ARB/CAP-IT Offroad Jeep - Phase III Assembly

Alright……. Welcome Back!! It’s time for more updates on our ARB/Cap-it TJ Project

This week we’re going to finish bolting everything back on the chassis.
First we’re starting with new the new exhaust,

Installing the new brake line. For this we’re going to bend and flange our own lines. Dealerships want way too much and we can do it for a fraction of the price. We kept the old line so we can use them as templates to bend our new ones.

Now to finish up on the suspension, we’re going to use ProComps adjustable front track bar. With a longer track bar and a adjustable Heim joint, we’ll be able to dial in the front axle in the right position and also give us more front end flex as well.

Here we are drilling out the taper to 5/8” on track bar mount that’s on the frame.

Now we bolt up the track bar using the Grade 8 hardware supplied. The other end of the track bar gets bolted to the stock location on the other side of the axle

BODY Time……

So after weeks and many calls to Body Shops, we’ve decided to NOT to send the body off to get painted. The reason for this and to our surprise, many Body Shops in our area were unable to handle just taking the body. Even with us stripping as much as we can of the tub to make it easier for them. So we’re throwing the body on and moving forward with the Jeep Project. We’ll send it to the paint shop on a rolling chassis instead.

Here we’ve got the frame on the trailer and we’re heading out to Cap-it’s Warehouse. We’re going to use their forklift to install the body. It’s going to make this job a whole lot easier. 

Here we are in Cap-it’s warehouse get’n ready to put the body back on. As you can see we’ve got lots of room to work with and by using the electric reach truck, this is really going to be a quick install. To lift the body up we used long fork extensions and simply lift the body by the factory roll bar.

To make additional room for our 35” tires, we’re adding a 1” body lift from DAYSTAR. This kit isn’t your normal body lift. The kit comes complete with new urethane lower body mounts and upper mounts that are 1” taller than stock. There’s no messing around with the typical plastic pucks anymore. Also another good reason for the extra 1” is for ease of cleaning the mud and dirt off between the frame and body.

Now we slowly ease the body down on the frame. This is the tricky part, you gotta be careful not to snag anything as the body is being lowered down.

A few pictures of the body now resting on the frame.

Definitely a huge improvement over the stock look we had when we first started the project. 

Next on the agenda is installing the fuel tank.

We’re doing away with the stock flimsy fuel tank skid plate and installing a new one from WARN Industries. This bolts right up in the stock location. For durability, WARN’s skid plate is made from 3/16th steel and black powder coated throughout. Notice the recess in bottom of the plate. This is to give a little more clearance under the fuel pump if the skid plate does happen to cave in and it also help drain the mud and dirt.

This is a great time to replace your upper tank straps if there’s anything wrong with them. Both the originals had broke due to the corrosion and were no good.

Now we install the tank and skid as one up in between the rear frame rails.

Well that’s all for now as we head down to Las Vegas for the annual SEMA Convention to check out the latest and greatest in aftermarket goodies. 

Stay tuned for next week as the guys down at Cap-it Abbotsford mount up our 35” rubber on new wheels.