Jeep AJ-8 Build Up - How Rick Russell Built His Sidekick Off-Road Rig: Part 2

The PSC Steering ram is powered by tapping into the steering gear box. For that rare situation where the ram fails (ie, broken hose) it is best to carry caps to plug off the ram hoses and a spacer to fill the gap left after removing the steering ram from the steering knuckle.

In Part I we covered the planning phase of the AJ-8 Build-up. Now in Part II we began acquiring components and assembling the project. Each component is based on how the vehicle will be used while running 37-inch tall tires.
Although a V8 motor is ONLY helpful for mud, sand and highway travel, I just can't live without one. For this project, a Ramjet 350 Crate Motor from GM Performance was my first choice. The Ramjet motor not only looks good but it is an awesome powerplant. This fuel injected boat motor produces 400 ft. lbs. of torque and 355 horses that is plenty of power for a street and trail Jeep. The early Ramjet motors did not have an O2 Sensor to provide altitude information to the computer. This becomes important if you 4 wheel at various altitudes. In my case I can be below sea level in Death Valley and above 10,000 feet in Colorado in the same month. Arizona Speed and Marine in

Initially the frame was given a primer coat to keep it from rusting. Once Currie Enterprises had welded the necessary brackets and motor mounts to the frame, it was painted it with a rattle-can. Spray paint is easier than powder coating to remove when welding additional brackets to the frame.

Chandler, Arizona has the fix for these early production Ramjet 350 motors. They re-programmed the computer and sent it back with the O2 sensor and wiring harness that integrates with the factory harness to provide information from the exhaust to the computer. With the information from the engine's exhaust, the engine's computer can reduce the fuel mixture when the motor begins to run rich (higher altitude) or increase it if a lean condition is detected (lower altitude).
A strong motor turning 37-inch tires with locked-up differentials requires a heavy-duty drive train starting with the transmission. In this project I used the GM 700r4 automatic, which was used by General Motors for many years in heavy vehicles powered by a V8 motor. This transmission also has an overdrive for highway driving and a very low first gear for crawling slowly over those obstacles on the trail where speed is not needed (3.06:1 first gear). Our 700r4 was rebuilt by the Toy Shop in Pomona, California who also wired in a switch for

All of the brake lines, fuel lines and wiring (most of the wiring is in the body) were run down the driver's side of the frame to keep them away from exhaust system heat which runs down the passenger's side.

torque converter lock-up in any gear. An automatic transmission is easy to drive around town; the overdrive improves fuel economy on the highway and it is easier than a manual transmission to finesse a 4x4 over extreme terrain. The only disadvantage I found with the 700r4 is that there are only four bolts holding the transfer case adapter to the transmission. The bolts will work loose and pull the treads out of the aluminum adapter. The remedy is a brace (bar) from the bell housing to the outer edge of the Atlas transfer case. You can build one or modify a factory brace from another application.
From the transmission, power is pushed through a transfer case. My transfer case must be strong enough to handle the power from the Ramjet 350 and turn 37-inch tires on a hill climb or highway speeds. The gear-driven Atlas 3.8 was my first choice. The Atlas with its twin stick shifter allows the t-case to be shifted into front or rear wheel drive while running in low range - a handy option on trails when you need to slide one end of the vehicle sideways.  

Tri-County Gear in Pomona, California built a custom roll cage for the AJ-8. The longer wheelbase of the AJ-8 required Jason Bunch, owner, and fabricator, Danny Davis, to build in additional supports. The roll cage included grab handles, tight corners and of course a bar above the windshield.

Differentials are the final components in the drivetrain. The tire size and how the vehicle will be used dictates the differentials required. I selected reverse cut Dana 60 differentials. Dana 60 differentials are strong enough to handle 37" tall tires and the power of a Ramjet 350 motor. The reverse-cut version sets the driveline high for a better driveline angle and more ground clearance. Tera 60R center section castings (CRD in the rear) were sent to Currie Enterprises, who completed the differential build-up with Detroit Lockers and Currie axles supporting a standard 5 on 5 1/2-wheel pattern. If there is anything I've learned over the years of wheeling, it's "Go Bigger" when buying differentials. Big tires and lockers will push a differential to its limit. I did make one refinement. On this project I started with Detroit Lockers in both ends, but later found the softer ride of coil suspension combined with the ultra positive steering ram was difficult to drive on the highway. The positive steering

The body was removed and sent to RVMD for painting. The dash was painted earlier so that the gauges could be installed and wired for easier installation at final assembly.

created by the ram made it easy to over-steer the Jeep. The locking and unlocking action from the Detroit Locker was magnified with the softer coil suspension, causing me to correct the steering and led to over-steering the vehicle. So I switched the rear locker to an ARB Air Locker. This eliminated the kick I got from a Detroit Locker on the highway and will be more stable on slick surfaces.
The differentials were suspended from the frame with a suspension kit from Currie Enterprises. Their "J" arm system gives the vehicle most of the advantages of a long arm system without the disadvantage of added stress on the mounting brackets. Currie custom-built a 4-link system around the rear Dana 60R differential for maximum strength. Rancho 9000 shocks and Currie Anti Rock sway bars were added for more stability on the highway and better wheel articulation off-road. 

In order to give the front of the Jeep a little different look, we cut the front of the fender and trimmed the opening back to the inner-fender. We used aftermarket Wrangler fenders. The Wrangler fenders have a larger wheel opening, but took some modifications to fit the aftermarket grille.

I planned several major accessories into the project. The new Warn Powerplant combines a winch and air compressor into one double duty accessory. The Premier Power Welder brings welding capability and 110-power onto the trail. PIAA lights for night runs. An ARB refrigerator/freezer keeps the food and drinks cold without ice. Tuffy center console and storage boxes keep my stuff organized.
Most of us are always making refinements, but if you change your mind on a baseline question, expect to spend money. In fact, in some cases selling the current rig and buying another rig may be the economical option. There are many "hardcore" wheelers who switch to a new or late model vehicle because the major purpose of the vehicle changed to a daily driver. If that happens, you may find yourself scaling back from extreme trails like the Hammers in Johnson Valley, California to scenic mining roads around Silverton, Colorado.

When Currie Enterprises was finished working the AJ-8, we had a frame with differentials, suspension and drive train all mounted in place: a rolling chassis.

In case you're curious, the parts for this vehicle were about $48,000. Of course that does not include labor.

Author: Rick Russell has been 4 wheeling for over 30 years. He drives thousands of miles off road each year when he explores areas for his Sidekick Off Road Maps and when he is taping areas for his Off Road Adventure Video Series on DVDs. His videos feature a variety of trails across the United States. Both the maps and DVDs can be purchased at 4 Wheel Performance Centers, including a DVD on this AJ-8 Jeep build-up. For more information visit www.sidekickOffRoad.com

The aluminum body from Aqualu Aluminum Bodies in Canada is shipped without any mounting holes. The steering column hole, hood hinges, windshield hinges, tailgate hinges and many other holes are left for the builder to drill. Danny Grimes, our chief mechanic, had several pattern jigs which eased the pain of finding the exact spot to drill.		The dash and grille were painted before the body and we mounted and wired the gauges while Currie was working on the differentials and suspension.

 

Once the aftermarket grille was painted, the lights and turn signals could be installed.		The rolling chassis, painted body and all the remaining parts were loaded up and taken to the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah for final assembly as a show attraction. Here's the AJ-8 Build-up Team. ( left to right): Bill Parr, Rick Russell, Danny Grimes, Jeremy Russell, Dan Russell and Cass Ellsworth (bottom).

During the two days of final assembly in Moab, Utah, visitors were invited to view the assembly and encouraged to ask questions. Product manufacturers were invited to help complete the installation of their products. This event and the preparation were all documented in the "AJ-8 Buildup DVD," available at 4 Wheel Parts Performance Centers.		Bill Parr and Jeremy Russell work on the Painless wiring harness. Some of the wiring was a snap. The Ramjet Motor had its own harness, each wire in the Painless Wiring kit is identified on the wire itself and the dash was pre-wired to plug into the Painless Harness. Sounds easy except the harness was built for a CJ-7, not a Bobbed Scrambler. All of the wires to the back of the vehicle were 10" short: tail lights, brake lights, fuel pump, fuel gauge and so on.

Shawn Gregory from Tuffy Products installed several storage boxes (you can never have enough storage). The longer body of the AJ-8 allowed him to install a Tuffy under-seat drawer backwards-the drawer pulled forward toward the front seats. This allowed us to permanently install another Tuffy storage box behind the rear seat. These storage boxes were in addition to the center console and rear speaker cabinets.		Running, but not trail ready! Once the AJ-8 got back to the shop in California, the roll cage was removed and all of the final wiring connectors were permanently soldered.