Mendo's YJ Project

[MendoZJ]

Heres is my new wheeler project. Ive decided to retire the ZJ from main trail use, and use it as a tow rig/DD

Here it is, 1988 Jeep Wrangler YJ.
6cyl 4.2l engine, Spring Over Axle + 1in add a leaf suspention lift (~6 inches)
Dana 30 front w/ genuine gear 4: 88's and lock-rite locker
Dana 44 rear w/genuine gear 4: 88's and lock-rite locker
33x12.50 Mastercraft Courser Mud Terriains
Custom Rock Sliders and Rear Bumper w/ Tire Carrier
Trimmed fenders for 36's and TJ Flares

Home from the long 500 mile journey.


When I brought it home it had a broken axle shaft, and the other shaft was pretty mangled.

Broken Shaft


Carrier with Genuine Gear 4: 88's and lockrite locker


So after alot of searching I found 2 used axle shafts at the local junkyard and was ready to put the axle back together. The entire axle, gears, pinion and axle shafts had to be cleaned and de-rusted becasue they had been sitting out for a while. This took many hours but the reinstallation of the shafts and carrier went good and I was able to take it for its first test drive at 2am.

After failing smog two times I finnaly got the YJ to pass and it is road worthy and legal now. The old exaust was tottaly shot so I replaced it with a flowmaster 40 series single outlet with 2.5in pipes, it sounds real nice now.


I Also drained the front dif and the oil was really milky with water. Who knows how long its been contaminated but I refilled it with new oil and now the front locker is much smoother.
:smash


I sanded and repainted the shocks black, they were pretty rusty and looked real bad, but still work fine.


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Threw on some blue Wet Okole Seat covers from my old XJ for the beach season, not a perfect fit but it works.


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Stereo:
I upgraded the sound system and installed a Sony Xplod Motorized Face CD Player that I had laying around. The old alpine cd player would only work 10% of the time and would also not play burned cd's, so it had to go.

New Sony on left, Old Alpine on right


Installing


Sony Installed, face out



Face closed


Rear Infinity 6x9 Speakers, 4.5's in front

[MendoZJ]

Put my website stickers on had to cut em a little to fit.


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Picked up some "Tub Sliders" from BigJimStyle at http://www.rockstarfab.com The quality looks really good

In box



Sliders Painted


Slider Installed
My friend had to get a pose in with the new Bling :rotfl


They stick out about 4inches which is a little wider then my fender flares.





They mount with a backing plate and skrews welded to the sliders

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Got my rear tire carrier on the other day. The mounting hinge used to be just a thin bolt welded to the bumper but my fabber welded up a much beefier mount.

Tire Carrier


Carrier w/ Spare 33x12.50 TSL (my next tire)





Next project is a traction bar, ive already got the mounts welded on, just waiting on the bar itself now.

[NAILER341]

what year is it?
you have 98 4.2 yj :confused:

otherwise, it looks like a fun project.

[RUBICONN]

Maybe a case of dyslexia? Is it an 89? Anyways, looking great!

Michael

[MendoZJ]

Haha oops I meant 1988.

[jmbrowning]

How did the ZJ do towing the trailer and the YJ? That seems like a bit of a load for the poor ZJ esp if the GVWR is already down a bit with armor on the ZJ. Any problems with the trailer driving the tow rig with the surge brakes?

Also curious why you towed the YJ backend forward? Was there enough tongue weight?

[Sully]

You made that jeep badass real quick! Nice work! Let's go wheeling now.

[assyrianjeep]

nice YJ