131 1303 05 Homebuilt Jeep Hybrid Advance Adapters Atlas 2 Transfer Case - Photo 41408201

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Downstream of the AW4 automatic transmission, an Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case was added with a 4.3:1 low range. Also visible is the 2-gallon air tank used in conjunction with a Viair compressor to actuate the air lockers and air up tires.

131 1303 01 homebuilt jeep hybrid custom 1993 jeep wrangler yj

Under the hood the tired 4.0L is surrounded by tubing, the Fox Shox remote reservoirs, and a PSC steering pump and aluminum reservoir. “It doesn’t make enough power to get me in trouble,” says Kris Wix.

Steering 404 Unimog axles are used at each end of the Jeep. “I had enough spare front parts that I figured I would just add rear steer,” Kris explains. Conventional steering would require the track bar to go from the driver side of the frame to the passenger side of the axle, but the full hydraulic steering allowed him to reverse that arrangement and better package the suspension.

The rear suspension uses a triangulated three-link with 16-inch-travel Fox coilovers and air bumps, while the front suspension consists of a conventional three-link with a track bar and 14-inch travel Fox coilovers. Kris built all of his own links out of 0.250-wall tube and capped them with Rubicon Express Flex Joints.

Downstream of the AW4 automatic transmission, an Advance Adapters Atlas II transfer case was added with a 4.3:1 low range. Also visible is the 2-gallon air tank used in conjunction with a Viair compressor to actuate the air lockers and air up tires.

Kris cut the rear of the frame behind the front seats and replaced it with tube to gain some uptravel. It is a challenge to balance low ride height and uptravel with portal axles, particularly Unimog axles where the differential is almost centered both front and rear. Rolling stock consists of 42-inch Iroks on Hummer H2 beadlock rims. The fronts are DOT tires, the rears are stickies. Kris says, “I could only afford two sticky tires when I bought them, and now I can’t find any more.”