What's new
By:
Filters

2004 1-ton TJ Build

crazybluerider said:
Lj's gain length behind the tire as well. The evap stuff is way more protected on them. I have to turn mine on the TJ still, my tire rubs the bracket with a 2" stretch and 35s and only about an inch of extra bump stop.
Click to expand...
crazybluerider
but what about on a stretched LJ like the one below? I don't think there is room behind the pass wheel. Thinking I could easily mount it in front of the weel though.

1694634012940.png

B
 
67StingrayJ said:
crazybluerider
but what about on a stretched LJ like the one below? I don't think there is room behind the pass wheel. Thinking I could easily mount it in front of the weel though.

B
Click to expand...
That's a lot of stretch on an LJ. It looks like it has about an inch less fender behind the tire than my TJ does. If you build your own mount and turn the canister sideways it should still fit with that much though. You can also raise it some which helps.

irate4x4.com

TJ Camping Rig / Mild Trail Wheeler

It's probably time I got a thread going on this thing. The build has started now that my buggy is operational. It's a 2005 TJ that I purchased a little over a year ago to use as a tow behind when we go camping, I've also been doing some exploration type wheeling and camping in it. It's a 4.0l...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
 
crazybluerider said:
That's a lot of stretch on an LJ. It looks like it has about an inch less fender behind the tire than my TJ does. If you build your own mount and turn the canister sideways it should still fit with that much though. You can also raise it some which helps.

irate4x4.com

TJ Camping Rig / Mild Trail Wheeler

It's probably time I got a thread going on this thing. The build has started now that my buggy is operational. It's a 2005 TJ that I purchased a little over a year ago to use as a tow behind when we go camping, I've also been doing some exploration type wheeling and camping in it. It's a 4.0l...
irate4x4.com irate4x4.com
Click to expand...

crazybluerider
I just surfed some of your build posts. Does your TJ still have the EVAP, or did you get rid of it? I read you can eliminate the canister to additional room.
 
67StingrayJ said:
crazybluerider
I just surfed some of your build posts. Does your TJ still have the EVAP, or did you get rid of it? I read you can eliminate the canister to additional room.
Click to expand...
I'm in a full emissions county so everything is still 100% intact. I don't think you can remove the cannister without throwing a code. If I think about it I'll shoot a picture this weekend of what I did with the cannister. You can turn it 90 degrees and squeeze it up into the corner. I am still using surface mount tail lights though so I didn't need any of the space for them.
 
67StingrayJ said:
crazybluerider
I just surfed some of your build posts. Does your TJ still have the EVAP, or did you get rid of it? I read you can eliminate the canister to additional room.
Click to expand...
The evap is currently in a box in my garage. I want to keep it.

crazybluerider said:
I'm in a full emissions county so everything is still 100% intact. I don't think you can remove the cannister without throwing a code. If I think about it I'll shoot a picture this weekend of what I did with the cannister. You can turn it 90 degrees and squeeze it up into the corner. I am still using surface mount tail lights though so I didn't need any of the space for them.
Click to expand...

crazybluerider If you get a pic, throw it up here. I'd be curious to know if eliminating the canister would throw a code or not. Weekends have been busy with kids sports, but I plan to get under the wheel well soon enough.
 
well I made some progress over the weekend. Cut part of the rear tub out so I can access the filler neck. This is where the tank is going to live. looking for a way to get a filler neck out the back of the jeep without taking up too much room. I have to think about where the shocks are going to go.

tank 3.JPG
Tank 4.JPG


tank 1.JPG
Tank 2.JPG
 
I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not, but I'm not a fan of competition cut rear fenders.
I'm also not sure if I've mentioned I want to do an LJ stretch. To which the answer is YES!
A few months ago I found a LJ tub on Facebook. He was asking $2,250 for it but over those months I was able to talk him down to $1,500. Then I started thinking about it. Why am I going to spend $1500 on a tub that sexy just to cut the crap out of it? I want the rear axle as far back as I can get it without it being a competition cut. I also like how it will let me have the gas filler neck in a somewhat factory location. well, Last night I ended up finding a guy with a TJ tub a few miles away. Like most Jeep guys, they're cool. He ended up selling me a TJ tub for $500. I'm going to pick it up later today. :)

So... TJ tub + TJ tub = Awesome!

Anyone who had done this, speak up. I'm looking for EXACT measurements I'll need to get a factory LJ top on this thing. Where to cut, how much, why, etc. Lessons learned...
 
Showed up late to this party, but with a 4.0 in there why couldn't you just move the evap behind driver front wheel like a YJ? Or maybe there is no room there?
 
There’s someone who has a recent build on here that did a TJ to LJ stretch and used a factory LJ hard top. Scroll through the jeep section and I bet you’ll find it in the first couple pages.

I want to say it was RustyC but not sure. It might have been the guy who’s building it with his teenage son.
 
My Last Jeep Jeep build is an original LJ tub. I also have a daily TJ I would absolutely stretch into a LJ is I had time and space.

Genright make a kit but $$. I would buy LJ armor and start cutting and fitting.
 
RustyC said:
My Last Jeep Jeep build is an original LJ tub. I also have a daily TJ I would absolutely stretch into a LJ is I had time and space.

Genright make a kit but $$. I would buy LJ armor and start cutting and fitting.
Click to expand...
I saw another thread on here, but I don't recall who's it was. They took two TJs and made an LJ. I was so nervous about taking the plunge I could hardly sleep. But now that I've started, I can hardly sleep because I'm so excited!

I thought about getting a hard top just to help make sure I get the lengths right. Trouble is I spent all my money. Definitely CANNOT afford any Genright kits.

I've passed the point of no return. Full Disclosure, I have little experience in doing anything like this, but I got some confidence and patience. This is how I did it, but there is for sure probably a better easier way. Anyway, here are some pics.


First thing I did was clean out the bed.
Jeep Cut 1.JPG


Clean!
Jeep Cut 2.JPG


Next, I measured 24" from the seam at the back of the jeep and taped off my datum line. I did this to both Jeeps, but pictures of donor jeep are not shown (yet). From that 24" datum line I measured back 7.5". This gave me half the length of the 15" stretch I need.
Jeep cut 3.JPG


Then I cut just past the tape at the 24" - 7.5" = 16.5" line.
Jeep Cut 4.JPG


repeat the process.
Jeep Cut 5.JPG


again, I cut 7.5" past Datum which is 16.6" past the seam in the back. (Sorry, I don't have a pic of the seam.)
jeep cut 6.JPG


Money Shot.
Jeep Cut 7.JPG


Then I measured 4.5" from the lip part of the bed and put a tape exactly straight.
jeep cut 8.JPG


Again I cut just past 4.5", or slightly left of the blue tape as shown in the photo below.
Jeep Cut 9.JPG
 
I'm guessing I'll take the factory roll cage out next. After that it will be frame time. I've seen back half kits that a slight "jog" in the frame towards center. I'm not sure why that is. Or maybe those are front half kits I'm seeing?

Do I need a Jog in the back like my illustration below shows?

1697634175476.png
 
67StingrayJ said:
I'm guessing I'll take the factory roll cage out next. After that it will be frame time. I've seen back half kits that a slight "jog" in the frame towards center. I'm not sure why that is. Or maybe those are front half kits I'm seeing?

Do I need a Jog in the back like my illustration below shows?

1697634175476.png
Click to expand...
Typically they are doing that for tire clearance and so that you don't have to french the shock towers into the frame, or if you need the extra space you can still french the shock towers into the frame and tub and have lots of room.

Downside is you basically throw the factory tank out the window when you do that and commit to a cell in the rear of the tub. To me that's fine for a juggy ish thing / trail only rig but sucks for a driver.
 
crazybluerider said:
Typically they are doing that for tire clearance and so that you don't have to french the shock towers into the frame, or if you need the extra space you can still french the shock towers into the frame and tub and have lots of room.

Downside is you basically throw the factory tank out the window when you do that and commit to a cell in the rear of the tub. To me that's fine for a juggy ish thing / trail only rig but sucks for a driver.
Click to expand...
crazybluerider
Thanks for the info. that makes sense. I have a GenRright Gas Tank that I want to keep. The gas tank filler neck is a huge reason I wanted to get something that hasn't been competition cut in the rear. I also don't want to do a drop down tailgate if a 15" stretch.

Thanks!
 
Got a spot weld removal tool and pulled the rail off the donor jeep. 15” is going to be a lot more room.



2408A082-043B-4F2C-89B7-52D91570F8CB.jpeg


4AEE9DCA-CA09-4925-9889-EC99DE33A278.jpeg


Pulled the roll cage too.

7341E4FB-F1F1-429D-9DF6-9B0B78001142.jpeg


42A376FB-F136-454A-962C-A0A4B33693DE.jpeg


What size steel do people use for the frame? It measures 2.5”x4” but that’s not a common size. Is 2x4x3/16” good?

Do I need to go 2x4x1/4”?
 
67StingrayJ said:
What size steel do people use for the frame? It measures 2.5”x4” but that’s not a common size. Is 2x4x3/16” good?

Do I need to go 2x4x1/4”?
Click to expand...
3/16" is overkill and 1/4" is just retarded. I doubt the factory frame rails are much over 1/8" if that. If you cut the frame right, you could probably use a flat "U" shaped bend (or mitered) of 2" or 2.5".120 wall round for minimum weight.

I understand you don't like the look of a comp cut, but having all that body hanging off the back is going to suck on the hard trails if you don't want to smash it up. You're going to want at least 14-15" of rear wheelbase stretch if you are going to build it to LJ tub dimensions. By chance was the LJ tub you were looking at in Deming? My cousin has/had one he is trying to sell.
 
'84 Bronco II said:
3/16" is overkill and 1/4" is just retarded. I doubt the factory frame rails are much over 1/8" if that. If you cut the frame right, you could probably use a flat "U" shaped bend (or mitered) of 2" or 2.5".120 wall round for minimum weight.

I understand you don't like the look of a comp cut, but having all that body hanging off the back is going to suck on the hard trails if you don't want to smash it up. You're going to want at least 14-15" of rear wheelbase stretch if you are going to build it to LJ tub dimensions. By chance was the LJ tub you were looking at in Deming? My cousin has/had one he is trying to sell.
Click to expand...
Yup, in Deming. 100% that's the one I was going to buy. I just couldn't cut it up though. Not when I could cut a TJ for 1/2 the cost.
I am stretching the wheelbase about 5-7" from the factory TJ location. I have a Comp Genright gas tank.
 
Need suggestions on what to build or stretch my frame out of. I'm not opposed to doing an entirely new frame, or a good cage design. I've found a reasonable steel supplier with the following:
  • 2x3x3/16" rec-tube 20' @ $98
  • 2x4x3/16 rec-tube 20' @ $130
  • 1.75⌀ 0.12 wall ERW 24' @ $60
Would you all feel comfortable building an entire frame and cage out of ERW? I know civil engineering so I can design a decent cage, calculate tension, compression, torque, in individual tubes. And I know about dead end tubes. So I'm more than capable of designing a cage.

Also, I'll be building my own inner fenders for the front and rear. What gauge steel would you guys use? I want to be able to MIG weld it in some places, but I also want to save on weight.
 
Last edited:
2x4 and you slide it inside the factory frame rail ?

Also, 15" of body stretch with 7" of axle stretch only will be absolutely terrible on the trail.
 
I agree with not comp cutting the rear (and I have a comp cut Jeep) but I would absolutely open up the rear fender to stretch the axle back.
The LJ will already have big booty in the rear reducing it any will help your departure angle. It is no fun having to crawl off every ledge because you know the rear bumper is going to hit.
 
In my Last Jeep build I chose to use 2x4x.120 on the belly section and 2x3x .120 on the front and rear sections. I also have plans to tie the cage into the chassis to add strength.
 
Last edited:
If you want to keep it stock jeep-ish, then recreate the rear frame rectangle tube. If you want a juggy style, then I'd go round. Either works, it's about whatever aesthetic you want.

My bigger question would be what are you hanging on the frame to potentially require 3/16 if you can make 0.120 round work?
 
JohnnyJ said:
If you want to keep it stock jeep-ish, then recreate the rear frame rectangle tube. If you want a juggy style, then I'd go round. Either works, it's about whatever aesthetic you want.

My bigger question would be what are you hanging on the frame to potentially require 3/16 if you can make 0.120 round work?
Click to expand...
Good question. Are you suggesting a lighter gauge steel like 1/8"?

I just thought 3/16" was an appropriate thickness for frame rails. I have my 23gal Gas Tank that will be hanging off the ass of the frame, then obviously my coil-over shocks will need to connect.
 
RustyC said:
I agree with not comp cutting the rear (and I have a comp cut Jeep) but I would absolutely open up the rear fender to stretch the axle back.
The LJ will already have big booty in the rear reducing it any will help your departure angle. It is no fun having to crawl off every ledge because you know the rear bumper is going to hit.
Click to expand...
My plan is to have the rear axle back as far as possible while using this expensive ass tank I inherited. I currently have 38.5" tires. Once they go I'll go to 40's. But... my dream is 43" tires. I don't care if the back bumper crashes down some on rocks.
 
For reference, the Goatbuilt JHF buggy has 2x3x0.120 frame rails. I'm guessing your coilovers will be tied into the cage and not the frame?

3/16 is around 7ga and 1/8 is 11ga. Some metal places will have thicknesses between 7 and 11 in stock that could even be a sweet spot, and if they sell lots for structural use, could be cheaper. If you can get a chatty OTC salesperson, this can be handy info.

I think for an area that isn't going to be in an impact zone, 1/8" would be fine. Bumper, slider, lower frame rail sections would make more sense a little thicker.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh