Project: Ground Up

[RockRodHooligan]

This is the result of two different build plans:

 

Initially I started gathering the drivetrain to put into my 01 XJ, but after realizing I was fighting a loosing battle since getting t-boned, I decided to scrap the Jeep, and wipe the slate clean and scrap the XJ. The plan was to finnish building the parts I already had, namely the whole drivetrain, and then start looking for a TJ to put everything in. A rig literally built from the Ground Up.

 

The Drivetrain

 

Front axle/suspension

Ford HP Dana 44

BTF Dana 44 Front Truss System

Dana 44 Inner Knuckle Gusset Set (Inner C's) - Done

Detroit Locker

5.13 HP Dana 50 gears to be installed(Jana54)

Chevy flat top knuckles w/Moog ball joints, Yukon - Chevy small bearing spindles, 79-86 Chevy 3/4 ton calipers, Performance Friction pads(P/N 0052.10- Severe Duty), Wagner hubs and rotors(76-92 Ford 1/2 ton - 11.75"), and Warn Premium Lockouts - Done

79 Chevy outer axle shafts - Done

79 Ford inner axle shafts - Done

Dana/Spicer 5-760X u-joints with full circle clips.

(Eventually RCVs are planed, just trying to get it assembled and driving first)

 

Custom Mid-arm 3-Link Front Suspension

Custom track bar 1.5"OD .250 wall DOM w/hiems

Upper arm - 1.75" OD, .250" wall DOM w/ 1" shank Johnny Joints

Lower arms - 2" OD, 4340 heat treated w/ 1 1/4" shank Johnny Joints

 

 

Steering

Steering Kit 3/4" with High Misalignment Spacers

D44 High steer arms - Done

03-06 SRT10 Viper power steering pump - Done

PSC Power steering pulley - Done

99 Durango power steering box

Hayden power steering cooler - Done

 

Springs/shocks

Bilstein shocks

4.5" or 5.5" lift

 

Rear Axle/Suspension

Ford 9"

Moser Engineering - Ford 9" axle housing brace

Strange Engineering Pro-Nodular 9" 3rd member

Detroit Locker, 35 spline Moser alloy shafts, 5.14 gears, 1350 Yoke

BTF 9" Pinion Guard

Custom disc brake brackets, 83-97 4WD S-10 calipers - Done, Performance Friction pads - Done, 95-01 Ford Explorer front rotors -Wagner - Done

 

 

Single Triangulated 4-linkRear Suspension

Upper control arms - 1.75" OD, .250" wall DOM w/ 1" shank Johnny Joints

Lower control arms - 2" OD, 4340 heat treated w/ 1 1/4" shank Johnny Joints

Radflo 2.5 coilovers are planned for the rear

 

*Tires/Wheels

Goodyear MT/R Kevlar 37x12.5 R17

17x8.5" KMC XD Enduro beadlocks

 

Engine

4.7L stroker

Clifford carburated 4.0L intake manifold

GotPropane.com conversion kit

JBA Header 00+ 4.0L

TUPY revised 0331 head - Done, ported and polished - In Progress

Mopar Performance 0.043" Head Gasket - P4529242 - Done

COMP Cams 68-232-4 Cam - Done

COMP Cams High Energy Timing Chain Set - 3219 - Done

Sealed Power hydraulic lifters - HT2011 - Done

Mopar Performance Valve Springs - P5249464

Mopar Performance Valve Spring Retainers - P4452032

Manley Street Flo Valves - 10721-1

Manley Street Flo Valves - 10722-1

Harland Sharp Pedestal Mount Bolt-On Series Rocker Arms - S40196

Keith Black Forged High-compression Pistons .060 over - IC945-060 - Done

Stock 4.0L connecting rods - Done

AMC 258/4.2L crank - Done

99 WJ 4.0 Block - Done

COMP Cams Engine Oil Break-in Additive - 159 - Done

M.O.R.E. BombProof Block Brackets

Projected power based on "Rule of Thumb" Guestimated Mathematics: ~330 HP/400 lbs/ft +/-

 

Transmission

Aisin/Warner 4 Speed (AW4) - Done

RADesigns Rock Shifter

 

Transfer case

NP231D HD Dodge/Jeep hybrid

New replacement wide chain(Cloyes P/N 10-022) - Done

NP241D 6 pinion planetary gear set - Done

Tera 2Lo - Done

JB Conversions SYE w/ 1350 flange

[RockRodHooligan]

The MJ

I bought the 89 Pioneer MJ as a mild project toy/DD/parts hauler, and had played around with several options, the most extensive being a 97+ XJ front end swap, w/OBD2 4.0L, AW4, 4WD conversion, and an 8.8. But as I dug deeper into the MJ, I started to find out quickly, that the only thing I really had was a good body. It has several brake issues, the BA 5/10, D35, and an engine that has bad blow-by. Feeling overwhelmed I pushed it to the back burner. I hated that I have an entire drivetrain coming together, that I wasn't willing to put into the MJ because I wanted to use it as a DD, and I will never DD a wheeler because I need to, especially one that will have the drivetrain I am building.

 

Then the other day I stumbled on this:

http://zoneoffroad.com/blog/?tag=ultimate-adventure

For being on 40"s it looks really good, almost like it was meant to go together like that, and as I looked at it more and more, I started seeing some really cool ideas, and some that gave me some ideas of my own. I finally decided that I would be fine with building an MJ instead if a TJ. Besides, everyone builds TJs.

 

So for the most part, here is the initial design plans:

Ditch the long bed, 119" is way more than I ever wanted in an offroad rig. Bob the frame just behind the cab, and rebuild out of box tube to place the wheelbase at about 107".

Find the bed, I'm cutting it up, shortening the bed a total of about 26" keeping just enough room for the tailgate just past the fiberglass pre runner style blisters. I'm going to go through adding some 1/8"-3/16" plate across the inside/top of the bed rail to help strengthen it up as I'm putting it all back together.

[Druville]

can't wait to follow your build while i do my very modest build. sounds like your going to end up with a sweet rig. and btw that mj you posted is sick. thats what i want sitting in my driveway.

[camjeep3]

should be a cool project. I love those flairs. My truck needs a set! :D

[RockRodHooligan]

I really don't have many good pictures of the MJ yet, so far the best I have are from when I went to pick it up:

 

As for the rest of the build, this is what my storage unit looks like:

Engine and transmission:

0331 head:

HP44:

The 9" housing and 3rd member are at my buddies in Ohio, I bought them off of him and we haven't gotten together to take delivery of them yet, He did send me some pics when he sand blasted the 3rd member for me, but refuses to send me pics of the final product, something about baby blue and yellow paint?

Early pics of the Chevy flat tops and Ford hubs/rotors

You can see the partially assembled knuckles with the high steer arms here

[RockRodHooligan]

.........

[cody4359]

nice. I'm going to have to look up thoes brakes

[RockRodHooligan]

Yeah, they will only work if you are using the old Chevy/Jeep style Dana 44 knuckles and calipers. IE a "true" D44 or those Reid Racing Dana 30/Rubicon 44 knuckles.

[RockRodHooligan]

This is what I have planed for the bed of the truck. The idea actually came from the Ultimate F150 that Petersen's built for the 2011 Ultimate Adventure. Though because of the F150s body lines, they ended up making a little different cut, though it worked out to their advantage.

 

The MJ should be just an easy 12"(give or take) wide cut strait down, but I'm making multiple cuts to shorten the bed both front and rear of the axle, shortening the rear overhang a total of 18", and the wheel base a total of 12.5".

12.5" section to come out of the front of the bed

18" section out of the rear

For the bedsides I'm only going to make one cut, about a 26.5" section out of the middle(thats an estimate, not going to cut the bedsides until after the bed had been cut down, and remeasure). I'll cut the section out, then tac weld the two back together, cut my new wheel well opening, then finish the weld.

This is all that will be visible of the factory bed sides once I get the flairs on

I think the whole corner is going to come together nicely

 

The end result will be about a 61" bed(5'1"), and about a 107" wheelbase before any front stretch, probably 109" in the end.

[RockRodHooligan]

Also, I have made a few changes to the engine "recipe". Rather than going through all the hassle of converting the Jeep over to OBD1 or OBD2, I've decided to simplify things and build it to run on propane. My choice to run E85 was based on the idea that I would be building a TJ, with an existing OBD2 system to plug into, since I have nether OBD1 or 2 to start off with now, Propane makes sense.

 

I'll be switching to a carbureted style intake manifold, designed for the 4.0L head, from Clifford Performance, carburated type distributor, and tentatively, the conversion kit from gotpropane.com. I still need to call them and ask a few questions, both about the kit, and a few general questions about propane in general(octane rating, approx range per forklift sized tank, ect). No need for a new engine wiring harness, gage cluster(or dash if OBD2), injectors, ECU tune, fuel pump, fuel cell, etc.

 

Electrically I plan on ripping out everything that isn't absolutely needed, strip it down to charging/starting, lighting/gages, stereo, and a few other odds and ends, no need for any emissions/fuel system since I will be running on propane. Charging/starting and lighting wiring harnesses are going to get beefed up, found 1 gage battery cables at work the other day that will do nicely for the charging/starting system.

 

I'm still trying to decide what color I want to paint it, but right now the front runner is:

 

Grabber Blue:

Solid color, so it's easy to paint, and can be sprayed as a single stage paint, making it cheep and easy to touch up. I also think the color itself will hide a lot of little scratches and what not thats bound to happen wheeling it.

[RockRodHooligan]

Grabbed a short bed today. Came from this poor guy

 

Very much rust free, definitely NOT from Indiana. This truck was in really great shape before it burned, I'm considering building it as a trailer. I grabbed the tailgate too, since it was in great shape also.

 

 

Got a few pics of the bottom of the new bed to show off just how great of a find it was

[knever3]

I hate Michigan's Junk Yards. Cars are piled up like cord wood in the mud and water with trees and thorn bushes growing around and through them.

[500 MJ]

There are people on here who would kill for that cargo light & switch and that rear bumper. You could make yourself some quick cash if you went and grabbed them off of that truck!

[RockRodHooligan]

I hate Michigan's Junk Yards. Cars are piled up like cord wood in the mud and water with trees and thorn bushes growing around and through them.

 

Don't feel too bad you are looking at probably the busiest yard in central Indiana, they rotate stock a lot so a lot of it was for their benefit.

 

There are people on here who would kill for that cargo light & switch and that rear bumper. You could make yourself some quick cash if you went and grabbed them off of that truck!

 

The rear bumper is in almost as good of shape as the bed, well except the dent I put in top of the passenger side when I stood the bed on end trying to get it onto the cart. I was going to grad it to resale until I saw that I had done that, but I think you may have talked me into grabbing it today when I go pick up the bed.

 

I doubt the light(or switch) is going to be useable, with the light being as high as it is, I bet it saw a damned good amount of heat, but I'll have to take a look a that too.

[TylerJY]

:popcorn: Watching for cargo light/switch.

 

Also, this truck sounds like it will be a beast, some day when I get a daily driver, I will build my Manche into something like this.

[neohic]

PM sent on parts truck. Cool project!

[tazer15]

Subscribed very similar to the direction I'm going I actually was looking at building our 44 the same way.Glad you showed the chevy brake combo I was looking into being able to run a ford dual piston caliper gives me more options.

[RockRodHooligan]

After getting some bad news about my Dad last week, it's pushed me to find the time/money to go up to my Dads more often, using the Jeep as a chance to work with my Dad, this may be my last chance to build one of my projects with him. So I was up at his house the last two days working on the Jeep getting what I could done.

 

I took a tip from you TJ guys and your fading flares to restore the cab vents

'Cept I used a heat gun

 

Now for what I really got done the last couple days:

Got the drivers side carpet pulled up to get a good look at just how bad the rust was.

I was a bit surprised at the difference in the MJs "frame" compered to the XJs. It looks like the MJs "rails" are fully boxed, unlike the XJs that use the floor pan to box the frame in.

 

Brake booster, master cylinder, and all the brake lines up to the axles pulled, got the clutch master cylinder and clutch line out, fuel lines and gas tank pulled, and the bed has been completely unbolted, I just need more hands to move it.

The left overs:

[tazer15]

How about some pics of that 44 esp how you did your gussetts?And some of the pump? I guess ive never seen a viper steer pump swap. I was just wondering the other day if there was any upgrade there.Minus spending the money on a PSC pump.Is it straight bolt on?Any idea if it puts out more volume or?Great job again enjoy your time with your dad.

[shark]

Sounds like a great plan. Keep it up!

[RockRodHooligan]

How about some pics of that 44 esp how you did your gussetts?And some of the pump? I guess ive never seen a viper steer pump swap. I was just wondering the other day if there was any upgrade there.Minus spending the money on a PSC pump.Is it straight bolt on?Any idea if it puts out more volume or?Great job again enjoy your time with your dad.

 

Haven't started work on the housing yet, waiting to get started till I have the truss, then I will have the housing sand blasted so I can have a nice clean surface to weld to. This is how it welds up

[RockRodHooligan]

And some of the pump? I guess ive never seen a viper steer pump swap. I was just wondering the other day if there was any upgrade there.Minus spending the money on a PSC pump.Is it straight bolt on?Any idea if it puts out more volume or?Great job again enjoy your time with your dad.

 

As for the power steering pump, it's technically for a 02(?)-04 V8 WJ, but the pump is also listed for the SRT-10 Viper and Ram, and the WJ pump is available with the reservoir, the Viper is not. Just call it a Viper pump to peak peoples attention.

 

But yes, it does put out more volume. The later generation of the WJs used a hydraulic fan, ran off of the power steering pump. It's a direct bolt in save for a few changes to the lines, there is an extra return line from the fan.

[tazer15]

Theres an extra fan you say?where did you put it?i have a 2000/2001 set of WJs I'm raiding for parts id lile to see if I can run one of thier pumps to get more volume.

[RockRodHooligan]

Theres an extra fan you say?where did you put it?i have a 2000/2001 set of WJs I'm raiding for parts id lile to see if I can run one of thier pumps to get more volume.

 

Not going to use the WJ fan, just the pump in combination with the Durango stearing box. I'll be running a Taurus fan.

[RockRodHooligan]

Thursday I start working full time at 4Wheel Parts full time as a salesman, and continue working part time at O'Reilly Auto Parts on my days off. I will be buying a lot of parts over the next few months, then quit O'Reilly some time early spring and start assembling the Jeep this summer hopefully.