My New XJ.

[Morticon]

Go this today to keep the mutt where he is suppose to be and not licking my ear while driving:sombrero:

little steep in price but has a door so if someone in the back needs something can just open the door. plus im pretty sure my dog is to big to fit through there so it may make him feel better being closer with the door open. we will see.

Door Closed

Door Open

 

[88Xj]

Hey brother if you haven't replaced the hatch shocks then look into some off a older for areostar! Yes areostar...from the 90's. Explorer ones also work but are shorter..meaning hatch won't open as much. The areostar ones are actaualy a wee bit longer..within a inch, but are stronger as well..so they don't fail nearly as often. Also the xj hatch is smaller than the areostar hatch so that'll help prolong the life of them! Any junkyard sells them for a few bucks each vs 30 each.
I found them a much better option than replacing mine after the 2nd time..I also hang stuff off my hatch..trash bag..first aid bag ect when camping for ease of access..the added weight would always pull the stock shocks down some. The areostar ones hold it up with the extra weight with no issue.


The only con I've seen to these..not really a con. But when you first put em on..first few times opening the hatch you gotta get used to the hatch popping up quicker. My xj you would need to lift it yourself..these pop it up for you..kinda a watch out factor so you don't get bonked by the hatch.

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

As long as that coolant is safe for aluminum rads you are GTG (and you have an aluminium rad still). I think almost all coolant is now, and it should say on the label.

 

[Morticon]

Camping Trip

So I ended up sneaking in a quick camping trip. It was Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and I had the monday off.

Woke up Sunday morning after stuffing my face the day before with turkey, ham, mashed taters, stuffing, beans, all the good stuff. My brother and I did a ~7km hike with my dog near my moms house, and then I set off.

Our family owns ~50 Acres of land north of Belleville, just east of a town called Campbellford. My plan was to head there. Set up camp, hike around a bunch, test out the XJ for set up and just enjoy the great out doors.

I headed out from Burlington around 11:30 AM and after a quickstop at a friends place to wish him happy birthday and have a beer. I got to the family land around 3 O'clock. lots of pavement pounding to get there. But when you are on one side of Toronto and need to get to the other side. There is no other real way around it!

Anyway, Once I got to cobourg I got to hop off the 401 and head up 45, through rosneath and dartford. Ending up in campbellford.

I stopped picked up a bag a chips for later that night, and a lighter to start the fire as I was absent minded and forgot my zippo.

10 minutes later I was at the land. And theres a gate blocking our right of way to our land!

Ohh crap, I forgot we were renting out the land to a famer nearby for pasture for his cattle.

Well any how I figured I'd go in and check it out since I came all this way.


So Open the fence:

Remove the live wire:

(and obviously close the gate and re-set the live wire once I am inside)

This parcel of land was used by the county as a gravel and sand pti for sanding the roads in the winter and other general uses:

Luckily all the cattle were not in the field I usually use for camping. Close the gate for the time I am there and they should not bother me.

Just starting to unload, let the dog out to run around and get a drink of water.

First step after letting him out. Build a massive fire and let it burn down to coals to get dinner going.

Dinner was left over, ham mashed taters and beans put in a pie tin and thrown on top of the coals. 8-10 minutes later it was to hot to eat almost!

Cant complain eating a meal like this outside by a fire!


Campsite set up:

Building up the fire and Reading a little OJ:

More to Come later when my Photobucket starts co-operating with my computer.

 

[Morticon]

Camping Trip Roundd 2

So after, some reading as the sun was almost set I took some artistic photos. Haha.

The Dog Buddy, ready for bed:

 

[Morticon]

The Next morning

So, When I set on this excursion I knew it would be cold. But not this cold. During the day a Frost warnign was sent out by Candian National weather association or some fancy name like that.

I slept like a baby through the night completely warm. I got up to pee at 6 am and I quickly checked the temp in the jeep. -2*C or for you Americans that is 28.4 *F

Here are some morning Pictures from 8am when I finally cralwed out of my warm bed into the cold atmosphere. The Jeep was still reading -2*C

As you can see it was rather chilly:sombrero:

The tent Fly was so crusty. I had to start the Jeep and throw it on the hood to thaw it out enough to fold it up well enough to pack up the tent!

A few of the pup.

After a Short hike around to tire him out we headed out in the jeep to hit a few of the hills that are on the land and test out the 4wd fully for the first time.

General Jeep Shots on hills and surrounding areas:

The pup in the back wondering what in the heck I am doing:

Shots with the badging:

I forget what these are called, silk weeds or something like that? Should of gotten a close up picture.

Still wondering what the heck I am doing driving all over pissing of the cows!

 

[Morticon]

The Next Morning 2

Just some shots of our surrounding land:

While coming to the top of one of the hills I came across a carcass of a cow. Picked Clean, must of been here all summer.

Decent sized cow, probably fully grown judging by scull and rib bones.

There are alot of coyotes around the area, I here them everynight I camp here.

Is this Point and proof they are on our land? in my opinion yes.

Buddy will wake up in the middle of the night and growl like a mad dog. I am assuming he hears Coyotes nearby.

Heading out Leaving the land:

It was a good time for Buddy and I, and it was good to get out and test the jeep, not only in a offroad sense but also in packign sense.
For this trip, I flipped the bottom of the seat forward and left the back up to keep my dog in the back. I stored all I needed to between the two, Cooler, bunch of wood left at the apartment I just moved into. Camping gear, and dog food. Plent of space and I could still see out back and keep an eye on my dog. (two factors very important to me)

 

[VanIsle_Greg]

Very kool...nice patch of land. Yes, a lot of driving between one side of TO and the other...driven that many times. I think you need those rear leaf springs soon... looking a little saggy in the rear! lol VERY nice Jeep however, reminds me of mine when stock. Yes, mine was that saggy too. lol

 

[BlackClassic]

Awesome pictures esp of the frosty surroundings. Oh and I believe there called milk weeds, could be wrong and have been wrong so many times before. Maybe I just heard wrong. Either way cool adventure.

 

[Morticon]

Update

Well I havent done much, not even drive it much lately.

I went to my brothers In-laws where there is a garage and undersprayed it for the up coming winter season.

I got the rad flushed and a new cap put on as it was leaking severly.

I got some freebies. Some rear lift gate shocks froma 2001 Nissan Pathfinder and its battery.

Turns out the lift gate shocks dont fit and my battery is decent condition (tested at 744)

Ive also made a decision about my suspension. Instead of re-arching and adding an ad a leaf or getting new stock leafs im going to get the OME 2" lift with transfercase drop in the early spring. Should be pretty neat and I am very excited. Just gotta pay of the JK first!

I also tried to address my blower motor running only on High.

I bought the resistor pack for an absorbative amount of money and low and behold the plug for the pack had been melted by the malfunctioning of the original unit.

I found JY with a few XJs that actually allows you to go in and pick parts(very rare in Canada) So I will have to go there sometime this week.

Also. I thought you guys might want to check this out. A little trip my brother and I are planning down to colorado.

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/90283-Morton-Brothers-2013-Trip-Colorado