A large XJ ...

[PA Highlander]

Don't know if ya'll have seen these photos yet or not, so here they are: Big Blue XJ (http://groups.msn.com/Duche79sXJOffroad/shoebox.msnw) There are some odd things in the front suspension that has me wondering. I'm not a suspension expert, but the trackbar and drag link I thought were supposed to be parallel. And check out the really long sway bar links :eek: The link to these photos showed up on a local list, but it appears the owner is in MI.

[Pete M]

If I remember right, that trackbar was a temporary thing just to be able to drive it to the show. Word has it that he's got a *real* one now. :-)
Jeep on!
--Pete

[FatXJ]

Yeah that's Duche's. I go wheelin with him. It is corrected for the time being. He has since added limiting straps to keep his springs in. You must first know that this is only a trail rig it doesn't get road driven much, so bump steer isn't a real problem.

I first posted this about a month ago before I really knew him. There was some speculation on frame modifications and I will tell you that the original frame is still there. He has two 4"x4" rails welded to the frame to form his front end supports.

The real problem is that he breaks it all the time. Last weekend he managed to forget that his battery wasn't connected to his alternator. He has also ripped off one of his links and has serious cooling issues.


The attached pic is from two weeks ago on our snow trip.
http://www.sos.mtu.edu/4x4/rigs.htm
The link is for more info on his rig.

[FatXJ]

Here is another pic to compare his Cherokee with 42's compared to mine (the silver one in the rear) with 31's.

[PA Highlander]

Originally posted by FatXJ
[B]Yeah that's Duche's. I go wheelin with him. It is corrected for the time being. He has since added limiting straps to keep his springs in. You must first know that this is only a trail rig it doesn't get road driven much, so bump steer isn't a real problem.


Hey FatXJ,

It sure is one big ol XJ! I'm actually glad to hear that it isn't a daily driver. It does look purpose built for playing in mud with the altitude ... why did he go coils instead of leaf conversions like most that are mainly mud runners? Good to see another XJ pushing the limits.

[FatXJ]

It's not a mud runner. It's a trail rig. He runs it everywhere and as some people have found out big leaves don't work well when you're running supposed 20" of lift.

His axles are from his old trail rig which burned to the ground. And the rest was home built so he decided to build it with coils all around.

[notorious DUG]

Why woudl you do all of that work and then run what looks to be stock location based control arms?

Why would you not use all that hieght and clerance to triangulate the front arms?

Why would you put your CG that high up for a trail rig?

[MaXJohnson]

and why would you want so much axle steer?

and why would you run negative castor?

and why would you run a track bar backwards, even for a trail rig?