2007 JK Unlimited Saharicon... (aka Julia)

Post pics and info of your current projects.
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Livin4Today
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2007 JK Unlimited Saharicon... (aka Julia)

Postby Livin4Today » Sun Mar 25, 2012 8:38 pm

Well, I obviously got the lift on, did the ol' Seafoam trick to clean out the intake and found out I had leaks in both manifolds on the JK. So I ordered a set of Rugged Ridge shorty headers...

I grabbed the headers and installed them solo... Almost got it right the first time, had a small leak at the collector on the Left side. Fixed that and blew a #4 wire out, fixed that and now I'm back at 100%. I also recently scored a Bully Dog programmer for $200. All is currently working and I'm trying out the "premium" tune.

Last Sunday I took on Webber Canyon, I made it all the way through and out the top with no damage or breaks, but a couple of extra wheel scratches. Sorry no pictures though, I was busy sweating those boulders... Glad I bought those "outriggers" they saved me some serious body work. The only mishap I did notice while installing the headers, yep the front shaft boot went bye bye, so I'll be looking at the fix for that in the near future.

I'm renting a room if anybody knows of a good tenant...
Last edited by Livin4Today on Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Laquandt
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Postby Laquandt » Sun Mar 25, 2012 10:36 pm

Sorry to hear about your current situation, hope things start looking towards the up and up soon. I read you scored a soft top for the Tj and curious if you are willing to sell the hard top? I've been trying to find one and it's been a real pain. The next time you go out wheelin let me know.
First time jeep owner, and now I'm hooked for life!

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Fri Apr 27, 2012 12:39 pm

Laquandt wrote:Sorry to hear about your current situation, hope things start looking towards the up and up soon. I read you scored a soft top for the Tj and curious if you are willing to sell the hard top? I've been trying to find one and it's been a real pain. The next time you go out wheelin let me know.


Wished I had seen this before I sold the softie... Might have worked out... The TJ is up for sale on a local lot with the hard top, unfortunately, there hasn't been many bites as yet. I'm givin them another month, then I'll prolly take it back for a while and just make the payments to get it the number back down to a place where selling it becomes possible...
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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tobyw
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Postby tobyw » Fri Apr 27, 2012 2:56 pm

I've got a guy looking for a TJ hardtop/doors... He's got a soft top and half doors for parital trade. Let me know if you might entertain something like that?
Yep, I've wheeled one of those, too...
Image

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Wed May 09, 2012 7:28 pm

Update after a run up two of Weber Canyon's canyons and some carnage. I have some new updates... New wheels and tires, trimmed my fenders to flatties and I'm sporting the soft top nowadays... Pictures coming soon...
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

OldGreen
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Postby OldGreen » Thu May 10, 2012 11:56 am

How big are your tires?

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Fri May 11, 2012 11:08 am

Image

So after a couple of months getting by it was time to get a fresh look at the JK, and make some needed (read justified) upgrades….

I removed the hard-top, choosing to run my soft-top instead, although I’m looking for a deal on a bikini top. Then after some recreational driving up Webber Canyon(s), I was needing to get more width out of my wheels/tires.

So off to Santa Schwab’s we go… I ended up with a set of black Raceline 17″x8.5″ Renegades, wrapped in Toyo Open Country MT’s in the 285/75/R17 (34×11.50×17) variety. Then knowing where the tires would sit I cut out some ugly scratches out of future pictures.

Check out the Livin4Today Photo Albums to see what I mean.
Last edited by Livin4Today on Fri May 11, 2012 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Fri May 11, 2012 11:27 am

A few other shots of my recent work...

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Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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tobyw
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Postby tobyw » Fri May 11, 2012 1:06 pm

Not that what I think makes a d@mn bit of difference (just ask my wife), but I liked the scratched up stock fenders better. Looks like you need 40's now :wink:
Yep, I've wheeled one of those, too...

Image

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Fri May 11, 2012 3:22 pm

tobyw wrote:Not that what I think makes a d@mn bit of difference (just ask my wife), but I liked the scratched up stock fenders better. Looks like you need 40's now :wink:


Now that's funny I don't care who you are! If i had my gears already that might have been an idea, however, I'll stay on the low side of 35 for now... i wanna make sure I have lots of room to throw these shoes around.

I will say I'm hoping to run faster and jump higher with the new shoes...

I know they're heavier already!!! :banghead

:lip:
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Postby Livin4Today » Thu May 24, 2012 6:25 pm

Yippee!!! Still not back to work so more tax free earnings... And I sold my bowflex on CL, so my gears (5.13) are ordered and in route, as are some new alloy axle ends. None to soon, it appears I have an inner seal failure on the the right front, so i'm oozing a bit of axle blood here and there.

So I found what seemed like a great deal on a 3 pc set bikini top, wrap around wind jammer and duster for $260 in Aloha OR... Anybody catch "seemed" yeah, I put them on last Sunday just before that big soaker and woke up to moist front seats and floor boards... Needless to say I'm back to the soft top. I think I'll hang on to the duster but resell the jammer and bikini... I'm thinking I may look at a trektop down the road...

I also found a nice sneaky place for my deer whistles, but you'll have to see that in person.
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Postby Livin4Today » Wed Jun 06, 2012 1:32 pm

I'm hopefully putting my 5.13 gears in the weekend I think at my place, however my buddy Brian, just had a baby so I'm not 100%. I am considering locking up the front with a Spartan...

I'm inviting comments on the idea, the Spartan, fits my budget which many know is pretty tight and are available out of Portland for about $265...

So let's hear your thoughts and ideas... I figure going in once and get it all done is better than twice...
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

79chevy39.5's
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Postby 79chevy39.5's » Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:10 pm

i have a spartan in my front of my toyoota, cant wait to regear and put one in the back too

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:55 pm

Well I got trumped by my buddies Baby mama, so we are planning on a Juniper Run Sat morning, if any of you care to tag along. Like to be there by 10 am aired down and ready to go... (509)420-0890
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Fri Jun 08, 2012 2:56 pm

79chevy39.5's wrote:i have a spartan in my front of my toyoota, cant wait to regear and put one in the back too


Going after two next week... 1 for me and 1 for my buddy.
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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messge80
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juniper

Postby messge80 » Sat Jun 09, 2012 6:19 am

I will see you out there around 10, where at the top dune or at the bottom

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:00 pm

So no Spartan, going with onboard air instead, in preparation for an air locker(s) in the future.... I want selectables, rather than auto-lockers, so why not go in that direction one time and not spend, just to spend again?

So the calendar has my new 5.13s going in next weekend, then 500 miles or so of break-in then button the diffs back up with some premium Amsoil Severe Gear oil for the duration...
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:24 pm

ARB JK Compressor Kit ordered and in route from Northridge, should be here Wednesday. Saw a forum entry on JK-Forums about adding a 1 gallon tank, not sure what or how that enhances performance of this unit, but I'm betting some of you may know. So let me have it...

:lip: :banni :tomates :super

Also made a no cost addition of two drain holes in my mirrors, it's amazing how much water the JK mirrors hold...
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Mon Jun 11, 2012 5:29 pm

We also found a lil problem of bottoming in front both when hooked up or unleashed... Turns out my ball joint attached to my drop pitman arm is bottoming out on the tie-rod...

Current thoughts are either or both of the following;
1. Revert to OEM Pitman Arm (instead of dropped pitman).
2. Change front springs out for a stiffer set to compensate for the bumper and winch (has a slight droop to the front about 3/4-1 inch difference).

Please feel free to add more ideas to this issue!
Last edited by Livin4Today on Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

OldGreen
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Postby OldGreen » Mon Jun 11, 2012 6:14 pm

EDIT:

If this is the kit you ended up with, you should probably keep the dropped arm:

Image

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tobyw
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Postby tobyw » Tue Jun 12, 2012 7:14 am

JK Lance wrote:We also found a lil problem of bottoming in front both when hooked up or unleashed... Turns out my ball joint attached to my drop pitman arm is bottoming out on the tie-rod...

Current thoughts are either or both of the following;
1. Revert to OEM Pitman Arm
2. Change front springs out for a stiffer set to compensate for the bumper and winch

Please feel free to add more ideas to this issue!


Can you better explain your issue here? I'm not sure that I'm 100% grasping the problem, so I don't want to throw out ideas that aren't really relevant...
Yep, I've wheeled one of those, too...

Image

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Livin4Today
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Postby Livin4Today » Tue Jun 12, 2012 1:19 pm

tobyw wrote:Can you better explain your issue here? I'm not sure that I'm 100% grasping the problem, so I don't want to throw out ideas that aren't really relevant...


The balljoint on the end of the drag link makes contact with the tie rod during full compression, ie not enough room for the suspension to cycle, possibly due to the added weight of the bumper and winch...
Lance

Building a capable off roader is easy, building a street legal one that you can wheel and then drive daily is the challenge...

2007 JKU, 7" RK lift, 40s, ARBs, 5.38s, Headers, Fox Coilovers, etc. http://www.Livin4Today.com

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White trash
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Postby White trash » Tue Jun 12, 2012 6:18 pm

Bumpstops. You need them.

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tobyw
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Postby tobyw » Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:07 am

The weight of the winch/bumper has no bearing on that sort of problem... All that weight does is "preload" your suspension a bit, otherwise known as sag. It sounds like something has caused your axle to shift fore/aft, decreasing the space between the tie rod and drag link. The other possibility is the spacing on the pitman arm compared to stock. Regardless, you could bumpstop it as WT mentioned to keep it from compressing that far and causing the problem, or you could investigate what has narrowed the gap between the steering links... Let us know?
Yep, I've wheeled one of those, too...

Image

Wrench
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Postby Wrench » Wed Jun 13, 2012 7:12 am

Couple things to look into:

-does your kit have a track bar mount drop also? If not, stick with the stock pitman arm, even if you are using a track bar that is z-shaped. Unless you change the mount point of the track bar, there is no reason to drop the pitman arm. It will only cause issues like this and also cause bump-steer.

-are the lower control arms longer than stock? You will probably need to set the lower control arm mount adjustments on the frame as far back as they will go. Under full compression, this is pushing your whole axle forward further.

Personally, I would only install longer bump stops if you have rubbing/contact clearance issues that you cannot fix otherwise. Longer bump stops just reduce overall flex.
Paul
'84 XJ, '19JL


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