As soon as he received his license, Steve Wilson Sr. began his love affair with anything that had wheels. His first car was a ’63 VW, but it wasn’t long before he made his first Jeep purchase. That began his lifelong infatuation and appreciation of Jeeps, a passion that continues to this day. However, as can happen, life got in the way and his passion for Jeeps took a back seat to job and family.
Years passed. Then, out of the blue, his son Steve Jr. called and asked if he would like to put together a custom Jeep for the 2015 Vermont Overland Rally. Enthusiastic about the idea of having his son’s fully equipped Wilson & Steely Kustom Coachworks Restoration shop at his disposal, as well as the opportunity to share in a father/son experience, Steve Sr. eagerly accepted the challenge.
The guys went back and forth and then settled on a Jeep ’02 TJ Wrangler for the project. Steve Sr. threw himself into researching forums, magazines, reviews, and blogs to see what had already been tested and approved, yet would meet his ideas of what this vehicle should become.
Suspension/Axles
Steve Sr.’s 35 years of experience as a mechanic now proved crucial as he quickly switched out the Dana 35 rear axle for a Dana 44, then regeared the front and rear diffs with 4.56 ring-and-pinions, added ARB Air Lockers and upgraded chromoly axleshafts, and used a VANCO big brake kit with Black Magic pads to upgrade the front discs. A 3 1/2-inch MetalCloak suspension lift with adjustable upper and lower aluminum control arms and front and rear adjustable track bars was added. Bilstein 5100 shocks do damping duty on all four corners.
The trails they wanted to run demanded that 35s would be a must for the TJ, so a set of 35-inch BFGoodrich KM2s that fit nicely on the KMC XD Enduro wheels they wanted were picked up. The Wilsons also anticipated a lot of off-camber situations on the trails, so a front and rear Currie Antirock was added to the TJ to help make the Jeep more nimble and stable.
Powertrain Parts
The NP231 transfer case got a TeraLow 4:1 conversion kit, 2Low 2WD Low Range Shift Sector Kit, and an Extreme Short Shaft Kit. This gave the T-case much better off-road gearing and allowed for a less acute driveline angle. A 1-inch body lift was then installed so the T-case and NV3550 transmission could be moved higher into the tunnel. A new cable T-case shifter mechanism was added to prevent binding, and the trans lever was bent to clear the dash.
