Stock XJ - where to start?
- Thread starter SWbySWesty
- Start date
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
FWIW, it's a couple of brackets that bolt behind the rear seat to mount the hi-lift transversely back there above the inner fenders. Good idea but would be a PITA if you are loaded with cargo as you'd have to unload to get at it.dang, I can't access the pageIs it because I haven't paid NAXJA dues since I'm not signed up yet? I'm just on the forum.
I like the idea of mounting it outside on the spare tire carrier myself.
SWbySWesty
Fauxverland Extraodinaire
Does it fit under the seat without the "offroad base"?
calamaridog
Expedition Leader
Just make sure if you drill into the trunk floor to put in D-rings that you don't drill a hole into the fuel tank............ yeah, I know a little something about that.
-C
(I like this guy already:elkgrin
Eric S.
Adventurer
-I think at min a Hi-lift and shovel and fire extinguisher are a must.
-You can get coil spacers and longer shackles to get you up a couple inches for cheep. When you do go higher most likely you can keep the longer rear shackles so it would not be a total waste.
-Stronger Differential cover for the front dana 30. Don't waste you money of the dana 35 you are just going to change it anyway. (keep an eye out for a D44 out of an XJ for I direct swap if the gears are the same)
-Swaybar quick disconnects for the front. Just remove the rear swaybar. You can use the old brackets for bar pin eliminators for the shocks too.
-A lunch box locker for the front would also be a good upgrade
-Tow hooks
-You can get coil spacers and longer shackles to get you up a couple inches for cheep. When you do go higher most likely you can keep the longer rear shackles so it would not be a total waste.
-Stronger Differential cover for the front dana 30. Don't waste you money of the dana 35 you are just going to change it anyway. (keep an eye out for a D44 out of an XJ for I direct swap if the gears are the same)
-Swaybar quick disconnects for the front. Just remove the rear swaybar. You can use the old brackets for bar pin eliminators for the shocks too.
-A lunch box locker for the front would also be a good upgrade
-Tow hooks
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4Rescue
Expedition Leader
I'd tend to belive that adding a far more rigid metal peice(s) in place of the flimsy stock bumpers HAS to do something for rigidity and sliders will help as well. Skids won't do much unless you're makng abelly late that's welded into the body.
I Dissagree that you shouldn't worry about frame stiffeners and them not being nessescary. I think they are a great idea for EVERY XJ if you want it to last and hold up while loaded up and moving over uneaven terrain. Like I said, I wish I'd have done it cause towards the end of a few of my XJ's lives they felt like wet noodles going around corners and the hardest used ones wouldn't let the doors close/seal very well. I guess it depends on how long you intend to have the truck, but IMO adding more bracing could bring an old XJ back to life and make it alot more solid than it was when it rolled off the lot.
Cheers
Dave
saburai
Explorer
IH8RDS
Explorer
Frame stiffeners do have there place. If you plan to do obstacles where you would encounter greater then usual frame/body twist or If you plan on driving on rocks and steep steps you would benefit form stiffeners. They do provide a great amount of protection to the under side frame rails as well. If you are mainly getting out there and hitting the fire roads and desert tracks, you can spend your money elsewhere.
Before I would of swore by them. I was more of a rock crawler and all I ever did was rocks and heavy 4 wheeling. Now I have changed my ways of why I have my XJ and are gearing it more towards a mild just get out there there a see things. I guess its either my age or my pocket book :sombrero:
My XJ still is structurally sound after 10 years of abuse. If I continued down the rocky road, yea they would be on my list of needs not wants. But now they are a want and not a need.
Before I would of swore by them. I was more of a rock crawler and all I ever did was rocks and heavy 4 wheeling. Now I have changed my ways of why I have my XJ and are gearing it more towards a mild just get out there there a see things. I guess its either my age or my pocket book :sombrero:
My XJ still is structurally sound after 10 years of abuse. If I continued down the rocky road, yea they would be on my list of needs not wants. But now they are a want and not a need.
saburai
Explorer
O.K. so perhaps "must have" is a bit hasty. I'm just the kind of guy who would rather have it and not need it than the reverse. Stiffeners are fairly cheap and in the big picture seem to me, at least good long term insurance MHO...
IH8RDS
Explorer
Thats a very good point Rich. It is good insurance. When I look at what I have done with my XJ it makes me wonder. Did I need a snorkle? Probibly not. How about a winch? Uh.. no. ARB lockers. Yes. They are just to much fun.:sombrero:
Really it comes down to an end goal. If I listened to everyones advice, I would have a massivly armored, 8" lifted XJ on Matt Trak's that weighed a ton. :bike_rider: Figure out where you want your XJ to go and build it for that purpose. Stick to your goal and go out and have the time of your life.:victory:
Really it comes down to an end goal. If I listened to everyones advice, I would have a massivly armored, 8" lifted XJ on Matt Trak's that weighed a ton. :bike_rider: Figure out where you want your XJ to go and build it for that purpose. Stick to your goal and go out and have the time of your life.:victory:
Root Moose
Expedition Leader
4Rescue
Expedition Leader
Yep, that's what I was attempting to say, but it took me a paragraph and I still didn't say it as well. I guess the saying "an ounce of prevention" is kind of what I'm talking about.
Very well put mate, I guess the thing I'm thinking about is that with all the weight we tend to pile on in the name of adventure, it takes less of the "extreme" torsional loads to cause warpage etc.
-I was pretty bummed when I rolled my last XJ, the A pillar colapsed and had my friend not been on the ball I may have been decapitated. I wasn't even wheeling... Seeing what was left of the truck afterwards and how "written off" it truly was because of the fact that the UNi-rails were damaged etc, it really made me wish I'd had a Halo style cage and some other bits so I didn't have to watch it go to scrap. Here I am getting all nostalgic over my old XJ's... The last one was my fav thouygh, White,Poverty pack, 97, 4 Door with the red pinstripe and blacked trim, 4in RR lift, some nice skinny 33x1050's among a variety of other tires I ran on her. I loved the 4.0L but hated the milage and still miss her when I have to shift down to third to get my 4Runner up a big hill.
XJ's really are fun, I love their boxy looks and how wide they are translating to how well they handle for a truck. I know I'm beating a dead horse, but I just wish they had a frame. That and I wish they'd lived long enough to recieve a "Rubicon" package like the LJ/TJ/JK. How sweet would an XJ sitting on a nice ladder frame (think of how much easier it would be to lift) with F/R Dana44's locked at both ends and some lower T-Case Gears... I wonder if you could drop an XJ body onto like say an LJ frame with the acompanying Drivetrain with the 318 under the hood, 35x10.50 SSR's (or anything else this tall and skinny)... Oh I do think I've dreamed up the perfect XJ for me :drool: Oh and some Mattracks in the Garrage for when it get's nasty in the winter or just for playing around.
Sorry for the hijack... I guess I'll be re-living my Jeep days through your build mate.
Cheers
Dave
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IH8RDS
Explorer
Dave, Good points as well. The XJ does have its flaws like anything else. I guess thats why it eventually went to the chopping block. I too have invisioned a framed XJ. It has been done before. I think it was done with a blazer frame. I have also seen a Rubicon XJ too that someone pieced together. With all the Rubicons produced the parts are out there and getting a little, not much, but a little cheaper. I think it is still more econimical though to build your own 4.1 transfer case out out of a 231J and get some older Dana 44's with ARB's.
Sorry for the continued HiJack :ylsmoke:
Sorry for the continued HiJack :ylsmoke:
OverlandZJ
Expedition Leader
An XJ isnt overbuilt until the addition of electric blankeys and a deep fryer. :ylsmoke:
Hmmm.. deep fryer...
Hmmm.. deep fryer...
alosix
Expedition Leader
x2
I probably wouldn't decide on doing the rails until you decided long arm or not. Depending on the kit, they will either make it easier or harder to install. The last one I did, we welded all of the Rockkrawler (and polyperformance rear) mounts in place first, then put the stiffners on. Its soo much nicer being able to do those as in position welds instead of upside down in a cramped space.
Given the age and tires size I see on there.. I'd probably throw a full leaf pack budget boost on there to start. Longer shackles make the already flat stock springs worse. They'll pretty quickly fatigue from being loaded down.
Heck, my bud even broke one (a stock leaf) after being overloaded a bit on a trip.
Jason