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Decepticon. The daily driver build.

Thrown_hammer

Thrown_hammer

Doofus
Joined
Apr 15, 2021
Member Number
3804
Messages
279
This is gonna be super lame compared to the other builds on here, but if you're like "all these builds are super awesome why can't I find a super lame build to read about?" Pull up a chair.

Jeep is a 2005 LJ auto. Currently has the factory LSD Dana 44 rear, Dana 30 front with a Spartan lunchbox, 3:73 gears, 4" short arm lift of unknown manufacture, 33" tires, Currie Anti-rock, WJ V8 tie rods, JCR rock rails, and a Shittybilt front stinger.

I picked up a pair of TJ Rubicon axles. Front has Dana 44 outers with the stock Rubi locker and Rockkrawler HD steering. The rear has 33 spline USA Alloy shafts and a ARB. Both geared in 4:88. A set of five 35" Nitto mud terrains on Weld Racing wheels. Fox shocks. A almost complete Rockkrawler 5.5" high clearance long arm kit for a TJ (missing the center plate).

They guy I bought all this from is going to help with the longarm set up. He is going to tons in his jeep and building his own links currently.

Phase one will be installing the axles.

Phase two will be welding in brackets for the longarms. I plan to keep the 4" springs.

This will be a slow thread. I have to drive this Jeep everyday, so I have to be careful with mission creep.

Anyway, pics of my junk and parts for now.

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Here are the arms, 5.5" springs, and shocks for the rear. The front stuff is still on the sellers jeep until he can get the frame extension and rear Sterling under it.

I am wanting to stay with my 4" lift springs. We measured the shocks at full compression and they should work. Just need to order some frame side brackets for the arms.
 

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Small update. The gears in the rear axle weren't quite right so it has been with the local "gears guy" for a month. I told him no hurry so he fit it in. Cost me $250 to have him completely start over and set the gears up.

This weekend we will cut the Rock Krawler truss off and weld on the stock upper control arm brackets from Barnes so we can bolt the axle up with the stock arms for now.

Hoping to have them both under the jeep by the end of June.
 
Cut the Rock Krawler truss off today and tack welded the stock control arm brackets on. Hope to install the axles by the end of the month.

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Going to swap the rear axle in Saturday.

Fingers crossed the brackets are spot welded on in the right location. We set the new axle at the same pinion angle as the current axle, measured the distance from the pig, and angle of the brackets to spot the brackets on the new axle.

I currently have non adjustable arms on it.

Murphy says I am gonna have a bad time. 🤣
 
Today we swap in the rear Rubicon axle. I will update later today with hopefully completed install pics.
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Axle is in. The brackets we added line up with the contol arms and everything bolted up, so now we will pull the axle out and finish the welds. Forgot about the track bar relocation bracket so we gotta burn that on too. Not doing an adjustable track bar because I plan on 4 linking it in the near future. Also learned that the Rubi 44 uses a different u joint than the standard 44 in my LJ. Happily I must not be alone because Spicer makes a u joint for this exact dilemma. But you guys all probably already knew that. (I was going to put the Irate double bird emoji right here, but sadly I lack the skills so I will just do my best)
🖕🙂🖕
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Put in the funky u joint and pulled the front driveshaft for the time being. Now I need to wire up the compressor and switches for the ARB while I wait for the front axle to become available.
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All wired up and working with the air line ran. I went with a Rubicon Express braided steel line instead of the ARB plastic one. Have a small leak at the compressor to sort out.
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Looks like my crappy plastic radiator finally popped. Today I will replace it with another crappy plastic radiator. 😁

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All better. I only was mean to my jeep like twice and I apologized. And screw these fittings for the automatic transmission lines. :flipoff2:
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Heater core just gave up. Have one on order. This is not the build thread I had imagined in my head... 🤣
 
Done. Not horrible, but took a lot of time. Cleaned everything out while I was in there. We have heat, and no leaks. Blue hoses are so hot right now. 😁
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I half way built the first version of my tj while still daily driving it. In some ways its better. Kind of forces you to get it finished quicker. Since I have no time frame anymore really, it took me a month to build one wheel and get the tire on it. I built my first couple track cars while daily driving them as well. Good stuff.
 
Blew a dust boot on my tie rod. I have new boots coming, but in the meantime I thought I would try some "as seen on TV" flexseal tape. We'll see if it lasts until my parts show up. 😁 Drove into town and so far so good.
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Nice little build and good job doing this on a DD. This was my original plan with my XJ but it's not a daily driver, and now instead of wheeling it, it's got an 8.8 rear, waggy 44 front with 3 link, and the rebuilt 4.0 is long gone in favor of a 6.0. To make matters worse, we have a 2013 JKU on 37s, so there's been very little momentum until lately. My goal (which has moved more than a few times) is to get it up and running for this wheeling season, which started today with the first day of fall.
 
Installed a shittybilt cargo box. Came out of a TJ so I have a little extra room for junk without putting it in the box. But the junk will have to come out to open the drawer.
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I DD my TJ too, it is funny looking at all of the same shit failing on your jeep.

That weird U joint on the rubicon axles instead of using a 1330 yoke and having one type of driveline u joint front and rear. That is peak Jeep.

My stock radiator cracked in exactly the same place, tried an aftermarket one but the mounting was fucky and it did not cool as good. Mopar one in there now and the aftermarket will be a spare.

The trans cooler fittings are not too bad with a small 90 degree pick once you get a good look at them.

My heater core was leaking and I decided I wanted a shop to do it because I did not have time before a rubicon trip and you need to purge and refill the AC lines anyway. Fast forward a year and the replacement heater core actually failed catastrophically while I was driving which sucked. The shop replaced it under warranty but they did a bunch of sloppy work and now there are rattles in the dash and the blend door must have warped from steam cause the heater does not work for shit now. Now I will have to go back in and do it right eventually.

You can buy switches that fit the TJ switch panel. I know this is not helpful now...

Amazon.com: Made to fit The Jeep TJ 1997-2006 Rocker Switch- Compressor Logo : Automotive

Buy Made to fit The Jeep TJ 1997-2006 Rocker Switch- Compressor Logo: Interior Light - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: Fits The Jeep® TJ Rocker Switch Pair- Front Locker - Rear Locker Switches 1997-2006 : Automotive

Buy Fits The Jeep® TJ Rocker Switch Pair- Front Locker - Rear Locker Switches 1997-2006: Interior Light - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases
www.amazon.com

Edit: Also check out the Oil Pump Drive Assembly issue on these year 4.0 engines if you don't already know about it. A search should bring up what the issue and fix is but basically the cam sensor, definitely not a distributor housing, deal on the engine wears out and causes issues.
 
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I like this build concept, but what is the deception? You are only short the t case to be a Rubicon? Yours may be even better if you run mud sand, and snow. LJs are like Gold, Rubicon or not lately, well worth the time and effort.
 
402xjeeper said:
I like this build concept, but what is the deception? You are only short the t case to be a Rubicon? Yours may be even better if you run mud sand, and snow. LJs are like Gold, Rubicon or not lately, well worth the time and effort.
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The "Decepticon" name came about because the 3 guys I used to wheel with all had Rubicons. I was the only non Rubi in the group. So they came up with the name Decepticon for my jeep and it kinda stuck.
 
For the first time in the 10 years I've owned this Jeep I have a spare tire carrier. After much internal debate I went with the Rugged Ridge Spartacus system. Tire sticks out farther than I like, but I do like the way it tilts in at the top.
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