1984 Jeep CJ-7 - King Of The Rocks...Again

Ken's attention to the little details makes his Jeep competitive with more exotic rigs. One of the tricks employed is the use of a 2-1/2-quart reservoir in series with the transmission cooler return line. Now Ken can climb almost straight up without the tranny running out of juice. When the Jeep levels out, the fluid returns to the reservoir, increasing capacity to keep the tranny running cooler. Fabricating a notch in the factory 15-1/2-gallon fuel tank skidplate provided room to move the axle back 2-1/2 inches. This increased wheelbase and departure angle, while keeping the center of gravity lower and retaining full use of the back seat for family four-wheeling. By using a reverse-rotation steering box out of a mid-'80s Ford truck, Ken was able to locate the box alongside the engine rather than hanging it off the chin of the Jeep. This allowed the framerails to be bobbed. Custom steering arms attach the tie rod and drag link to the top of the massive steering knuckles. This improves steering geometry and approach angle, and protects the vulnerable frontend components.

Ken believes keeping the weight down and the center of gravity low greatly helps climbing and keeps all four tires on the ground. Overall, the Jeep has only been lifted 6-1/4 inches (5 inches of suspension lift and a 1-1/4-inch body lift), which is relatively mild, at least for a vehicle with Dana 60s and 38.5-inch tires. Trimmed fenders bring additional room for the big rubber to move freely with the mild lift. In its current form, the Jeep weighs 4,100 pounds, although it is scheduled to lose some more weight this winter.

When Ken bolted on his new Ramsey Bad Boy competition winch, he replaced the normally superior roller fairlead with a more compact hawse fairlead. Now when he approaches a vertical ledge (or a huge Bob Hazel Log Jam), the Swampers hit the ledge first instead of the winch rollers, no matter what the angle of attack. For tire-filling duties and running air tools on the trail Ken, uses a rollcage mounted 5-pound CO2 tank with a regulator. This system has proven reliable, light, and fast.

As with any project vehicle, the evolution continues. Planned projects include hydraulic-assist steering and a Wrangler-style rear cage to better protect his family on recreational trips.