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82 4bt build

Well a ton of stuff has happened in the last 7 months, mostly good depending on how you look at things. Well most of the guys that follow me on here know that I am switching from Aircraft Mechanic in the Air Force to Combat Controller. I left for Air Traffic Control/Combat Control apprentice course beginning of January and graduated April 15th. During that time my wife decided that this is not the life for her. Well shucks... however, since I paid for everything and all the vehicles were in my name, I got it all and she left with her clothes and personal belongings. I also kept my dogs and it only cost me $700 bucks for the divorce in total. :thumbsup: I was beat up about it, can't lie, but it's better to find out early on than later.

Now for the positive stuff. I was Honor Graduate at ATC/CCAC, then I went to SERE (survival school) and had a good time there eating ants that taste like lemon drops and boiled bird fetus. Yes, boiled bird eggs and once opened up it looked like a fully developed bird. It tasted like egg oddly enough, but there was the feathers and crunchiness to deal with. haha. I clubbed the rabbit and ate the eye ball too. It wasn't bad tasting really. Just recently finished Army Airborne school where I got Honor Graduate again. Didn't know that was a thing. Guess I fell out of an airplane better than everyone else. The best part of Army Airborne was that we tagged the Drop Zone meet up area. It's been a long tradition for PJ's to tag green feet as a friendly rivalry and the lightning bolt is for CCT. Some PJ's other CCT's and I did a night ops prior to graduation. Army was none too pleased about it, but this is tradition and I'm happy keeping it alive.



Now I'm home until I leave for my next course, which is looking like January 2016. I moved in with some friends and I'm saving a lot of money now so things are going pretty good right now. Haven't touched my jeep in a while with being gone and because it's nearly 100 in Oklahoma all the time. I sold my wifes Subaru and my pickup and purchased a 07' 4runner in great condition. I love having that thing with the dogs in the back and that roll down window.


I'm heading out to Colorado next week to hike 4 pass loop in Aspen then drive Black Bear pass before they shut it down for good (rumored). So, now that I am getting back in to a groove and I have no real reason to sell the jeep besides to pay off my 4runner I just bought. Since there is no rush I'll keep chipping away at it and see how things go. Here is the jeep as it sits right now. Once I decide to work on it, fingers crossed it will only take me a weekend to get it back on the road. Just need to run brake lines, put shocks on it, and finish the front steering. It still starts up and runs like a champ.
 
AllxHeart said:
Well a ton of stuff has happened in the last 7 months, mostly good depending on how you look at things. Well most of the guys that follow me on here know that I am switching from Aircraft Mechanic in the Air Force to Combat Controller. I left for Air Traffic Control/Combat Control apprentice course beginning of January and graduated April 15th. During that time my wife decided that this is not the life for her. Well shucks... however, since I paid for everything and all the vehicles were in my name, I got it all and she left with her clothes and personal belongings. I also kept my dogs and it only cost me $700 bucks for the divorce in total. :thumbsup: I was beat up about it, can't lie, but it's better to find out early on than later.

Now for the positive stuff. I was Honor Graduate at ATC/CCAC, then I went to SERE (survival school) and had a good time there eating ants that taste like lemon drops and boiled bird fetus. Yes, boiled bird eggs and once opened up it looked like a fully developed bird. It tasted like egg oddly enough, but there was the feathers and crunchiness to deal with. haha. I clubbed the rabbit and ate the eye ball too. It wasn't bad tasting really. Just recently finished Army Airborne school where I got Honor Graduate again. Didn't know that was a thing. Guess I fell out of an airplane better than everyone else. The best part of Army Airborne was that we tagged the Drop Zone meet up area. It's been a long tradition for PJ's to tag green feet as a friendly rivalry and the lightning bolt is for CCT. Some PJ's other CCT's and I did a night ops prior to graduation. Army was none too pleased about it, but this is tradition and I'm happy keeping it alive.



Now I'm home until I leave for my next course, which is looking like January 2016. I moved in with some friends and I'm saving a lot of money now so things are going pretty good right now. Haven't touched my jeep in a while with being gone and because it's nearly 100 in Oklahoma all the time. I sold my wifes Subaru and my pickup and purchased a 07' 4runner in great condition. I love having that thing with the dogs in the back and that roll down window.


I'm heading out to Colorado next week to hike 4 pass loop in Aspen then drive Black Bear pass before they shut it down for good (rumored). So, now that I am getting back in to a groove and I have no real reason to sell the jeep besides to pay off my 4runner I just bought. Since there is no rush I'll keep chipping away at it and see how things go. Here is the jeep as it sits right now. Once I decide to work on it, fingers crossed it will only take me a weekend to get it back on the road. Just need to run brake lines, put shocks on it, and finish the front steering. It still starts up and runs like a champ.
Click to expand...



Welcome back. I saw your offer for the hyd assist and I think you were already gone by the time I replied. I since came accoss one for free from the guy who I built the 4bt bronco a couple years ago. Thanks for the offer.
 
gaducker said:
Welcome back. I saw your offer for the hyd assist and I think you were already gone by the time I replied. I since came accoss one for free from the guy who I built the 4bt bronco a couple years ago. Thanks for the offer.
Click to expand...

Yea bud no problem. Yea, sorry I had left, but free is way better!
 
And I'm back...

Nearly a year later I'm finally getting around to updating this build. I know I hate seeing a thread end abruptly, but life gets in the way. This time last year I was waiting to go to Combat Control school. Well I did get to play with the jeep a good bit and built on to it. Lets just say I never learn my lesson and I don't mind building something I previously did. Here's my military update.

I spent 3 hard months in NC for Combat Control School. Got to blow stuff up, shoot weapons, get CS Gassed (Riot gas) a lot, navigated in the woods for hours, rucked a lot, swam a lot, fast roped, learned a lot, and took a beating physically. We started with 32 and after two days of Hell Week we were down to 16 and ended with 11. I received my Beret and moved on to my next base. I've finished up with Combat dive and waiting to go jump out of Airplanes for HALO. Some days I can't believe what i get paid to do.

Heres us in tactics getting ready to shoot at each other with sims.


This is the finish of my 15 mile graduation ruck. I ran a lot of it and it took me around 3 hours. I tore my hip labrum, got snapping hip syndrome, and my right leg was swollen from the knee down with pitted edema. I got pretty messed up. haha


And here is graduation.
 
Now to the jeep update.

Painted the jeep with john deere black and it turned out really well.





We threw it back together in I think 2 days for a wheeling trip in Disney OK where I had a bit of bad luck. First in our haste we apparently forgot to tighten some lug nuts. Luckily I was going really slow and I had a great laugh.


Also I had no lights for most of the trip. I ended up winning some LED lights in a raffle and put them on so I could wheel at night. I forgot where we were on the trail and we were heading down "roll over hill". I took the worst route down, because I thought I was on a different hill. Dropped off a big spot and bent both my front leaf springs.


I loved taking the jeep out and had a great time and the jeep performed really well despite the issues. I was more angry that I couldn't go over 5mpg bc of the suspension. I wanted to follow all the big boys so I found my last axle swap I'll hopefully ever do on this jeep. Dana 60 kingpin front and 14 bolt rear.


Before I post the swap here is my buddies buggy just because it's got 43's and he built the chassis and had it moving under it's own power in 30 days. Pretty impressive for his first build with a manual bender.

 
1 tons finally.

First pull the axles and put entire jeep on sketchy jack stands.


Then push axles underneath. I put the rear under and bolted the leaf springs on to it. The front I mocked up the 4 link with PVC pipe which helps a lot.





Built my own truss. Not bad. I'll probably cut it all out and throw an artec truss for better strength


Lots of projects going on always.


Tacked in the links and lined up the axle with high steer arm and new drag link.


Lifting it to check that everything looks good.
 
Mocking up FOA 16" travel coilovers with bypass. I know there is a guy here that suggested I throw FOA's on here. Welp "I told you so" is warranted. ;)



After doing all my checks I finished the welds.

Now for the articulation checks with a little help from my buddy.


Now to do some little things here and there. I actually really enjoy doing the small things on my projects.





Couldn't stand the square LED lights I won at the raffle. They didn't look good anywhere so I mounted them behind the turn signal lights and it turned out well.


Now on to the hydro assist. I googled the hydro assist set up using the steering box mod. It was really easy, but I messed up and did some welding with the fittings in and the o-rings melted and caused a leak. I'm too impatient so I did my own fix.


Bought some Auxbeam led light pods from amazon. 2 for less than 25 bucks. Can't beat that and they work great. I've beat the up bad and still have zero issues.
 
After I finished Combat Control School I traded my 4runner to my dad for his 99 Dodge Cummins with only 89k miles on it! It's got Illinois surface rust on the frame and the doors have rust, but it's solid. Took the jeep out again.



whoops. Stuck between a rock and a tree.



Broke hard on the trail.


And trail fix. Ended up driving it out in 2wd with some winching.


I had zero issues on this trip. Nothing broke, it went up stuff guys broke on, and the lack of a roll cage really is the only thing that prevented me from going through tougher obstacles.
 
So now I am living in Florida where there is no rock crawling and all the jeeps are really expensive. Hoping to get stationed in Washington State after this.


Now I'm just doing all the things I wanted to do to the jeep because I don't have much of a reason to drive it. So far I put front fenders on it, Yukon hardcore hubs, and 40" tires. I've been living out of my cab over camper to save money and hopefully I'll be moving in to house next month so i can get after the jeep build.








Also, when you tell your jeep addicted buddy that you wish you had a FSJ Cherokee Chief he will stop at nothing to find you one. So now I own a Cherokee Chief project. thanks Kenton.
 
I forgot to add the hydro assist setup pic.


And here are some bonus wheelin pics.






So now I'll hopefully stay on top of this and show updates as I make progress.
 
Nice photo essay! Looks like you're living life on your terms, and it agrees with you. And...sweet Chief!
 
Welcome back!........and you ar welcome.


Now, let's see what we can do about a cummins swapped suburban.........
 
Sorry to all the guys that will be bummed out to see me cut up a perfectly good body. Stretching the jeep and 4 linking it. Here is the truss from ruff stuff specialties.





Then on to cutting the bed. (commence evil laugh)


This is how it sits now. Thinking of cutting some more so my departure angle is better. Haven't decided yet.


This is what I'm thinking of moving it back to.


Heres another shot


And I can still mount my gas tank underneath. I really didn't want to use a fuel cell in the bed and lose space. I'll just have to build a serious skid plate for it.


I need to buy some DOM for the links. I got some PVC pipe to mock it up. I'll be doing that next. Currently building some sliders for some friends tacoma to make some extra money. I'd rather use other peoples money to build my jeep. :)
 
Whoops didn't mean to post the same picture twice. Oh well, let it sink in more that what has been done is done. I'm going to buy some plate steel and make my own corner armor for it. easier to weld on fenders that way.

I bought a YJ from a guy. It's a 90, but has a 4.0 in it. They put a 4.2 manifold and carb on it, but I'm going to throw a manual and make it fuel injected. I paid 1500 for it. Not a bad deal. If my little brother does well in school then he is getting it as his first vehicle. If not, then I'll daily drive it and try not to get out of hand with it.


Also, got a small side project for my truck. throwing a bumper together because the old one was rusted and I got bored waiting on jeep parts.



I used my super high tech CAD paint program on my iPhone and drew up plans to finish it.


Also, drove home for the holidays and installed a light bar on the front with my dad. for 70 bucks you can't beat an AUXBEAM light bar. I had two pods on my jeep and I smashed one in to a tree and it still worked. These are really bright and nice to have in illinois with deer running around.


And this is the face I make when I break the battery terminal connector the day after Christmas at night when everything is closed and I am leaving in the morning. Luckily my dad had a connector and we got it fixed.


Starting another training course this week so I'll be busy again and only have weekends to work, so hopefully I'll manage to get some things done.
 
Great looking build! Definitely dig the 4bt. Thank you for your service. So tell me about your SBT. Fantastic looker! Who'd you get him/her from? Lines?
Thanks in advance!
 
Big Red15 said:
Great looking build! Definitely dig the 4bt. Thank you for your service. So tell me about your SBT. Fantastic looker! Who'd you get him/her from? Lines?
Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I got Rowley (him) in England in 2010. My buddy had a litter and gave me first pick. His parents are papered and were both show dogs, but I didn't care about getting any papers. Don't have any info past that.
 
Really getting in to the jeep tear down now. Got orders to Japan so I have 3 months to get this pig rolling. Stripped it down and cut off the DIY truss I made on the front and put on an Artec truss. Really nice setup. It was not fun cutting it all off though.







Going to stretch the gas tank as far back as possible.


Ran in to an issue with frame clearance so I decided to build my own frame. It's all cut up and ready to weld together.
 
I am overseas now and can't work on the jeep, but here is a photo update.

From where I left off I built the frame, front and rear four link suspension, full hydro steering, started the full float cage, used the stock seat sliders on the baja seats, and now it's at my dads while I hang out in japan for 2-3 years. I'll be saving money and maybe bringing a land cruiser back to flip and help pay for more toys on the jeep. Got a lot to do on the jeep still, of course. Now for the pics.








 
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