper. The flat side will face forward, flush with the front of the frame rail.

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idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
Progress from the weekend-
Passenger side rear spring hanger is installed and the gusseting is started.

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Passenger side front hanger has gusseting started.


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Drivers side front hanger is built/installed/gusseting started.
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Tonight I plan to get the drivers side stock rear hanger cut off and get the new one built/installed.
Then tomorrow I can get the axle under the rig and start figuring out the spring perches and U-bolts.
 

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
I got the passenger side rear spring hanger removed and the new rear hanger built and tacked in place last night.

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Ready to test fit the axle.

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Hopefully tonight I can get the spring perches figured out on the axle and get the axle hung in place. I have only tacked everything in place to be sure things work out. If everything fits, I will pull the axle out, finish gusseting and welding everything and paint it satin black.

Next will be installing the Lockright in the front axle, cleaning up the brakes, and figuring out the steering conections.
 

mbryson

.......a few dollars more
Supporting Member
You're making solid progress. I'd imagine you're planning on having a more substantial shackle than the stock ones? Just using those to mock things up?

One thing I would do differently if I was where you are right now is to figure out a way to make the rig lower overall. I've thought more than once about frenching the front spring-rear hanger into the frame and hopefully lowering the rig about an inch by doing so? It's a lot of work but I think it'd be worth it?

I love the Ranger seat. I might have to do that to mine? :D I assume that's the latest body style?
 
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idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
Thanks for the feedback!
I'm actually a little concerned that I will be too low as it is... There are 2 things keeping me from going much lower without significant effort; 42" tires and the Dana 60 front axle. I'm not really concerned with the tire clearance, I am very willing to cut the body to fit the tires. But, this year of Dana 60 has the diff over to the drivers side so far that it will be partially under the frame rail. I am worried that it will contact on compression. The overall height of the rig is the biggest reason I have everything tacked together for now instead of welded solid. My last build had the hangers modified etc and I ended up with 40" tires on no suspension lift and only a 1" body lift. There is so much to deal with when you try to keep it low. All of the clearances between the frame/axle/steering etc gets complicated. The stock shackles are on for now just to see how it sits. I will build new shackles once I decide if the ride height is good.

The bench seat is out of a mid-90s ranger. A little newer seat would have been nice. I think the early 2000s are best. This is all they had at the local wrecking yard so I went with it for now. I think it was $50-$75.
 

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
Well, I can't figure a way to post pictures from my iPad or my phone tonight. I will just have to do it on Monday. The front axle is temporarily installed to check ride height. It sits very low. It's spring under on 2"+/- springs. I am at 24" to the bottom of the front frame and 22.25" under the frame, just behind the spring hanger. Once the rear is leveled out, those numbers will change. The front measurement will increase and the back end of the spring will come down some.
 
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rondo

rondo
Location
Boise Idaho
i'm totally digging what you are doing. keep the pics coming.
one thing I chose to do to my YJ was french the frame on the passenger side to get more uptravel with the tie rod, and that was running it under the high steer arms. the mod was worth it. but now I see why some folks slice off the front of the frame in front of the motor mounts to do what they want.
 

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
Approach angle and limited tire/fender clearance.

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C-clamps temporarily holding drivers side while I build u-bolt plates.

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The back end is still spring over. There are no jacks holding this thing in the picture. Its awesome how much lower this will be.

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Spring perches and U-bolt plates under the springs.

CAM00305.jpg
 

idahoyj

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls Idaho
Small update.
I have the rear axle flipped to the top of the springs and the weight back on the rear end. I drilled the perches and moved the rear axle back 1". The rig is so low that it is bending the flares just sitting still. The front side of the rear tires contact the already massaged body panel while sitting still. I cannot trim the fender opening any further forward without getting into the B-pillar of the the tub. This means that I need to move the axle back much more than 1". I will need at least 2" if not 3" more. I am looking into different springs with offset center pins, or longer springs that I can mount to the back of the frame/bumper. All of the rear suspension will be revised when I stretch the body/frame to LJ length, but I really want to wheel a few times in the snow before I put this thing under the knife again.
Pics-

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