Jeep Wrangler Off-Road Upgrades

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY WE'RE DOING SOME DRIVE WAY UPGRADES TO JEEP'S WRANGLER UNLIMITED. WE'RE ADDING A LONG ARM LIFT KIT AND BIGGER WHEELS AND TIRES TO MAKE THIS JEEP MORE OFF ROAD CAPABLE. IT'S ALL TODAY HERE ON TRUCKS!

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME TO TRUCKS. LOOK, IT'S BEEN A WHILE SINCE WE HAD A JEEP IN THE SHOP, AND EVEN LONGER SINCE WE HAD A JEEP IN THE SHOP THAT HAD AN ACTUAL FRAME UNDERNEATH IT. SO THAT'S WHY WE PICKED UP THIS 2005 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED, TO DO SORT OF A MILD BUILD UP ON. NOW WE DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING TOO OVER THE TOP, SO WE'RE NOT GONNA GET INTO ANY CRAZY COMPLICATED ENGINE SWAP. WE'RE PROBABLY GIVE THE WELDERS AND TUBE BENDERS A REST FOR A LITTLE WHILE, AND MAKE THIS MORE OF A BOLT ON PROJECT. KINDA LIKE A LOT OF YOU GUYS WOULD DO AT HOME. NOW THIS IS AN UNLIMITED, OR LJ WRANGLER, AS OPPOSED TO THE MORE WIDELY AVAILABLE AND COMMON TJ WRANGLER. NOW THEY'RE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME VEHICLE WITH ONE OBVIOUS DIFFERENCE, LONGER WHEEL BASE. THE UNLIMITED, OR LJ'S HAVE 10 INCHES OF EXTRA WHEEL BASE, RESULTING IN A LITTLE BIT MORE CARGO ROOM. THEY ALSO COME STANDARD WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED DANA 44 REAR AXLE WITH 3.73 GEARS. NOW THEY'VE ONLY MADE THESE UNLIMITEDS BETWEEN 2004 AND 2006, AND LUCKILY FOR US OURS IS ALMOST COMPLETELY STOCK. SAVE FOR A FEW UPGRADES, LIKE THESE BUSHWACKER FLARES, AFTERMARKET FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND FOR SOME REASON THIS TRANSFER CASE LOWERING KIT. NOW NORMALLY THESE INSTALLED TO DEAL WITH DRIVE LINE VIBRATIONS ONCE A LIFT KIT'S BEEN INSTALLED, BUT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY NOT THE CASE WITH THIS JEEP. WE'LL HAVE TO FIX THAT. NOW UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WE'VE GOT THE SAME TORQUEY AND RELIABLE FOUR LITER STRAIGHT SIX THAT'S FOUND UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF OH, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT A TRILLION OTHER WRANGLERS, GRAND CHEROKEES, AND CHEROKEES, AND THERE'S NO NEED TO CHANGE IT. NOW AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL THIS ONE'S ALL STOCK EXCEPT FOR THE COLD AIR INTAKE AND THROTTLE BODY SPACER. NOW IT'S BACKED UP BY A FOUR SPEED ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND A NEW PROCESS 231 TRANSFER CASE. BUT BEFORE WE START WRENCHING ON THIS THING, WE WANT TO TAKE SOME MEASUREMENTS. NOW HERE AT THE BODY, WE'VE GOT JUST 19 INCHES AT THE ROCKERS.

NOW AN EVEN MORE INTERESTING MEASUREMENT IS THE GROUND CLEARANCE TO THE TRANSFER CASE SKID PLATE. WE'VE GOT A PALTRY EIGHT INCHES OR SO. THIS THING MUST HAVE HAD A LIFT KIT ON IT AT ONE TIME. NOW ON THE SHORT TRIP FROM THE PARKING LOT INTO THE SHOP HERE, WE NOTICED THAT THIS JEEP KINDA HAD A ROUGH AND BOUNCY RIDE. AND LIKE WE SAID BEFORE, THIS THING PROBABLY HAD A LIFT KIT ON IT AT ONE TIME, AND WELL WE'RE CERTAIN OF THAT NOW. THESE FRONT COIL SPRINGS, THEY'VE GOT REPLACEMENT TAGS ON THEM AND ARE KINDA SHINIER THAN THE REST OF THE PARTS. SO SOMEBODY JUST RECENTLY SWAPPED THEM OUT. ONE THING THEY DIDN'T SWAP OUT WAS THESE BUMP STOCK EXTENSIONS. THEY'RE HOVERING ABOUT THE SPRING PAD WITH ABOUT A QUARTER INCH AIR GAP. MEANING THIS JEEP HAS VIRTUALLY NO UP TRAVEL, THUS THE ROUGH RIDE. SO IF YOU'RE BUYING A USED VEHICLE, CAVEAT EMPTOR, OR BUYER BEWARE.

WE START THE TEAR DOWN BY REMOVING THE PARTS THAT LIMIT THE AXLE DOWN TRAVEL SO WE CAN REMOVE THE SPRINGS. THAT MEANS THE SHOCKS GO AWAY ALONG WITH THE SWAY BAR END LINKS AND THE TRACK BAR. NOW WE'RE NOT HITTING THESE THINGS CAUSE WE LIKE TO SMASH THINGS WITH HAMMERS. IT REMOVES OR DISLODGES THE TAPERED STUD THAT'S HOLDING THESE THINGS IN PLACE. AND WITH THAT STUFF OUT OF THE WAY, WE COULD WRESTLE OUR KINDA NEW COIL SPRINGS OUT OF THE WAY.

ALONG WITH THIS OUT OF PLACE BUMP STOP.

(KEVIN)>> NOW WHEN YOU'RE USING A PITMAN ARM PULLER, IT CAN STORE UP A LITTLE BIT OF ENERGY. AND WHEN IT LETS GO, IT MIGHT SURPRISE YOU.

(RYAN)>> NOW THE STAMPED STEEL UPPER CONTROL ARMS ARE GONNA HIT THE SCRAP PILE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE TO MESS AROUND WITH THE BRACKETS THAT ARE WELDED TO THE FRAME. THEY'RE NOT GONNA INTERFERE WITH ANY OF OUR UPGRADE PARTS, UNLIKE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKETS. THESE MUST BE REMOVED TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW LONG ARM. NOW WE ARE USING A PLASMA CUTTER TO TRY TO GET THESE BRACKETS REMOVED, BUT THERE'S A MYRIAD OF WAYS YOU CAN GET THESE DONE. HACKSAW, DYE GRINDER, PLASMA CUTTER, TORCH, YOU NAME IT. YOU'VE GOT OPTIONS AND WE'LL PROBABLY TRY A FEW OF THOSE OUT. WITH CLEAN FRAME RAILS WE CAN MOVE ON TO REMOVING THE FACTORY TRANSFER CASE SKID PLATE.

TRASH!

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOP. WELL WE'VE GOT OUR WRANGLER UNLIMITED, OR LJ'S FRONT SUSPENSION COMPLETELY DISASSEMBLED, AND WE'VE EVEN GOT THE CONTROL ARM BRACKETS CUT FROM THE FRAME. WE GROUND THEM DOWN FLUSH AND HIT THEM WITH A COAT OF DUPLICOLOR PAINT. WE'RE JUST ABOUT READY TO START INSTALLING SOME PARTS, AND HERE'S THE KIT WE'RE GONNA USE. THIS IS A LONG TRAVEL, LONG ARM KIT THAT WE PICKED UP FROM RUSTY'S OFF ROAD. IT INCLUDES A PAIR OF HEAVY DUTY LONG ARM MOUNTING BRACKETS THAT SADDLE THE FRAME, A HEAVY DUTY BELLY SKID, FOUR INDIVIDUAL CONTROL ARMS FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION, AND TWO RADIUS ARMS FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION. WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME SWAY BAR DISCONNECT OR END LINKS, A DROPPED PITMAN ARM, A PAIR OF REPLACEMENT TRACK BARS FOR THE FRONT AND REAR ALONG WITH SOME EXTENDED LENGTH STAINLESS STEEL BRAKE LINES THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED. WE ALSO PICKED UP FOUR SPRINGS AND SHOCKS. NOW DURING DISASSEMBLY WE RAN INTO A PROBLEM THAT'S KINDA COMMON, WHETHER IT BE A WRANGLER OR ANY OTHER FRAMED VEHICLE. WE HAD A CAPTURED NUT BREAK LOOSE ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME RAIL. AND SINCE IT'S FULLY BOXED, THERE'S NO REALLY EASY WAY TO GET TO IT, BUT YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF OPTIONS AND A COUPLE OF SOLUTIONS DEPENDING ON HOW MANY TOOLS ARE IN YOUR ARSENAL. WHAT YOU COULD DO IS COME IN HERE WITH A CUTOFF WHEEL AND CREATE A LITTLE ACCESS WINDOW. IT'S TO GIVE YOU ENOUGH ROOM SO YOU COULD SNEAK IN A WRENCH AND A NUT. AND WHEN YOU'RE REASSEMBLING EVERYTHING, YOU COULD JUST NUT AND BOLT IT, BUT WE'VE GOT A MORE PERMANENT SOLUTION. NOW THE FIRST THING WE'RE DOING IS MARKING SOME CROSS HAIRS ON THE ORIGINAL STRIPPED OUT FRAME NUT. THAT WAY THE REPLACEMENT HARDWARE CAN GO BACK IN THIS SAME EXACT SPOT. AFTER ALL, IT'S GOT TO LINE UP WITH THE EXISTING TRANSFER CASE SKID PLATE MOUNTING HOLE. NOW THIS IS SIMPLY A METRIC NUT THAT MATCHES THE THREADS OF THE REST OF THE HARDWARE AND A WASHER. THE WASHER'S GONNA SERVE TWO PURPOSES. IT ALLOWS US TO TACK WELD THE NUT IN PLACE, AND IT MIMICS THE SPACING OF THE FACTORY TRANSFER CASE HARDWARE. LOCK IT DOWN AND MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE WITH ABOUT A THOUSAND TACK WELDS. AFTER THAT, GRIND IT FLUSH SO EVERYTHING SITS NICE AND SMOOTH, HIT IT WITH A COAT OF PAINT. AND NOW WE CAN START INSTALLING SOME PARTS, AND IT STARTS WITH THESE FRONT AND REAR CONTROL ARM MOUNTING BRACKETS THAT SADDLE THE FRAME. NOW WE'RE JUST HOLDING THEM UP IN PLACE TEMPORARILY SO WE CAN MARK THE HOLES THAT NEED TO BE DRILLED.

(KEVIN)>> WITH THE HOLES CLEARLY MARKED, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF DRILLING, WHICH IS NOT VERY MUCH FUN. HOWEVER, IT'S NECESSARY. AND BY THE WAY, DO ONE SIDE AT A TIME. RESIST THE URGE TO DRILL THROUGH BOTH SIDES WITH ONE LONG BIT. IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO COME OUT OF THE WRONG SPOT AT THE OTHER SIDE.

(RYAN)>> AND WITH THE BRACKETS FIRMLY INSTALLED, YOU CAN START HANGING THE LONG ARMS. NOW WHEN WE ORDERED OUR LONG TRAVEL KIT, WE ASKED RUSTY IF HE WOULD SWAP OUT THE STANDARD FIVE AND A HALF INCH LIFT SPRINGS IN FAVOR OF SOME SHORTER THREE INCH SPRINGS AND MATCHING SHOCKS CAUSE WE'RE ONLY GONNA BE RUNNING 35'S AND WE DO HAVE BUSHWACKER FLARES. NOW TYPICALLY BEFORE WE WOULD INSTALL THE COIL SPRINGS, WE'D BE ADDING OUR BUMP STOP EXTENSIONS, BUT WE'RE GONNA GO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT ROUTE WITH THIS BUILD AND USE THESE DAYSTAR STINGER BUMP STOPS. NOW THE SIMILAR TO THE HYDRAULIC BUMP STOPS, OR AIR BUMPS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, BUT THESE ARE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THEY USE INSERTS OF DIFFERENT DIROMETERS SO YOU CAN FINE TUNE THE BUMP STOP SPRING RATE. NOW FOR MOUNTING YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS. YOU CAN USE THE STANDARD CANISTER STYLE MOUNT TYPICALLY FOUND IN THE OFF ROAD WORLD, OR YOU CAN DO LIKE WE'RE GONNA DO. TAKE THE END CAP OFF THE BUMP STOP AND REPLACE IT WITH THIS WELD ON CAP. IT'LL GO RIGHT IN PLACE OF A TRADITIONAL BUMP STOP. BUT BEFORE WE INSTALL THESE, WE'VE GOT TO FINISH UP THE SUSPENSION INSTALLATION, ADD THE TIRES AND WHEELS, SET THIS THING ON THE GROUND AND FLEX IT OUT, AND DETERMINE WHERE WE WANT TO LIMIT OUR AXLE TRAVEL.

(KEVIN)>> NOW CHECK THIS OUT. THIS IS WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS REDRILLED TO RELOCATE THE TRACK BAR TO ACCOMMODATE FOR A LIFT KIT. THERE'S A SIXTEENTH OF AN INCH OF METAL HERE. NOW THAT IS WEAK. SHOULD THE WRONG THING HAPPEN ON OR OFF ROAD, THAT BREAKS, YOU'VE COMPLETELY LOST CONTROL OF YOUR SUSPENSION. THIS TRACK BAR LOCATES IT LATERALLY, AND YOU NEED A LITTLE MORE STRENGTH THERE.

NOW THE RUSTY'S TRACK BAR'S ADJUSTABLE AND LOCATES INTO THE FACTORY POSITION. HOWEVER, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT RIGHT NOW. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE'S SITTING ON ITS OWN WEIGHT ON THE SUSPENSION. THAT WAY YOU CAN ACCURATELY CENTER YOUR AXLE. SO THIS STAYS RIGHT HERE FOR NOW.

(RYAN)>> NOW THE KIT ALSO INCLUDES THE CORRECT LENGTH DROP PITMAN ARM THAT WILL MAKE SURE OUR STEERING ANGLES STAY WITHIN THE CORRECT RANGE. DON'T FORGET YOUR COTTER PINS ON ALL STEERING LINKAGE HARDWARE. WE'RE ALSO ADDING SWAY BAR END LINKS THAT WE CAN DISCONNECT AT THE TRAIL HEAD TO ALLOW THE FRONT AXLE AND FRONT SUSPENSION TO ARTICULATE MUCH MORE FREELY.

(KEVIN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO TRUCKS WHERE TODAY'S PROJECT IS INSTALLING A LONG ARM SUSPENSION SYSTEM FROM RUSTY'S OFF ROAD PRODUCTS ON OUR WRANGLER UNLIMITED. AND WITH THE FRONT OUT OF THE WAY, WELL THE BACK'S A PIECE OF CAKE.

(RYAN)>> FURTHER EVIDENCE OF A PRIOR LIFT KIT INSTALLATION IS THIS REAR TRACK BAR RELOCATION BRACKET. IT'S GOING AWAY, IT'S NOT GONNA BE REUSED.

(KEVIN)>> JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T HAVE A PLASMA CUTTER, HERE'S A WAY TO REMOVE THESE MOUNTS AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE ULTRA TINY CONSERVATIVE WELDS THAT THE FACTORY PUTS ON. BASICALLY ALL YOU DO IS CUT ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE WELD AND USE SOME ADJUSTABLE PLIERS TO WORK THE METAL UNTIL IT FATIGUES. YOU CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT THERE'S NO HEAT DISTORTION. YOU'RE LEFT WITH AN ALMOST CLEAN FRAME RAIL THAT REQUIRES VERY LITTLE CLEAN UP. A COUPLE OF PASSES WITH A FLAP WHEEL AND YOU'RE GOOD TO GO, READY FOR PAINT AND YOU'RE NEVER GONNA KNOW THAT THERE WAS A MOUNT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

(RYAN)>> THE REAR CONTROL ARMS SHARE A PIVOT POINT AND A MOUNTING BOLT. UPPER CONTROL ARMS SIMPLY BOLT INTO THE FACTORY UPPER CONTROL ARM MOUNTING BRACKET AT THE AXLE. NOW THE UPPER ARMS HAVE FLEX JOINTS AT BOTH ENDS, BUT THE LOWER ARM HAS A FLEX JOINT AT ONE END AND A RUBBER OE TYPE BUSHING AT THE AXLE END. AND THAT WILL LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF ROAD NOISE AND VIBRATION THAT'S TRANSMITTED INTO THE BODY. WE ALSO INSTALLED OUR NEW REAR SWAY BAR END LINKS THAT ARE LONGER, AND THESE SHOCK MOUNTING BRACKET EXTENSIONS. THEY'LL KEEP THE SHOCK BODY FROM COMING IN CONTACT WITH ANY OF THE AXLE BRACKETS AS THE SUSPENSION CYCLES.

(KEVIN)>> ALRIGHT, NOW JUST LIKE UP FRONT, WE'VE GOT A BEEFED UP ADJUSTABLE TRACK BAR FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION, WHICH GETS INSTALLED WITH THE VEHICLE WEIGHT ON THE SUSPENSION SO YOU CAN PROPERLY CENTER THE AXLE. THE GOOD THING ABOUT A LIFT SYSTEM LIKE THIS IS THERE'S TONS OF ROOM TO GET UNDERNEATH IT AND WORK.

(KEVIN)>> HEY WELCOME BACK TO TRUCKS WHERE WE'RE ALMOST THROUGH WITH OUR LONG TRAVEL SUSPENSION UPGRADE FROM RUSTY'S OFF ROAD ON OUR WRANGLER HERE. BUT SINCE WE'RE GOING UP IN WHEEL AND TIRE DIAMETER, WE'RE ALSO GONNA DO A BOLT ON BREAK UPGRADE FROM EBC ON ALL FOUR CORNERS.

(RYAN)>> NOW OUR NEW, TALLER TIRES AND WHEELS JUST WEIGH MORE. THERE'S NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT, JUST ONE OF THE NEGATIVE DRAWBACKS OF BIGGER TIRES. BUT THESE GREEN STUFF PADS AND NEW ROTORS WILL HELP COMBAT SOME OF THOSE NEGATIVE EFFECTS AND MAKE SURE THE JEEP STOPS. SINCE THE AXLE IS NOW FARTHER AWAY FROM THE BODY DUE TO THE LIFT KIT, WE NEED SOME EXTENDED LENGTH BRAKE LINES. THEY'RE PROVIDED IN THE KIT. NOW IN THE REAR IT'S JUST A SINGLE STAINLESS STEEL FLEX LINE THAT RUNS FROM THE FRAME DOWN TO THE AXLE, SPLITS INTO TWO HARD LINES THAT RUN TO EACH CALIPER. UP FRONT IT'S TWO REPLACEMENT HOSES, ONE FOR EACH SIDE. NOW WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHEELS AND TIRES THIS ENTIRE SHOW, AND HERE'S A COMBINATION WE'VE COME UP WITH. THESE 35 INCH MICKEY THOMPSON BAJA CLAWS HAVE AN AGGRESSIVE SIDE BITER PATTERN, PLENTY OF SPACE BETWEEN THE LUGS, BUT A VERY SMOOTH OUTER SURFACE. NOW WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE A LOT OF THESE MICKEY THOMPSON TIRES HAVE A REALLY SMOOTH RIDE ON ROAD AS WELL AS GREAT TRACTION OFF ROAD. SO BETWEEN THAT AND THE CLASSIC TWO HIGHLY POLISHED WHEELS, WE THINK WE'VE GOT A WINNING COMBINATION FOR THIS RIG. NOW AT THE START OF THE SHOW, THIS IS WHAT WE STARTED WITH. WOW, WHAT A HUGE DIFFERENCE WE'VE MADE IN THE APPEARANCE OF THIS VEHICLE, NOT TO MENTION THE OFF ROAD CAPABILITIES. BUT, LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE REAL IMPACT WE'VE MADE. WOW, WE'VE NOW GOT 25 INCHES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ROCKER PANEL. THAT'S A DIFFERENCE OF SIX INCHES, BUT KEEP IN MIND, JUST LIKE ANY BRAND NEW SUSPENSION SYSTEM, THAT'S NOT ACCURATE. IT'S GOTTA SETTLE AND IT WILL SETTLE, BUT THERE'S ANOTHER MORE IMPORTANT MEASUREMENT WE WANT TO SHOW YOU. NOW TO QUOTE RYAN, WE HAD A PALTRY EIGHT INCHES OF GROUND CLEARANCE WHEN WE START, AND NOW WE'VE GOT 15 AND A HALF INCHES OF GROUND CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE RUSTY'S SKID PLATE AND THE FLOOR. SO WE'VE EFFECTIVELY DOUBLED OUR MIDDLE GROUND CLEARANCE WITH THE RUSTY'S SYSTEM. NOT TO MENTION THAT WHAT A GREAT LOOKING JEEP. IF YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THE INVESTMENT OF A SET OF CUSTOM WHEELS LIKE THIS BEAUTIFUL THREE PIECE FORGED WHEEL FROM WELD, MOTHERS HAS GOT THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION WITH THE POWER CONE. THE CONE TAPERS TO A POINT SO YOU CAN PUT IT IN BETWEEN ANY SPOKE DESIGNED, AND IT'S ENGINEERED WITH THESE FINGERS THAT WILL GET INTO THE CREVICES WHILE IT SPINS. TAKE A SMALL AMOUNT OF YOUR FAVORITE MOTHERS METAL POLISH AND APPLY IT DIRECTLY TO THE CONE TO AVOID SPLATTER, AND START POLISHING. AND EVEN ON A NEW WHEEL LIKE THIS ONE, YOU CAN SEE THE CONE IS WORKING BY THE BLACK COLORATION. SO NOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT WITH A MOTHERS POWER CONE, AND THEY'RE AVAILABLE ANYWHERE MOTHERS PRODUCTS ARE SOLD.