Matt's build

[09blackruby]

Hey Matt, looking good, can't wait to see this once it's finished.. Oh wait, it's never finished, it's a jeep ! What's your plans for wheels and tires or do we just have to wait and see??

 

[MattAlpha]

Got a few more things done this morning. Lengthened the breather hose, zip tied up the extended brake lines and started lubing joints and then torqued. Time to go to my sons baseball game.


Great question about the wheels and tires. I got the spacers so that I could continue to run my 32 Nitto terra grapplers until I figure that out / save for what I want. I'm in between 35s and 37s... I really want 37s but I don't want to have to regear right now. I know Eddie run Rubicat with 4.10 gears for a few years with 37s. I'm undecided...though I'm open to suggestions.

 

[noroad]

Got a few more things done this morning. Lengthened the breather hose, zip tied up the extended brake lines and started lubing joints and then torqued. Time to go to my sons baseball game.
View attachment 85817

Great question about the wheels and tires. I got the spacers so that I could continue to run my 32 Nitto terra grapplers until I figure that out / save for what I want. I'm in between 35s and 37s... I really want 37s but I don't want to have to regear right now. I know Eddie run Rubicat with 4.10 gears for a few years with 37s. I'm undecided...though I'm open to suggestions.

Run 37s with 4.10s till you can regear! trust me if you get 35s you will only be wishing you got 37s lol!

 

[09blackruby]

Got a few more things done this morning. Lengthened the breather hose, zip tied up the extended brake lines and started lubing joints and then torqued. Time to go to my sons baseball game.
View attachment 85817

Great question about the wheels and tires. I got the spacers so that I could continue to run my 32 Nitto terra grapplers until I figure that out / save for what I want. I'm in between 35s and 37s... I really want 37s but I don't want to have to regear right now. I know Eddie run Rubicat with 4.10 gears for a few years with 37s. I'm undecided...though I'm open to suggestions.

I just put 35s on mine with a 2.5 lift which you saw at the go topless event a couple weeks ago. Stock wheels with spacers. I already want 37s and it's outa the question for a long time or i'll end up divorced... If you can, you've done the gussets and have a stick (if I remember correctly), I'd do 37's the first time and drive it till you can afford to re-gear. I don't think it'll be that bad with the 4.10's. I'm still getting use outa 6th gear with my 35in trail grapplers.. Also, everything everyone says about these tires is correct. They ride very nice and are very quiet. I'm amazed with how quiet they are.

 

[MattAlpha]

That us exactly what I've been thinking but just need to pull the trigger and then I'll have to trim the fenders (not a big deal). Your rig looked great and those are the tires that I want. It sucks replacing my terra grapplers with just under 10k miles on them, but it will need to happen.

The front end is back on the ground. We have company coming over so work is paused for now. I still need to attached the bottom of the sway discos, adjust the track bar and center the steering wheel. Hopefully I'll make good progress tomorrow on the rear end.

 

[09blackruby]

So the best thing about those terra grapplers is they only have 10k on them. If they had 40k on them they would have zero value. They still have value so, CL those babies and get your 37s... Oh ya, I'm going to be jealous...

 

[MattAlpha]

I tore out the rear suspension, installed the rear wheel spacers, longer brake lines, and welded in the rear track bar relocation bracket. Not bad for starting at 4 this afternoon.






Hopefully I'll be able to relocate the sway bar mounts and paint out the rear area tomorrow night.

 

[MattAlpha]

Got a few more things done the last two days. Relocated the sway bar mounts and started preserving the rear axle and mounting points. Hopefully I'll get to the top coat today.

 

[StrizzyChris]

I thought someone hijacked your thread when you went from "So fresh and so clean" like this

View attachment 85817

To so rusty and so busted like this

View attachment 86046
View attachment 86047

 

[MattAlpha]

Strizzy,

The funny/sad thing is the front end looked that way to when I started too. This Jeep has had 5 New England winters (4 before I owned it) and 2 in Southern California. It needed the preservation work and I figured might as well take the time "while I was in there" to do it right, or at least to the best of my ability. The preservation has been the most time consuming portion of this project so far. I did the same thing when I replaced the bumpers too. Hopefully by the time I'm done with this project, the only components that will need to be painted will be the skid plates when I drag the Jeep over things...

-Matt

 

[Jimbo's JK]

Can't wait to see it done, it's looking really good Matt.

 

[MattAlpha]

Just finished the painting in the rear end...late night, but at least it's done.

 

[MattAlpha]

Rear track bar and lower CAs in.

 

[MattAlpha]

Getting near completion.


Still need to install the rear shocks, sway bar disconnects, adjust both track bars, center steering wheel, and bleed the brakes. I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but it's getting close to being done.

 

[DA RUNT]

Getting near completion.
I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but it's getting close to being done.

Put the wheels back on :hmm: lol

 

[StrizzyChris]

I understand that! My old Acura was BEAUTIFUL and always waxed but as soon as you look under her, you could tell it had been through 5 Ohio winters youre doing a hell of a job cleaning it up though. As long as you did the prep well, it should do well! :thumb:

 

[MattAlpha]

Thanks guys!

On a side note, does anyone know if I installed the rear upper CAs with the bend in the correct direction? I couldn't find it any where so I put them in the way it made sense at the time, but now I'm doubting myself.


-Matt

 

[noroad]

Thanks guys!

On a side note, does anyone know if I installed the rear upper CAs with the bend in the correct direction? I couldn't find it any where so I put them in the way it made sense at the time, but now I'm doubting myself.


-Matt

The bends normally go in to the center to avoid being rubbed by tires!

 

[noroad]

Maybe you can tell in my pics what i mean!!

 

[MattAlpha]

Noroad,

Thank you! I just found the note in the directions I missed yesterday...doh. Time for some re-work. Sucks having to take the rear bumps stops out again too. I can't set the torque on the jam nuts with the CAs in their so I'm going to take them out one at a time, fix the bend orientation and re-install.



-Matt