Stumpalump
Expedition Leader
The XJ is a pita to build right and there is no easy way around it. This is how I did it thru trial and error and am very pleased with how it's working for me in the desert rocky trails.
To get my steering tight, resonsive and strong I had to stiffen the unibodies outside frame rail from the front bumper all the way back to the rock slider mounts. XJ's flex in this area and crack under the cowling from this flex. Luckily you can do this with aftermarket and eaisily fabed up parts. I fabbed a bumper off of a Detours offroad winch mount. Basically I welded 3x3 tubing to the sides and instant winch bumper with super strong frame tie in mounts. This mount goes all the back to catch the weak steering box mounting holes. http://www.detoursusa.com/xjbackbone.php
Next heading back you come to the weak factory track bar and mount. At the time T&T made the best and they may still be the best. http://www.tntcustoms.com/trackbarsystemmjxjzj.aspx
Fab time: Between the track bar bracket and the Detours bumper mount is a void that needs to be filled with 3/16 plate steel. This is as easy as cutting a cardboard pattern and cutting the steel to weld in place. Now we are all solid steel from the bumper to the track bar mount. Huge improvment in steering if you stop right here. Leave enough metal on top to catch the fourth bolt on a bigger steering box.
Behind the trac bar mount all the way under the cowl is the next flexy part of an XJ but these plates are precut and easily welded on to both sides. http://www.temper-mentalracing.com/TMR/Parts_and_Services.html
Now we come to the inner frame rails. Since the whole oudside is now beefed up there is little to do other than getting rid of the factory aluminium steering box spacer. C-rox makes one but I used a JCR one because again it catches the fourth bolt on a better steering box. http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2...OD&Product_Code=XJSTSPC4&Category_Code=XJMISC
Now your weaksauce unibody is stiff and strong. You won't crack it and the handling on the road or trail will be tight as a rock.
For Steering tie rod draglink and ends I use the Rock Krawler setup because it moves the tie rod on top of the knucle and is so strong you can jack the vehicle from it. It's bolt on and mine has endured many hard miles. http://rockkrawler.com/?r_intro=1
The steering pump on an XJ is weak and needs to be upgraded to a ported box and a smaller overdrive pully. This requires a trip or two to the parts store to find a shorter serpentine belt. It's a dramatic improvment and why some go with hydro assist before doing this simple mod is a mistake. They may not list a pump for your rig like my 98 but they have them along with the pullys.
http://www.pscmotorsports.com/Replacement-Pumps-87-95-yj-/
I would also recomend a steering box from them. I just replaced a worn out AGR superbox with an all new box from PSC and it's night and day better. It's a quicker turning box and the tight twisty sections of trail are really easiy to drive through with it.
As far as front suspension goes I will say this first. Do not put a penny into short arms. They don't work well and as soon as you lift it an inch the steep angle gives a harsh ride. Clayton makes the beefiest and still the best long arm kit period. Throw on some real Deaver coils cut to the height you want and you will have the suspension of those that race for just a little more money than off the shelf crap that does not perform. 3 links are not a stable or as strong so go with the 4 arm setup and throw away your swaybars. With the stiff springs and coils along with low ride height you don't need them. http://claytonoffroad.com/product_info.php/cPath/18_68/products_id/110
Aside from my recent steering box upgrade from the old AGR box to the new PSC box this setup has been flawless for me for 4 years of pounding with bistein shocks keeping it under control.
All of this aint cheap but over the years I have learned over and over that if I don't research out and find the best and strongest components I wind up with a mess that needs to be redone. On this setup I have outlined I can say that it's all been working great. The rear is just OME springs with about 4 or 5 leaves added along with the best shackels i could find. Thes have also been flawless over the years and worth a few extra bucks. http://store.jksmfg.com/merchant2/m...ES&Store_Code=JKS01&Category_Code=Leaf_Spring
Wow sorry so long and if anybody has a sugestion or knows of a better/different way to do it or a better products I'd like to hear about them.
To get my steering tight, resonsive and strong I had to stiffen the unibodies outside frame rail from the front bumper all the way back to the rock slider mounts. XJ's flex in this area and crack under the cowling from this flex. Luckily you can do this with aftermarket and eaisily fabed up parts. I fabbed a bumper off of a Detours offroad winch mount. Basically I welded 3x3 tubing to the sides and instant winch bumper with super strong frame tie in mounts. This mount goes all the back to catch the weak steering box mounting holes. http://www.detoursusa.com/xjbackbone.php
Next heading back you come to the weak factory track bar and mount. At the time T&T made the best and they may still be the best. http://www.tntcustoms.com/trackbarsystemmjxjzj.aspx
Fab time: Between the track bar bracket and the Detours bumper mount is a void that needs to be filled with 3/16 plate steel. This is as easy as cutting a cardboard pattern and cutting the steel to weld in place. Now we are all solid steel from the bumper to the track bar mount. Huge improvment in steering if you stop right here. Leave enough metal on top to catch the fourth bolt on a bigger steering box.
Behind the trac bar mount all the way under the cowl is the next flexy part of an XJ but these plates are precut and easily welded on to both sides. http://www.temper-mentalracing.com/TMR/Parts_and_Services.html
Now we come to the inner frame rails. Since the whole oudside is now beefed up there is little to do other than getting rid of the factory aluminium steering box spacer. C-rox makes one but I used a JCR one because again it catches the fourth bolt on a better steering box. http://www.jcroffroad.com/Merchant2...OD&Product_Code=XJSTSPC4&Category_Code=XJMISC
Now your weaksauce unibody is stiff and strong. You won't crack it and the handling on the road or trail will be tight as a rock.
For Steering tie rod draglink and ends I use the Rock Krawler setup because it moves the tie rod on top of the knucle and is so strong you can jack the vehicle from it. It's bolt on and mine has endured many hard miles. http://rockkrawler.com/?r_intro=1
The steering pump on an XJ is weak and needs to be upgraded to a ported box and a smaller overdrive pully. This requires a trip or two to the parts store to find a shorter serpentine belt. It's a dramatic improvment and why some go with hydro assist before doing this simple mod is a mistake. They may not list a pump for your rig like my 98 but they have them along with the pullys.
http://www.pscmotorsports.com/Replacement-Pumps-87-95-yj-/
I would also recomend a steering box from them. I just replaced a worn out AGR superbox with an all new box from PSC and it's night and day better. It's a quicker turning box and the tight twisty sections of trail are really easiy to drive through with it.
As far as front suspension goes I will say this first. Do not put a penny into short arms. They don't work well and as soon as you lift it an inch the steep angle gives a harsh ride. Clayton makes the beefiest and still the best long arm kit period. Throw on some real Deaver coils cut to the height you want and you will have the suspension of those that race for just a little more money than off the shelf crap that does not perform. 3 links are not a stable or as strong so go with the 4 arm setup and throw away your swaybars. With the stiff springs and coils along with low ride height you don't need them. http://claytonoffroad.com/product_info.php/cPath/18_68/products_id/110
Aside from my recent steering box upgrade from the old AGR box to the new PSC box this setup has been flawless for me for 4 years of pounding with bistein shocks keeping it under control.
All of this aint cheap but over the years I have learned over and over that if I don't research out and find the best and strongest components I wind up with a mess that needs to be redone. On this setup I have outlined I can say that it's all been working great. The rear is just OME springs with about 4 or 5 leaves added along with the best shackels i could find. Thes have also been flawless over the years and worth a few extra bucks. http://store.jksmfg.com/merchant2/m...ES&Store_Code=JKS01&Category_Code=Leaf_Spring
Wow sorry so long and if anybody has a sugestion or knows of a better/different way to do it or a better products I'd like to hear about them.
