It all started when I was out wheelin with a friend on his property in my 2000 Ford Ranger. I was proud to follow him where ever he went until he drove over a rather large mound of dirt and became quite high centered in my bus like 4 door Ranger. I decided I must have something with a shorter wheel base, and I've always wanted a Jeep!

Shortly there after I was on my way to Franklin North Carolina to pick it up after a lucky bid on Ebay, yup, bought her off Ebay. When I pulled into the lot where she was parked I knew I was gunna love fixxin up this Jeep!

The Auction Listed:
31X12.50X15R Pirrelli Tires
3" Rough Country Lift
15X10" Chrome Mods
Some Crappy stereo system
The auction said something about having the trans built for offroading, thats how he explained the strange whining noise it makes. (Fixed that, Offroad trans - HA Try f-ed up stock trans)

This is how I first saw her! Decent, but in need of work. These are actually the pictures that where posted on Ebay in the Auction. Would you have bought it?

After washing it and assessing what needed to be done I made a trip the parts store for a full tune up. Plugs, Wires, all the Fluids and Hoses.

Once I had it cleaned up, I decided I couldn't handle the Radial Tires anymore and since Ford and Jeep have the same bolt pattern I took the nice wheels and tires off my Ranger and added them the the Jeep. The poor Ranger now has rusted rims and radial tires. :) Sorry.

With no delay I installed my Alpine CDA-9827 Headunit, Alpine-I-pod interface cable, Rockford 4-channel amp on my 4 Memphis 5.25 Mids, MA400 amp on my 1 JL15W0 wired a 2 ohms, and added a Optima Yellow Top battery for the future bumpy ride. I gotta have my Tunes. A fire extinguisher came layin in the floor board so I mounted it incase something burns up. HA I hope not.

Ya have to have some fun in what you drive or whats the point right?!

Bored at Work

I finally bought a dolly to tow my VW around with. I need someone to donate a free paintjob, a good one. :)

While driving home late one night, a deer decided that it didn't want to live anymore. So it commited suicide into the right front fender of my Jeep. So I continue down the road with a smashed fender! Great!

With my front tires wearing out I lifted the Jeep off the ground and rotated my tires. With my excellent luck I set the Jeep back down and backed up about 10 feet and ran over a piece of steel by the loading dock where I work. That incident left me with a cut front tire. :( Tires don't hold air with a 6 inch gash in the sidewall.

This is the aftermath of a deer and a piece of metal! So I bought a new fender, had it painted, bought 4 new tires, a 6.5 inch Rusty's offroad lift,2" coil spacers, and 2" Rusty's shackles. :) That'll fix a flat and a messed up fender wouldn't you say?

The Lift is here!

I couldn't get the bolts out of the leaf springs so here it sits with the front with a 8.5 inch lift and the rear with a 3 inch lift.

The stock steering and scrawny little trac-bar has to go!

3 Days later me and my dad finally had the whole thing put together. First, It limped to the tire shop with a donut then after tires where installed I had it alligned and now she's ready to go! Just gotta get the old tires off the roof.

Nearly every time I look at my Jeep from a distance I can't help but think about Mickey Mouse with only two lights mounted on top like that so I finally did something about it. Sorry about the poor quality picture, It was dark outside. SMILE!

In memory of my old horrible steering setup I'm installing all WJ steering and brake components.

I'm replacing the small DOM with 1.5 ID .288 Wall DOM. As well as replacing the small heims with 1-TON Chevy Tie Rod Ends. The WJ steering and brake conversion will add dual piston brake calipers instead of the factory XJ single pistons. It also gives you crossover steering with a much higher mounting point for the draglink. Which I'll need to correct my draglink, tracbar angle. While I'm at it I'm adding ZJ rear discs so I'll have 4 wheel disc brakes that will help tons with stoping larger tires.

In pursuit of a smoother ride with more flex I add Rubicon Express control arm drop brackets. The difference in ride quality was night and day! I love them!

So here is a picture or two of the desperatly needed WJ steering install.
Welding for the first time ever in my life!

Shots of the finished product

Some flex to make sure nothing hit anywhere...

Paying at Gulches. I hate mud and was tricked into this hole!

1-27-08
Here are a few more shots at Gulches ORV Park the following week. Most of the shots are at Palmetto Crossing.

This is the video of the when the pictures where taken.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=OXLa9bVQqf4

I finally made an upgrade to 35" BFG M/Ts, and got my gears installed! We went out wheeling to give it a try! I managed to break the mirror, parking light, rip off the rear bumper endcap, and add some character to the passenger side doors and quarter. Sliders and Quarter guards are a must - and soon!

Meg and I had a ball!

This is the stump that gave the character...

and just past the stump was this huge sloppy hole of nasty mud that appeared to be dry sand! I hate mud!

More Pictures from the Gulches Night Ride. I had tons of fun!

Stuff on it now:

Front axle:
Dana 30 Trussed
4.56 R&P
Alloy USA Shaft
760 Joints
Loc-rite
WJ Knuckles
Custom 1.5 x .25 DOM Cross-over Steering
Chevy 1-Ton tie rod ends - over the knuckle
LCA Skids
Passenger UCA reinforced
Custom Tracbar with Rusty's upper trackbar mount
JKS Lower tracbar mount
Timken Unit bearings

Rear axle:
Ford 8.8 30 Spline
Detroit
Alloy USA shafts
Disc brakes
4.56 R&P

Suspension:
Rusty's 6.5" Full Spring Pack Kit
• 2 - 6.5" Front Coil Springs
• 2 - 6.5" Rear Spring Packs
• Heavy Duty Adjustable Trac Bar with Frame Mount
• 3" Drop Pitman Arm
• Upper Control Arms (Fixed)
• Lower Control Arms (Fixed)
• Stainless Steel Brake Line Extension Kit
• 4 - Grade 8 U-Bolts
• 1 pair of 6 degree shims
• Front Sway Bar Disconnects JKS
• 4 - Rusty's Hydraulic Shocks
I made the UCAs adjustable with RE Superflex bushings
Replaced the tracbar with the one I built

Wheels and Tires:
For the road I use:
BFG M/T 35x12.50-15
15x10 Cragar Soft 8's

For the trail I use:
Super Swamper LTBs 34x10.50-15
15x8 Steel D-Windows with weld-on bead-locks

Driveline:
I-6 4.0L
AW4 Transmission
NP231
AA SYE
Tom Woods Drive Shaft

Interior:
Stock! Whoo hoo!

Exterior:
Seriously trimmed fenders
Surco Rack
4 KC lights on the roof and 2 KC lights on the front bumper
High-Lift and Spare on the rack
Finally finished the winch bumper!
And mounted my disposable SmittyBilt 8k# winch on it

I hope you guys like my ride. I've seen a lot of really nice ones out there and I'm shootin for the best turnout with mine. Still have a long way to go so let me know what ya think and give me some stars! Andy