4 wheel steer tj firewall buggy

[Yjallday8]

Even though it is already built I decided to make a build thread to document all my progress pictures somewhere besides Facebook.

Before this build I had a 92 Yj with 4 link rear and 106" wheelbase. Decided to start over and build something more capable and picked up a 1998 tj buggy project chassis.

Was not sure what my plan was but wanted to keep it simple.

 

[Yjallday8]

Got it into the shop and started mocking things up at 115" wheelbase with a 05 super duty d60 and a 35 spline ford 9" rear. Cut the back of the cage off because it was crooked and had lots of unwelded large gaps.

 

[Yjallday8]

After I got some progress done I was trying to figure out where to keep going with fixing the previous tube work. And the sawzall came out again a few more times which was great for me to get a fresh start.

 

[Yjallday8]

Drivetrain is the Jeep 4.0 from my Yj using tj electronics, transmission is 97 Xj aw4 using a radesigns controlled winters shifter. Transfer case is a ford np205 with nwf black box doubler on it.


Next was building my subframe and start on the sliders.
I chose to triangulate the front lower links for a few reasons, first was tire clearance because my goal was to clear around 45 degrees of steering angle, another was because of the engine being long and the frame being in the way I couldn't get enough triangulation with the uppers. To mount the lower crossmember and have a flat belly and engine skid it made sense to build a subframe to mount the belly skid to.to keep from having lots of damage to the bottom I made the subframe and all slider tubes from 1/4" wall.

 

[Yjallday8]

More progress with tubing, definitely was learning along the way, the only experience i had with tubing was adding on to my Yj's stock cage.

 

[Yjallday8]

Cut the cowl off to be able to fully weld in some front supports. The cowl was later welded back on.

 

[Yjallday8]

Got the rear 14" shocks mounted and cycled and mounted my seats. Also built a radiator hoop and some headlight mounts.

 

[Yjallday8]

Started cycling the front suspension with my two piece driveline mocked up. I ended up finding some 1350/1410 combination driveshafts at a local off road swap meet and cut them down to work for me. For the carrier bearing I used a stainless pillow block bearing on a Dana 60 pinion that I cut the gear off and had it machined to fit inside 2" 1/4" wall tubing. Then made a plate to mount the bearing to my link crossmember.

 

[Yjallday8]

Since most the mockup was done it was time to strip down and fully weld/ paint some things.

 

[Yjallday8]

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[Yjallday8]

Some finishing touches getting it put together for New Years in Johnson valley.
Used 3/16 ar400 to build the belly with some angle iron attached to bolt it on.

 

[Yjallday8]

First couple trips were New Years weekend and koh. Rig did great, very stable and slides over rocks pretty well, wheelbase did end up at 115" and belly height on 39s is 17-18"

 

[Yjallday8]

Got the exhaust ceramic coated. And went to Tierra del sol in ocotillo wells, got it weighed and it came in at 3960lbs which is right where I was shooting for.

Threw on some sticky 42" mtrs that a buddy had just to see how I liked it and I'm thinking it's a much better size for this rig. Brought all my clearances way up and was getting hung up a lot less.

 

[Yjallday8]

Now that it's going to be hot soon I plan to finish some things that never got done, including building a roof and some side panels, scooting the battery over a bit because it scares me that it could get hit. And cleaning up some wiring from constantly adding more accessories.

Last time I wheeled it I had the lug nuts back off under the two piece wheel adapter and the wheel fell off, luckily wasn't going fast and realized it was happening. Which is the reason I want to build a matching rear axle housing.

 

[Yjallday8]

So the rear axle build has started. Sold my semifloat housing and picked up a rock assault 9" housing and ordered some parts to use 05+ d60 outers. Also cut my lower link mounts off to triangulate them to make room for steering tires.

 

[Yjallday8]

 

[Yjallday8]

To anyone that’s building a 9” steer axle, make sure to mention that when getting custom shafts shortened. Had some Ford 1550 shafts cut to equal length and did not specify that. The passenger rear shaft would not go in all the way and found out the hard way that it needs to be tapered further back.

 

[Yjallday8]

finished up the rear steer and roof panel and made a trip to Johnson valley, had to re learn how to drive with the rear steer. Definitely fun and can get myself out of being high centered very easily, also can take some cool lines or definitely get yourself in trouble with it also.

[/[url=https://ibb.co/nsjy9NX]

 

[dnsfailure]

I like it! Thanks for posting up some of the build photos :-)

 

[bfrazier]

I’m glad you brought this thread over, I’ve been watching this one since the beginning.

 

[Adamwende]

Bad ass build. What photo hosting do you use? I need something new, besides photobucket...

 

[Yjallday8]

Bad ass build. What photo hosting do you use? I need something new, besides photobucket...

I started using imgbb when I put this on pirate. Seems to work good and it’s free.

 

[Yjallday8]

Picked up some 40” nitto k specs after the ragged out mtrs finally died. Also got rid of the stock steering wheel and installed a sweet mfg 6 bolt disconnect and China steering wheel for now.

 

[I Lean]

Where did that TJ tub come from? The paint job looks really familiar, I'm wondering if I knew that Jeep once. :)

Nice job on the rig....

 

[Yjallday8]

Where did that TJ tub come from? The paint job looks really familiar, I'm wondering if I knew that Jeep once. :)

Nice job on the rig....

It moved around a lot, the title was Florida but it was in Colorado for a bit and now is in ca.

 

[I Lean]

It moved around a lot, the title was Florida but it was in Colorado for a bit and now is in ca.

Not likely the same one then. The one I knew was in SLC.

 

[HYDRODYNAMIC]

What did you do for mounting the drive train. Assuming you used the two motor mounts and the rear tail 205 mount that hangs the 205. This would make a tripod so nothing binds. Did you also mount the adapter between the doubler and the trans. This would make a Y which can rotate but not bend lengthwise. I have fears over spanning from the motor to tail of the 205 with no supports in between when using a doubler. I am at that stage and need to figure it out.

 

[Yjallday8]

What did you do for mounting the drive train. Assuming you used the two motor mounts and the rear tail 205 mount that hangs the 205. This would make a tripod so nothing binds. Did you also mount the adapter between the doubler and the trans. This would make a Y which can rotate but not bend lengthwise. I have fears over spanning from the motor to tail of the 205 with no supports in between when using a doubler. I am at that stage and need to figure it out.

I have the factory engine mounts. Crossmember under transmission with poly bushings at end, and a tmr Mount on the output of the 205. I installed that on the top of the output and is hanging from a tube above.

 

[Yjallday8]

Few more wheeling pics from before it got too hot to go to the desert. Hopefully going to run rubicon or fordyce over the summer.

 

[Yjallday8]

Weighed it again to see how much I added since it was first built and it is now 4500 lbs. somehow the rear steer, heavier axle, nitto tires, and roof added 500 lbs. definitely worth it though, possible engine swap in the future will be a chance to drop a few hundred pounds