Carries new LJ Rubicon Build

[Wally]

A few weeks back we sold Carries beloved YJ and picked up a more mild mannered street friendly jeep. A 2005 Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited with 80K miles. It's from AZ and was completely bone stock and no signs of offroad use. It took a few weeks to ship, but finally arrived this past Friday, giving is ample time to get a plan in place so we were ready to go when she arrived.

The plan was simple, a small lift, just enough to clear some 285/75-16 Wrangler MT/R Kevlar's, so we had a street friendly jeep that we could take camping over long weekends, and enjoy the more scenic trails while still being able to drive it back and forth from Grand Junction to Aspen. Our thoughts were 33" tires and a stock Rubicon driveline would be fine. So I called up my buddy Jason at Jeepin Outfittes and he set us up with the following parts:

- 2" Old Man Emu HD TJ coils
- Bilstien 5100's
- 1" bumpstop extensions
- 2" Rough Country Wheel Spacers
- Old Man Emu rear track bar relocation bracket
- JKS adjustable front track bar
- JKS quick disconnects
- Mountain Offroad 1" body lift
- Mountain Offroad 1" motor mount lift
- Smitty Built F/R bumpers with winch mount
- Best Top complete replacement top
- 96 ZJ V8 Tierod (purchased from Napa)
- PSC trail corners
- 64 LED 4" tail lights
- Savvy Offroad turn signal relay

Then we placed a call to Rod at TnT customs and got their belly up skid to compliment the motor mount and body lift, which will gain us 3" of clearance over the stock Rubicon skid. This weekend we got the lift on, and the front bumper/winch. The jeep is off to Shrums Automotive in Junction this week to get all the fluids flushed and to replace a leaking axle seal on the front 44. Next weekend we'll wrap up the rear bumper/tire carrier, install the body lift, motor mount lift and belly up. With out the rear bumper she's sitting a little high in the front. Only issue we ran into was one of the upper shock bolts snapped off in the tub. I was too tired and frustrated to think about using my welder to weld a nut on it and back it out, so i'll have to come back next weekend and some of the bolts weren't lining up very well with the Smittybuilt bumper brackets in the rear, so i'll have to grind mounting brackets down a little before installing the rear bumper next weekend.

Bone stock ready for some goodies




getting under way


Got the front bumper/winch/steering box skid on


Front is done, onto the rear



Welded the rear track bar relocation bracket on vs drilling out a bunch of holes in a really tight space


Then a bolt snapped on the driver side upper shock and I was so frustrated i didn't even think to use my welder to weld a nut on it and back it out



Ok, done for this weekend, as I said the rear is sitting pretty high without the bumper/tire carrier/full size spare, causing the front to sit even lower. Tune in next weekend and we should have the corners on, body lift, motor mount lift, tummy tuck and LED's.

[JeepDiva]

Like! Now quit neglecting that poor thing hiding under the tarp, it'll be spring before you know it.

[newracer]

Very nice. It is pretty common for those bolts to snap and they are difficult to get out.

[JeepSahara]

Very nice work, looks awesome!

[Yucca-Man]

Looks nice.

[Chris Halvorson]

Nice LJ build Wally. Now Carrie can yell RUBICON on obstacles...I can mail your sticker back.

[scottycards]

Lol Wally with the 2 day Rubi build. Nice, man. That is a sweet rig, and will be awesome for the purpose you're building.

And X2 on what Jeep Diva said. Get the buggy running, man.

[Wally]

hey it's not a 2 day build, i got 2 more days next weekend to finish her up and yes i'm hoping to start in on the buggy by mid March. We are wrapping up a complete remodel of the shop so i can finally work indoors with plenty of electrical power, air power and lots of insulation

[Mike Boyle]

The tail hig thing is very common with OME lifts. You may end up needing to add some spacers to the front coils to level it out, even after the rear bumper is installed.

[ni0h]

Nice looking rig

[Dallas Lemon]

Looking good Wally. You are doing exactly what I contemplate. While I really like my CJ, it would be so nice to have a road friendly rig to do the lighter trails with and drive in comfort getting there. I am leaning toward a Grand Cherokee myself, but it won't happen for a while. If Jeep offered the Rubicon Unlimited in a TD, I'd be all over that! But, I gotta build a really nice garage first.

[ni0h]

Define "TD"?

[WhyJay]

Define "TD"?

Nice Wally - I am thinking about doing the same thing for a DD - and so are a couple others on this message string!

[trailblazer]

Nice rig Carrie . Unlimiteds are sweet.

[Dallas Lemon]

Define "TD"?

Turbo diesel.

[HardBdyTJ]

Wow, looks like many of us are having the same temptation. I came fairly close to buying a new 4 door rubi but $40 grand seemed to give me pause. I'll likely give in in the next year or so and buy one.

Nice work Wally!

[nridler]

Nice!! now you just need to learn the LJ gangster sign and you will be good to go. If you ever need a CV driveshaft for a four inch lift I've got one, and your welcome to have it. I threw away so much good LJ stuff in the last year it's not even funny. It's my favorite Jeep ever made.

[fireLt.]

Nice rig Wally. Wanna trade for a sweet YJ?

[cmd11]

Cool build dood. I always liked the LJs.

we should match up my 80 to your LJ and see which one is better

[Wally]

Cool build dood. I always liked the LJs.

we should match up my 80 to your LJ and see which one is better

Thanks everyone, we're PSYCHED about this jeep CMD11, lets wait till next winter when she hopefully gets an LSX or Hemi heart transplant

[DIFD Runner]

Like! Now quit neglecting that poor thing hiding under the tarp, it'll be spring before you know it.

x2! The new LJ looks fun, congratulations! I hope that the 7 inches reported didn't screw you up for work this morning. We might finally get to get out skiing this season though! Gotta use those classic pass days sometime.

[ZJROCKRIG]

Nice! It's awsome how the right tires and wheels make a rig look like it should and well proportioned.

[rch]

Nice start! I think I see the future of this LJ though.....

[SolarBell]

[tjjared413]

only thing its missing is a colored rubicon sitcker on

[rch]

only thing its missing is a colored rubicon sitcker on

Incredibly true, I forgot that.

[RockYacht]

So far so good. Nice job Wally.

Bob

[Eyez]

Wally, it looks like the makings of a nice trail rig.

LJs are a great platform.

[tantonio]

Wally...love the LJ!..

[Badbuggy]

Looks like a great rig. Good color choice.

[RockWoRM]

A few weeks back we sold Carries beloved YJ

What!!! No more YJ?


oh well.



Actually, Wally, I wouldn't mind having an LJ either. lol.



Congrats to Carrie!




WRM

[Wally]

Ok, FINALLY got around to getting some pics and an update. We installed a T&T Customs high clearance belly pan which gave us an additional 3" of ground clearance, some T&T Customs Guardian Rockers with the new high clearance body mounts, and mounted some 1" LED's for reverse lights. As of now the jeep is done, and serving as my Daily Driver along with the Superduty. The hard top is getting repainted and will be going on shortly, next mod, will be a 5.3L V8/4L60E/Atlas hopefully sometime this fall

T&T High Clearance belly pan


Guardian Rockers with high clearance body mounts






LED Revers Lights


Few shots of the final stance

[Chris Halvorson]

Your LJ turned out really nice Wally. Amazing what a good quality skid plate will do for you. I'll be interested in your V-8 swap later on this year.
I'm betting you have some axles in the works too.

[cmd11]

That's nice! You should meet us in ouray over July 4th for some high country exploring this summer.

[TJRecreation]

nice, I assume Carrie has the Audi wagon?

[DIFD Runner]

Looks good buddy nice and clean! Great job on the movie premier as well, I heard it went very well. We should catch up sometime.

[jdupper]

I hope that hard top is working out for you. Good looking LJ. Can't wait to see what all else you will do to it.

[Wally]

I hope that hard top is working out for you. Good looking LJ. Can't wait to see what all else you will do to it.

Hard top is at the painters should be ready next week some time Hoping that settles down the rear coils, if not, may end up putting a 3/4" spacer up front to level the jeep out.

Looks good buddy nice and clean! Great job on the movie premier as well, I heard it went very well. We should catch up sometime.

Drop me a line, Carrie and I will be around this weekend and I'll have her grab your winch and rope so we can try and get together.

[sewell87]

Nice and capable and still highway worthy, can't ask for any better. Looks really good

[arctycfox]

what tranny is in that? I have an '06 Unlimited with the 42rle and a 1.25" JKS BL and M.O.R.E. 1" MML. I'd like to get the belly as flat as I can, but don't want to have to "massage" the tub. The cable shifter from Atlas is on the list, to eliminate that prob, but will a 1" drop allow enough room for everything to fit?