After about a year of working on it it came out of the shop like this:
Most recently I got found my tow hook and installed it.
Someday I need to get a better spare. It's sitting on 33" Falken Wildpeaks at4w (255/80R17). I lifted the suspension with a Rocky Road Outfitters Rock Father lift paired with OME struts which they ceased to sell when I was buying them. But their good customer service was able to track down the single front strut that I was missing from a full set.
I built my own front bumper because I wanted a lighter one than the ARB and I did't want it to stick out so far. I think I've got about the same approach angle as the ARB but I can still work on my engine. Also, most bumpers for KJ's are designed with the pre-facelifted front in mind and I didn't want that either. There is a Ramsey Platinum 9500 winch inside the winch house. It takes about 5 minutes to uninstall the winch with power tools and lass than that to pull the bumper off. Then I made it to line up correctly n install so it's just as quick to install. Maybe I should paint it.
The spoiler is from a Chevy Blazer in a junk yard.
The real reason for the year long work is the manual swap. It has an NSG370 6 speed manual transmission that most people hate. Their hatred is not unfounded. I tried to mitigate that but installing a Whitbread Performance shift rail guide plate. I don't think it will solve the syncro-issues, but I got it cheap. But then I pulled the 6th gear out of a JK NSG and got a higher overdrive. That in combination with the large wheel give me almost the same overdrive ratio as the factory automatic setup. When test fitting the transmission I cracked the oil pan by installing the wrong bolt, so I figured 240K miles was a good time for a rebuild. That's when things got expensive. Head studs, rockers, main and rod bearings, new rings timing stuff, gaskets, seals and inconel exhaust valves all add up. But it was a good opportunity to cleanout the intake.
I installed an Oil/Fuel pressure gauge, EGT gauge and a boost gauge. I installed an in-tank pump and added an access panel from an earlier model Liberty. This also led me to install studs in the floor for the cargo hooks to make it so I can pul them out during service.
I got Yeti to write me a manual swap tune. I'm still working on getting the check engine light to go out. I have a network communications error which is likely my fault and may be the cause of my lack of cruise control being set. I also want to get the EGT's lower. I have a free flowing 3" stainless steel exhaust I build for it too. I need to dig into the Jeep more an see what my rail pressures are and see if that can be bumped up for a quicker injection time. No one seems to know what the EGT's are on a factory tune, so I may have bought a second Liberty CRD to preform some tests on.
The headlights are from a JL/JT. They are fantastic. It was not an easy mod. The power steering cooling loop gets in the way. I did away with that and re-routed. Now the power steering is cooled om the low pressure side as it passes through the former transmission cooler on it's way back the reservoir. I also had to cut the undergrill? to house the lights, melt new tab on the lights cut some of the metal that's above the light, make a bracket and find the right connector to wire them in. I still feel like I need to shift the angle of the housings a little bit more beause it looks tired.
If the pictures don't work, please complain. I'll try and fix them.
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Do you have plans for a rear bumper? I've been dying to find some one to make one for our Liberty's