TJ: Supemad Build up

[supemad_one]

I've been a member on here for a while now so thought i was time i started my own build up thread.

I purchased my 04 TJ sport 3 and a bit years ago and i couldnt wait to get started with the additions to the car. I bought her with 14,000kms on the clock and have have just ticked over 110,000kms. Thankfully the she came with a 3 year factory extended warranty which came in very handy. Warranty issues included shreaded control arm bushes, bent drive shaft and output shaft, New cooling system including new radiator at 60,000kms, Electronic short(wiring harness had rubbed through on air con pipe and would short the car out when ever it the wires start the body), 2x new steering boxes both due to incompitent diagnostics of grinding issue in steering and numerous other issues cause by lazy jeep dealership mechanics.

I have been slowly doing it up for a trip around aus, for weekend 4x4 trips and hunting trips.

My initial additions up to july last year included:
ARB winch bar
IPF spot lights being upgraded to Lighforce XGTS
30 inch Trepadors
2 inch lift.
Roof light bar bought off ebay for $100 including 4 lights.
New rear speakers and head deck
Smitty Built Neoprean Seat covers.

Then the dreaded need to Just Empty Every Pocket hit me. I decided it was time to fix the little niggling ride issues i had with the car and get it engineered to a setup i was happy with.

The car is now fully engineered sporting the following (all parts provided by Wooders):
Rubicon express adjustable control arms top, bottom, front and back all round.
Rubicon express quick disconnects,
Lowered Steering box and custom fabricated steering arms,
Adjustable panards front and back,
SYE and double cardon drive shaft
2.5 inch Rubicon express springs (bout to be swapped to 3.5 inch springs due to excessive sag)
Still running 30 inch tyres as ran out of cash.
Throttle body spacer and extractors.

There is still plent more i want to but gotta wait for my pockets to re line them selves.

The wish list includes:
Bushwacker flat flares
Pro comp crome 16inch rims
33 inch bighorns
4.11 ratios
front locker and eventually rear locker
Winch
Belly up
Exhaust work
Snorkel.

There is heaps more to ad to the list but it would go on for ever.

A few photos are attached of when i first bought her up to just before the big money was spent.

[Fat Chili]

You lowered your steering box ?

[supemad_one]

Originally Posted by Fat Chili

You lowered your steering box ?

Didnt really explain it well ay. Thats what the engineer said he did. It was moved backwards bout 2 inchs and down 3/4 of an inch. Steers way better than standard and is heaps more protected than where it sat previously. At first i was pretty skeptical of what he had done and whether it was really necessary but after picking it up and taking it for a spin and looking at where it now sits it makes sense.
I reckon it was a bit of over kill at the time but she is now setup for relatively small adjustments to be made to suit a lift up to 6 inches. (according to the engineer)

[bally12]

Good to see your list of mods up here finally.

[flexytj]

wouldnt moving the steering box backwards cause the draglink and tie rod to hit the diff cover ?

[TurboTJ]

Nice Rig Good to see it when its done..

[supemad_one]

Originally Posted by flexytj

wouldnt moving the steering box backwards cause the draglink and tie rod to hit the diff cover ?

The whole steering set up was custom made and it hasnt caused any issues. very happy with the changes made. Apparently he does this setup with all the left hand conversions he does.. Apparently uses the TJ steering box in alot of Steering mods.

Just took him at his word.