My YJ Build Thread

[SimonTuffGuy]

I think it goes the same for everyone... You grow up seeing a Jeep and dream of owning one some day. There's no difference with me. I remember a huge lifted YJ that ran around my town when I got my license and it was simply amazing looking. I even learned to drive stick in a friends Jeep. I started looking semi-seriously in 2005 and found a good deal at the local Jeep dealer. It was just traded in, a 1995 YJ, Saraha edition. Had just under 100,000 on the clock and was everything I was looking for... The I6, 5 speed, and stock. The previous owner was a lawyer, I don't think they ever took the doors off.



When the tires needed replaced, I ended up going with a set of Crager steelies and 31x10.5 BFG A/T's on stock everything else. A bit of rubbing in the rear on the flares, but it eventually stopped.

To gain some more "clearance", and to keep things legal for PA, I yanked off the stock flares and side steps and put on a knockoff set of Bushwacker flares and AtoZ rocker guards. Shortly after that I added AtoZ front and rear bumpers and a Tabor winch, some Hella's, etc:


This setup was fine for a few years... But I knew that I wanted to go bigger, so I bought a RC 2.5" lift and shackles.

[SimonTuffGuy]

Next up, simply for badass factor, was the snorkel install:


Winter time:


Next up were some tires to fill in the gap. Bought a set of 33" x 12.5 Kuhmo Road Venture M/T's:


After just 1 offroad trip, I ended up busting both front Bushwacker flares:


Sinking it in Lake Christy didn't help that either:


So I ripped off the flares for the winter time until a cop saw me running around like this. I was in the process of ordering new fenders for it anyways, but this made me put a rush on things:

[SimonTuffGuy]

MetalCloak fenders ordered... Overlines with 6" flare up front, and the rear's with corner guards and 6" flares there as well:


I went with MetalCloak because I wanted to be able to do everything myself... Except, with no welding abilities, something bolt on was the way to go. Everything bolted up to my Jeep almost perfectly, only snapped one bolt off the Jeep.




At the same time, I reinstalled the snorkel. It needed some slight modification to fit in the opening of the fender access panel on the MetalCloak fender, but it worked well. Heated it up with a heat gun and then simply molded it around the windshield hinge. Everything needed to be moved an inch up, which meant drilling some new holes to fit, but again, worth it.

At the same time, I relocated the winch control box under the hood. I want to still cover it with a box or something, but didn't get that far yet. I'd like to do an in cab controller too:


Found a good deal on a set of Bestop canvas doors in tan. For $50, I couldn't pass them up.


From there... It's just been driving and offroading... (even in Centralia - worst idea ever! The closed section of Route 61 is fine, the trail we took that put us out in Mount Carmel was terrible).

[SimonTuffGuy]

In there somewhere was a Tabor winch rebuild, as the sliding gear froze/rusted up... Good as new after getting the replacement piece and $20 grease to fill it with.

Most recently yanked the A/C compressor because of a screaming bearing after it's meeting with Lake Christy. I'm amazing how much better it sounds now, almost like a new Jeep again.

Apparently no good shot of it... But my brothers 4 door JK that he built:

Rubicon axles, 4.88 gears, elocker, 35's, trimmed flares (now) and some other stuff.

[Pedro]

That is a very nicely done YJ. I like it a lot. Metalcloak makes some awesome looking stuff. How are those Kumho's?

[SimonTuffGuy]

MetalCloak stuff was top notch. Nice clean welds, it's holding up great.

The tires are decent. I did have a sidewall on the one bubble and then blow, but was replaced under warranty... Although now it seems that all the online places seem to be backordered on them, so hopefully it won't happen again anytime soon.

[wannabejeep]

I also enjoy this jeep quite a lot. How much did those metal cloaks set you back? My friend is set on those for his TJ 4.0 swap/ frame off build.

[bucketokarma]

I love Metal-Cloak! I got their font bumper and wish I could justify doing the fenders and sliders, but I simply cannot with my current set-up.

[CumminsJeep]

nice YJ man! love the metalcloak stuff

[Xtremeyj420]

Yeah nice rig man... I. Love the metal cloak fenders an flares...looks badass
I'm actually doing a buildup on my yj right now... hoping to have it on the road by mid June.
Thanks,
mike.

[HeavyMetal]

nice

[SimonTuffGuy]

I'd been thinking about selling my AtoZ bumpers & rockers and swapping to MetalCloak for those too... But can't justify the cost... My AtoZ stuff has held up really well for the last 5 years, being bumped and wrecked into a few times... Plus, the MetalCloak stuff is expensive!

The front fenders, rear corner guards and 6" flares all around looks like it ran me $1386 shipped... That was with a 10 or 15% off special that they were running at the time. They had fuxed up the other a bit... When the flares came, I got one overline (flat) and one arched flare for up front... When they sent me a new one, they sent me one with a 3" flare instead of 6", but then got it corrected and tossed in a free t-shirt for the hassle.