Just another YJ build

I bought a Rough Country winch mounting plate off Amazon for $70 shipped, and installed the XRC8 winch from my samurai. I also used the in-cab winch control switch from my Samurai. One of the hood latches was missing, so I installed a new pair. I'm ready to go to Uwharrie and do the 2 wheel peel with these Wal Mart all terrain tires now.

Winch mounted.jpg




This seemed like a good spot to mount the winch control switch:

In-cab winch switch.jpg
 
As I mentioned earlier, the transmission shifter felt fairly sloppy. I ordered a shifter rebuild kit from All State Gear assuming the bushings were just worn out. Well, they were more than just worn out. The small cylinder piece that snaps on the ball end of the shifter was completely missing, and so was the round donut part that the main large shifter sphere surfaces rides on! The top rubber seal was torn in two pieces. I also changed the gear oil while I had the shifter off since it is the easiest way to fill it. There was very little in the way of particles attached to the magnetic drain plug, so that is a good sign that the transmission is still in good shape. The shifter feels tight and like new now and the transmission shifts easily.

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Rebuilt shifter.jpg
 
drkelly said:
As I mentioned earlier, the transmission shifter felt fairly sloppy. I ordered a shifter rebuild kit from All State Gear assuming the bushings were just worn out. Well, they were more than just worn out. The small cylinder piece that snaps on the ball end of the shifter was completely missing, and so was the round donut part that the main large shifter sphere surfaces rides on! The top rubber seal was torn in two pieces. I also changed the gear oil while I had the shifter off since it is the easiest way to fill it. There was very little in the way of particles attached to the magnetic drain plug, so that is a good sign that the transmission is still in good shape. The shifter feels tight and like new now and the transmission shifts easily.

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How did you separate the top and bottom part of the shifter? I know there was a tool specifically for this but have not been able to find a part/tool number or the tool itself. In the past I have used screwdrivers.
 
ghost said:
How did you separate the top and bottom part of the shifter? I know there was a tool specifically for this but have not been able to find a part/tool number or the tool itself. In the past I have used screwdrivers.
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I clamped the large round base of the shifter handle in the vice on my workbench with the handle sticking up just like if it was in the vehicle. I then used an old 3/8" extension and hammer to pound on the shifter part shown above. I sprayed a bunch of WD-40 down in the joint first though. It popped right out with a few good hits. I pried on it with screwdrivers first, but wasn't having much luck.
 
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I am glad my yj will not be the only one built by crap I've held onto for many moons...it all matches my yj. Used and a bit crusty. Letting it sit in an open carport and no top was a huge no no.
 
WARRIORWELDING said:
I am glad my yj will not be the only one built by crap I've held onto for many moons...it all matches my yj. Used and a bit crusty. Letting it sit in an open carport and no top was a huge no no.
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I honestly thought about titling this build thread 'The Leftovers YJ Project', LOL.
 
I brought my D60 from the shed back to the garage and started taking it apart. The carrier was welded by the previous owner, and that is how I ran it when I had this axle in my old Ranger cab truck. I'm going to change it out for a Spartan locker.

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I finished taking the front axle apart, and found a broken hub gear inside the passenger side Warn lockout. I'm considering upgrading to Yukon HD locking hubs. ECGS has 10% off for the 4th.

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ghost said:
How did you separate the top and bottom part of the shifter? I know there was a tool specifically for this but have not been able to find a part/tool number or the tool itself. In the past I have used screwdrivers.
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All you gotta do is push the retainer down and turn CC about 30* and it'll pop right off. I use a decent sized Snap On pick/hose removal tool to do it.
Works like a champ
 
I Made a little more progress on my front axle. I swapped the ring gear over on to my spare open carrier, installed a Spartan Locker from ECGS, and got it all installed in the housing.

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drkelly said:
I finished taking the front axle apart, and found a broken hub gear inside the passenger side Warn lockout. I'm considering upgrading to Yukon HD locking hubs. ECGS has 10% off for the 4th.
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If that is a Warn premium hub lockout, it should have a lifetime warranty. Bring all the pieces to an authorized Warn dealer (Advance Auto), they should be able to get a brand new one in a few days for no cost.
 
RenegadeT said:
If that is a Warn premium hub lockout, it should have a lifetime warranty. Bring all the pieces to an authorized Warn dealer (Advance Auto), they should be able to get a brand new one in a few days for no cost.
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I didn't realize that.

I went ahead and upgraded to the Yukon hubs, but will try and warranty the Warn ones and either keep them as spares or sell them.

These arrived Saturday courtesy of ecgs.

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I was going to replace the stock Ford calipers on my front D60, but three places I looked didn't have the LHS caliper available. I decided to swap on the Chevy style calipers since they are readily available. I bought the kit from lugnut4x4, and opted to buy the larger JB7 calipers. It is a very complete kit as you can see from the picture.

Lugnut4x4 brake kit.jpg
 
I hopped in my Jeep to drive it to work this morning, and immediately smelled gas as soon as I backed out of the garage. I turned it off, jumped out and discovered gas coming out high up in front of the fuel tank. It seems (I'm guessing) like the fuel supply line has ruptured somewhere close to the top of the fuel tank. I jumped back in to restart it to pull it back in the garage, and it wouldn't even turn over, LOL. Luckily my driveway is flat, so I was able to push it back in.
 
I know you've already put a locker in the front , but I'll tell you this, the best thing I did to my YJ was ARB's front and rear. I can drive it in the snow/ ice and not worry about killing everyone on the road. It's also is waaay less hard on steering components on the trail with axles unlocked. I drive mine weekly and have probably put 30k + miles on it in the last few years. It's on tons, H1's, 37 mtrs. Spend the cash once and you'll love that thing. My wife probably drives it more than I do, it'll cruise 80mph on the highway with one hand on the wheel.
 
BIGWOODY said:
I know you've already put a locker in the front , but I'll tell you this, the best thing I did to my YJ was ARB's front and rear. I can drive it in the snow/ ice and not worry about killing everyone on the road. It's also is waaay less hard on steering components on the trail with axles unlocked. I drive mine weekly and have probably put 30k + miles on it in the last few years. It's on tons, H1's, 37 mtrs. Spend the cash once and you'll love that thing. My wife probably drives it more than I do, it'll cruise 80mph on the highway with one hand on the wheel.
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That sounds great. ARBs would be nice, but this thing just won't get much road time. It might get driven 30 miles once a week or once every two weeks. My 14 bolt has a Detroit that I installed 13 yrs ago, and I already had the open carrier for the front, so the Spartan was the cheapest way to go to have both axles 'locked'. My TC will allow 2-low, so steering should be easy off-road until 4-low is required.

I'm undecided on rims. Did you have any trouble getting the H1's to balance and ride smooth? Are your H1's recentered or stock? I've got a set of 12 bolt H1's with the stock centers cut out, new pressed centers and rock rings I purchased many years ago. I was going to sell them though, and get some 17" aluminum beadlocks.
 
drkelly said:
I'm undecided on rims. Did you have any trouble getting the H1's to balance and ride smooth? Are your H1's recentered or stock? I've got a set of 12 bolt H1's with the stock centers cut out, new pressed centers and rock rings I purchased many years ago. I was going to sell them though, and get some 17" aluminum beadlocks.
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I wanted H1's because I've fubar'd many aluminum wheels over the years.When you slide into a rock hard and break a piece of wheel off, it sucks. I bought mine with the pressed centers tacked in place from Shawn on this board (he seems to be pretty anal about getting shit right) so I was less worried about them being off. If you want the "pretty" get some AL 17's. I liked being able to run military MTRs at about $50-$100 a piece depending on what deal you find on them. The last set I bought was 5 new tires for $400. I used a quart of liquid used in big truck tires to balance them, no it doesn't ride like my Mercedes , but I'd drive on a 3+ hour trip without hesitation. I've also got a PSC steering box and ram assist to help with whatever death wobble might want to come along. It's been the most useful, fun 4x4 I've ever had. It's nice to go wheel and actually have to think a little about what you're doing, not just line it up and hit the stupid pedal.
 
I bought this Atlas 4spd transfer case back in the fall of 2006 to go behind the C6 trans in my Ranger cab truck after breaking 2 or 3 NP208's. I kept it when I tore that truck apart and scrapped it. I want to run it in my YJ, so I needed to change the input shaft. A call to Advance Adapters provided a new input shaft , input shaft bearing, bearing retainer, input shaft seal, c-clips, and front planetary housing. The input shaft required for the AX15 is smaller than the one for the C6, and required all of those parts to be swapped out. For some reason the front bearing retainer seal was contacting the C-clip on the input shaft, so I had a friend cut a couple of spacers on the laser. It is ready to be swapped in now.

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I crawled under my Jeep this morning, and couldn't find any obvious source of the fuel leak I experienced earlier this week. I am going to need to drop the fuel tank. While laying under the Jeep, I noticed the turdy five was coated with oil on the underside. I grabbed the pinion yoke, and it moved in and out about 1/16", and up and down a heavy 1/16". The pinion bearings are shot. I'm not surprised. I had been hearing noise coming from the rear end, but lied to myself and said it would be ok until this winter, LOL. I'm thinking I won't be doing any wheeling this fall like I was hoping, and my 'build' just officially started.
 
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Might as well get started, so I brought the replacement for the turdy five from my shed to the garage. It has a Detroit locker with 4.88 gears, and a disc brake swap. It also has a Blue Torch Fab truss that I bolted on 11-12 years ago when I thought that I was going to four link the cab truck. I need to cut the spring perches off, but that is it. I might buy a Motobilt 13 bolt cover.

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paradisePWoffrd said:
Are you worried about no parking brake after the swap?

Gonna stretch it any? The 4spd atlas plus longer pinion, is going to make a super short rear driveshaft.
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I'm not sure if I will try and add a parking brake or not. I ran my cab truck without one. I'm not sure what the options are. A decade or more ago it was either Eldorado calipers or a driveline brake off the TC output. Is that still the same?


I'm going to move the rear axle back 6".
 
drkelly said:
I'm not sure if I will try and add a parking brake or not. I ran my cab truck without one. I'm not sure what the options are. A decade or more ago it was either Eldorado calipers or a driveline brake off the TC output. Is that still the same?


I'm going to move the rear axle back 6".
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Basically. Or adapt internal parking brake setup off a newer truck. Supposedly there is a parking brake caliper off a latel 90s E350, but ive never been able to find it.
 
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