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Converting a Ultra4 to Jeepspeed, alot more then I thought

RWKHausSupply

NAXJA Forum User
Well.. It goes like this....

Took about 7 months and aprox $21K in Awesome products from Company's like: Yukon Gear & Axle, Rock Krawler, Currie, Goodyear, Raceline, Corbeau, Black Magic Brakes, etc. As well as (shhh dont tell my wife) about the same out of pocket, well maybe less, but time is money to me, and with every to every other weekend spent working on it, this was one expensive build, to start.

After having fun in 2 Ultra4 races (KOH and Glen Helen), I realized Ultra4 just doesnt race very much anywhere local (within a few hundred miles), and to make this jeep worth the money & time, I figured I would try my hand at JeepSpeed.

Since my jeep is stock class Ultra4 originally, it has no holes in the body/floor, no bypass shocks, and lots of axle weight - RockJock D60 with all 1ton outer stuff and a shaved 14B trussed rear. Alot needed to be converted to be competitive. Especially since I have a 4.6ish higher comp build motor, and for JS rules that makes me a 3700 class unlimited entry.

Some of the things I have had to or still need to convert over to.
-Biggest and most expensive part were the King 2.5" 3 tube bypasses.
-New Wheels (they require ATX, KMC, something by Wheel Pros).
-New Tires (they require General Grabber Super Singles that weight like 90lbs each OUCH)
-New rear axle - went with a Currie blinged out F9 trussed and All Yukon; load bolt 1400HP rated drop out, daytona pinion support, 5.83 gears, 35sp spool, and 35sp axles and explorer disc kit.
-New Front axle - on order, Currie F9, and going to do a bottom truss on long side, Yukon aluminum 1000HP drop out, 10bolt dayton pinion support, 5.83 gears, and Yukon trac lock(and lightest springs), all GM small bearing outers, Alloy 4140 ball joints, Yukon shafts and super joints, and Black Magic Brakes.
-And not expensive but needed much, to cut holes in rear cargo outer area for 14-16" kings, that have patch panels so that I can remove shocks and put patch panels in for Ultra4 races still.

Anyone ever price King triple 2.5 bypasses with the newly released finned resi's? OUCH! is all I can say. And I got dealer pricing. Now lets think rear axle setup. And tires! whoa.. Then the registration for BITD, reg for JS, Tracker, IRC, and then the race fee's of 700 each race.

Yes I am being sponsored by some major companies, but its still not cheap and alot more work and $ then I planned. Chris Nissley At Currie and JS guy in the past and building again, just keeps tell me its all worth it, it will a blast and best experience of my life. I sure hope so.

I will be posting pictures here when I remember, of some of the new stuff, and work.

Charles (chasdb) here helped me out on the jeep about 2 months before KOH Last year and has been A HUGE help. This year for Glen Helen, I asked him to CoDrive with me. He has never doing this before (as I hadent before KOH) and after all the protective gear (Helmet, suit, nextgen, etc), he was into the race a pretty penny also. SO This move to JS was also so he could use all his new gear. He is essential in the building and prep work on the Jeep.

Bluewater Desert Challenge Oct 12-13 is our first race. We will Not have the axles in yet for the first race.

Oct 5-6 is Off Road Expo and the rear axle will be in my booth, part of the agreement I have with Yukon. Yukon gets the booth and sends down tech support for the Off Road Expo, all for my booth. SO I will have it on display there with their 3rd in it. Come say hi and check it out and get some stickers, calender, maybe a shirt, bottle opener and or koozie(s).

Starting with this..
GlenHelenledge.jpg

943392_516136545121014_1963917306_n.jpeg

IMG_1919.JPG


One of the first parts to help make this a competitive transformation was picked up today..
F9intruckofcamry.jpg
 
Nice! Good to see you staying in the game and keeping the jeep capable of running U4.

Will you be racing KoH again?
 
Koh. Prolly not. To harsh on a rig and still make it multi years without looking like a mangled something.... But depends on daves attitude at the time and how he lays out the course who knows.

Got this today
20130919_165208-1.jpg
 
I will be following closely because like you have thought about dancing in both series to make it worth it but we shall see. Keep this thread current please.
 
Thank you Chris.

I have had to try and find time to finish the needs I still have to make Parker and be worthy.

Since the hatch can come off for JS, and Ultra4 we have to have it. I have removed the hatch and building a rear tire carrier/bumper that extends past my tucked in rock bumper. Knowing I will not be as fast (likely) as some and not wanting a bump to the body, I felt the need to extend a hoop out about 12-18". This also works well to get the tire from up high inside to out lower. But it has to be removable. So the hatch can still go back on.

I will post pictures of the rear after sunday, when I finish it up.

STILL WAITING on King to get me my shock cans so I can fit and mark bypass tube rotation, and give them back for final assembly. THEY BETTER HURRY. Or I will just have to run my Rock Krawler 2-5/8" shocks I have now. They are valved I think perfectly now, and were just fully rebuilt by RK so not the end of the world, if I have to stay on them for this race. Might even remove the kings and put them back on for day two if day one they don't feel right. I don't have time for shock tuning and with Bypasses I am really lost.

Then I still have to get Power steering figured out. PSC is working with me, on what I need. But that has to go in to, still...

Then theres the exh. Glen Helen was hard on it and the collector bolts broke and let the pipe run on the front D60 yoke and its trashed. So Muffler Man has to fix me up...

Otherwise I am golden and all ready...

Worst part is that we have Off Road Expo Next weekend. And camping this weekend with family, before I take the next few weeks for work and racing. SO I have only a few hours here and there. But thats the fun of racing right. The strees of getting everything done in time.
 
Well got the rear bumper extension done. Now the rear tire can sit lower and further back.

Turned out pretty good, for a removable setup. This way I can unbolt it from the D-ring tabs (3/4" G8 bolts), pull the hitch pin, and unbolt the tube clamps, and it slides out/off. And the hatch can go back on...

rearbumpermounting.jpg


Fullrearbumpview.jpg
 
And now the front end housing..

20130930_175630.jpg
 
Well almost done and ready for bluewater chellenge.

Leaving thurs...
20131008_194810.jpg
 
Is that rig street legal?
It's looking sick as hell and I can't wait to see some vids of it!
 
Could be Cali street legal, just would need to smog it. .
 
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