There is light at the end of the tunnel

Completed since last update:

• Installed front bumper
• Installed winch plate
• Install winch motor
• Installed windshield wiper blades
• Finished install of rear brakes
• Installed brake drums, manually adjusted rear brakes
• Installed sway bar and quick disconnects
• Installed fender flares
• Wired wiper motor to dash
• Wired windshield washer pump & switch to dash
• Wired headlight switch to dash
• Installed tachometer in dash
• Installed speedometer in dash
• Installed temp & oil pressure gauges in dash
• Installed CB in dash, connected antenna wire
• Installed external CB speaker in dash
• Installed dash grab bar
• Installed glove box door and interior box
• Installed seat belts
• Removed and sandblasted seat brackets

Front bumper, winch plate and winch installed

Rear brakes completed, drums installed and manually pre-adjusted

Sway bar installed with new bushings

The Rubicon Express lift kit came with extended sway bar links with quick disconnects. The idea is that you disconnect these when going off-road to allow further suspension travel and to allow the body and suspension to flex somewhat independently.

Seat belts installed

The dash panel, nerve central of the Jeep! We hydro-dipped it and the glove box door. Some gauges are original, some new. The switch bank to the left of the speedometer will control the air compressor, the locking differentials, the winch, exterior lights and interior lights, with two spare slots for the future. We also added a CB radio where the factory radio was.

Rear fender flares installed

Front fender flares installed

The list is getting shorter!

We made a lot of great progress this week/ weekend. Some major milestones, such as getting both front and rear locking differentials completed and full tested.

• Installed rear shocks
• Touched-up undercoating inside front fenders while removed
• Installed front fenders
• Installed front side marking lights
• Ran electrical lines for all front lights
• Installed headlights
• Installed front grill running lights
• Installed footman loops on hood
• Installed hood hinges on Jeep
• Installed hood, bolted down hinges
• Installed new front brake lines
• Replaced front axle housing vent hose
• Installed front latch brackets on hood
• Installed hood support bracket
• Installed hood latches on fenders
• Replaced rear differential
• Installed rear axles/bearings/seals
• Replaced rear pinion seal/ nut
• Installed new rear brake lines
• Installed new emergency brake cables
• Sanded and prepared dash and other parts for dipping
• Installed new drive shaft u-joints
• Ran rear differential air lines
• Ran front differential air lines
• Tested ARB locker operation
• Installed drive shafts
• Installed transfer case/ transmission lower kit
• Installed new rear differential cover
• Filled rear differential with oil
• Installed new front differential cover
• Filled front differential with oil
• Installed under hood light unit
• Mounted rear bumper
• Installed roll cage
• Installed radiator overflow bottle
• Installed windshield wiper bottle and pump, wire to dash
• Assembled and installed tire carrier
• Dipped dash panel, shifter access panel, glove box door and windshield wiper motor cover

Steering stabilizer installed

Rear shocks installed

Fenders installed, hood installed, front lights installed, etc

Everything moving smoothly, it only takes 10 "inch pounds" to rotate the rear differential/ axles!

New rear axles and brakes, looks like new, but even better!

Built a temporary water container to hydro-dip the dash and other items

Hydro-dipping the dash

The dash hydro-dipped in "flames"

Shifter and wiper motor cover dipped in snake skin, glove box door in "money" and a couple of outlets (not for the Jeep....) dipped in camo and an ink pen in camo

Dash close-up

Glove box door close up

Outlet covers close-up

Front bumper and winch plate partially installed

Rear bumper and tire carrier installed.

Rear differential complete with brake lines and air lines for the locker

Moving Along

Here are the items completed since last update:

• Painted Air Cleaner
• Pulled, cleaned, painted and re-installed starter
• Cut, drilled and prepared dash for switches, CB, CB mic, 12V outlets, etc
• Replaced front pinion seal
• Installed new battery & new terminal adapters
• Installed emergency brake pedal
• Built container to dip dash
• Installed high beam headlight switch
• Assembled Mirrors
• Replaced front differential
• Replaced rear differential
• Installed front axles/bearings/seals
• Installed front brakes
• Installed tie rods
• Installed steering stabilizer

Removing & replacing the front pinion seal

Adding 12V Outlets to dash, this one to the left of the steering wheel, thinking a good location for the GPS

Two 12V outlets and switch bank

Custom made trim plate for the CB, will be painted black.

Custom made plate for the switch bank

Fresh painted air cleaner and "orange" air cleaner....LOL

Starter sandblasted and painted

Front differential with housing spreader ready for removal

Pressing the bearings onto the new front differential

Heating the ring gear so it will expand and go onto the new differential easier, it works!

New ARB "airlocker" differential installed in the front

Checking the backlash on the rear differential before removing it to ensure we reset the new differential to the same backlash

Rear housing with differential removed.

Removing the old bearings from the rear differential (oh and a few refreshments from last night...)

Combining shims and measuring to ensure the proper bearing pre-load and ring-pinion backlash

New locking differential installed, backlash is right on the money!

Drilling and taping a new hole for the airline to enter the differential

After tapping

Fitting installed and sealed

Axles, bearings, seals, locking hubs, rotors and brakes all installed

Another view of the cool orange front brake calipers

Front shocks installed

Tie rods, pittman arm and steering stabilizer installed