Smokeyyank Posted February 8, 2025 Author Share Posted February 8, 2025 Still working on the ol girl. Grabbing parts here and there. Splurged on the ballistic sale and black friday. Sucks they're going out of business. Have all my joints now, running combo of summit machine and ballistic.Got a gas tank skid, just had the ARB machined for the jana54 kit. Have a good chunk of parts to get this ready to get built. Still need a lot but getting there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff351 Posted February 8, 2025 Share Posted February 8, 2025 I didnt know balistic fab was closed until I saw your post. I've bought random items from them over the years and never had an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted February 8, 2025 Author Share Posted February 8, 2025 21 minutes ago, jeff351 said: I didnt know balistic fab was closed until I saw your post. I've bought random items from them over the years and never had an issue. Yeah huge bummer. I had some of their joints and snagged some more and a few other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted May 30, 2025 Author Share Posted May 30, 2025 Starting to make moves on this thing. Spending waaaayyyy too much money and one thing lead to another. At the point now I'm about ready to throw in on jack stands on let the mayhem begin very soon. Started cleaning up axles chopping old stuff on to test fit trusses and rotate the inner cs. Prayed to the jeep gods in a multitude of swear words and was rewarded. Got a brand new atlas albeit set up for a XJ, I know I'll need to swap out the input shaft, shifters and yokes but couldn't pass it up for the price. Really wanted to keep the 242HD but with tom woods no longer making a SYE for only option was a built 242j and cost was more than than the atlas was. Never done a build of this magnitude. Done basic stuff but this is a whole new world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted June 1, 2025 Author Share Posted June 1, 2025 Cleaned up the axles some more and test fitted the rear truss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted June 6, 2025 Author Share Posted June 6, 2025 Brown santa dropping off more fun. Got the axle shafts from dutchman, 35 spline 4130, also found out Currie has explorer brake rotors drilled to 6x5.5 from blanks. Perfect fit! Old vs new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted June 6, 2025 Author Share Posted June 6, 2025 Got one of the Cs off and tested fitted the new one. Still need to get the other off and grind the housing for the Jana54 kit. Then front will at least be prepped. Rear is cleaned up and ready. Will work on fitting the truss and test fit the brakes, etc then more waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted June 7, 2025 Author Share Posted June 7, 2025 More little things. Barely tacked the front truss together to work on fitment. Needs some small tweaks but its just about done cutting and fitting. I was working on the other inner C but broke my BFH. Last prep part after the C and truss will be the pinion bearning. Need to make it slighty bigger for the jana54 bearings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted June 8, 2025 Author Share Posted June 8, 2025 Got the other inner C out today. Worked on the rear some more and cleaned it up and tacked the backtruss on to look at some fitment things. Pulled out the dana 50 ring. Will start working g on getting that fitted here soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted June 9, 2025 Share Posted June 9, 2025 On 6/6/2025 at 2:58 PM, Smokeyyank said: bigger is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted July 21, 2025 Author Share Posted July 21, 2025 Been busy with summer stuff so haven't done a lot. Slow work but got lots to learn. Been grinding the housing for the jana kit. I'll be having some else do the gears but figured I can at least grind the housing. There's three main parts to grind. The opening needs two small notches to fit the ring gear in, it's tight. Then have to grind the pinon bearning area for the special bearing that has a step to allow the new pinion depth. Lastly, have to grind around the bearing for the slinger. New slinger has a slight concave so have to grind some more to allow it to spin freely. Still got a ways to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted December 14, 2025 Author Share Posted December 14, 2025 Football season is done and weather was decent so decided to do a few things. Whacked the new cs on and did some more massaging to the truss. My HP44 is a odd one since it was the leaf sprung version with 3.5"x1/2 tubes so some things are a little different for the truss but not much. The more I think about setting it all up the more I realize I need to mock up things before burning them in. While I have a general idea I don't really want to guess then have to back track. I dunno. Next was doing some things with the atlas. I need to swap the shifter, input shaft and output flange. Got all the parts from AA and just need to open it up to pull the input shaft. Next will be the garage shuffle and pulling the daily out and the project in. Wanted to wait till spring, but thinking of diving in sooner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted December 15, 2025 Author Share Posted December 15, 2025 More little things, add a drain plug to the 9. It has a full truss system that basically covers it all. So while it seems dumb that it would be exposed there's a 1/4 skid the goes below that is fully integrated with the rest if the truss. Added the bulkhead for ARB in the front. Gonna be tight with the jana54 but it'll fit. Fiddled with the atlas some more and got the old input shaft out. Now just need to press in the new stuff and put it back together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted December 15, 2025 Share Posted December 15, 2025 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted December 19, 2025 Author Share Posted December 19, 2025 Started working on the shifter assembly for the atlas. I'll give credit to AA for this phenomenal piece of engineering but they can kiss the fattest part of my @$$ for installation instructions. Spent more time guessing where things should go than anything but keeps things interesting I guess. Put in the new rear flange as well. Once new input shaft is in will be a WJ happy swap. These are what I get, crap low res photos for an assembly that isn't the same. Not only for a single lever but the bushing isn't even there, some wonky washer that is supposed to be used. First try....nope not right After lot's of guessing and parts that are not listed in the instructions but needed I figured it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted December 28, 2025 Author Share Posted December 28, 2025 Got some new rubbers. Going to be running Kenda Klever MTs. Did a bunch research trying to figure out tires and landed on these. Absolutely haved loved the falken wildpeak AT3ws Ive been running but the Kendas at the price point made it hard to pass up. Also decided to move over to a more aggressive tire versus a AT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 3 Author Share Posted January 3 Happy new year! Making this the year to get this thing done! 7 years of part gathering finally coming together. Got a shop press, needed a few things done and its either paying out to @$$ for a shop to do it or driving half way across town to my buddies. So instead got a 12 ton on sale and started pressing out the atlas stuff. New input shaft and seal is in. Will get it all buttoned up over the weekend. Also planning to run a hydroboost, will be running the astro unit. Based on my research should give me plenty of pedal power over stock and be a bit smaller than stock set up. Planning to rebuild it myself. Looked at vanco but would be over 1k and so far I'm $125 in it. Just need the master cylinder (astro unit), lines and a prop valve for the rear should be able t keep it under $500. Hoping this weekend I'll pull the WJ in the garage and start taking it apart. Will start stripping it down, then yhe fun begins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 Spent today getting the knuckles put together. Got the studs and ball joints pressed in put on the high steer arms, need to order 2 more studs and get bolts since no clue where tf they went. More goodies showed up, got mid frame stiffners and going to run hydro bump stops up front also going to use a coil relocation to help the triple rate springs and move the axle forward a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete M Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 man those are some beefy knuckles! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 They are chunky, went with new cast ones that have the 4th hole and are beefed up versus stock. Took a bit of searching because the Reids are nice but $$$ and these are pretty much the same but half the cost. I called Crane as they had some knuckles but they said it's not theirs and just rebrands. So then poking around saw plenty of knuckles that all look the same and a lot less. Although the eBay ones are different. These came from Partsmike along with everything else for the front. Couldn't beat the price they gave me and didn't have to spend hours searching for parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLAW Posted January 4 Share Posted January 4 This thing is gonna turn out pretty bitchin, with that flexy suspension, great axle choice, good guts for them and V8 power itt'll be real nice on the trails. Congrats man just stay consistent and when a challenge presents itself swap on to another part of the project to let your head cool off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 4 Author Share Posted January 4 11 hours ago, JoeLAW said: This thing is gonna turn out pretty bitchin, with that flexy suspension, great axle choice, good guts for them and V8 power itt'll be real nice on the trails. Congrats man just stay consistent and when a challenge presents itself swap on to another part of the project to let your head cool off. Appreciate it, I'm excited to get it done. Should be a great rig once finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 15 Author Share Posted January 15 IT HAS BEGUN! Moved stuff around, drove enough to get too empty and parked it in the garage to tear it apart. Started taking apart the front end. Also got the hydroboost, but unit is bad so need to wait for another. Accumulator is toast. At least I figured it out now versus later. On the plus side was able to figure out WTF I'm doing so next unit I'll just blaze through...... Went with this rebuild kit, hindsight could have gone with the basic one but what ever. https://piratejack.net/2771004-hydro-boost-repair-kit/?srsltid=AfmBOorqdA2pwI-hVgZAG0D_PRirl5OtP3iEpHZ768XpeIuxr4J0AQcC First, cleaned it up with purple power and brake cleaner Then removed the master cylinder, fittings and few other things. Split the unit in two, basic rebuild is just he part from the bracket out. Full rebuild consists of needing to cut to brake pedal rod to get out the piston, but I'm forgoing that one. Replaced the little nuclear symbol thingy. Moved on to the accumulator, it felt loose so figured I'd repalced the o ring and also check it. Clamped it and got the snap ring out. Then the disappointment. Piston should be at the top of the canister and this indicates a failed accumulator. Even when I was looking for a unit went with Grade 8 low mileage west coast, but no luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted January 17 Author Share Posted January 17 Been tinkering past few days after the gremlins go to sleep. Got more of the front end cleaned up and parts removed. Took the 242 out and chopped off the exhaust. Started taking off some of the suspension stuff. Mocked up the IRO sliders to get an idea on fit. Hoping to get the gas tank dropped this weekend and yanking and chopping more off. I desperately need to step up my jack game...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smokeyyank Posted Monday at 02:13 AM Author Share Posted Monday at 02:13 AM May some head way. Was able to mock up stiffners on both sides and get the unibody sanded cleaned up down for the welds. Still need to get a few other areas and get rid of the slight surface rust but just about done with that. I am also going to chop out the rockers and run the IRO rocker kit. Plan to get those cut out and maybe make burning in the stiffeners a little easier. Once I get the stiffeners in will go hover craft mode. Didn't take any pictures of getting the gas tank out but its just about out. Right in time too, as it is rusted to F. Didn't realize how bad it was but there's a sizeable portion just gone. I will be doing a tank tuck so that will help with some clearance stuff in the rear. Then I realized for the Atlas I didn't have mounting studs. Since the previous configuration was for a XJ it had a spacer on it with the studs bolted to that. So once those are here will get the Atlas in place. Just going to keep stripping off parts next week. Need to start getting the interior pulled as well. I will be keeping it but I need to clean it up, then laying down some sound deadner, plus not wanting to start a fire inside the cab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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