Northwest LJ Build

Badir

New member
I decided to post a long-overdue build thread for my LJ. I've had it for five years now, so it's probably more of a retrospective build than an active one, but I still have some things left to do.

Here it is the day I bought it (Jan 1, 2012). It came with about 72k miles, a 2" Rocky Road Outfitters budget boost, 32" bald tires, and a Rock Hard Sport Cage. I researched for about 18 months before I finally found what I wanted and pulled the trigger.

Jeep ad side.jpg

It was my first Jeep and I wanted to learn to wheel it before I made major changes, so I started light. 32" Duratracs and a hard top were the first order of business. I also stocked up on some standard safety and recovery gear.

Jeep side duratracs hardtop.jpg

Fortune Creek - Lake Gallagher Head
Lake Gallagher Head.jpg

During this time I wheeled it lightly in Washington State. Tahuya, Fortune Creek, and Liberty were all common destinations, but I wanted to expand to tougher areas and that meant I needed sliders. So in spring of 2014 I added Jeeperman sliders and rear bumper w/ tire carrier, sway bar disconnects, and a Rugged Ridge XHD modular front bumper with a Warn M8000 winch.

RR HXD Bumper.jpg

Jeeperman Sliders.jpg

Jeeperman rear bumper.jpg

My adventures expanded to harder trails at Tahuya and Liberty, and new adventures around Naches/Manastash, Evan's Creek, and Surprise Lake. It was around this time that I decided that version 1.0 of my Jeep was largely done. Here's how it stood the day I started the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route with my brand-new Bestop Supertop NX.

New Soft Top.jpg

Overall, the Jeep did great for only having a 2" lift, but I was wheeling once a month or more and I knew I wanted to take the next step. I'm a meticulous planner, so I pinched pennies and saved while continuing to augment my Jeep. My front tires had been eating my fenders and I knew my eventual long-arm kit would interfere with my frame-mounted Jeeperman sliders, so in the fall of 2014 I decided to pull the trigger on some Metalcloak gear. I started with the arched front fenders with 6" flares, which also meant removing the extended end caps from my modular front bumper.

Fenders front.jpg

Fenders Side.jpg

A few weeks later I did the rear fenders and sliders, but not before wheeling without fenders (which was messy).

Without Rear.jpg

Cloaked.jpg

I continued to wheel it over the winter and planned version 2.0 for spring of 2015. I was headed to Arizona for a family road trip in May and arranged with some coworkers to go wheeling while I was down there. I wanted to get my upgrade done before I went, but shipping and scheduling challenges conspired against me, so I had to take it as is. That turned out to be a critical problem. After over 1000 highway miles and one day on the Huckberry Powerline Trail I developed a death wobble and my front passenger u-joint blew (taking out the axle shaft) on the freeway a mile from our vacation rental. Being Saturday evening I couldn't get parts until Monday, so it killed our other wheeling plans. I was able to procure front cromoly axle shafts and get them installed, but the death wobble persisted. We tried to limp to our next destination, but in Flagstaff we realized we were in trouble and checked the Jeep into Flagstaff 4x4 for some emergency repairs. They replaced the steering stabilizer and ball joints to fix most of the wobble. A trip to Discount Tire fixed the rest (tire was fatally out of round) and we were on our way back home. Kudos to the great guys at Flagstaff 4x4 who went above and beyond to get us back on the road.

Broken.jpg

The day after we got back to Seattle I drove it to Northridge 4x4 in Bremerton for a major overhaul. Here it is when I dropped it off.

Jeep 1.0.jpg

And here it is when I got it back. I'll call this version 2.0. Upgrades include:

Rock Krawler 3.5" long arm kit
35" BFG MTRs on 15" Method Race beadlocks
Currie steering
Flowmaster exhaust
4.88 gears
Coast 1350 driveshaft
Gussets
Bilstein shocks

Jeep 2.0.jpg

It was a whole new Jeep at this point. I was able to take lines I had never considered before. Walker Valley was a brand new playground and I had a blast exploring these new capabilities.

Shakedown flex.jpg

Tahuya Flex.jpg

In 2016 I added Metalcoak Corner Guards.

Corner Guards.jpg

And hit the Rubicon Trail.

Rubicon.jpg

And had more fun at Walker Valley.


More recently I swapped the Rugged Ridge XHD bumper for a Metalcloak one.

Metalcloak Bumper.jpg

And that brings us to how it sits today.

Today.jpg

I have a blast wheeling it and continue to hit the trails about once a month in the winter and every 2-3 weeks in the summer. I'll post a complete list of upgrades below and maybe some more wheeling pictures. The biggest upgrade left on my list is lighting (6" bar and a pair squares on the A-pillars). Everything else is pretty minor.
 
Completed Upgrades:

Tires/Wheels:
  • 35/12.5/R15 BFGoodrich Mud Terrain T/A KM2 113Q C2 RWL
  • Method Race Wheels MR105 15x8 Beadlocks
  • 265/75/R16 (32”) Goodyear Wrangler Duratracs - RETIRED

Brakes
  • Black Magic rotors, pads, & shoes
  • Black Magic parking brake

Suspension:
  • Rock Krawler 3.5” X Factor Long-Arm Suspension
  • Currie CURRECTLYNC Steering Kit
  • Bilstein 5100 series shocks
  • Teraflex 3” Front Springs - RETIRED
  • Rocky Road Outfitters 2” Budget Boost - RETIRED
  • Rubicon Express Sway Bar Disconnects - RETIRED

Driveline:
  • 1350 Double-cardan driveshaft
  • 4.88 gears
  • Front axle gussets
  • Ten Factory ChroMoly Dana 44 Rear Axle Shafts
  • G2 ChroMoly Dana 44 Front Axle Shafts

Exhaust:
  • Super HP-2 Muffler w/ cat-back exhaust
  • Heavy insulation to protect suspension bushings

Tops:
  • Bestop Supertop NX
  • Hardtop
  • Hardtop wiring harness
  • Lange hardtop hoist
  • Soft Top Pivot Knuckle - Mopar 5166017AB - RETIRED
  • Factory Soft Top - RETIRED

Front Bumper:
  • Metalcloak Frame Built Bumper
  • Fairlead
  • Light Bar
  • Rugged Ridge w/ Hoop and End Caps - RETIRED

Rear Bumper & Tire Carrier:
  • Jeeperman
  • Rock Hard 4x4 License Plate Relocation Bracket w/ License & Brake Lights

Recovery:
  • Warn M8000 Winch
  • WARN 87915 Spydura Synthetic Winch Rope Kit
  • Smittybilt 2809 Universal Aluminum Hawse Fairlead
  • Factor 55 Flatlink
  • Warrior Products 2360 Hawse License Plate Mount

Armor:
  • MetalCloak Arched 6” System (LJ)
  • Arched front fenders
  • Rocker rails
  • Rear fenders w/ corner guards
  • 6” flares
  • Marker Lights
  • Riddler Dana 44 Differential Covers
  • Teraflex Oil Pan Skid Plate
  • Rugged Ridge? steering box skid
  • Jeeperman Rock Skidz - RETIRED

Lighting
  • Truck Lite LED Headlights

Roll Cage:
  • Rock Hard Sport Cage

Accessories:
  • ARB CKMA12 onboard air compressor
  • Rotopax - 2x 2 Gallon Water, 2x 2 Gallon Gas
  • Mounts w/ extensions and locks
  • Hi-Lift Jack HL485 48" Hi-Lift Red All Cast Jack
  • Hi-Lift Jack HK-B Black Handle-Keeper
  • Hi-Lift Jack ORB Off-Road Base
  • Hi-Lift Mounting Bracket - RETIRED
  • Rugged Ridge Winch Kit
  • ARB ARB505 E-Z Deflator
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • 20” x 55” Cargo Net x2
  • Back Trail Outfitters Saddle Bags (Driver & Passenger)
  • Cobra 75 CB Radio & Off Road Kit w/ 3’ Firestik and Teraflex Jeep Tail Light Mount (Driver side)
  • Spare CB - Midland 75-785 Handheld CB
  • Kenwood Excelon KDC-X497
  • Rola Hitch Rack
  • Delta Lug-Nut-Lite - RETIRED
  • Rock Hard Roller Fairlead Licence Plate Bracket - RETIRED
  • Smittybilt 2781 Air Compressor with Bag - RETIRED
 
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LJ's are a great platform and you have done great job with yours. The extra wheelbase make them look and handle awesome. Never owned one, (had a TJ for a while) but have driven one. I like yours a lot!
 
Thank you all for the kind words.

I'm thinking I'll line up a few minor upgrades in the next few weeks. My rear suspension keeps bottoming out, so I'll probably pick up a rear spring relocation kit per Rock Krawler and Northridge's recommendation. Also, I've been cleaning it up for the Jeep show next weekend at the XXX Root Beer diner in Issaquah, which has made me realize how rough the interior has gotten. I'll pick up some floor mats and maybe some seat covers if I decide I can stomach the price of the Bartact ones.

I was also happy to see my old XHD bumper go to a TJ owner from Portland this afternoon. It served me well so I'm glad it will live on on someone else's rig.

Sent from my SM-T810 using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Thank you all for the kind words.

I'm thinking I'll line up a few minor upgrades in the next few weeks. My rear suspension keeps bottoming out, so I'll probably pick up a rear spring relocation kit per Rock Krawler and Northridge's recommendation. Also, I've been cleaning it up for the Jeep show next weekend at the XXX Root Beer diner in Issaquah, which has made me realize how rough the interior has gotten. I'll pick up some floor mats and maybe some seat covers if I decide I can stomach the price of the Bartact ones.

I was also happy to see my old XHD bumper go to a TJ owner from Portland this afternoon. It served me well so I'm glad it will live on on someone else's rig.

Sent from my SM-T810 using WAYALIFE mobile app

Check out the Diver Down seat covers from Quadratec. Only $169.99 and come with the front/rear covers. I purchased some after reading some good reviews. Obviously they aren't Bartact's, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.
 
Check out the Diver Down seat covers from Quadratec. Only $169.99 and come with the front/rear covers. I purchased some after reading some good reviews. Obviously they aren't Bartact's, but for the price I couldn't pass it up.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'll take a look. Certainly can't beat that price.

Sent from my SM-G920P using WAYALIFE mobile app
 
Finally posting some of those wheeling pics I promised.

My very first trip to Liberty in 2012.
Action Liberty 2012.jpg

Still getting used to the Jeep at Tahuya in 2012.
Action Tahuya 2012.jpg

Wenas Wildlife Area in 2013.
Action Wenas 2013 A.jpg

Stuck in the mud on the Naches trail in 2013.
Action Naches 2013.jpg

And a few shots of Liberty in 2013.
Action Liberty 2013 A.jpg

Action Liberty 2013 B.jpg

Action Liberty 2013 C.jpg

Action Liberty 2013.jpg

Van Epps Pass (2015).
Action Van Epps 2015.jpg

The Rubicon Trail (2016).
Action Rubicon 2016 A1.jpg

Action Rubicon 2016 A2.jpg

Tahuya (2017).
Action Tahuya 2017.jpg

I need to get some more action shots. Too many of these are poser pics.
 
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