Rod Jeep Part 1

(ANNOUNCER)>> A STYLISH RAKED BACK WINDSHIELD, CUSTOM BODY MODS EVERYWHERE THE EYE CAN SEE, AND HUGE TIRES.

WHO WOULDN'T WANT ONE OF THESE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HOT RODS. TODAY ON XTREME 4X4, OUR LATEST OVER THE TOP PROJECT BEGINS WITH A SALVAGE YARD JEEP, A HEMI, AND SOME QUALITY TIME WITH A CUTTING BLADE.

(IAN)>> TIMBER!

(IAN)>> NOW IF YOU GUYS ARE LIKE ME, YOU SPEND THE MAJORITY OF YOUR FREE TIME ONE OF THREE WAYS. YOU'RE EITHER IN THE SHOP WORKING, OUT ON THE TRAIL WHEELING, OR MAYBE YOU'RE ON THE COMPUTER DOING SOME WEB WHEELING, LOOKING AT GUY'S BUILD THREADS FOR MAYBE CHECKING OUT SOME ONLINE CLASSIFIEDS, SEARCHING FOR THAT ELUSIVE DEAL THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO FIND BUT YOU. WELL RECENTLY THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. I WAS ONLINE ONE NIGHT AND I FOUND THIS. NOW TO SOME PEOPLE IT'S A PIECE OF JUNK, TO AN INSURANCE ADJUSTER SOMEWHERE IT'S A COMPLETE WRITE OFF, BUT TO US OFF ROADERS THIS IS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH AND OUR NEXT PROJECT. IT'S A 2007 JEEP JK TWO DOOR. THE BODY'S IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE BUT IT WAS HIT ON THE

FRONT END AND THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FIXED. BUT WHAT REALLY MAKES THIS TRUCK A GOOD DEAL IS UNDER THE HOOD, A 2010 FIVE POINT SEVEN LITER HEMI. THE PLAN FOR THIS JEEP IS TO BUILD A HOT ROD STYLE CRAWLER, TOSS ON A CUSTOM SUSPENSION, BUILD SOME AXLES, AND SOME 43 INCH TALL TIRES. ADD SOME CUSTOM BODY MODS, THIS RIG, IT'LL BE PRETTY AWESOME. IT'LL HAVE A SIMILAR LOOK TO JEEPS BUILT BY KENNY HAUK AND HIS CREW AT RIVER RAIDER OFF ROAD.

(KENNY)>> THE PHOENIX PROJECT IS A HARDCORE ROCK CRAWLER MIXED WITH A '32 ROADSTER. THAT WAS THE GOAL, TO MIX SOME COOL HOT RODDING ELEMENTS IN WITH A ROCK CRAWLER.

(IAN)>> ELEMENTS LIKE A SLEEK WINDSHIELD LAID BACK ALMOST 10 INCHES, CUSTOM INTERIOR, RECESSED SIDE EXHAUST PIPES, AND A WHEEL BASE STRETCHED BY ALMOST 20 INCHES. IT'S CALLED THE PHOENIX PROJECT BECAUSE IT GREW FROM THE ASHES OF A TOTALED TRUCK DISCOVERED IN A JUNKYARD. AND ONLY FOUR MONTHS LATER IT'S DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND BUILT LIKE A TANK.

(KENNY)>> THAT ENTIRE BODY, ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS KINDA FACTORY, IS WRAPPED ENTIRELY WITH THREESIXTEENTH INCH STEEL. SO THE ROCKER ARMOR IS ONE SET OF BODY ARMOR, THE REAR CORNER IS A PIECE OF BODY ARMOR, AND THE FRONT CORNER. AND WE WELDED THOSE ALL TOGETHER AND COMPLETELY PLATED THE SIDE OF OUR WRANGLER. FOR THE POWER PLANT WE FOUND A WRECKED CHEVY SUBURBAN WITH A SIXO. COMPLETELY REBUILT THE MOTOR AND PUT A MAGNUSON

SUPERCHARGER ON IT. WE'RE TURNING OUT ALMOST 600 HORSEPOWER.

(IAN)>> WITH ALL THAT POWER AND STYLE, THIS RIG TURNS HEADS WHEREVER IT GOES, ESPECIALLY JEEP SHOWS.

(RICK)>> YOU'LL SEE ALL THE JEEPS PULL IN, AND THEY'RE LIKE THAT'S A NICE JEEP, THAT'S A NICE JEEP. YOU ROLL IN IN SOMETHING LIKE THAT, EVERYBODY STOPS WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

(IAN)>> SO IF WE'RE GONNA CHANGE THIS MODERN EVERYDAY JEEP INTO A TRUE HEAD TURNER, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO. FIRST STEP IS TO GET THIS RIG STRIPPED DOWN SO WE CAN HAVE A BARE CANVASS TO WORK FROM. THAT MEANS ALL THE INTERIOR'S GOTTA COME OUT, THE CAGE HAS GOT TO BE CUT OFF, TIMBER! NOW ONCE THE BODY MOUNTS ARE REMOVED WE'LL PULL THE BODY OFF OF THE FRAME AND ROLL IT OUT OF THE WAY.

BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, WE NEED TO TAKE SOME KEY MEASUREMENTS ON OUR JEEP FOR CHANGES WE PLAN TO MAKE.

NOW SINCE WE'RE TURNING THIS JK INTO A FULL ON THROW DOWN HARDCORE ROCK CRAWLER, THE MAJORITY OF THE ITEMS MOUNTED ONTO THE FACTORY FRAME ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO. NOW I AM GOING TO KEEP THE FACTORY JEEP JK FRAME RAILS BECAUSE THEY HAVE A COUPLE OF GOOD THINGS ABOUT THEM. IT'S GOOD STRONG FROM, LOTS OF CROSS MEMBERS AND STRATEGIC POINTS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY I'M GOING TO BE USING AN OFF THE SHELF SUSPENSION SYSTEM FOR THIS PROJECT. SO HAVING ALL THOSE FACTORY PICK UP POINTS IN PLACE WILL MAKE THIS BUILD GO A LOT SMOOTHER. BUT THINGS LIKE THE FUEL TANK, EVAP CANISTERS, ALL THE LINES OF THE EXHAUST, WELL THAT STUFF'S GOTTA GO.

ONE ITEM THAT WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL WITH ON OUR JEEP IS THE WIRING HARNESS FOR OUR FIVESEVEN HEMI.

WE'RE GONNA CAREFULLY UNPLUG ALL THE SENSORS AND SAVE THE COMPUTER, BOX IT UP TO BE SENT OUT TO BE REFLASHED. THEN WE'LL START WITH SOME SUBTLE FRAME MODIFICATIONS. THE FIRST STEP, RELOCATE OUR TRANSMISSION CROSS MEMBER.

I'M MOVING THE DRIVETRAIN BACK INSIDE THE FACTORY FRAME RAILS RIGHT AROUND FIVE INCHES FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REASONS. I WANT TO SET THE HEMI BACK FURTHER IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO GIVE ME MORE ROOM UP FRONT FOR THE RADIATOR. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WHEN I FIRST INSPECTED THIS JEEP I KNEW I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PULL THE MOTOR AND REDO THE MOTOR MOUNTS. SEE THE GUY WHO PERFORMED THIS SWAP ORIGINALLY JUST CARVED UP A CHUNK OF THE DONOR FRAME RAIL AND BUGGER WELDED IT ONTO THE SIDE OF THE JK FRAME. NOW WE KNEW THAT GOING IN AND WE PLANNED FOR IT, AND THAT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU TAKE OF A PROJECT THAT'S HALF DONE.

CRAWL UNDERNEATH IT, HAVE A LOOK AT ALL THE WELDS THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS DONE AND JUST MAKE A MENTAL NOTE AS TO WHAT YOU'RE GONNA REDO WHEN YOU GET IT BACK TO YOUR SHOP. THERE'S ONE MORE FRAME MOD THAT WE WANT TO MAKE TO THIS JK, AND IT'S SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. THIS BUMPER IS NOT A JEEP JK BUMPER. THIS IS A SAVVY OFF ROAD ALL ALUMINUM JEEP TJ BUMPER. AND WHAT I PLAN TO DO IS SIMPLY SHORTEN UP THE FRONT FRAME RAIL TO THE MARK THAT I MADE EARLIER THAT IS EVEN

WITH THE FRONT GRILL SHELL. THEN WE'LL SLIDE THIS BUMPER OVER AND TUCK IT DEEP UNDERNEATH THE JEEP JUST TO GIVE THE FRONT A GOOD, SOFT, SMOOTH LOOK.

NOW I'M SURE YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PUT A WINCH THEN? WELL THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY WE PUSHED THE MOTOR BACK. WE'LL MOUNT THE WINCH BACK DOWN LOW ON THE FRAME RAIL, RUN THE ROPE UNDERNEATH THE BUMPER, CUT A HOLE IN THE FRONT AND ADD A FAIR LEAD, THAT WAY WE'LL STILL HAVE A

WINCH ON THE FRONT BUT NOTHING WILL PROTRUDE PAST THAT FACTORY GRILL SHELL.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP, FOUR AND A HALF INCHES OF LIFT WITH OUR LONG ARM SUSPENSION KIT. PLUS NO HOT ROD TRIBUTE TRUCK IS COMPLETE WITHOUT NINE INCH AXLES!

(IAN)>> WE ARE BACK ON XTREME REBUILDING SOME

POORLY DESIGNED ENGINE MOUNTS IN OUR JEEP JK PROJECT.

THE NEW MOUNTS ARE A BOXED IN FRAME EXTENSION DESIGN THAT REUSED THE FACTORY MOUNTING TABS.

AND OF COURSE, THE DIMPLE DYES JUST ADD A LITTLE STYLE.

WITH EVERYTHING TACKED INTO PLACE, WE'LL TEST FIT OUR ENTIRE DRIVETRAIN, AND THEN PULL IT BACK OUT TO FINISH WELD OUR MOUNTS. THE SUSPENSION FOR OUR JK IS A FOUR AND A HALF INCH LONG ARM UPGRADE THAT WE GOT FROM BDS SUSPENSION. NOW IT REPLACES ALL OF THE FACTORY CONTROL ARMS IN OUR JEEP WITH THESE HEAVY DUTY TUBULAR STEEL UNITS, AND A THE LOWER ONES ARE A LOT LONGER THAN THE FACTORY ONES FOUND IN OUR JEEP. NOW THAT'S WHAT GIVES KIT THE NAME LONG ARM UPGRADE. THAT EXTRA LENGTH JUST ALLOWS THE AXLE TO ARTICULATE A LITTLE BIT EASIER ON THE TRAIL, AS WELL AS SMOOTH OUT THE DRIVING WHEN YOU'RE ON THE HIGHWAY. NOW BY LENGTHENING THAT SUSPENSION PIECE YOU OBVIOUSLY NEED NEW MOUNTS, AND BDS INCLUDES THESE QUARTER INCH LASER CUT MOUNTS THAT KEY OFF OF THE FACTORY FRAME RAIL. NOW OUR FOUR AND A HALF INCH KIT COMES WITH ALL NEW COIL SPRINGS AS WELL AS SHOCKS, AND ADJUSTABLE TRACK BARS BOTH FRONT AND REAR TO HELP FINE TUNE THE SUSPENSION.

BUT THE REAL TECHNOLOGY IN THIS KIT IS ACTUALLY IN THE JOINTS THEMSELVES. BDS HAS DONE A LOT OF TESTING TO COME UP WITH THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF MOUNTING JOINTS AT EITHER END OF THEIR CONTROL ARMS. AT ONE END THEY USED A VERY STRONG FORGED ROD END. IT GIVES YOU LOTS OF ADJUSTABILITY AND LOT OF ARTICULATION IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM. AT THE OTHER END THEY USE A RUBBER BUSHING VERY SIMILAR IN DESIGN TO A FACTORY BUSHING. NOW THIS WILL ARTICULATE SLIGHTLY BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY IT REMOVES ANY OF THE VIBRATION THAT OCCURS IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM AND KEEPS IT FROM TRANSMITTING UP INTO THE CAB. THE NICE THING IS THAT BOTH COMPLETE ENDS ARE FULLY REBUILDABLE. THE FORGED ROD END CAN BE REBUILT BY SIMPLY REMOVING THE SNAP RING AND PULL OUT THE DEL REY HEADLINER. AT THE OPPOSITE END YOU CAN SIMPLY PICK UP A NEW RUBBER BUSHING FROM BDS SUSPENSION AND PRESS IT INTO PLACE IF YOU EVER NEED TO REBUILD YOUR ARMS. INSTALLING THIS SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS A LOT EASIER WITH THE BODY OUT OF THE WAY.

THE FIRST STEP IS REMOVE THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE AND SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY IN ONE PIECE. THE REAR AXLE FRAME BRACKETS HAVE TO BE CUT OFF OF THE FRAME AND GROUND SMOOTH.

THEN THE NEW BDS MOUNTS ARE INDEXED ONTO THE FRAME AND THE CONTROL IS INSTALLED. UP FRONT THE UPPER DROP BRACKETS ARE INSTALLED INTO THE FACTORY MOUNTS AND THE NEW LOWER MOUNT IS SLID OVER THE FRAME RAIL.

NOW THIS ENTIRE BDS SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS A BOLT IN KIT, BUT WE DON'T WANT TO DRILL ANY HOLES IN THE FRAME UNTIL WE GET SOME AXLE HOUSINGS UNDERNEATH IT, SET OUR WHEEL BASE IN CASE WE HAVE TO TWEAK THE BRACKETS SLIGHTLY FOR THE DESIRED SETUP THAT WE WANT. NOW SPEAKING OF AXLES, THERE IS NO WAY THAT WE'RE GONNA BE RUNNING THOSE FACTORY AXLES IN THIS HOT ROD JEEP.

(ANNOUNCER)>> UP NEXT, IF YOU'RE PUTTING 44 INCHES TIRES ON YOUR RIG, YOU NEED A BULLETPROOF AXLE ASSEMBLY.

(IAN)>> NOW BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING THIS JEEP TO BE A HOT ROD JEEP, WE KNEW WE WANTED TO RUN NINE INCH AXLES BOTH FRONT AND REAR, BECAUSE THAT'S THE TYPE OF AXLE YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A HOT ROD. BUT BECAUSE WE'RE USING AN OFF THE SHELF SUSPENSION SYSTEM, WE NEED TO HAVE FACTORY JK BRACKETS INSTALLED ON THAT AXLE HOUSING. THAT IS WHY WE CHOSE THE FULLY FABRICATED SETUP FROM ROUGH STUFF SPECIALTIES.

NOW IT HAS THIS EXTRA LARGE BUMP FORMED CENTER SECTION THAT HOLDS A LOT OF FLUID, AND ALSO INCLUDES THIS EXTRA

LARGE FILL PULL THAT WILL MAKING FILLING IT WITH FLUID A LITTLE EASIER. BUT IT'S ALSO LARGE ENOUGH SO YOU CAN INSPECT YOUR RING GEAR AFTER A DAY OF HARD WHEEL. NOW ALL OF THE BRACKETS THAT ARE INSTALLED ON THE HOUSING WILL ACCEPT THE FACTORY JK SUSPENSION OR MOST AFTERMARKET ONES.

BUT THERE IS ONE DIFFERENCE, ALL THE MOUNTING POINTS HAVE BEEN MOVE UPPED TWO INCHES.

BASICALLY GIVING YOU A SUSPENSION LIFT RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE BY SWAPPING THE AXLE HOUSINGS. THAT DOES A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. IF GIVES YOU MORE CLEARANCE FOR THE TRACK BAR AROUND THIS LARGE CENTER SECTION.

OUT BACK IT MOVES THE SHOCK MOUNTS UP TWO INCHES BECAUSE THEY'RE NORMALLY FROM THE FACTORY THEY HANG DOWN BELOW THIS CONTROL ARM POCKET. THAT MEANS THAT ROCKS THAT ROLL DOWN THE CONTROL ARM CAN GET HUNG ON THE SHOCK MOUNTS. BY MOVING THEM UP TWO INCHES IT JUST GIVES YOU ONE LESS POINT WHERE YOU CAN GET HUNG UP WHEN YOU'RE ON THE TRAIL. NOW OBVIOUSLY ON THE FRONT AXLE WE'VE GOT TO ADD SOME C'S AND SOME KNUCKLES, BUT OUT BACK WE'RE GOING TO BE USING THE ROUGH STUFF SPECIALTIES 14 BOLT SPINDLE. IT'LL SIMPLY SLID INTO THE END OF THE AXLE TUBE, WE'LL ALIGN THEM, WELD THEM IN PLACE, PICK UP A COUPLE OF HUBS AT OUR LOCAL JUNKYARD, AND THAT AXLE WILL BE DONE. WITH THE 14 BOLT SPINDLES IN THE AXLE TUBE, AN ALIGNMENT BAR IS SLID THROUGH THE HOUSING AND THE SPINDLES ARE TACKED IN PLACE. THEN BOTH AXLE HOUSINGS ARE SLID UNDERNEATH OUR FRAME AND THE REST OF OUR BDS SUSPENSION IS INSTALLED.

TO FILL OUR AXLES WE CHOSE A COMPLETE NINE INCH CENTER SECTION PACKAGE FROM RANDY'S RING AND PINION. A YUKON 35 SPLINE GRIZZLY LOCKER HAS THE SIDE BEARINGS PRESSED ONTO IT AND THE NEW 486 TO ONE RING GEAR IS INSTALLED. THE PINION IS ASSEMBLED INTO THE HEAVY DUTY ALUMINUM PINION SUPPORT UTILIZING A SOLID SPACER PACK INSTEAD OF A CRUSH SLEEVE, AND IT'S FINISHED OFF WITH A 1350 YOKE. THEN THE LOCKER AND RING AND PINION ARE ASSEMBLED INTO THE HEAVY DUTY NODULAR IRON DROP OUT CASE THAT HAS INTEGRATED STIFFEN RIBS TO HELP PREVENT RING GEAR DEFLECTION.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP BRAKING POWER FOR OUR BEAST.

(IAN)>> WE ARE BACK ON XTREME WORKING ON OUR HOT ROD JK PROJECT. WITH OUR SUSPENSION BUTTONED UP AND OUR AXLES BUILT, WE CAN FINISH OUT OUR ROLLING CHASSIS BY INSTALLING OUR REAR 14 BOLT HUBS ON THE REAR AXLE.

UP FRONT REED RACING HEAVY DUTY KING PIN INNER C'S ARE INSTALLED. THESE FORGED INNERS ARE HEAT TREATED FOR EXTRA STRENGTH, AND ARE BASED ON THE LARGE DANA 70 MODEL. THE UPPER KING PIN IN A KING PIN STYLE KNUCKLE NEEDS TO BE TIGHTENED DOWN INCREDIBLY TIGHT. THE PROBLEM IS IT USES A LARGE ALLEN KEY TO DO IT. MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE AN ALLEN KEY THAT SIZE IN THEIR TOOL BOX. BUT BELIEVE IT OR NOT YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN TOOL TO ACCOMPLISH THE TASK. SO IF WE TAKE A NINESIXTEENTHS BOLT AND NUT AND THREAD THEM TOGETHER.

THE NUT IS FIVE EIGHTHS OF AN INCH WHICH IS THE EXACT SAME SIZE AS THAT ALLEN KEY. JUST SCREW IT INTO THE KING PIN AND YOU CAN TIGHTEN IT DOWN.

THE HIGH STRENGTH DUCTILE IRON KNUCKLES HAVE INTEGRATED HIGH STEER ARM ATTACHMENT POINTS WITH CAST IN STEERING STOPS FOR EXTRA STRENGTH. AND THE REED RACING HEAVY DUTY BRONZE KING PIN BUSHING ELIMINATES A COMMON FAILURE POINT DURING XTREME WHEELING. THEN THE DANA 60 OUTER SPINDLE IS MOCKED INTO PLACE AND OUR FRONT END IS FINISHED OUT WITH BRAKE

ROTORS AND HUBS FROM ROCK AUTO DOT COM, SECURED USING STAGE EIGHT XLOCK LOCKING SPINDLE NUTS. THESE WILL PREVENT THE FASTENERS FROM LOOSENING DURING ANY HARDCORE WHEELING. BUT TO MAKE OUR JEEP A FULL ROLLER WE'RE GONNA INSTALL A

SET OF 44 INCH TALL PIT BULL ROCKERS MOUNTED ON

SOME TRAIL WORTHY FAB RECENTERED HONE WITH DOUBLE BEAD LOCKS. THE LAST UPGRADE WE NEED TO PERFORM TO OUR DRIVETRAIN HAS TO DO WITH OUR TRANSFER CASE. AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER WE'RE ROCKING 44 INCH TALL TIRES WITH BUILT AXLES, AND WE NOW HAVE A HEMI UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THERE IS NO WAY THAT THE CHAIN INSIDE THAT STOCK CASE IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE ABUSE THAT

THIS JEEP SEES OFF ROAD. SO WE'RE GONNA REPLACE IT WITH THE TRIED AND TRUE ADVANCE ADAPTERS ATLAS TWO CASE. NOW OUR VERSION IS A THREE POINT EIGHT TO ONE LOW RANGE TWO SPEED CASE, AND IT'S PERFECT UPGRADE FOR OUR JEEP. NOT ONLY IS THE BODY OF THE TRANSFER CASE A LITTLE BIT

SHORTER TO HELP IMPROVE OUR REAR DRIVESHAFT ANGLE, BUT IT'S SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO HANDLE HARDCORE OFF ROADING, WHICH IS BASICALLY WHAT THIS RIG IS BUILT FOR. ONCE WE HAVE THIS BOLTED UP ON THE BACK OF OUR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WELL OUR ROLLING CHASSIS WILL BE DONE.

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