Hunt's Debadged RME TJ

Owners Name & City- Hunt, Carmel , NY

Make, Model & Year of Vehicle- Jeep, TJ 1997

Engine- 2003 5.3L LM7 from a truck, LS1 Oil Pan, ECU re-flashed for 325 HP and 375 Ft lbs of torque, Sanderson Headers with 2.5” collectors and 3” exhaust with Magnaflow muffler, Aluminum radiator with 2 speed Taurus electric fan,

Transmission- TH 350 (recently rebuilt and resealed!) with full manual valve body & engine brake, Summit Racing 12” 2000 RPM stall converter, Art Carr shifter, Spal transmission cool, Advanced Adaptors, deep extra capacity aluminum transmission pan,

T-Case- Advanced AdaptorsAtlas II with 4.3 to 1 ratio, 32 spline outputs front and rear, Roark Fab Atlas mount

Axles- Rear- Dana 60 with 40 spline Mark Williams 1.75” shafts, 5.13 gears, spool and disc brakes, Tera HD diff. cover, Width=62”, 1.5” spacers at both wheels, TeraFlex axle bridge truss,
Front- Tera CRD60, Dodge Kingpin Knuckles with chromo shafts, 5.13 gears, ARB locker, 35 spline outers(not chromo) and Warn Premium hubs, crane diff cover, Width=64”, Full hydraulic steering with single-ended ram, PCS pump and Appleton power steering cooler/reservoir/filter, 83” wide from the outside of the tire to the outside of the tire,


Suspension- TeraFlex longarm LCG for an Unlimited Wrangler, Rear coil buckets have been moved back 11”, wheel base is 104”, 3” of suspension lift, 1” body lift under the tub but not under the radiator shell, TeraFlex Dual Rate S/T swaybar, BTF coil mounting kit, Custom from 3 link with the upper link built using lower components, TeraFlex Belly-Up 1/4” t-case skid plate,

Wheels and Tires- 17”x9” Cragar Soft 8 steel black wheels, 5 total, 3” back spacing, 6 on 5.5 lug pattern, Staun internal beadlocks @ 30 psi, 40x13.5x17 Maxxis Creepy Crawlers DOT compound running 6 psi rear and 8 psi in the front,

Winch- Warn M8000

Body Modifications and Protection- BTF Crusher Corner Comp Cut rear quarter panels with LED rear brake lights, BTF Rocker Protection, Highline hood, Ben Hank’s Racing custom front fender raised for more tire clearance, Custom Ben Hank’s Racing roll cage tied to the frame in 6 places, BTF front bumper with d-rings, BTF winch plate,

Favorite Trails- Hell’s Revenge and Hell’s Gate Moab, UT

Other-Summit Machine aluminum fairlead (I need to get a synthetic rope or switch to a roller fairlead), Orbial battery, Corbeau Ultra SS seats tied to the roll cage, RCI seat harnesses, Custom 15 gallon fuel cell behind the rear seat built by Ben at Alliance Metal Works in SLC with a Napa P5000 pump, Bestop Super Top with soft doors, Bestop Bikini Top, AutoMeter white face Hotrod style gauges,

 

[Greg]

Nearly a year ago on the first trip on the east coast with the Jeep I pretty much killed the rear shocks. No bump stops and the upper mounts where a little low and trying to force the shaft through the bottom of the shock body. It ate them up pretty bad. I have since added nitrogen bumps all around. I decided it was time for a new set of shocks. I am not ready to do the long air shocks. May never put them on this rig. So I decided to get a nice set of 10” Fox remote reservoirs with the adjustable compression dampeners. I think a good set of shocks will do a tremendous amount for this Jeep.

I am like a giddy little kid. The next trip will be a totally new vehicle once again. I have not really had the jeep out since completing the supercharger, rear ARB, the red label stickies, and now some serious shocks.

Can't wait to see some pics and video from that next trip out!

I really think you made a good call with not using the 18" air shocks, IMO they are way too tall for that TJ. If you still want air or even coilovers in the future, I think 14" shocks would fit much better.

 

[Hunt]

Teaser

 

[LT.]

Those are SEXY! So quit teasing us and show us the smoke show.

LT.

 

[Hunt]

I'm working on something good for the smoke show. Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait.

Besides that, as you can see from the pictures I still don't have the reds. BUT the shocks are on!

 

[J. Dub]

Wish I had your pockets Hunt. Thanks for the link from Pirate in the PM you sent me. I don't know what you do (needing to travel to Korea and all) but I want in if it affords me rigs like yours. This beast is perfect. I love it.

 

[Hunt]

FINALLY baby has a new pair of shoes!

39" red label BFG Krawlers on Trailready DOUBLE beadlocks. Yes they are custom wheels that the previous owner had made.

 

[Hunt]

I took my buddy Tim out in the jeep today just ripping up and down some logging roads. No climbs or rocks just being throttle happy. I have to say I am blown away with the shocks performance. It is a night and day difference. I added more pressure to the bumps as well.

The last time Tim rode in the jeep was just a few weeks after I got it. He was completely floored with its speed out the hole and the ability to soak up the bumps.

I took it buy Charlie Melchner's place (team 69 with BillaVista for KOH) and even he got the big saucer eyes and gave me a "WOW" when we went burning down a little side street. I was very pleased with myself.

 

[Greg]

So where is the video?

Good to hear you're making some wise changes, sounds like it's really becoming an amazing rig.

 

[Hunt]

I have been killing myself the last 2 weeks, and next week is looking just as ridiculously full, with completing all the little things on both mine and Charlie's rigs before we head out to KOH.

I just found out that I have to fly to Toronto, Canada on Sunday 31 Jan and stay until Friday the the 5th for work. I was originally hoping to get out early on the 5th to hit the road for California. So now I have the evening this week to be completely ready. I would love to have the time to work on the Jeeps but I just can not turn down the work.

Little things on mine like drilling and installing the hardware along the under sides of the rocker panels. Stuff that I have been meaning to get done but just never got around to. Its crazy how much time gets eaten up on little crap.

I am headed to Johnson Valley and it is going to be awesome!

See you out there. Feel free to stop in to the pits and say hi.

 

[waynehartwig]

Hope to see you there - I really want to check out the blower!!!

 

[cannoncrawler]

Stay tuned for a smoke show. I plan on burning these up once the reds come in.

:taps foot in waiting:

 

[Hunt]

Can't wait to see some pics and video from that next trip out!

So where is the video?

Good to hear you're making some wise changes, sounds like it's really becoming an amazing rig.

I'll see what I can do about some videos. I get no reprieve from you on this.

Hope to see you there - I really want to check out the blower!!!

Come check it out. It will be in the Doug Bigelow and Joint Force Racing-Charlie Melchner/Bill Ansell tent.

:taps foot in waiting:

I'm working on something good for the smoke show. Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait.

x2

A crucial part of said smoke show is still out of commission.

 

[Hunt]

I leave for Toronto this Sunday morning so my plan is to have the truck loaded Saturday evening so all I have to do is jump the stuff on the trailer and hit the road next Friday. It’s going to be tite.

 

[Hunt]

After a week in Johnson Valley this is the only picture I took of my jeep.
And it was at a truck stop somewhere along I-40 in New Mexico.

I guess I was too busy having a blast driving it not taking pics of it. I'll see if my brother got some good shots of it. If I stumble across anything on the web I will be sure to re-post them here. Someone had t have gotten some shots of my shenanigans.

 

[I Lean]

I guess that means all went well out there?

 

[Hunt]

The only issue I had was burning up the intercooler pump. The coolant reservoir is too short I think. It's the standard Magnacharger unit and is only about 4 inches tall. When I got it to really bouncing or on high angles I would loose suction and cavitate the pump. I just need to build a taller reservoir for it.

I'll add it to my list of to-do's.

The list off the top of my head:
Fix/replace/upgrade the loose steering ram. I've been thinking of this a little lately and thing I want to do a set of high steer arms but leave the track bar where it is. I would switch the ends of the link to heims and use the high steer arms to build the steering into a double sheer configuration.
Adjust the cutting brakes. Still can get them to lock
Coolant reservoir
I need a locking top transmission dipstick. Mine will bounce out and fling fluid EVERYWHERE. Ask me how I know this.
I have to rebuild the front exhaust. See the previous post from the lessons learned at Ted Jannetty Racing.
The MAF and air filter need a shroud. See the previous post from the lessons learned at Ted Jannetty Racing.
I need to put an aluminum roof in it for the safety aspect.
Still want limit straps
Still want to move the shifter up and back toward the driver

I'm never satisfied. I need to quite messing with it and just enjoy it.

The thing flat hauls ass in the smooth areas. I need more up travel if I want to really bash the woops. It goes to about 70 mph before the steering gets spooky. But it sure gets there in a hurry.

I love sticky tires. "Mama called them my magic shoes". I call them my magic tires.

Man I miss the desert.

 

[Hunt]

Greg has hounded me relentlessly to post video of the rig and to this point all I have managed to do is post raw footage of a few odd things. Well I broke down and bought a camera and decided to learn how to do some editing. Here is my first shot...

http://www.youtube.com/user/huntcla#p/a/u/0/zu9K-oZ5bMM

Not the smokey burnout footage, I KNOW. If the second half of the equation would get his crap together we could roast some tires. All I can ask is that RME be patient.

 

[Greg]

Looks awesome Clayton, you can really tell that thing has some get up & go!! I loved hearing the supercharger whine under boost!

I realize it's the end of Winter, so you're off the hook for more videos... at least until it warms up.

Good to hear things went well at KOH. I bet it was great to be out there with the TJ. You didn't miss much in Moab, Feb was a bad time to be out here... Moab had around/over 12" snow most everywhere. It wouldn't be the same experience as w/o snow.

 

[Hunt]

It's good to have friends. It's even better to have friends with CNC laser machines.

Clayton zipped me out some tabs so I can get started on an aluminum roof for the jeep.

On one of our outings a member of the group took a funny bounce and hit a dead tree pretty hard. The whole top came out of the tree and when crashing through the roll bar. He was okay, just a scrap on his leg but it could have been a lot worse.

I have been getting more and more daring with the jeep. I've had it laid on it's sides several times. I want to do some more of the local competitions with it this year. It's really just a mater of time before it ends up rubber side up. The rocks out here are like dagger from hell and frankly the whole death by impalement doesn't set well with me.

 

[Hunt]

So the credit card is almost back to zero (it will get paid off before any more money is dished out on toys) and I have managed to squirrel away some money form some paypal transactions that I am thinking of investing in lights. I have two 21” gaps between the A pillar and the V in the center of the window area. I am thinking of doing LED light bars up there. Vision X has several options that I am considering and I would like RME’s ideas.


Options:

• 2- 20” bars with 10 degree beam spread
• 2- 20” bars with 35 degree beam spread
• 2- 20” bars with a combination of 45 degree and 15 degree beams
• 4 bars. 2- 12” and 2- 6”
• 6- 6” bars.

All the lights are available in 10, 35 and combo 45/15 degree beam patterns.

Link:
http://www.visionxusa.com/LED-Reflex/c1_55/index.html

What say you???