ChiliDawg's JK build

Looks good man! I admit I chuckled a bit at your misfortune once I read you and the Jeep were good. Ive never lost a wheel but Ive had some moments of clarity before also

sent from my Illudium Q-36 Explosive Space Modulator
 
Thanks guys. By the way on a side note - installing the spacers was not nearly as easy as I'd hoped it would be. For one, apparently jacking up the rear diff jacks the driver side about twice as much as the passenger, so I needed a second jack to get the passenger shock mount jacked up to get that tire off, then I couldn't get the axle to droop enough, I got the springs out simply enough but getting the spacer in was a PITA because even with grease all over them they didn't want to pop into the hole with just my pressing them in. I had to get the coils back in and compress them to force the spacers into the mount hole. But because that left me working with 2-3" less clearance, it made it so that I had to compress the springs that much more to get them in.

So I didn't figure on needing a coil spring compressor but wished I had rented one before starting. I ended up using a pair of ratchet straps to help compress the driver side, sketchy as hell and wouldn't do it again but managed to make it work. Then I put it all back together and ran up to autozone to rent a compressor for the passenger side, but that was difficult as hell because there's very little room to work with on the passenger side because of the track bar.

Long story short - I think if I had started out by removing the track bar and sway bar links, I might have made the job a lot easier - but it's one of those "well, if I had to do it again...." things.


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ChiliDawg said:
Thanks guys. By the way on a side note - installing the spacers was not nearly as easy as I'd hoped it would be. For one, apparently jacking up the rear diff jacks the driver side about twice as much as the passenger, so I needed a second jack to get the passenger shock mount jacked up to get that tire off, then I couldn't get the axle to droop enough, I got the springs out simply enough but getting the spacer in was a PITA because even with grease all over them they didn't want to pop into the hole with just my pressing them in. I had to get the coils back in and compress them to force the spacers into the mount hole. But because that left me working with 2-3" less clearance, it made it so that I had to compress the springs that much more to get them in.

So I didn't figure on needing a coil spring compressor but wished I had rented one before starting. I ended up using a pair of ratchet straps to help compress the driver side, sketchy as hell and wouldn't do it again but managed to make it work. Then I put it all back together and ran up to autozone to rent a compressor for the passenger side, but that was difficult as hell because there's very little room to work with on the passenger side because of the track bar.

Long story short - I think if I had started out by removing the track bar and sway bar links, I might have made the job a lot easier - but it's one of those "well, if I had to do it again...." things.


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Click to expand...

Too many horror stories of people and coil compressors...stay away from them.

I had a little bit of the same issue when putting my new coils and spacers on.

It's much easier if you raise the Jeep up as high as possible, put your jack stands on the frame, and disconnect the sway bar links and shocks to get enough droop.

Also being mindful of your brake lines, wheel speed sensors, etc. I actually pulled the calipers off the rotor for the rear to be able to get my larger spacer installed.

It takes a little more time, but makes the install much smoother. I know you've already got yours installed, so just a little input for the next guy ;)

Jeep looks good :thumb: nice to see other 2 doors keeping it real

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Kyle7R said:
Too many horror stories of people and coil compressors...stay away from them.

I had a little bit of the same issue when putting my new coils and spacers on.

It's much easier if you raise the Jeep up as high as possible, put your jack stands on the frame, and disconnect the sway bar links and shocks to get enough droop.

Also being mindful of your brake lines, wheel speed sensors, etc. I actually pulled the calipers off the rotor for the rear to be able to get my larger spacer installed.

It takes a little more time, but makes the install much smoother. I know you've already got yours installed, so just a little input for the next guy ;)

Jeep looks good :thumb: nice to see other 2 doors keeping it real

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Click to expand...

Yeah I definitely did not want to use the compressor to begin with, and if I was doing it again I'd do what you're suggesting. Unfortunately I started a project I couldn't NOT finish and it was dark and freezing and I just needed to get it done.

This is another one of those times that left me dreaming of the day I'll hopefully have a nice heated and lighted shop to work in [emoji1]


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Buying a set of LARGE jackstands helps also, you can get the vehicle a lot higher so the axle drops even lower.
 
WJCO said:
Buying a set of LARGE jackstands helps also, you can get the vehicle a lot higher so the axle drops even lower.
Click to expand...


What all is really necessary to disconnect though? Does the track bar limit the droop any or is it just the shock and the sway bar? I started to disconnect the shocks but I had such a hell of a time getting one off because it was so cold it makes the bushings really stiff, I gave up on the thought of disconnecting the rest.


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ChiliDawg said:
What all is really necessary to disconnect though? Does the track bar limit the droop any or is it just the shock and the sway bar? I started to disconnect the shocks but I had such a hell of a time getting one off because it was so cold it makes the bushings really stiff, I gave up on the thought of disconnecting the rest.


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Click to expand...

Sway bar links, shocks, and lower track bar bolt is what I disconnect.
 
I disconnect shock, sway bar links, and if needed track bar all from the axle side. Say you're taking the driver's side coil out, stick a second jack under the passenger side hub assembly and jack it up. That'll help lower the other side of the axle enough to pop the spring out.
 
So I was taking a look at the ripped off rear fender liner and flare last night, looks like I'm going to need to get new plastic hardware from the dealer as some of the old stuff is now broken. Makes me wonder if I should just replace both the rear flares with aftermarket options instead [emoji851]

IMG_2966.JPG


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ChiliDawg said:
So I was taking a look at the ripped off rear fender liner and flare last night, looks like I'm going to need to get new plastic hardware from the dealer as some of the old stuff is now broken. Makes me wonder if I should just replace both the rear flares with aftermarket options instead [emoji851]

View attachment 240989


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if it were me id trim it while its off as long as it salvageable, ditch the inner liner and then buy the new hardware to re-install, sure it will be a lot cheaper, i have no idea how much those clips cost that connect to the body but i cant imagine to much. I do like some aftermarket options but i don't like the price, especially when you've already paid for the stock fenders.
 
benatc1 said:
if it were me id trim it while its off as long as it salvageable, ditch the inner liner and then buy the new hardware to re-install, sure it will be a lot cheaper, i have no idea how much those clips cost that connect to the body but i cant imagine to much. I do like some aftermarket options but i don't like the price, especially when you've already paid for the stock fenders.
Click to expand...

I may just do that. I was just looking at quadratec and the hardware is pretty cheap. Will probably be a lot easier to reattach without the inner liner, too. May just get a rattle can of bed liner for that.


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ChiliDawg said:
I may just do that. I was just looking at quadratec and the hardware is pretty cheap. Will probably be a lot easier to reattach without the inner liner, too. May just get a rattle can of bed liner for that.


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if you decide to trim the fender you have to ditch the inner anyway but I know a lot people paint the inside black, i did not, because well my jeep is black. if you really wanted to i imagine there are inner fenders out there for sale but idk. it its just the outer and trimmed its snaps on and off super easy.
 
benatc1 said:
if you decide to trim the fender you have to ditch the inner anyway but I know a lot people paint the inside black, i did not, because well my jeep is black. if you really wanted to i imagine there are inner fenders out there for sale but idk. it its just the outer and trimmed its snaps on and off super easy.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing the best way to trim it now that it's off would be to mask off the flare on the other side and use it as a template for the one that's already off.


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Alright, weather cleared up enough to finally do some more work in the driveway and all my CB parts trickled in so I've officially CB-fied.

Used a Poison Spyder tailgate bracket for the antenna, was worried when I went to put it on it wasn't going to work with my tire carrier bump stop but it still works fine even with it sitting on top of the antenna mount bracket. Went with a 4ft Firestik black firefly.

IMG_2977.JPG

Used the rugged ridge mounting bracket to put the Cobra 29 LX above the rear view mirror. It was a tight fit to say the least, but it works, and now my rear view mirror is completely useless [emoji1]
IMG_2978.JPG

Went by the Alamo over off of Greg street and got the antenna tuned. Might take it back to have him peak the radio later but for now I'm up and running.


Ran the coax up the rollbar, inside the padding up front but got fed up trying to get the padding unzipped in the back with the hard top on so zip tied it and decided to wait till summer to get that part done [emoji12]. Wired the power and ground directly to the battery - shortest distance anyway from where I mounted it. My little firewall hole on the passenger side is getting pretty crowded though [emoji54]


Pretty happy with the way I ran it. Looks clean and no wires visible except the power cord and coax coming from the windshield molding down to the radio.

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