Jeep XJ Pop Top Camper Build

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

What gears did you say you're gonna run? Locker?
Asking because at that point your well into dana44hd strength on the axle. Other than axle shafts and u-joints, it'll be bombproof.

4.10 down the road to match up with the 32’s and still unsure on the locker situation. May go full arb air if I can find a deal, or leave it open as it’s done me well so far. Likely keep stock shafts as I’d rather have that as a weak point short of the ring and pinion. Running the larger 760X xj u-joints. Will carry spare shafts of course. The bleepin Jeep overland xj built a very similar 30 plus IRO sleeves.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Brackets burned in, picking it up tomorrow

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Truss tie-ins burned in as well as the lower C gussets. Taking extra time to cool between small section welds as not to warp anything.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Everything weld wise is burned and done. Pre/post heated the welds to cast steel in the center with a can of map, monitoring the different heating/ cooling rates with a laser thermometer and working to keep them the same.

Carrier is pulled and ready to replace the seals. Spicer inner axle seals and adding some outer shaft seals in place of the light duty plastic caps. Going to clean up all the flux off the welds then give it a good painting then assembly time!

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

New seals installed and axle reassembled. Went to torque the unit bearing bolts and they began to strip more. Calling it a night, I’ll run and grab some new hex flange bolts in the morning.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Axle is finished up and under the Jeep. The PCM board and casing is getting a coating and sealed. Tires on, torque it all again, then to drive it in for an actual alignment check.

Full Injector Drive/PCM/ECU writeup

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Putting in new glass to replace the cracked windshield. First glass job; plenty of research and taking the time to get it done right.

Pulled a clean windshield from the parts yard for $20. 3M Urethane for $25. Waiting on some specific primer to ship in and sourcing a 94+ moulding seal.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

New glass is in.

 

[intothewild]

Dude - this is great. Can't wait to see the continued progress!

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Made a trackbar stiffener / unibody crossmember for the front end.

 

[jeepdreamer]

Made a trackbar stiffener / unibody crossmember for the front end.

Everything you can do to stiffen the unibody will add years of life to your Jeep. Bumpers, crossmembers, stiffeners, plating...etc. let the suspension provide the articulation.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Everything you can do to stiffen the unibody will add years of life to your Jeep. Bumpers, crossmembers, stiffeners, plating...etc. let the suspension provide the articulation.

Couldn’t agree more. Wishing I went with full stiffeners from the start, but this should do well for now. Thinking the trackbar might hit the brace tube at full flex but will articulate it to find out and adjust. For now it’ll be on the road for a while and not a issue.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Back to being a daily and “sand-crawler” around work.

Chopped the exhaust up this weekend and refit it along with some new mounts I whipped up. Coat of VHT and it’s sitting pretty underneath. CARB compliant magnaflow catalytic mated up to a 50 series flowmaster. Good growl without being over the top.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Replaced a melted and shorted old headlight switch assembly and harness. Factory runs power all the way through, going to run a relay as an extra safety net.

Also changed out the oil for the first time since break in (500 miles). 10w-30 Mobil 1.

Picked up a 1.5” JD2 tube bender and drill press for the garage setup and to fab up some different bumpers, etc come slow season. Running proper for a DD to work every day.

 

[CraftsmanCollaborative]

Got rid of the temporary mild cut-and-weld brace and bent up a link of tube to hold the front end in place.