How would you build it?

I may be picking up a 66 CJ5 with a 225 and a blown tranny. Frame is good, body is pretty rusty but saveable. I am looking for a long term project so this would be perfect but I need to decide on how to build it up. Do I go slightly modded with a newer 30 and 44 and discs, Saginaw steering, 33s max, etc... or do I go all out and swap to waggy 44s or bigger and outboarded YJ springs SOA, 37s, full cage, armor, etc... Either way I am thinking 225 SM420 D20 or D300 for the drivetrain. I have no problem doing the work and have done it before. I am just wondering if I would have more fun with a slightly modded 5 rather than a full off road build. This is going to be for me to take my kids in around town and now that I have a tow rig I can have some more fun wheeling too on th occasional weekend so what would you do? Are you satisfied with what a mildly built 5 can do or do you wish you had gone bigger? If you have a built rig do you wish you kept it simpler?

 

Re: How woiuld you build it?

I agree with Sparky. I like my Jeeps mild cuz it makes it more of a challenge on the trail. Of course thats easy to say when you've never had the money to go full board on a Jeep! R)

 

Re: How woiuld you build it?

Early cj's, no more than 33's. Plenty of tire for the jeep. Unless you loose complete sanity like I have.............

 

Re: How woiuld you build it?

First one. A more streetable Jeep to me is very important. If I can't drive it over the speedbumps in the mall parking lot what fun is it?

 

I have been leaning towards a more mild wheeler build for it. I have done the SOA 35s and up on a bunch of rigs and am thinking of keeping it simpler this time. If I were to go with a later 30 front 44 rear combo, 225, SM420, D20 combo is it worth it to swap to YJ springs for the ride and flex or is there a better alternative, stock size lift springs ride okay?

 

While not very glamorous there is a considerable amount of clearance running the old 7.00*15 or one of the tall narrow radials like the 215/85R-16 Sorry, just had to get an old school shot in there Please forgive me.

 

Like the ECJ5 version of this:

 

225 v6, sm420, wt dana 30w/disc's, and d44 rear, d20, 33's, YJ springs.
Sounds interesting.
Sounds perfect.

throw in a rear detroit, saginaw and hydro clutch and you got a realy good base.

Uh not that I am prejudice mind you.

 

Dauntless? Check. SM420? Absolutely. D20? Eh, keep the D18 and offset 44, add a Warn overdrive. Done.

 

Yep, that would be my preference. Although the overdrive is less essential if you have 3.73 axles. Personally I would try to err toward doing less and getting it on the road sooner. Certainly there will be less scope creep that way (interesting Wikipedia page on 'scope creep' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_sink_syndrome).

 

Yeah I wish I still had that one, never should have sold it but you cant keep em all. Its tempting to build the 5 the same way but I think I want to keep it milder this time, its just tough to know where to stop.

 

Well Ive only been emailed a few pics so I am not sure on the condition of the drivetrain other than that the tranny is blown. I figure I will rebuild the 225 get a SM420 and either use the D18 or swap to a D20 or D300 depending on what rear I end up with. I would probably look for a set of newer D30 to swap and a flanged 44 from a Commando unless I come across a great deal on a widetrack CJ front and 44 rear with good gears. For those that have swapped to YJ springs but stayed SUA is there a big difference in ride and flex vs. a good quality lift spring? I would go SOA on YJ springs but it might put me too high plus I would then be tempted to really stretch the wheelbase and if I'm doing that I might as well go wider with 44s and so on.... gotta stop myself and stay mild. A swap to Saginaw steering is a must do as well and I have been reading up on injection setups so that would be fun to try out. I definitely need to set some limits to control my "scope creep" though.

 

Heres the wide track.



Not that bad a little spacer in back and good to go.
Turns sharper too.
Not that a NT is bad..

 

Actually the widetrack width looks pretty good to me, think I would have to go with that for stability as well.

 

In the pic those are BDS ride glide springs 4" For YJ. Military wrap.
Notice the space from the spring to the tire then look at a stock NT jeep.
I had both axles and chose WT because of that alone.

but NT looks more stock