Well after a good two months solid of looking on here, Reddeer Packrats, EJC, Kijiji I was almost giving up on finding a cheep jeep heep. I even tried Richie bros figuring I could snag a YJ for $1200 or so. That thing went for $5200!
I lucked out on this steal from a wholesale dealer in the big dirty (Edmonton) and had my friend go check it over. Virtually no rust, was rubber undercoated and I broke a grand total on ONE bolt (top of front shock) pulling everything off for the lift kit. I'm very impressed. It's got a 2.5L with too many km and not quite enough compression in the middle two cylinders but that's just a really good excuse to do an engine swap now isn't it???
I promptly parked it in the garage for a month or so and formulated a plan. Since you GOTTA wheel it stock first I went a piddled around once or twice on a nearby jobsite we have then pulled it in the garage for the overhaul.
First up the 4" LCA (it's a good thing we have a forklift at the shop...)
Pull the control arms and axles
The crush sleeve on the front axle cam bolt didn't play nice so we took it down to the shop and introduced it to Mr. Torch. This is what's left of the rubber bushing
Then came the scary part, cutting off the stock control arm bravkets. Once you get to here there's no turning back...
Same deal in the back
Simply put the new skidplate bolts up into the frame to hold your new control arm bracket and use the hole to line up where to drill through the frame
Chop the skidplate to clear the new mount on the driver side rear
Built the control arms to legnth on the axle then slid everything under
Springs, shocks and control arms bolted on, new brake lines run and breather tube extended
Waaaaaaaaaaait a second (may have gotten a little too excited about getting the new tires on there...)
Front all hooked up
New main shaft for SYE. In case anyone is wondering, yes that stupid spring for the mode selector goes in FIRST and when you find it beside your work bench after taking the damn thing apart 6 times trying to line the pump up you would be surprised how far you can throw a completely put together and sealed t-case. Ended up buying Dales t-case and stealing a main seal and pump (pooched the first one trying to line it up with suction tube). The trick to putting it in is assemble the suction tube/screen and seal case halves. Then slide the pump down and use a small screwdriver to jimmy the pump one way and the suction tube the other, there is JUST enough play to get it to slip in.
New driveshaft installed, t-case up with SYE. Thank you Stan, shipped to my door overnight for 1/2 the the cost I got quoted anywhere in Calgary, and 3 days sooner!
Finally back out of my garage
Some jobsite wheeling
Pretty much maxed out. I'm impressed for the $1500 I spent on the kit it performs well and is fairly solid construction
I'd like to thank my friend and co-worker Johnny Mac, he came over on a rain day with his welding truck and we spent 14 hours in my garage finishing a bunch of little bs stuff that is impossible to do on your own. Also my friend Alex from E-dot, who drove down here more than once for the weekend to help me with all this. Plus he delivered the heep from the dealer on a borrowed trailer =)
After I wheel a bit and work out any kinks in the install I'm going to get him to weld the control arm brackets on, and the trackbar relocation brackets.
Future modifications are:
Ford 8.8 in rear with manual locker (already on the way)
LoD rear bumper/tire carrier/rack/highlift holder/jerry can holder (ordered)
D44 with manual locker in the front
4.0L (possibly a stroker kit if I have to rebuild it anyways)
Tear the carpet and bedline inside
Replace seats
Possibly swap tranny, 2nd gear is giving me problems but I'd rather not put another AX5 in there just to pull it out again when I go to a 4.0
Topic: 98 TJ (Read 6448 times)