Project XJ

[Jeff]

So this weekend I only had time for one simple project. I had been experiencing bump steer so I decided to get a Rusty's upgraded steering stabilizer. It was freakin huge compared to the the old one.


It was a little bit of a bitch but not that bad. The old one was really floppy and wore out. Great deal for $35


Also I took some follow up pics from last weeks electrical projects.






I love having all the extra light back there!

[Jake]

The lights in the hatch look like a great mod for any SUV. Nice to have for tailgating or just seeing what's in and around the cargo area.

Nice work on everything, it all looks clean and well thought out!

[Steve85]

Nice work on everything, it all looks clean and well thought out!

Yeah, no kidding. If I didn't know any better, I would think it was a factory option..

[Jeff]

Just thinking on some tags...

MM XJ
CHEAP XJ
XJ CNTRY
VA DEALR
JP DEALR (Jeep dealer)
WOODGAR (The business "Woodstock Garage" is often shortened in this way for usernames and email addresses)
TOW HERE (tags mount above both of my hitch points)
WAT ROAD
F PAVMNT
AMC TIME
JP FTW
4-0L FTW
OLD XJJP
31-INCHS
NO FRAME (XJ's are unibodys)
POOR MPG
STUCK XJ
NO SWAYS

[JustinG]

BAWLIN
BOMBOM
SKT SKT
GAWDDMN

Those are your only options

[ScottyB]

WONT DIE
REAL SUV
F YEAH (America!)
4LO 2GO
YAY TORK
MLTI PAS (was thinking multi-purpose but thought of the 5th element instead)
TRL RATD

[Jeff]

no one has any meaningful input? typical.

[Jeff]

Scotty outta fuckin nowhere!

[Jeff]

4-LO FTW, 4LO 2GO was taken

[ScottyB]

4PT WHOA
4PT SLOW
GTFO 4HI
GTFO 2WD
4HI FTL
RAM ROD
RAMP IT
ZMBY CAR (can't kill a 4.0!)
LIV AXLS
CRAWL IT

[Jeff]

SKID PL8
TRAL R8D
MUD R8D

[BLAIR]

31's arent at all worth bragging over.. especially in the valley area.. there are some HUGE XJs. My stock rubicon came with 32s..

I saw a JK this week in nova with that tags "THRTY9S" If your going to brag about tire sizw make sure its something BAD ASS

[Jeff]

31's arent at all worth bragging over.. especially in the valley area.. there are some HUGE XJs. My stock rubicon came with 32s..

I saw a JK this week in nova with that tags "THRTY9S" If your going to brag about tire sizw make sure its something BAD ASS

Meh, I disagree. I think anything bigger then 33's is silly. A JK Rubicon is a different thing then an XJ as you well know...an XJ without cut fenders will not really take bigger then 31s. I want my vehicle to look stock so I'm not cutting the fenders and I don't want ANY rubbing. So 31's are as big as I want to go with this setup. "Huge" is not really my thing. Thats the biggest reason I decided against buying yours, its just bigger then I want/need right now. When I sell it and get a TJ I will likely go 33's.

Anyway...the winner was "TRAL R8D"

[CaptainHenreh]

Anyway...the winner was "DICK LVR"

Seriously, you picked "TRAL R8D"? :vomit:

[Jeff]

Whats so bad about that? I decided I should go generic so when I get my next Jeep I can just change over. I will likely get an older TJ Wrangler in the summer.

[BLAIR]

buy pauls.. already done :thumbup:

[Ryan T]

Whats so bad about that? I decided I should go generic so when I get my next Jeep I can just change over. I will likely get an older TJ Wrangler in the summer.

You chose your tag based on the savings of $30 you'll have when you trade jeeps? Either way, still cool. Enjoy! Oh, and even with a lift 31s might rub some, they did on my cherokee at full lock.

[Jeff]

Whats so bad about that? I decided I should go generic so when I get my next Jeep I can just change over. I will likely get an older TJ Wrangler in the summer.

You chose your tag based on the savings of $30 you'll have when you trade jeeps? Either way, still cool. Enjoy! Oh, and even with a lift 31s might rub some, they did on my cherokee at full lock.

I almost got plain tags to save the $10. But the point wasn't really the money, it was having a Jeep related tag for my next Jeep that wasn't XJ specific.

[Jeff]

Well, we got the lift done in two nights. My buddy Dale helped me. An old highschool friend who was back in town for the holidays. My boy with the lifted Jeep has been to busy to help. The front end was WAY more of a bitch then the back which was completely unexpected. I thought the front was going to be easy money. The front end just required a lot of disassembly and it was a bit of a pain in the ass because everything was rusted so badly. I broke all 4 of the rear top shock bolts. They had to be drilled and tapped, I was too lazy for this so I paid $50 to have the shop do it. I hated it but it was better then fucking with it for hours. I didn't have the correct tools and it was going to be a real bitch. Robert had it done in 45 mins, a new record for him. Anyway, on to the pics! You must wait for the finished pic, haven't taken one yet as it was dark out.

Anne filled my first aid box for Christmas


She also got me a Cobra 75. I'm trying to decide on an antenna as we speak.


I didn't have my camera when we did the front, so here are a few pics. Here also are my home grown sway bar end-links which are "quick" disconnect.


Trac-bar bolt was a bitch.


Comparo shot


Top detail


Installed


"Disconnected"


The rear was actually really easy.

Dropped out the old pack down to just the top leaf


Test fit the top long new leaf


Cut off the extra


Comparo pic


New pack with huge overload leaf! We put one of the leafs in backwards on the first side and had to take it apart and refit.


And finally we installed the baller brake line.


I'll take some finished pics later today. Just figured I would post these to give MM something to look at for a bit. Comments of suggestions are encouraged.

[.RJ]

What is that extra shock in the front?