Project XJ

[Jeff]

Well this past weekend I had a few more things that needed doing on the old XJ. First was to remove the trac bar bracket and the OEM trac bar and install the BDS trac bar I got. I picked it up used for just $40! New un-installed ends and all. Unlike the stock bar this aftermarket bar can be serviced as well as adjusted to compensate for the lift, so I no longer need the bracket. This is good because the bracket lost me ground clearance as well as being prone to coming loose.

Here is the bar reloaction bracket I wanted to remove as well as the stock trac bar end which was under a lot of stress.




Here are the trac bars side by side. The ends were a real bitch to get in but I don't think they will be coming out any time soon. :thumbup: The gray one is the BDS obviously...HD.



I also lowered the transfercase a bit more in order to rid myself of some vibrations...which it did...but there was a major negative side effect. The engine was pitched so much that the engine under torque moved so much that the mechanical fan actually hit one of the AC lines. The line was damaged but not cut (yet) so I had to do a ghetto fix with JB weld and hope it holds. Here is the damage done.

These bolts held the original mechanical fan.

To fix this I decided I needed to remove the mechanical fan for an electric one. $50 and a trip to advance later I had a 12in electric fan. The load off the engine is noticeable. I am a little concerned about cooling but we will see. Old fan looks like a water wheel compared to that electrical blade.