My 03 4x4 install and cage mod

[wathelisrongwitu]

This is my build. 90% bolt on. 10% file and grinder. Thus far, its been me flying solo on the install. Been a busy couple of days learning what NOT to do hahaha

The parts:
(Thank you Adrian at Icon for all the help)
TC UCAs
Icon Ext. C/O's
TC Diff drop
930 inner CV boots from Kartek
Home made brake proportioner riser
Icon/bilstein smooth bodies
14" straight through Muffler straight back to OEM up and over (bamufflers.com)
TC steering rack bushings (not installing yet)
Michelin LTX A/T2 285/75R16

The tools:
Hand tools
Wathelisrongwitu specialties slug press:
-A big ass socket (that still isnt big enough for the slug to fit inside)
-A big ass bolt and big ass washers
3 arm puller and a deep socker/washer to press upper BJ
Poofy cheetos
Bottle jack and wood blocks
Park tool bearing race press to press UCA bushings in evenly
C-clamp to press sleeves into UCA bushings
1/4" tap to clean powdercoat from zert threads (broke the first one off inside -UCA then broke the extractor off inside that haha all is well now)
Grease gun
Super mega grease capable of impregnating giraffes upon first sniff (obile synthetic)
Neo grease for CVs
Impact gun (super handy for loosening tough stuff)
WD-40 for aid with breaking things free

The Pictures so far:












Cage mod. Icon instructions were wrong and it may be from demonic influence hahahaha.

[tundrunk]

Cage?

Looks good so far. I see that BAM shining in the light.

[wathelisrongwitu]

CV cage mod. trim it back about 10mm cause even with a 1" diff drop the axle can still touch the CV cage. Basically there is a lip the stock CV boot sits on and you just cut that off and smooth it out. I havent HEARD my bamuffler in 3 days Im bummin haha. Cant wait to hear it when the headers come in (with the effing deavers Im waiting on)

And to be clear the Icon instructions that were wrong had nothing to do with the cage mod. They dont (as far as ive seen) advocate the CV cage trim.

[wathelisrongwitu]

All done. Sound clip and pictures tonight. Wheels arent on yet.

[wathelisrongwitu]

OK as it sits right now.......

[wathelisrongwitu]

Alrighty. Pinch weld mod, fender trim, 1" hub centric adapters, wheels and tires, engine paint the stainless hardware. DONE! (untill the deavers, headers and clear corners get here). Also did the 05-06 tailight conversion. Also, painting the skids today cause thats how i roll. Ill get those up eventually.









Can someone move this to a more applicable sub-forum? Its past suspension now. thanks.

[wathelisrongwitu]

Open water camo......or sky, haha

[Derek24]

Looks great! I like your suspension choices. Also your exhaust sounds really good, really good!! More vids of that please....

[wathelisrongwitu]

click thumbs for vids. Screwin around in the wee hours. You can hear my need to trim my fenders farther when my tires bump them as im jumping across the intersection haha

Warm idle walk-up


Windows up easy throttle then hard throttle


windows up then passenger window down next to a wall, then a "do not attempt this stunt" jumping the intersection moment. Hit it faster earlier on but didnt want to get too crazy holdin the phone haha.

[wathelisrongwitu]

Looks great! I like your suspension choices. Also your exhaust sounds really good, really good!! More vids of that please....

thanks man. Your UCA install thread and pinch weld pictures really amped me up to get mine done. Not too shabby. Im still rockin my front sway bar tho

If anyone has questions or picture/vid/sound requests feel free to post up or PM me.

My motor setup is K&N drop in air filter to stock headers and Y with 14" bamuffler at Y to stock up and over tailpipe. Waitin on my JBA's

[Derek24]

Cool thanks for the vids, sounds great! I like the tire rub!!! I might be doing something else with the pinch weld soon, so keep an eye out. Now get that truck dirty!!!

[wathelisrongwitu]

ya, I was leveling out my driver to passenger side tonight and I found where the rub was. The little 1/4" overhang of the fender flare at the top (1 o'clock) right where it can be trimmed out a tad. didnt think it would cycle that high to be honest hahaha *sigh* keepin an eye out for glass but most likely when I visit my jeep friend we will get it all to "fit" aka cut and hammered

Heres my front skid "clearance" with the diff drop. itll be cool untill it gets dented in. THEN comes the vibration rattle at certain rpms.

[Derek24]

Yes exactly. A buddy and I are planning on cutting and rewelding the entire pinch weld and making a new inner wheel well cover out of thin sheet metal. I want all the room I can get without glass. I too can rub my tire on the top of the wheel well when crawling over rocks and such. Without the sway bar the front really moves. Once I start thinking about glass, then I'll just want LT, and then, and then, and then....

[wathelisrongwitu]

Truth! Ya I think im going to pretty much tinker here and there till there is no more fender THEN if I screw it up, Ill get glass. Unless of course the right deal comes along. THEN my bank acct. is in trouble. LT 4x4, wheeeeew!

[tundrunk]

You picked up some Axis Regulators? Nice! I was the only one rocking black ones. Copy cat!
They look good. You are on a roll, keep going!