TheCodeMonk's 91 MJ - Rocky's slow build

[thecodemonk]

Oof, it's been over a year since I've updated this.  Not much wheeling lately, the truck has just been doing truck things with errands to the dump and hardware store for housing projects (or to the playground as my toddler always wants to ride in "Blue truck".

 

I did get hydro-assist steering installed through Hazzard Fab.  They did an amazing job with the mount and I feel confident that the ram is well protected.  

 

 

With the hydro-assist, the steering feels a LOT more sensitive now and I noticed I developed a habit of automatically "correcting" when I went over bumps that was no longer really needed.

 

The random inability to start issue was still present though...just less frequent.  After a lot of tracing and frustration (because it was so intermittent), it was determined that it was wiring in the steering column that was shorting out!  We replaced the steering column with another one and it's been 100% solid ever since.

 

During the last Cabin Fever run, I won a lightbar in the raffle!  (Technically, I won extra tie downs from Mac's and a guy who won a lightbar traded me prizes)

 

I got the JCR lightbar mounts but I think the bolts that come with it are too short for the Comanche roof rails.  I still need to get to the hardware store to pick up some longer equivalent's and see if I can make it fit.
 

 

Recently, I realized my tires are over 10 years old now (since they came off of my previous jeep).  Since it was time for new rubber, I took the fender flares off and went to 37s (I wasn't quite confident enough to jump to 40s without more fender trimming).  

 

 

Also, a long bed pretty easily fits 5x35's and a 37" spare back there with a bedbox. :)

 

The LS doesn't seem to be bothered by the fact that I haven't regeared, so I just updated the software to fix the speedometer and will re-evaluate re-gearing when I go to 40s or get selectable lockers in the future.

 

A byproduct of that is that the jeep seems to be staying cooler on the hill climbs near my house than it used to...seems counter to what I would expect but that's been the experience so far.  Maybe it's just the cooler weather helping.

 

Next planned upgrade: Hidden Winch and bumper (wife says that needs to be next to feel more confident when we go off roading).  Was originally going to go with JCR but their low profile front bumpers only come with hitches now.  Maybe dirtbound's front bumper can come flat or ready for a hawse fairlead.

[89 MJ]

I was just wondering about this build the other day. Thanks for the update!

[thecodemonk]

Getting ready for a xmas tree run this weekend and nothing helps a project move forward like a deadline.

 

This time, just opening up the wheel wells a bit for the new tires.

 

The rears were stupid easy...just cut and hammer and avoid the spot welds (easily seen).

 

I found it easiest to get the angle grinder in for the bottom if I got the truck on jackstands and let the axle droop.

 

The fronts were a little more effort but still not bad to slice and hammer and it folds pretty much right on the crease.  Just had to use a set of pliers to get them started since the front fenders aren't nearly as sturdy as the rears (same trick with the jack to get to the bottom of the backside).

I'm a little less concerned with the fronts since it's possible to replace the front fender skins and try again in the future if needed.

 

This next picture is as high as I could get my jack under the pumpkin to squish the tire into the wheel well.

 

Here's the pictures of the underside...rather than cut it completely off (and leave sharp edges like I've seen some do), I trimmed the inner fender plastic and folded my cuts under similar to how I did the back.  This allows me to keep the inner fender plastic and keep too much gunk from filling up the space between the fender and the door hinges.

 

 

The plastic is pretty brittle so there are a couple of extra cracks but I hope I can replace them in the future with a fresh set from somewhere and can trim them while off the vehicle (instead of how I did things this time...shears and working at it while it was still loosely attached).

 

Next week, I will sand the flaking paint and put on some bedliner or something like that which cures a bit quicker in the cold shop than regular paint.

 

In the meantime, the WRX with snow tires has been unstoppable in the snow for daily driving duties and for parts runs.

 

[thecodemonk]

Went wheeling this weekend in the snow for the annual Christmas tree run.  Had lots of rigs on the trail.

 

We weren’t able to complete the trail but we had a good time cooking chili and enjoying the snow before it got too deep for most of the rigs to do. 

 

Moved the rigs around in the garage and noticed the WRX tracks on the left were deeper than the truck tracks on the right.

 

Pretty pleased with that as it should help me float better on the deeper stuff.

 

Once we got everyone gathered (around 16 rigs, ranging from stock new broncos to JTs on 40s and a truggy) it was time to head to the trail.

 

it snowed a lot the whole time we were up there.

A few of those newer to snow wheeling got stuck but it wasn’t too bad overall.  Most people were aired down to about 10psi and I was down to 4psi by the end (makes me nervous without beadlocks).

once it got to mid day and it became clear we weren’t going to make it to the top, we pulled back to an intersection and setup to cook chili for everyone.

After a great time in the snow, most people left but a few wanted to go further…I joined them (the truggy, a CJ, and me).

 

Still on 10 psi, I found the truck dug too much when we hit a soft patch.

The first strap the CJ used to pull me out snapped and took a lens out with it (no hard parts were used so minimal risk to safety).

Switched to a newer strap and I was out and going again.

 

Later decided to risk it and dropped town to 4psi and didn’t have any problems after that.

 

We went much farther than the group did but turned around before the top still because it was going to get dark. 
 

I took some pictures after I turned around and waited for the other two to do the same.

 

 

 

It was an uneventful but gorgeous crawl out of the trail and I can’t wait to go out again on new years.

On a related note:

My smittybuilt CO2 tank is just over 5 years old and the bottle had to go in to be recertified but wasn’t back in time.  I was able to purchase and assemble a DIY 5lbs CO2 tank and adjustable regulator (apparently HVAC regulators are what you need for high flow) to get me by and I think it actually filled up my 37s significantly faster than the smittybuilt filled my old 35s.

[thecodemonk]

Attached the JCR Lightbar brackets today (needed longer screws for the drip rails), and…the 52” Lightbar I won doesn’t fit on them…by a lot.

 

 

Then I reread the JCR description…50” Lightbar.  Doh!  At least the light bar was free to me.  Need to find someone who has a 50” and wants to trade for a 52”.

…or look for different light bar mounts and sell the JCR ones.

 

[Limeyjeeper]

On 12/15/2022 at 5:07 PM, thecodemonk said:

Attached the JCR Lightbar brackets today (needed longer screws for the drip rails), and…the 52” Lightbar I won doesn’t fit on them…by a lot.

 

 

Then I reread the JCR description…50” Lightbar.  Doh!  At least the light bar was free to me.  Need to find someone who has a 50” and wants to trade for a 52”.

…or look for different light bar mounts and sell the JCR ones.

 

We have all been there!!

[thecodemonk]

Figured I'd document the recent struggles with Rocky...man this truck fights me on everything it seems...even with the new parts!

 

Was getting ready to install a rear locker and one of the axle flange bolts seized and the head snapped off.  The upside is that the rest of them came off easily and the axle slid right out...the downside is that I'd have to either replace the hub or drill/tap the frozen bolt out.  Unfortunately, one of the diff cover bolts did the same.  Grr.  The upside is the diff cover isn't leaking so the rest of the RTV and bolts are holding it on just fine.

 

 

I went with the "new hub" route and unlike what I'm used to from smaller axles, the hubs don't come with the bearings pre-assembled and installed and there doesn't seem to be anyone who sells them that way.  So I got all the parts together and for the life of me, I couldn't get the outer bearing race to seat straight.  No matter what, one side would sink in...

 

 

So I'd back it out and drive it back out from the other side...again...and again...

 

I kept trying and trying and eventually, one time when pressing it back out (not pressed all the way in), the whole thing let go with a LOUD bang.

 

The result was a destroyed bearing...

 

A marred hub...

 

...and $200 down the drain.

 

In the end, rather than risk destroying another expensive hub, I found a local shop who would seat the bearings on a fresh set of parts for me for an hour's work on a saturday.  With that in hand, everything else reassembled easily enough.

(I'm still missing that last bolt...no parts shops have it so I'm figuring I'll try and get it from the junkyard tomorrow since it's late now)

 

I checked the diff fluid and despite a bunch leaking out earlier, it still showed full...I know some needs to drain out to the hub to help lubricate the bearings more than what I smeared onto them when I installed them to the axle so I tipped up the axle and am letting it drain to that side overnight and will top off the center section in the morning.

 

 

[thecodemonk]

Topped up the diff fluid yesterday with a hand pump for the big jug of diff fluid I had...man a hand pump really makes the job way less messy.  I'm not sure why I've never done it before!

 

I swung by the "you pull it" junkyards in town and none of them had full float axles on their chevy trucks...I'm not sure why but all the 8 lug trucks were semi-float.  Grr.  So I went over to Spaldings (where things cost a bit more, but they have a good inventory system and they pull parts for you) and found that they pull all the truck axles off the truck almost immediately so all the axles were in the back...went back to the counter and showed them what I was looking for and they went to the back and grabbed a handful off of one of the axles they were pulling apart for shafts and such and just gave them to me.  Score!

 

 

One slightly rusty nut installed and torqued down and now I'm almost ready for this weekend's snow bash up in Montana!  Just two more upgrades to get installed on thursday (assuming FedEx shows up with my parts today).

[thecodemonk]

Rear locker installed (no pics...it's a detroit, nothing that hasn't been documented by others a million different ways).

 

Also, got the spacers in for the beadlocks and had them mounted and balanced...the wheels I went with are the Dirty Life aluminum beadlocks and they're somehow lighter than the steel wheels I had, even with the extra metal.  They're not as expensive as a lot of the other big name beadlock companies and by the time I figured in labor for welding, the price is about the same as weld-on beadlocks.

 

I think they look pretty good and they perform great!

 

It's January so that means it's time for Snow Bash!!  Rented a truck and borrowed a friend's trailer and hit the road!

The trailer is like the Cadillac of trailers...electric/hydraulic tilt deck, winch, deck lights...tows smooth and wide enough for even the wide axles and wheels on the MJ with room to spare!

 

After a foggy drive over, and a restful night in the hotel, it was time to hit the trail...and boy were there a lot of people!  

 

After airing down, it was time to hit the trail...we all naturally split into several smaller groups (because 46 jeeps is way too many to all hit the same trails at the same time).

 

The snow was slick and deep, but it was a lot of fun to drive!  Eventually, one of the jeeps had a bit of trouble going a hill and I gave them a small tug out.  

 

Every obstacle had bypasses but I didn't build my jeep to take bypasses...

 

The whole day was beautiful and you can probably tell how happy I am from this picture...everything was finally working how I'd dreamed!

 

Our gladiator trail guide always made sure to let me know where the fun side was...

 

...and of course I followed!

 

We caught up with someone who had broken off from the group and gotten buried up above their steering.  They tried winching a bit but kept sinking lower.  

 

One jeep wasn't enough to pull them out but we got him out with two!

 

 

Once everyone was good to go again, we motored along...the snow getting deep enough to fill my front rims...

 

There were lots of fun areas to play and some tires to give us some extra challenges...

 

 

The views on the mountain were spectacular!

 

We eventually came up to the main play area and had some fun trying different approaches to things and letting the jeeps flex a bit.

 

Then we all got back and ended the day with some tasty dinner at the banquet. (No I didn't win anything in the raffle but the money goes to a great club that maintains these trails).

 

The whole trip was fantastic...the jeep continues to perform well and in places I thought I would get stuck, I didn't.  Good tires, lockers on front and rear...I'm still finding out where the limits are on this build!

 

All in all, I'll always say...it's well worth it if you aren't too far away...hit up snow bash by the Big Sky Four Wheelers club.  Amazing trails, great people, and a wonderful experience every year.

 

On a final note...after driving the rear auto-locker on the street for a while, I don't get the big downside everyone talks about.  It's pretty quiet (no banging or sudden locking or unlocking) and it doesn't even really require any significant change in driving behavior.  I suspect most of the horror stories are from those who either have the lockers installed too tight or something where it doesn't lock/unlock easily and smoothly with the throttle.

[thecodemonk]

Harbor freight was having a sale and we were perusing the winches when, upon seeing the ZXR 12k winch, my wife said to me "that's a really good deal on a winch, we should get it".  So we did.  

 

I wasn't sure how to modify the bumper to do it so I took it into my usual place, Hazzard Fabworx and they knocked out the install (which included moving some trans lines and the power steering cooler) and bumper modifications the same day and I think it looks stellar!  

 

 

The control box is mounted under the hood near the fuse box on the passenger side and I'll wire it up to some in-cab controls another day.  

[Pete M]

slick!