ALTRDTJ build

#1
So here is the start of this 99 tj build. Starting off I picked up this one owner 99 tj saraha with 77k original miles after parting with my xj chassis and keeping all the good parts to put into the tj. Plans are (and some of this has already been done) strip the jeep down to only what I'm going to use. I got rid of the front fender, all of the interior, axles tires and wheels, bumpers ect I think you get the point, I got rid of a ton of factory parts, to recoup a hefty portion of what I bought the jeep for. As of now I have pulled and rebuilt the transfercase with a upgraded 1350 rear cv yoke, chopes the rear frame off and installed the motobilt tj backhalf kit, and removed all of the factory suspension brackets. I will be running 14 inch radflo coilovers up front and 16 inch foa out back, plan as of today is 3 link the front and 4 link the rear. If I decide to go ahead and go full hydro steering I'll do a front double triangulated 4 link and nix the 3 link and pan hard bar. Axles are a 05+ ford 60 with 1550 shafts and barnes weld on high steer arms and tmr truss and 14 bolt rear stock shafts , both are stuffed with 5.38s and welded up spiders because I'm too cheap to buy actual lockers. 39 reds on h2 wheels, Motobilt 15 gal tj fuel cell with all -8an fitting and braided line will replace all of the factory fuel line. I bought the motobilt front A-pillars and will bend up a front half kit for the cage. I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting but that's a start for now. This will be a slow build up but I'll update this thread as I check things off the list.

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#2
This was the jeep when I picked it up last summer, it had Zero shock bushings, one bolt in the passenger side brake caliper and a header that was literally cracked into two pieces. Needless to say I drove it 45 minutes home 😅. FYI Wife and baby followed me in her car, i didnt put them in the death trap.

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#3
Okay tiny update but it's big in my book. I finally got my axles off of my trailer after sitting there for months on end. I welded up some jack stands on car dolly's to help aid in moving the axles around in my garage and to help position them under the jeep easier. So tonight I started tearing apart the front axle to redo the weld on high steer that I accidentally welded on upside down (there wernt any instructions on how to position the plate and it fit so I welded it lol). I got one side cut off but still need to do some heavy grinding to clean up the knuckle for the new barnes weld on kit. The kit is located on the knuckle with a huge 1 inch bolt and then welded to the knuckle. Because someone will ask these knuckles are cast steel not cast iron so you can mig weld them with zero issues whatsoever. I'm also planning on removing the current shock mounts that are on top of the inner c to move them down and back behind the axle tube to try and keep this thing as low as I possibly can.

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#6
Got some big ticket stuff done today! Transfercase installed, new barnes skid installed, we cut down the lower links from my buggy to work with the tj and installed all of the rear 4 link frame brackets, axle side brackets worked very well where they were. We pulled the rear backhalf and painted it and reinstalled and fully welded it so its Installed for good. Big strides were made today!

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#15
Not a ton to report on tonight. I got all of my frame side link mounts burned in fully, and cut the rear quarter panel so I could bolt a tire up. This is at full bump still (wish I could keep it this low and still have 5 inches of uptravel). I also added some 2 inch wheel spacers to get some more width out of the rear axle.

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#17
Also ups man dropped this box of steering goodies off for me today! Single ended full hydro kit. Hopefully the pump is worth a dang. If not I guess they will warranty it.

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#18
Was able to get a little bit done this evening. Got all the factory steering stuff out of the way, installed the new PSC pump, and cut down the factory steering shaft support bearing bracket and built it into my orbital mount so it's still removable if need be.

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#19
Wife is working at the hospital today so ive got the little one, luckly she took a two hour nap which allowed me to get the orbital valve mounted and in cutting the factory steering shaft i was able to bolt the orbital steering column to the modified factory steering shaft.

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#20
Had a little time to tinker last night. My motobilt diff cover came in so i could finally get my steering set up. Opted to weld the tabs to the diff cover in leu of building a stupid long bracket off the truss to keep the ram parallel with the tierod. The barnes tube clamp worked exactly how i wanted it to as well. Very high quality parts from both motobilt and barnes. Still have yet to order my balljoint eliminatiors but plan to do that this weekend. Ive also decided in order to keep it as low as i possibly can that im going to have to chop the front frame off, not thrilled about thag but also dont want to redo anything so i feel this is my best route to accomplishing that.
Hope everyone is doing good with all the social distancing going on. Projects are in full swing here at the griffin house.

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