Jeep Crawler Bench Build
- Thread starter TRD270
- Start date
Good point. I’m a Toyota guy, just always hear about stretching TJs so thought it was just the thing to do. Hence the bench build, so all you fine folks can keep me out of trouble.
Last time I built a crawler you could buy a first gen 4runner for 3k that wasn’t thrashed and turn it into an epic machine for sub 10k total.
Some, what I would consider nicely built TJs for around the 12-14k mark. Guess next time I’m in town I need to go put boots on the ground.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
100-104" TJ based rig will go a LOT of places
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
I like that idea, toss in a Rubicon t-case (or Atlas) and you'd have a winner.
How far can you move a rear axle and still retain a gas tank under the tub? GenRight tank? $$$
The Genright tank says it allows for 5" of stretch with D44 so that makes me think not much room for stretch at all without that tank. There are other options of course with custom tanks behind the seat etc that I would look at.
Yeah, like stated I don’t think you can go more than a couple inches before you have to worry about changing the tank or going with a fuel cell. But I do think it’s pretty easy to stay on rear coil if you stick to around 5 inches of stretch.
I think going with some axles like you stated with a 5 inch stretch in rear on a stock TJ coil a couple inches upfront and 35’s or 37’s Would be the most economical way to put together a TJ.
- Location
- Grantsville, Utah
Motobilt stretch tank is the way I would go.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
You need to rethink your budget. All this sounds great and are the way to go, but parts alone will break your bank. Having a shop do the work will make it worse. You might get a set of Jk or JL axles for $5k, but will you reuse the tj suspension? Price 3 and 4 link kits from Genright or ruff stuff. Add $3-5k Coilovers? Struts? Add $4-6k. Wheels and tires? $2-3k. Fuel cell, drivelines, labor? How’s the engine and transmission in that $5k Jeep?
Buy one built. You’ll get at least 50% off the parts and no labor.
Buy one built. You’ll get at least 50% off the parts and no labor.
- Location
- Grand Junction, CO
Always best to take your build budget... and double it to be realistic. 😲
- Location
- The Land Northward (Bountiful), Utah
Agreed.
Just to give you a realistic idea.
I've spent $5k+ to build my front kingpin Dana 60 alone. That was more than decade ago.
$1500 axle housing. Retube 85 axle to 78-79 specs by shortening the alongside and adding a machined spud to lengthen the short side. Fancy yoke.
Axle Brackets. Diff cover. Kingpins. Teraflex drive flanges. New calipers and rotors. Brake lines. Wheel bearings. Studs.
4340 35 spline Yukon axle shafts.
Regear to 5.38, master install kit, 35 spline Detroit locker. U joints. Build the knuckles. High steer arms. 7/8" wall steering. Hiems.
Imagine if I paid for labor.
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If someone was maybe looking at a certain TJ with an LS in it, for those of you that have done a swap. What are the emission requirements for Utah? Never had a swapped car with modern engines. Does the VIN in the ECM need to match the Jeep etc etc. I know a few of you have done TJ LS swaps. The only one I can remember reading was @glockman 's saga. If one was to register it in a non emission county does it even matter?
RockChucker
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Highland
I went through the emissions rigamarole. It was a pain. I had to take it to the Salt Lake County Health Dept around 54th south and 9th east in Murray ish. The main reason was because my VIN on the dash doesn’t match the GM VIN in the ECM. So every year they would comb over it making sure all the emission stuff was there and then they could override the mismatch VIN and run the test. It always passed but it wasn’t at all convenient. It wouldn’t have been a big deal to me at all if I had a matching VIN like @UNSTUCK just made work. In subsequent years I moved my Jeep to the family cabin since it doesn’t get driven but a few thousand miles a year anymore and mostly in the dirt at that.
UNSTUCK
But stuck more often.
Probably worth it to find someone that can put the Jeep VIN into the GM ECM. When I went into get my emissions done they didn’t even open the hood. Just plugged in and check my gas cap. That’s was also in Mesa AZ. Utah may be different on their requirements. Every LS swap I did there was either off road only or exempt.
glockman
I hate Jeep trucks
- Location
- Pleasant Grove
Mine is registered in Utah country. Vin doesn't match but they just enter a code for vin mismatch, plug in and as long as there are no codes I pass. Mine may or may not have all the emissions stuff turned off in the tune. It does have pre and post O2s physically there if they visual anything.