“Blue Waffle” 🧇 392XR Build

[MSparks909]

Progress has been a tad slow, back on track this week. Got the CavFab Crawler full width bumper installed this morning. No instructions, although it’s pretty self explanatory. Zero provisions to hold the sensor wiring in place on the back of the bumper so I decided not to install the wiring for the time being. I’ll figure out routing next week when I remove the factory exhaust for the Magnaflow Rock Crawler exhaust swap. Had to shorten 2 of the factory bolts that held the factory bronze tow hook in place so I could get them to fully tighten against the frame rail. Going to swap tire carriers tomorrow! Taller coils should be here tomorrow night and my steering linkages were supposed to be shipped last week but no tracking info so we’ll see…

But for now here’s a few obligatory bumper pics. It is quite beefy, gives me piece of mind when I have to drop off ledges.

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[ExpeditionBuilds]

Progress has been a tad slow, back on track this week. Got the CavFab Crawler full width bumper installed this morning. No instructions, although it’s pretty self explanatory. Zero provisions to hold the sensor wiring in place on the back of the bumper so I decided not to install the wiring for the time being. I’ll figure out routing next week when I remove the factory exhaust for the Magnaflow Rock Crawler exhaust swap. Had to shorten 2 of the factory bolts that held the factory bronze tow hook in place so I could get them to fully tighten against the frame rail. Going to swap tire carriers tomorrow! Taller coils should be here tomorrow night and my steering linkages were supposed to be shipped last week but no tracking info so we’ll see…

But for now here’s a few obligatory bumper pics. It is quite beefy, gives me piece of mind when I have to drop off ledges.

Looking GOOD!


-Steven

 

[MSparks909]

Blue Waffle moves under her own power again! Took it for a mile drive yesterday and a short drive to lunch and back today. Back end of it is wrapped up aside from plugging in the backup sensors and swapping exhausts. Worked on the front end some yesterday and today, the correct steering finally showed up Thank God. And it is a *tight* fit on the passenger side knuckle holy shit. Took me a while to get the tie rod and drag link ends installed on that side. Definitely needs an alignment, toe is way off and I have wayyy too much caster up front but whatever, it moves. Got the Quake LED chop kit installed this morning, going to attempt to sort through some of the dash lights and codes tomorrow. The axles are “plug and play” but I’ve got an ABS light, ESC light, Traction Control light, Parking Brake light and the locker light and Serv4WD lights are also flashing (haven’t wired them up yet). Think most of the codes are from the VSS at the transfer case not being happy because I was running in ForceRWD with the front hubs unlocked. I’ll deal with that starting tomorrow when I wire up the lockers and re-install the front driveshaft. For now I’m happy, got quite the punch list to finish. Hope to get it on the trails in June, got a busy ass month ahead of me. Chipping away at it a little each day. I’ll keep everyone updated!

Short video of it moving with the dash lit up like a Christmas tree

 

[NOIDEAWIAM]

This is an awesome build! Are you planning on changing the exhaust system or protecting the muffler? I have been fighting with the idea of getting the AFE muffler because it can be protected by the Rockhard4x4 skid plates without the added weight of the muffler and skid.

 

[MSparks909]

This is an awesome build! Are you planning on changing the exhaust system or protecting the muffler? I have been fighting with the idea of getting the AFE muffler because it can be protected by the Rockhard4x4 skid plates without the added weight of the muffler and skid.

Thanks! I’ve got a Magnaflow Rock Crawler exhaust in the back of my truck. Gonna swap that on this week. Picked it up for a great price this weekend, previous owner ran it a few hundred miles then went back to stock.

 

[NOIDEAWIAM]

The Magnaflow exhaust sounds awesome. I worry with the exhaust just hanging out there. I ripped the exhaust off my JKUR on a stump so I replaced it with something a lot shorter and that was tucked under the Jeep and dumped before the axle but was protected by the Metalcloak skids. I was just curious. It seems like there aren't many who have completed the task of destroying their muffler in the way that I have.

 

[MSparks909]

The Magnaflow exhaust sounds awesome. I worry with the exhaust just hanging out there. I ripped the exhaust off my JKUR on a stump so I replaced it with something a lot shorter and that was tucked under the Jeep and dumped before the axle but was protected by the Metalcloak skids. I was just curious. It seems like there aren't many who have completed the task of destroying their muffler in the way that I have.

I have the NV skid system but I’m gonna end up selling the muffler skid separate. I like the cleaner back end of the Jeep without the giant trash can muffler hanging down. Might swap it on tomorrow if I have time!

 

[NOIDEAWIAM]

I'm anxious to see it!

 

[MOTOR10]

Rig is looking !

 

[MSparks909]

Plans got swapped around today, sold the stock 315s and my stock front bumper/winch plate to a Gladiator owner today. Got the Motobilt Crusher installed, Magnaflow Rock Crawler and finished the day installing the Goose Gear tailgate table. Thing is really slick, I dig it!

Pro tip, if you ever swap winch bumpers and don’t want to remove the winch I ended up using a ratchet strap crossed in an X under/over the winch then used an engine jack to hold it in place while I swapped winch plates/bumpers. Much easier that way!

Need some more time before I give my opinion on the Magnaflow. Running out of parts and the punch list is shrinking slowly but surely. Crappy weather here the rest of the week, progress might be slow but I’ll try to get it cranked out.

 

[firedude]

Very nice.

 

[Axelbndr]

I was just wondering if someone knew what blue waffle meant LMAO

Ohh shit.. I’ll never get that outta my head now.. don’t go lookin for blue waffle pics. Sorry I did you will be too..
Should have gotten the Granite crystal metallic, son of a bitch!

 

[MSparks909]

The Waffle has been collecting a lot of dust lately…have been dealing with a very frustrating computer issue since the axle swap. The front tone rings read and give me speed but for some reason the computer isn’t reading the rear tone rings, which gives me ABS and ESC dash lights Also can’t use the lockers, sway bar disconnect or 4WD…pretty irritating. Trying to work through the issue starting with the simplest solution which was buy new wheel speed sensors for the rear. Did that with no change…now my issue is most likely related to the tone rings. I’ll have to yank the rear axles apart to check if they have the correct tone rings or if the spacing is wrong. Beyond ridiculous I have to do this on “premium axles.” Kicking myself for not buying UD60s at this point. Once I get it worked out I know I’ll be happy but between this issue, the wrong steering linkage, zero parking brake kit or locker wiring harnesses in the crate…to anyone that’s considering an axle swap I can’t recommend Dynatracs in good faith. Their QC has gone way downhill over the past few years.

 

[beast40]

You didn’t buy the axles from Dynatrac.

I feel bad about your frustrations but when you by from a vendor you risk these types of issues. Axles are complicated parts and you swapped quality control for speed.

 

[MSparks909]

You didn’t buy the axles from Dynatrac.

I feel bad about your frustrations but when you by from a vendor you risk these types of issues. Axles are complicated parts and you swapped quality control for speed.

While I didn’t buy direct from Dynatrac they’re still Dynatrac axles and the QC falls squarely on them. Top Tier told me 9 out of 10 axle sets they get in have missing parts, wrong parts, etc. That falls squarely on them. I know it’ll be a simple fix most likely I’m just ready to have them squared away so I can enjoy this thing on the trails again.

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