EugeneTheTJ's 2000 XJ Build Thread

[EugeneTheTJ]

I did a dog platform last year but I removed the lower seat bottom. I also threw ontop a dense memory foam flat dog bed. Underside is all storage . Works great

That would definitely give more storage but I need to keep my seat in for rear passengers when the platform isnt in there. Good idea though!

 

[TMC-113]

Nice work so far my man!

Sub'd! Keep up the good work!

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

Picked up this beauty last night. After all, what would an expedition/overland XJ be without an ARB Bullbar?

Picked up a gas tank skid with it, too!

 

[mtbxj87]

Dude! I want one!

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

Dude! I want one!

Took me a long time to find one used! I've been waiting about 6 months and a guy on my local board messaged me about this one. I am just glad I didn't pull the trigger and order a new one! I can have this one and a winch for less than the price of a new one.

 

[iluv83vettes]

Took me a long time to find one used! I've been waiting about 6 months and a guy on my local board messaged me about this one. I am just glad I didn't pull the trigger and order a new one! I can have this one and a winch for less than the price of a new one.

I found mine after reading about someone finding something I wanted on craigslist I decided to just see what was out there and found mine. I got it with the IPF lights and everything.

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

I found mine after reading about someone finding something I wanted on craigslist I decided to just see what was out there and found mine. I got it with the IPF lights and everything.

Yea I've been CL hunting all over NC and SC for about 6 months with no avail. Nice find though! I don't know which lights I want yet. I like LED output but I'm honestly not a huge fan of the lightbar look.

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

Boom.

I had some KCs laying around that I threw on there, too. I'm gonna wire them and run the harness to the stock fog light switch so it looks factory.

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

Discovered that the gas tank skid I picked up was from a pre-96 XJ. No big deal but took a little bit of modification to make it fit. Nonetheless, I now have some protection back there.

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

Had some clearance issues with the exhaust pipe and pipe u-bolt after installing the skid. New pipe installed and now the turndown is just before the shackle. Shouldn't have to worry about clearance back there anymore.

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

My Samsung Galaxy Tab showed up yesterday. Nothing like a free tablet!

Plan is to use it as a dedicated in-vehicle tablet for diagnostics and GPS/mapping. I need to nail down the Ram Mount configuration and get that ordered.

Finally settled on my mounting configuration.

Pretty simple setup but I have a 1" ball system with about a 4" double socket arm that I picked up from Cabelas. I just placed an order for the Ram Mount Tab-Tite case so hopefully I will have that within a week or so. Plan is to mount it probably top dead center on the dash with the tablet extending in towards the driver seat a hair. I figured being partially in front of the air vent would help keep it cool after running for hours on end.

I was debating on getting a locking case and the locking socket knob but I figured that I will remove it at stops anyways so the added expense didn't have much benefit. After all, a potential thief would still bust my window out to try to get it. I'd rather just unhook it from the mount at stops and hide it or carry it with me.

Can't wait to get it in there! I've been using it in a suction cup windshield mount but this will be so much better!

 

[marshal]

turn down for what

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

turn down for what

you would :sombrero:

In other expedition-y news I was at the Mountain Khakis warehouse moving sale today. Between me and the wife we scored about $1400 worth of Mountain Khakis excellence for right at $200.
:26_7_2:

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

I need to post a pic of my tablet setup.

In other matters, I ordered a new Warn winch this morning (M8000). I am debating on taking the old one off my TJ for the XJ and then putting the new one on the TJ but that sounds like a lot of work just to make the TJ look prettier. The old one works just fine so it might stay put for the sake of laziness...errr....efficiency. Either way, I am super stoked to have some proper recovery gear on this thing!

 

[EugeneTheTJ]

I'm way overdue for an update. I'll type one out later but this should help in the meantime.