Flex Machine
We came around the corner on Moab's Golden Spike trail just as Doug Eberle was negotiating the famous Golden Crack obstacle in his home-built '99 TJ. Aside from the jaw-dropping flex afforded by the slinky coilover suspension, one thing struck us as unusual. Doug's TJ seemed pretty darn stable for a rig with so much wheel travel. Doug credits much of his rig's capability to a well-designed suspension, front and rear winches that can compress the suspension at will to prevent overboard unloading of the springs, and a bombproof drivetrain that can stand a good throttling. It's great to see an owner-built trail rig that has it where it counts without having had metric tons of money thrown into it. Doug's TJ has the wheel travel and durability of a moon buggy in a full-bodied package. Nice!
Hard Facts
Model: Jeep TJ Wrangler
Year: 1999
Build time: A couple years
Owner: Doug Eberle
Hometown: Floyds Knob, Indiana
Engine: Stock 4.0L
Aspiration: Factory EFI
Transmission: Factory three-speed automatic
Transfer case: Atlas II, 3.8:1
Front axle/diff: '86 High-pinion Ford F-350 Dana 60, Detroit Locker
Rear axle/diff: '79 High-pinion custom Ford F-350 Dana 60, Detroit Locker
Ring-and-pinion ratio: 5.38:1
Front suspension: Custom four-link, Bilstein coilovers and air bumps
Rear suspension: Custom four-link, Bilstein coilovers and air bumps
Wheels: 15x10 Alcoa Challenger with Champion beadlocks
Tires: 38.5x14.50-15LT Swamper SX
Other cool stuff: Gen-Right Off Road stretch fuel tank, bumpers double as air tanks, front and rear frame-to-axle winches to suck down suspension, solid aluminum links with Johnny Joint ends, full hydro steering
Our favorite mod: Slinky suspension
Clean & Mean
It is easy to say that the JK is a great platform, but when a Jeep like this is piloted by a relative newcomer to off-roading and still has no problems with any obstacles, it really brings the point home. Jim Rogers may be new to the sport, but he has a very capable Jeep that in the space of just a few days in Moab has drawn him further in than he likely ever thought he'd be. There is something about seeing Moab again through the eyes of a newer guy that helps remind us of just why we go to Easter Jeep Safari every year: there is nowhere else that compares to Moab. If we were to build a money-no-object JK, this would be it. This Jeep has amazing off-road capability and is more comfortable and stable than a stock JK is on-road. Jim really has the best of both worlds in one package.
Hard Facts
Model: Wrangler Unlimited
Year: 2007
Build time: 1 year
Owner: Jim Rogers
Hometown: Newport Beach, California
Engine: Stock 3.8L V-6
Aspiration: Stock multi-port fuel injection
Transmission: Stock 42RLE
Transfer case: Atlas 4-speed
Front axle/diff: Dynatrac Pro Rock 60, ARB Air Locker
Rear axle/diff: Dynatrac Pro Rock 60, ARB Air Locker
Ring-and-pinion ratio: 5.38:1
Front suspension: 6-inch lift with King coilovers and Full-Traction arms
Rear suspension: 6-inch lift with King coilovers, Full-Traction four-link, and Evo Lever conversion
Wheels: 20x8 Walker Evans beadlocks
Tires: 40x13.50R20 Pro Comp Xterrains
Other cool stuff: King airbumps, PSC steering box and ram, Beard Enduro seats front and rear, and 14 inches of travel in the rear and 16 inches of travel up front
Our favorite mod: The attention to detail. Off Road Evolution put this thing together and from the way the seats fit, to the slick access for the on-board-air, to the custom belly skidplate, this is a really nice Jeep