New to Forum, XJ Guy

[maddmaxjack67]

Howdy, found the forum a while back and have been lurking reading threads. I'm from Texas and currently I am a 20 year old college student majoring in Environmental Science. I've always dreamed of going on expeditions and after buying my first Jeep almost four years ago and building it up my desire is burning.

Sadly though being in college, I am a poor man but hopefully will begin traveling within a year or two! My first plan is to take a trip from Texas through the lower states down into Baja, up the Cali coast and then head back home.

I want to live my life on an adventure and I'm glad that I'm getting it started. A goal of mine is to one day circumnavigate the world in a Jeep. :sombrero:

Without further stalling and boring background on myself, XJ pics. There's still a lot left to do but eventually I'll get somewhere, it's a never ending project!

Stages of it's life:

 

[silvElise]

Always good to have another texan!
Clean XJ love it!

 

[maddmaxjack67]

The last picture is the last current picture of the jeep but since then, one or two things have changed.

A friend and myself built a full length low profile roof rack made out of 2x2 square tubing that is now mounted up top.

Current specs/mods:
2000 Jeep Cherokee XJ Sport
(Swapped in) HP D30 front/ Chryco 8.25 w/ stock 3.55s
Rubicon Express 3.5" Super Ride w/ full packs
Skyjacker Hydro shocks
15x10 D windows wrapped in:
31x10.50 Goodyear Authority A/T
Full size spare
Stripped carpet/headliner
Racing seat in front to hold me in place
Trimmed fenders/ front bumper
Rear tow hitch/ tow hook
Cold air intake/"mini snorkel"
Door pins cut/welded to be able to remove doors
Silverstar headlights
Cherry bomb glass pack w/sideout (loud and annoying subject to change)

Plans for summer 2011:
Custom front tow hooks/stubby front bumper
Chop rear off/add rear cage/tire carrier
CB radio w/whip
Speaker relocation
Bedline interior/install drain plugs

Plans for the future:
I'm sure something will come up....
Rear locker?
Full cage?

 

[maddmaxjack67]

Also some pics of my current daily driver :smiley_drive: 97 Jeep Cherokee XJ SE

Specs:
2door
2wd
Chryco 8.25 in rear w/ 3.07s
AX-15
I6 4.0L
235/75/15 Bridgestone Dueller A/T
Mint condition

Mods:
Stock SE wheels rattle canned black
Thrush turbo muffler
Sony XPLOD head unit
Some good 6.5" speakers in the front doors

edit: mint except for the banged up front bumper that I caused rear ending a buddy of mine's ZJ on the loop

 

[Lewybrewing]

Looks sweet so far. XJ's are such great little trucks.

 

[Blackwater11]

Nice xj's!

 

[rdonahe]

Welcome. Good looking rigs!

 

[maddmaxjack67]

Thanks for the welcome guys! Nice to see some XJ builds on this site as well! They are great, roomy, functional perferct for the long haul and camping. I wish I could sleep in the rear but being 6'4 it doesn't work out to well.

The rack that my buddy and I built is a full length one made out of 2x2 steel tube has 8 supports that sits on 1.25" flat stock.

The mounting location we chose was the stock roof rack mounts which is 8? or 10? It really balances the weight well and I can stand on the rack at 280lbs.

I'm thinking that this will be a good start for a roof top tent and also be tied into the cage I'm planning for the summer.

What are y'alls thoughts on building a rear rollbar/cage/tirecarrier out of square tube? It wouldn't be to blocky, just plan on drawing it out well and cutting pieces to certain degrees and welding it all together.

 

[bldeagle10]

how much trimming did you do on the fenders? i plan on being around 3-3.5" of lift and i couldnt decide on tire size but after seeing yours i think im in love with the height and tire size. i want to go the LCOG route and i think this would work out well. i just dont want to have to trim

and very nice 2 door. how do you keep you flares so purty?!? if i get mine back to black they fade in a week

 

[maddmaxjack67]

how much trimming did you do on the fenders? i plan on being around 3-3.5" of lift and i couldnt decide on tire size but after seeing yours i think im in love with the height and tire size. i want to go the LCOG route and i think this would work out well. i just dont want to have to trim

and very nice 2 door. how do you keep you flares so purty?!? if i get mine back to black they fade in a week

To answer question number one, its the RE, which apparently is out of business now 3.5" Super Ride. I netted about 4-4.25" out of the kit with the full leaf packs. I was running 33x12.50s for a while and at full flex it would rub into the rear fender wells a little bit. With the 31x10.50s at full flex there is no rubbing whatsoever.

As far as trimming the front, I took off the flares and brackets and basically cut out the flared part of the fender where the brackets bolt on. So maybe I don't remember but anywhere from 1-2.25 inches?

The rear I cut right up to where the pinch welds are for the body so there is a slight lip.

And as far as the flares, the P.O. pulled some kind of amazing flat black paint match job, I was surprised at how good they look. What kind of paint are you using on your flares? I'm guessing they did a few coats of primer, the probably a few coats of some good black rattle can.

 

[bldeagle10]

thanks for the info!
my flares are just the bare plastic with no paint so the plastic is all faded. i havent decided the best paint really that i want to try and paint them with. i dont want it to turn out crappy. i hear the krylon fusion is the best because its made specifically to bond to plastics. so ive heard if you clean the flare with an amonia based product then paint it will work perfect and last years. ive also heard it lasts a few weeks...we will see i spose

 

[rdonahe]

thanks for the info!
my flares are just the bare plastic with no paint so the plastic is all faded. i havent decided the best paint really that i want to try and paint them with. i dont want it to turn out crappy. i hear the krylon fusion is the best because its made specifically to bond to plastics. so ive heard if you clean the flare with an amonia based product then paint it will work perfect and last years. ive also heard it lasts a few weeks...we will see i spose

This is kind of off topic but I need to replace the flares on my '98 XJ and I can't figure out a good way to remove/install. Is there a secret or is it just brute force to separate the flare from the metal clip underneath?

 

[maddmaxjack67]

No problem with the advice, I've painted a lot of stuff with rattle can but I have definitely taken a likeing to Krylon paint. Something about it, covers well, spreads well, sits well. It's def worth the money. I'm sure if you go through the basic cleaning, primer and multiple coat procedure, they will come out well and not fade.

As far as taking the flares off, I wasn't planning on putting the flares back on so I ripped em off. I'm sure that is the normal way though by just using force in an upward motion to "pop" them off?

Maybe someone else can chime in on the flare removal.

 

[Nathant78]

How do you like that authority tires? saw them at walmart and trying to find some reviews on them.

 

[maddmaxjack67]

I got a pretty good deal on them they were on sale for 133 a tire, then my girlfriend let me use her 10% discount from walmart so I got them installed with a lifetime balance and rotation for right around 500 bucks.

So far they have held up great and don't have much road noise. I haven't used them in the mud yet but they perform very impressively in soft sand and on loose dirt. They have a lot of grip for climbing.

I have been very happy with the tires and apparently they have a good life span so I'm looking forward to how they hold up.

I've put maybe 3000 miles on them since I've had them. They didn't take too much weight to balance them as well. I'd say for the price, you can't beat em.