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Rebuilding a hack-job (build thread)

Exxon Valdez Jeep

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Temple TX
So i picked up a rig to be a streetable family wheeler. This thing is far from it, lots of ghetto rig hack jobs going on here. This thread is going to document the rebuild to make it a dependable, fun, street-trail jeep. Its a long ways from that currently, probably would have been better off picking up a stocker but oh well.

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Current specs:
1990 Renix 4.0, AW4, np231 supposedly with a teralow
Waggy D44, 5:13s, detroit, full hydro
Isuzu D44, spool
Everything else is home brew, 3 link front, 4 link rear plus a panhard. Looks like tractor supply heims , no misalignment spacers, just random washers thrown in.

Its even has a front JK bumper welded onto a receiver hitch in the rear. Classy.
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Bent upper link, front 3link
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Nice tierod, among other things
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Nice c chanel rock sliders, :rolleyes: both crossmembers are welded to the unibody, which is at least plated.
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Rockwell square tube coil mounts? :(
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Where the exo mounts to the c channel
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Rear panhard
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Yes its, sad. No im not driving it on the street or trail or with my family until its overhauled. :NAXJA:
 
Plans are to ditch the suspension. I have a T&T y link from my old XJ that im gonna swap in up front. Rear is getting all redone with peices from my old 4link. 7/8ths heims, ballistic truss, and I have some various ruffstuff brackets hanging around.

Steering, tossing the full hydro and already have a Trail Gear hydro assist set up. Havent decided on a steering box yet (stock, durango, yj, s10?)

Cage, Its all getting chopped off, the bumpers, exo, roof, rockers, all going to the scrap pile.
Heres my old hybrid cage, but im going full chop top on this one
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Motor, picked up a stroker locally for $400. Came out of a CJ7, thus the carb. Renix ftw however.
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First off, and currently, tore into the axles to check condition of things. It was bad. Both didnt have breather attached and were full of mud and water. The got a good flushing and fresh fluid.

And then there was the front wheel bearings
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Spindle was trashed. Somebody had aleady welded it back together once. Hub was junk too.

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The rotors were $40 from RockAuto, otherwise I would never run slotted and drilled rotors on a jeep. I do have some Wilwood D52s I might throw on for good measure
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Krawlers and beadlocks that I hope to run, but theyre 8 lug
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Glad to see you started a build thread! Curious to see the finished product, your red xj was really clean and a capable rig.

Looking forward to hopefully wheeling with you again once you get this finished.
 
Sold the ugly jeep tonight. Picked up a 98 2 door awhile back, it'll be alot better start for a family rig. It has AC and that's huge in Texas. The hunt is on for some axles, personally I want to do full widths, 9"and a 44, or maybe even jk axles...

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Saw you had posted it up locally.

Digging the new rig, mainly because it's a twin of mine in a different color
 
I got greedy and robbed the axles from it to build an Ibex buggy. Sold the buggy as a roller and parted out the rest of the xj before that. Poor thing got chopped up when I sold the hybrid cage out of it!
 
Finally got into a house and garage after 6 months of shopping. Welder is hooked up and updates will trickle in.

Picked up a 79 f250 d44, mocked up the truss tonight. I was very happy it. Had the TnT truss on my old d60 and never had any problems with it.
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Ordered 37" sx2s, but they're back ordered for quit some time. Looking to pick up a rear axle this weekend, any reason to not go toy rear end? Tundra/T100 full width variety, 8.4. The outers for my front will be 6 lug, so it'll match up and be alot cheaper than converting anything else to 6 lug.
 
Looking good!
 
Ordered 37" sx2s, but they're back ordered for quit some time. Looking to pick up a rear axle this weekend, any reason to not go toy rear end? Tundra/T100 full width variety, 8.4. The outers for my front will be 6 lug, so it'll match up and be alot cheaper than converting anything else to 6 lug.

nitro makes cut to length 9" shafts in the bolt pattern you are looking for. im not sure what the width of the toy stuff is costs associated with building one, but 9" option are plentiful. mine in the 35 spline flavor has been 100% care free.
 
I could run the toy axle stock for now other than gears and locker, the 9" would take some money. Shafts, and brakes namely. I need an ebrake setup to pass inspection in Texas... Still may go that route though, I think it would be better in the long run.
 
Look into the 4Runner rears and maybe honda passport/rodeo rears. 6 lug and possible e lockers. And depending on gearing some had 4.56 gears.


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