TJ Highline Project Do's & Don'ts

[SoopaHick]

Alright everyone, I've been broke lately but have been itching to work on the jeep that has been sadly neglected over the last couple years. From everything I understand I have all that I need already to complete the Highline fender conversion and even a spare hood if I really mess it up. So before I attempt it I wanted to ask for any input from the great and wise Elders of RME.
Trying to look this up online I can't find much info. It looks like it was real big about 10+ years ago and a lot of the links and threads on different forums don't work anymore.
Things to keep in mind, I do have a manual so I know I'm gonna have to do more relocating of things in the engine bay.

Who's done it? What's the best practices? What do I really need to watch out for? How do I make it look real purdy?

 

[Agility Customs]

its all super straight forward, start your cut at the body line on the back of the hood then measure that distance up from the bottom of the hood all the way forward to get your line. Dont follow that body line all the way forward cause it gets lower as it goes forward. I always mark my cut line with a sharpie and then cut on the high side of the line. This will allow a tight gap but still leave enough room to run some style of finish trim along the cut.

 

[glockman]

Alright everyone, I've been broke lately but have been itching to work on the jeep that has been sadly neglected over the last couple years. From everything I understand I have all that I need already to complete the Highline fender conversion and even a spare hood if I really mess it up. So before I attempt it I wanted to ask for any input from the great and wise Elders of RME.
Trying to look this up online I can't find much info. It looks like it was real big about 10+ years ago and a lot of the links and threads on different forums don't work anymore.
Things to keep in mind, I do have a manual so I know I'm gonna have to do more relocating of things in the engine bay.

Who's done it? What's the best practices? What do I really need to watch out for? How do I make it look real purdy?

I have the cuts from my highline if you want to use them as a template. You are also welcome to come look over mine any time for reference.

 

[SoopaHick]

I have the cuts from my highline if you want to use them as a template. You are also welcome to come look over mine any time for reference.

I may take you up on that!

 

[SoopaHick]

Dont follow that body line all the way forward cause it gets lower as it goes forward.

That is the first I heard of that. Everywhere I've read says to just follow the Body Line, so thank you!

 

[ebryson]

Following. Not to far from doing this myself I've just had to buy a bed and do other adulting things. But I do have to say that the Motobilt fender kit makes it look even easier with all the inner fenders and other items. You do have to paint the fenders but when you have mismatched paint in some places it just give me a good reason to paint the whole thing.

https://www.extremeterrain.com/moto...ner-fender-liners-bare-steel-mb1082-4-if.html

I do also happen to have some engine bay pics from @UPNO4 LJ.

 

[SoopaHick]

Following. Not to far from doing this myself I've just had to buy a bed and do other adulting things. But I do have to say that the Motobilt fender kit makes it look even easier with all the inner fenders and other items. You do have to paint the fenders but when you have mismatched paint in some places it just give me a good reason to paint the whole thing.

https://www.extremeterrain.com/moto...ner-fender-liners-bare-steel-mb1082-4-if.html

I've got enough access to plasma tables and Tube benders that I'm planning on just building most of that myself. Fab skills and equipment I have, Money I do not (also because of adulting things).

 

[mbryson]

silly kids, being adult

 

[SoopaHick]

Ok so my fenders should be coming relatively soon and tires are getting here this week and I'd like to have the Jeep running again asap. The two big things I need to figure out is:

- Air Intake situation

-Where to put the Emissions crap

On the air intake I'm unsure. I found this idea of using a Ford Windstar Airbox and Filter. Or figuring out my own custom mount with some kind of universal filter.
I like the Windstar idea because it helps keep the air intake more protected as I'm still not sure if I'll ever actually run inner fenders. Any ideas or opinions on this?

On the Emissions crap I have a couple ideas, one of which is just bypassing it and "deleting" it all and pray Tooele county never starts doing emissions inspections. The other is somehow rerouting the tubing and mount to work on the fender support bracket on the passenger side.

 

[ebryson]

Ok so my fenders should be coming relatively soon and tires are getting here this week and I'd like to have the Jeep running again asap. The two big things I need to figure out is:

- Air Intake situation

-Where to put the Emissions crap

On the air intake I'm unsure. I found this idea of using a Ford Windstar Airbox and Filter. Or figuring out my own custom mount with some kind of universal filter.
I like the Windstar idea because it helps keep the air intake more protected as I'm still not sure if I'll ever actually run inner fenders. Any ideas or opinions on this?

On the Emissions crap I have a couple ideas, one of which is just bypassing it and "deleting" it all and pray Tooele county never starts doing emissions inspections. The other is somehow rerouting the tubing and mount to work on the fender support bracket on the passenger side.

I personally haven't heard of the Windstar airbox option but it sounds pretty good. They do make air intake kits that go into the cowl which makes it even more out of the way. I also willing to bet you could make one for pretty cheap.

As for emissions crap, I was able to keep all of my stuff on my inner fenders but I have heard that the passenger fender support is a good spot. I was however able to fit a ARB single compressor in my driver side fender support and I'm willing to bet it would be easier to route tubbing there (?).

 

[SoopaHick]

I'm planning on the ARB compressor either going on that bracket or going into the tub somewhere.

I think I saw one guy pull off stuffing all the emissions stuff under the plate of the bracket but I can't find that thread.

 

[SoopaHick]

I found the Thor Intake. I might go this route so I don't have to source the Windstar parts and figure it all out.

Wrangler TJ/LJ Cowl Intake (97-06) - Trail Head Off Road

The THOR CI (cowl intake/cowl induction) kit draws air from the high-pressure area at the base of the windshield which is also colder and denser.

trailheadoffroad.com

 

[Die Blaue Ziege]

I will be doing this in the spring. Following to get some pointers

 

[bryson]

I have always thought the cowl intake was a cool idea. Cleans up the engine bay SO much, and it's easy.

 

[SoopaHick]

I have always thought the cowl intake was a cool idea. Cleans up the engine bay SO much, and it's easy.

I don't know why I had never heard of it before until yesterday. Seems like a great option!

Putting this here for quick reference. https://trailheadoffroad.com/product/wrangler-tj-lj-cowl-intake-97-06/

 

[TJustin]

I just installed my THOR intake a couple weeks ago. It was a lot easier without fenders and tires in the way. Their kit is pretty comprehensive except for the PCV hose that runs from the valve cover to the intake tube. I also used rivnuts instead of the self tappers that it came with. If you use bleepinjeep as a discount code, you'll get a prefilter for free.

 

[DAA]

Cowl intake is loud as heck in the cab too though. Cabin air intake is also in the cowl. All the air sucking sounds get amplified straight into the passenger compartment. Just hearing the IAC cycle got to be pretty irritating to me.

And you'd think the filter would stay dry, but it won't. Any time you drive in the rain or wash it or whatever, water gets sucked straight in from the cowl vents. My filter was always getting wet.

I had one for a long time, but was pretty happy to get rid of it eventually.

- DAA

 

[SoopaHick]

Cowl intake is loud as heck in the cab too though. Cabin air intake is also in the cowl. All the air sucking sounds get amplified straight into the passenger compartment. Just hearing the IAC cycle got to be pretty irritating to me.

And you'd think the filter would stay dry, but it won't. Any time you drive in the rain or wash it or whatever, water gets sucked straight in from the cowl vents. My filter was always getting wet.

I had one for a long time, but was pretty happy to get rid of it eventually.

- DAA

Bold of you to assume my Jeep gets washed.

Interesting to hear that as all the reviews I'm seeing say that they never had water problems, at least with the THOR one. Some did say increased noise but mostly only with a hard top and doors. My Jeep will rarely if ever have a full top and doors on it again.

 

[DAA]

I'm getting old and my Jeep is too. And the two of us usually have to travel a few hours or six hours or whatever to reach the dirt, then drive home when we're done. About a year after getting rid of the cowl intake I went all in on sound deadening and that made another huge difference. If I could bring myself to run AT's on it, it would be almost civilized now.

- DAA

 

[DAA]

Interesting to hear that as all the reviews I'm seeing say that they never had water problems, at least with the THOR one.

Probably because they all never wash their Jeeps or drive in bad weather . Mine was supposed to not get wet too, but it did, a lot. And I can't see how it would be possible not to if your running it with some throttle while water is coming in the cowl vents.

- DAA