Mtbxj87's 1989 XJ

[mtbxj87]

Hello all,
I've had a few posts here and there on EXPO, but never bothered to start a thread or document upgrades. Better late than never. I have lost most early pictures taken of her. I acquired her in late 2012. Overall ok shape, just needed lots of TLC, which I have done. This maybe the earliest photo I have. But I'll start here then add as I go along.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtbxj87]

Mountain biking is #1 for me. So everything I do to the jeep mostly revolves around that. I used to live in eastern AZ. One of my first trips was to Moab for a mtb race not long after I got her. Obviously I did some maintenance and new tires before then. She rolled 200k miles on the odo on that trip if I recall.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtbxj87]

Benefits of working in a bodyshop! She was pretty straight, minimal body work needed. I fixed a few small dents and filled some holes. I used single stage semi-flat sand color then single stage gloss white for the roof. I've always been a fan of the two tone vintage Toyotas, like the FJs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtbxj87]

The spec list I guess
-4.0 renix
-aw4
-np231 with 6pinion planetary and SYE
-Dana 30 front, swapped in 8.25. (Still at 3.55)
-2.5" lift. (V8zj progressive coils with .75 spacer, BDS long leaf aal, 2* axle shim. Zone extended sway bar end links and poly extended bumpstops.
- zj v8 steering
- Extended brake lines f+r (YJ lines)
-roll'n on 235's!!
- Upcountry skids (front, tcase, fuel tank, factory rear hitch, front tow hooks)
-confer roof rack. Mortar shell ammo box mounted to hold extra fluids.
-interior sleeping platform with cargo storage, window tint, under coated entire floor, insulation and reinstalled carpet.
-led aux lights, headlights on relays
-trans and p/s cooler. Zj mech fan clutch
- I'm missing a lot but that's the bulk of it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtbxj87]

Few pics from the platform build, and use


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jwood70]

Nice looking Jeep, i have always been a XJ fan and was looking at them or an Xterra. I went X, but I like the build

 

[mtbxj87]

Went for a day trip to Santiam OHV area a few weeks ago. Not too much for mild trails a couple gnarly trails. That area would be best on a moto. But it was fun

 

[Overland History]

Great build!

I really like your sleep plateform for the back. Out of curiosity, how tall are you? Did you have to push the front seats forward at all to stretch out?

I'm planning to build something fairly similar.

 

[mtbxj87]

I'll post up a more finished photos soon. I am 5'7". Just enough room with out the seats forward. But you can push them forward and stuff a few items in there then you have about 6'

 

[mtbxj87]

Mostly finished sleep platform. Good amounts of storage underneath. I want to carpet it and add locks. I remove the seat back in about two seconds then put it on the roof or under the jeep.

Fire extinguisher mounted next to driver seat.

My favorite "mod" really. I keep soft good s or riding gear I need to dry out. It also keeps expensive items out of plain sight.

 

[mtbxj87]

A little trick for those pesky nutserts. I had to install some to mount my tcase skid. I found some standard thread nutserts at ace hardware. I used my power steering pulley install tool to crimp them in the holes. Worked better than any sketchy method out in cyberspace.

 

[mtbxj87]

New u joints for my rear driveshaft
I couldn't source spicers locally, so I went with precision/moog. Made in 'merica and I've had good luck with them in my past vehicles. I like they have the grease fittings in the cap not in the cross, the joint at the axle has the fitting in the cross but that one is accessible with a grease gun.

 

[mtbxj87]

Painted and installed

 

[Overland History]

Looking good!

I went with the grease zerk in the cap on my old XJ, and I found that the grease really doesn't evenly spread throughout the entire u-joint. It actually creeps out of the rubber o-ring at the base of the bearing cap that the zerk is on.

The best thing that I've found, is called a "needle" zerk, which is located on the "cross", as you've called it, and is easier to get to, especially in the front driveshaft which has the double cardon coupler. Getting to those zerks as nipples can be a complete pain unless they're needle zerks!

Incase you're not familiar, this is what needle zerks look like:




The attachment for your grease gun is easily found at any auto parts store. Totally worth it to keep all of the needle bearings evenly greased within the joint! Looks like this, but most have a black rubber end or tip on them...

 

[mtbxj87]

Yea, I have the needle and the fittings are the needle type. The joint at the axle has the regular style zerk and it in the cross, but that's easy to get to