This is not intended to be a complete write up. It's just my experience with the SOA and overall build of my '83 Waggy. This post PROVES that you can go SOA for around 400 bucks.
The jeep drives, steers and handles amazingly well. It sits on the stock axles and leaf springs. I've been driving it around in this configuration for about 3 months now. It has very little body roll (comparitively speaking - it's no sports car). Taken it 'wheeling 3 times. It's my daily driver to and from work. It has the AMC 360 and 727 tranny that gets about 10MPG I also did some minor fender trimming and 3" body lift to fit the 37's. The tires don't rub at all.
I bought and built the ENTIRE jeep for just over 2,500 and did all the work myself. Keep in mind that I am a computer guy and not a mechanic, therefore I possess no special mechanical abilities. I also took my time and got the best deals possible, even got some parts from the local junk yard.
I purchased the Jeep bone stock in December 2005 and started building it right away.
Here is what I did for the SOA:
Stock front vacuum disconnect Dana 44
Total money spent on tires, wheels, tune-up etc = around $2100
Grand Total for Jeep built as you see it below for $2500
So I'm sure some people will say that I cut corners, but the Jeep is SOLID and drives GREAT. I can go 80mph down the hwy and LET GO of the steering wheel while the jeep drives straight down the road. It's very quiet inside, so you can actually carry on a conversation while going hwy speeds (pretty cool for a 23 year old truck on 37" mud tires). It wheels pretty good, but it's no rock crawler. I built it mostly for camping and scenic rocky mountain trails, but high enough so I can roll over any obstacles in my way
Future plans include a front lockrite, front lockout hubs and some 2" wheel spacers and hydroboost brakes.
See pics below
Driver side
Front passenger
Passenger front
Passenger front
Driver front
Drag link
Driver side shock
Passenger side shock
Passenger side rear spring - front of the spring is in the stock location
Driver side rear spring - front of the spring is in the stock location
Driver side rear spring = shackle flip
Passenger side rear spring - shackle flip
Front drive shaft angle - no vibes - even at hwy speeds in 4wd
Passenger side rear axle - I had to cut some of the muffler off (I plan to have this professionally lengthened)
Drive side rear axle - I removed the brake line T fitting (untill I get lengthened brake lines) Looks like the breather hose needs to be lengthened too
Rear pinion angle
Front CV shaft (shaft from 80's XJ with a 5speed)
Entire length of the stock rear driveshaft
Better view of the front drive shaft
My three jeeps The yellow TJ has 33's
One of my go fast toys (2003 polaris predator race modified)
Action shots:
Top of Red Cone trail Colorado 12,400 feet in elevation
Middle fork road - near red cone
The jeep drives, steers and handles amazingly well. It sits on the stock axles and leaf springs. I've been driving it around in this configuration for about 3 months now. It has very little body roll (comparitively speaking - it's no sports car). Taken it 'wheeling 3 times. It's my daily driver to and from work. It has the AMC 360 and 727 tranny that gets about 10MPG I also did some minor fender trimming and 3" body lift to fit the 37's. The tires don't rub at all.
I bought and built the ENTIRE jeep for just over 2,500 and did all the work myself. Keep in mind that I am a computer guy and not a mechanic, therefore I possess no special mechanical abilities. I also took my time and got the best deals possible, even got some parts from the local junk yard.
I purchased the Jeep bone stock in December 2005 and started building it right away.
Here is what I did for the SOA:
Stock front vacuum disconnect Dana 44
- purchased two spring mounts for $20
- got a longer front CV drive shaft from an 80's XJ with 5 speed tranny - $30 from the junk yard
- purchased a single high steer arm for $50
- got a passenger side flat top knuckle from the junkyard for $15
- had the knuckle tapped for high steer $50
- new ball joints $100 (I think)
- lengthend the stock drag link by sleeving it with 1" ID dom (1.5" OD), welding the ends
- ground the driver side pumkin where the leaf spring perch goes - also had to do some grinding on one side of the perch to make it fit.
- used the stock ubolts and stock spring plates
- tack welded the perches where I thought the caster angle was good - as it turns out, you don't have much choice in the caster angle because the drag link is so close to the passenger side leaf spring.
- once I was satisfied that the caster angle was good, I welded the spring perches to the axle solid
- unbolted the hard brake lines from the frame (but I'm planning to get new longer brake lines 70 bucks??)
- welded a long bolt on both of the spring plates so that I can run the stock sway bar
- removed the e brake cables (they are too short for SOA)
- left the front mounts on the rear springs alone
- fabbed a shackle flip for the rear of the rear springs using home depot 1/4" steel for $20
- I am currenlty using the stock rear brake lines - I had to remove the T fitting from the rear axle in order for the lines to be long enough - free (but I'm planning to get new longer brake lines 30 bucks??)
- used the stock rear drive shaft
- new 37" mtrs and wheels $1100
- 3" body lift $100
- used front 4.10 thick gears $80
- new rear 4.10 gears $180
- R12 A/C recharge $160 (ice cold A/C)
- Tune up $50
- belts and hoses $50
- motor and tranny mounts $75
- purchased jeep in running condition for $160
- 727 Tranny rebuild $100 (I used the stock TC)
- longer shocks from Advanced Auto $80
Total money spent on tires, wheels, tune-up etc = around $2100
Grand Total for Jeep built as you see it below for $2500
So I'm sure some people will say that I cut corners, but the Jeep is SOLID and drives GREAT. I can go 80mph down the hwy and LET GO of the steering wheel while the jeep drives straight down the road. It's very quiet inside, so you can actually carry on a conversation while going hwy speeds (pretty cool for a 23 year old truck on 37" mud tires). It wheels pretty good, but it's no rock crawler. I built it mostly for camping and scenic rocky mountain trails, but high enough so I can roll over any obstacles in my way
Future plans include a front lockrite, front lockout hubs and some 2" wheel spacers and hydroboost brakes.
See pics below
Driver side
Front passenger
Passenger front
Passenger front
Driver front
Drag link
Driver side shock
Passenger side shock
Passenger side rear spring - front of the spring is in the stock location
Driver side rear spring - front of the spring is in the stock location
Driver side rear spring = shackle flip
Passenger side rear spring - shackle flip
Front drive shaft angle - no vibes - even at hwy speeds in 4wd
Passenger side rear axle - I had to cut some of the muffler off (I plan to have this professionally lengthened)
Drive side rear axle - I removed the brake line T fitting (untill I get lengthened brake lines) Looks like the breather hose needs to be lengthened too
Rear pinion angle
Front CV shaft (shaft from 80's XJ with a 5speed)
Entire length of the stock rear driveshaft
Better view of the front drive shaft
My three jeeps The yellow TJ has 33's
One of my go fast toys (2003 polaris predator race modified)
Action shots:
Top of Red Cone trail Colorado 12,400 feet in elevation
Middle fork road - near red cone
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