Just another WJ

[MrWilsonWJ]

All done! Definitely some things I would do different if I were to do it again, but it will work and I like the look of it. This was supposed to be "quick and easy" to get me by until I built a full bumper, but for what it is I should have just built the bumper now and not wasted time on it. Oh well once it's bumper time maybe I'll be able to sell this one.
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[tjZ06]

Thanks for all the details! I have a 4" lift from IRO with long arms and I am going to need to do some trimming around the fenders and bumpers as well. So I will probably do something similar to what you did. I also really like how you mounted the antenna for your CB.

No problem, I really want a long arm lift but for my current set up the short arms are doing the job and what I have now was pretty cheap. What size tire are you running with the 4" lift?

My previous setup was IRO's Rock Link 4" front long-arm, rear stock arms w/ wishbone spacer. I was running 265/75-16 Duratracs (for sale now) which come out to ~31.6x10.4". The 4" Rock Link flexes really, really well for such a "simple" kit with minimal cutting (only had to cut the stock front lower control arm mounts off the unibody because I had the high-clearance long arms), which meant a good bit of cutting was needed to stuff the tires fully. The stock foglights also had to go, and I had to do the ZJ washer bottle relo. The rear needed nothing. There are pics of all of it in my thread.

Sorry for the hijack @MrWilsonWJ

-TJ

 

[tjZ06]

All done! Definitely some things I would do different if I were to do it again, but it will work and I like the look of it. This was supposed to be "quick and easy" to get me by until I built a full bumper, but for what it is I should have just built the bumper now and not wasted time on it. Oh well once it's bumper time maybe I'll be able to sell this one.
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Man, that is AWESOME. Great work. If I ever make it up to WA for a trip, or you come down to CA we should get the WJs together. I'd love to check out your work.

-TJ

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Man, that is AWESOME. Great work. If I ever make it up to WA for a trip, or you come down to CA we should get the WJs together. I'd love to check out your work.

-TJ

Thank you, the more I look at it I question if i want to do a full bumper or rebuild something like this with some tube that wraps around the corners for body protection. I know the way I have it mounted would be strong enough for it to be the bumper, I was able to jack it up with the hi lift. I don't plan on doing a tank tuck so having the bumper skin in place would be nice to hide to tank hanging down, just trim it up a bit to make it look good. I'll have to spend sometime staring at it with a beer in hand to plan what gets built.

It would be fun to get a WJ run together if we're every around the same place or find some middle ground somewhere to meetup. And no problem with the thread hijack, I like to hear what everyones setup is/was, it helps with ideas for what my next steps will be for my build.

 

[tjZ06]

Thank you, the more I look at it I question if i want to do a full bumper or rebuild something like this with some tube that wraps around the corners for body protection. I know the way I have it mounted would be strong enough for it to be the bumper, I was able to jack it up with the hi lift. I don't plan on doing a tank tuck so having the bumper skin in place would be nice to hide to tank hanging down, just trim it up a bit to make it look good. I'll have to spend sometime staring at it with a beer in hand to plan what gets built.

It would be fun to get a WJ run together if we're every around the same place or find some middle ground somewhere to meetup. And no problem with the thread hijack, I like to hear what everyones setup is/was, it helps with ideas for what my next steps will be for my build.

Sounds good. A good buddy of mine (and my usual Overlanding buddy, he has the RAM in this thread) bought my other WJ ('04 Overland) and is buying all of my old lift parts. He's up in Redding, so even closer to you. I'm sure we could find a good middle-ground.

-TJ

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Sounds good. A good buddy of mine (and my usual Overlanding buddy, he has the RAM in this thread) bought my other WJ ('04 Overland) and is buying all of my old lift parts. He's up in Redding, so even closer to you. I'm sure we could find a good middle-ground.

-TJ

You don't see a lot of WJ's out on the trail so when you do it's fun. It wood be cool to get a group together and go on a run.

 

[DBAR]

No problem, I really want a long arm lift but for my current set up the short arms are doing the job and what I have now was pretty cheap. What size tire are you running with the 4" lift?

My tires are 305/70R16. on the road, they're not too bad but occasionally they do rub so I have been looking into trimming. I only got the lift and tires on a few weeks ago.

 

[TJDon]

All done! Definitely some things I would do different if I were to do it again, but it will work and I like the look of it. This was supposed to be "quick and easy" to get me by until I built a full bumper, but for what it is I should have just built the bumper now and not wasted time on it. Oh well once it's bumper time maybe I'll be able to sell this one.
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I don’t suppose you happen to take progress shots of the bumper build? I really like it, simple and clean and I like that you were able to keep the factory cover on.

 

[DBAR]

One major benefit of going with the long arms is the fact that you can adjust the axel slightly forward so that you won't have to trim as much behind the tire. Although I don't know what they will be like with 3" of lift. With 4" the long arms are at about the shorted position they can be. They are the same arms that are used in the bigger kits so if you did get them you could always upgrade down the road. I got mine from Kolak on Jeep forum.

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

I don’t suppose you happen to take progress shots of the bumper build? I really like it, simple and clean and I like that you were able to keep the factory cover on.

I took a few and planned to do a little better write when I had a little time. I was trying to get it done fast since we had a 3 day trip this weekend. Just got back and the tire carrier was a great addition, but there is a few things I'm going to change on it.

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Here is a couple of pics from this past weekend.

Bethel ridge with @ShooterG, @PNW EXPLR and @jcgraves3
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On top of Miners Ridge above Bumping Lake
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And a Rainier in front of Rainier...
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[tjZ06]

Awesome, love to see it out there getting used. I also love how "small" and right-sized the WJ looks next to the JL, RAM and JT.

-TJ

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Awesome, love to see it out there getting used. I also love how "small" and right-sized the WJ looks next to the JL, RAM and JT.

-TJ

It was for sure the smallest rig this weekend, but that wasn't a terrible thing with a couple of the places I took the group. Pretty sure everyone left with some fresh PNW pin striping. And BTW Bend OR is right about the middle between Redding and The Tri-Cities, just saying.... lots of places to explore and lots of breweries in Bend if you're into that sort of thing.

 

[M Rose]

Awesome, love to see it out there getting used. I also love how "small" and right-sized the WJ looks next to the JL, RAM and JT.

-TJ

We had a guy come up here from the “Bay” Area to explore over Memorial Day Weekend with us.

 

[tjZ06]

It was for sure the smallest rig this weekend, but that wasn't a terrible thing with a couple of the places I took the group. Pretty sure everyone left with some fresh PNW pin striping. And BTW Bend OR is right about the middle between Redding and The Tri-Cities, just saying.... lots of places to explore and lots of breweries in Bend if you're into that sort of thing.

We had a guy come up here from the “Bay” Area to explore over Memorial Day Weekend with us.

I would love to come up sometime. After I get a few trips in with my WJ with the new setup maybe we can figure something out. Breweries sound like something I'd be into... though perhaps more in the way of grabbing some growlers to go and getting out into the woods. ;)

-TJ

 

[TJDon]

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That's as far as I got today, doesn't look like much but there is more under the bumper skin. That will be the mount for the hinge and lock. Just need to build the swing arm tomorrow, I'll probably add some type of mount for a high lift and a place to put water/gas can.

Dont’cha hate it when you work hard at making things perfect and then it’s hits ya. Sonofabitch! How in the hell is the hatch gonna open!?!?!?

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Dont’cha hate it when you work hard at making things perfect and then it’s hits ya. Sonofabitch! How in the hell is the hatch gonna open!?!?!?

I'm just glad I caught my screw up before I got any further.

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

Made it up to the Blue Mtns. this weekend with @JL Lou, we headed south out of Dayton on Skyline Rd. and went all the way through to Tollgate with a little detour to the east to a cool look out spot. Ended up covering around 90 miles for the day, not anything challenging just a nice Sunday drive on dirt and gravel. We wanted to stop at Table Rock lookout for lunch but a Ranger told us the gate was closed due to covid, neither one of us really wanted to walk in so we went to Indian Camp instead. I failed to take any pictures on the trip so here is a couple that I stole from Lou's post..
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[M Rose]

@MrWilsonWJ Im sad Table Rock is closed, I was really looking forward to heading up there soonish... hopefully next year they open it back up.

 

[MrWilsonWJ]

@MrWilsonWJ Im sad Table Rock is closed, I was really looking forward to heading up there soonish... hopefully next year they open it back up.

You can still go up to the lookout, they just have the gate closed so you have to park on Skyline and walk in.