Bty34 TJ build

bty34 · Sep 13, 2025

Mounted the compressor to the ABS tray with a couple nutserts.

Added a circuit to the fuse block to power it.

Not fancy enough for matching black labels

bty34 · Sep 15, 2025

I've been able to get around 100 miles on the new locker. I very much prefer it. I ran a rear elocker and front Detroit in my old axles for 13 years before this recent swap and Im used to the auto front rear selectable arrangement. The torque steer and noises were annoying, but I really didn't care for the extra backlash the grizzly added to the drivetrain.

bty34 · Sep 16, 2025

Time for another revision on the center skid. The added material on the rear brace (post 97) helped, but was more of a temporary fix.

Pulled the skid and had a local shop add some bends to it.

bty34 · Sep 17, 2025

With the new profile of the skid, the rear brace needed to be remade.

Picked up a piece of 1 3/4" x 3/16" angle and sketched out some 6° wedges to cut out with the grinder.

Cut out and bent

Cut the top edge straight and added a piece of 2" x 1/2" flat.

Welded up

bty34 · Sep 18, 2025

Made some new frame rail spacers for the revised skid. 3/16" vs the previous 3/4".

Did need to slot the exhaust hangers a little bit to add some clearance.

Back in after a test fit or two.

bty34 · Nov 1, 2025

Took the Jeep to the Catskills Jeep Jamboree. Weather was good and it works out well with taking a couple of kids. Unfortunately I have developed a bad habit of rubbing my windshield frame on a tree or two every time we are there.

I also noticed some rub marks on one of the rear shocks from the anti rock arm. Pulled it off to adjust the arm a little. That little kink marked with china marker was enough to do it.

My wife mentioned the passenger heated seat had quit working. Looking at the connector supplied with the kit, I'm not sure how they lasted 14 years.

Removed the connector and swapped to a dual output relay to get rid of the connection all together.

Also swapped out the fuse holders for something a little better.

Was able to persuade the windshield frame with a hammer and block of wood well enough to get the full doors on.

Wildman · Nov 2, 2025

My windshield frame looked like that too so I got the armor for it. GenRight makes some.

https://genright.com/shop-by-vehicl..._OYEl-NTgmGYjw9DRqs3OUSZA8Brm98RorAr4psEqLbhw

bty34 · Nov 2, 2025

I've thought about that, but the general consensus of the people I talked to that had done it was they started breaking windshields shortly after. I should get better about pulling the windshield and dealing with the 10-15 minute drive on the interstate at 35° to get to the trail. At the offroad parks the trails are well enough travelled they are a little wider and I never have issues there.

Wildman · Nov 2, 2025

bty34 said:
I've thought about that, but the general consensus of the people I talked to that had done it was they started breaking windshields shortly after. I should get better about pulling the windshield and dealing with the 10-15 minute drive on the interstate at 35° to get to the trail. At the offroad parks the trails are well enough travelled they are a little wider and I never have issues there.

Yes I broke my windshield after installing them. It took about 5 years before it got so bad that I had to replace mine. I have Optic Armor instead of glass now.

NashvilleTJ · Nov 2, 2025

bty34 said:
Took the Jeep to the Catskills Jeep Jamboree. Weather was good and it works out well with taking a couple of kids. Unfortunately I have developed a bad habit of rubbing my windshield frame on a tree or two every time we are there.

View attachment 652680

I also noticed some rub marks on one of the rear shocks from the anti rock arm. Pulled it off to adjust the arm a little. That little kink marked with china marker was enough to do it.

View attachment 652681

View attachment 652682

My wife mentioned the passenger heated seat had quit working. Looking at the connector supplied with the kit, I'm not sure how they lasted 14 years.

View attachment 652683

Removed the connector and swapped to a dual output relay to get rid of the connection all together.

View attachment 652685

Also swapped out the fuse holders for something a little better.

View attachment 652686

Was able to persuade the windshield frame with a hammer and block of wood well enough to get the full doors on.

View attachment 652687

My passenger side windshield frame looks like that (not quite as bad) - under the armor. I've never had an issue breaking the glass, and I put that armor to the test quite often.

bty34 · Nov 2, 2025

Last time I was at the local junkyard they had a patriot blue wrangler with a good windshield. Wasn't prepared to grab it at the time. Of course when I went back 2 weeks later, they had crushed it.

Did find a moroon one that still had a windshield worth grabbing. The early windshields seem to be spared when the rest of the jeep rots away.

They had swapped the torx screws on the top of the hinges for allen drive, so those had to be drilled out. All the torx came out with a 1/4" impact. Couldn't get enough grip on one of them to spin it out, so had to resort to the welder.

Stuck the boresope inside out of curiosity.

They aren't perfect, but I have accumulated a couple spares.

As long as the current one seals, I'll probably hold off on swapping. Might get the glass pulled out of one or two and get it repainted.

bty34 · Nov 2, 2025

Went to Rausch Creek back in Columbus day with the two TJs and all 6 of us. With my wife's jeep being a 4cyl it gets the trailer spot and I drive mine the 4 hours each way. Ran a decent amount of the black trails, but avoided most of the red stuff with it raining on and off and driving one home.

The kids remembered their RC cars this time to run around when we stopped.

With us not fitting in a 4 door, the two TJ arrangement has worked well. Also has the perk of meeting the 2 vehicle minimum at most "local" parks and being able to go when it fits in our schedule.

FarFire70 · Nov 2, 2025

I was going to direct you over to @hosejockey61 after you mentioned missing a windshield frame when seeing a wild TJ in the wild of a junkyard.... Plus, looks like you may have left behind a grill - he'd be pissed...

Looks like you're building out a good stack of windshield frames though - always nice to be stacking backups!!

—-

Loved the RC pics! It's been too long for me since I've been...

What age range are the boys? I'm looking forward to getting my twin 3yo boys out - once I get more work done on the Jeep. But I still think they may be a little young/skittish for the off-roading on some of the blue/purple+ trails. Could just run greens - but I can find dirt roads closer... lol

We have tickets in May for the Dover NASCAR race so we're hoping they'll be over the 'loud noise' and 'scary things' jitters by then - and around then hopefully getting out for an off-road run with them - I'll do a few test runs myself (look to link up with a group of folks for it...) in prep (hopefully...).

hosejockey61 · Nov 2, 2025

FarFire70 said:
I was going to direct you over to @hosejockey61 after you mentioned missing a windshield frame when seeing a wild TJ in the wild of a junkyard.... Plus, looks like you may have left behind a grill - he'd be pissed...

Nah, it's easy to spend unnecessary money on art, although you can sell them for a profit for sure. Especially the full doors on that one. Those would fetch around a grand out here.

Looking at that Jeep and seeing flat fenders ques me in to looking for lockers in the axles, t-case with a SYE, etc. Lots of money to be made there.

bty34 · Nov 2, 2025

FarFire70 said:
I was going to direct you over to @hosejockey61 after you mentioned missing a windshield frame when seeing a wild TJ in the wild of a junkyard.... Plus, looks like you may have left behind a grill - he'd be pissed...

Looks like you're building out a good stack of windshield frames though - always nice to be stacking backups!!

—-

Loved the RC pics! It's been too long for me since I've been...

What age range are the boys? I'm looking forward to getting my twin 3yo boys out - once I get more work done on the Jeep. But I still think they may be a little young/skittish for the off-roading on some of the blue/purple+ trails. Could just run greens - but I can find dirt roads closer... lol

We have tickets in May for the Dover NASCAR race so we're hoping they'll be over the 'loud noise' and 'scary things' jitters by then - and around then hopefully getting out for an off-road run with them - I'll do a few test runs myself (look to link up with a group of folks for it...) in prep (hopefully...).

My daughter is 11 and the boys are 9, 6 and 3. We've normally started them around 2 1/2 riding in the jeep offroad. These last couple years have worked well with the two jeeps because we can stop whenever we need or want to. For the Jeep Jamboree we normally do in the catskills we normally wait until they're 3 1/2 since the days are a little more structured and we're in less control. It's also rare we see other kids on the trails we're on.

So far when we take the one jeep my daughter is happy to stay home with the grandparents and get a weekend without her brothers and the little guy has stayed with another grandparent. Now that he has gotten old enough we'll have to figure out something else for next summer. We've spent a decent amount of time on trails with 4 doors, usually on 40s, but they struggle due to being so big, particularly if the aren't ok with body damage. My 9yo is convinced they aren't real jeeps and don't belong in the woods. Guess that rules them out.

bty34 · Nov 2, 2025

hosejockey61 said:
Nah, it's easy to spend unnecessary money on art, although you can sell them for a profit for sure. Especially the full doors on that one. Those would fetch around a grand out here.

Looking at that Jeep and seeing flat fenders ques me in to looking for lockers in the axles, t-case with a SYE, etc. Lots of money to be made there.

Full doors out here are normally 250-500 for a pair. The first time when I took that picture I was grabbing a radio and wasn't prepared for much else, not really even expecting there to be any wranglers. When I went back I was a little better prepared, but the jeep I wanted stuff off was gone. Wouldn't have been as frustrating if all the picked over cars around it weren't still there around the now empty spot.

FarFire70 · Nov 2, 2025

bty34 said:
My daughter is 11 and the boys are 9, 6 and 3. We've normally started them around 2 1/2 riding in the jeep offroad. These last couple years have worked well with the two jeeps because we can stop whenever we need or want to. For the Jeep Jamboree we normally do in the catskills we normally wait until they're 3 1/2 since the days are a little more structured and we're in less control. It's also rare we see other kids on the trails we're on.

So far when we take the one jeep my daughter is happy to stay home with the grandparents and get a weekend without her brothers and the little guy has stayed with another grandparent. Now that he has gotten old enough we'll have to figure out something else for next summer. We've spent a decent amount of time on trails with 4 doors, usually on 40s, but they struggle due to being so big, particularly if the aren't ok with body damage. My 9yo is convinced they aren't real jeeps and don't belong in the woods. Guess that rules them out.

That's awesome experiences for you kids! Appreciate the breakdown as a fellow parent. Good balance.

LOL on your kids acknowledging real Jeeps - I hope to train/educate my boys in the same way!!

Excited to get my boys out to RC when ready....

bty34 · Nov 3, 2025

FarFire70 said:
That's awesome experiences for you kids! Appreciate the breakdown as a fellow parent. Good balance.

LOL on your kids acknowledging real Jeeps - I hope to train/educate my boys in the same way!!

Excited to get my boys out to RC when ready....

I forgot to mention, we keep them in the harnesses car seats as long as possible in the jeeps when we're offroad. I think the harness works a little better for them than a normal seatbelt and the section around the head helps when they eventually fall asleep while on the trail.

bty34 · Nov 3, 2025

For the first time since removing the Savvy under armor 3 years ago, I pulled the skid at the end of the year and it wasn't bent. I don't remember hitting it too hard, but it definitely had the full weight of the jeep at least a couple times.

While it was out I added another fastener to each end. Also noticed some of the countersinks were on the shallow side, so they got cut a little deeper. The piloted countersink does make it nicer doing them by hand.

With those distractions out of the way I got the brace prepped for painting which is why I pulled it in the first place.

JMT · Nov 3, 2025

bty34 said:
For the first time since removing the Savvy under armor 3 years ago, I pulled the skid at the end of the year and it wasn't bent. I don't remember hitting it too hard, but it definitely had the full weight of the jeep at least a couple times.

View attachment 653098

While it was out I added another fastener to each end. Also noticed some of the countersinks were on the shallow side, so they got cut a little deeper. The piloted countersink does make it nicer doing them by hand.

View attachment 653100

View attachment 653101

With those distractions out of the way I got the brace prepped for painting which is why I pulled it in the first place.

View attachment 653102

Gorgeous support bracket..

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