new and have a few ?'s

okay so i just got this 88'xj (4.0, 5spd, 4x4) for $100 (guy said it needed a clutch) get it home (towed) and noticce hte resevior is empty...hmmm...put fluid in, pumped it...drove it around. the thing reaked of burnt clutch though...so we are going to do the slave and cluth anyway.

this thing has a/c that does not work, so can i just pull all of the a/c stuff out including the "radiator for it" so the main radiator will get more air and run a little cooler? (don't want to convert it to onboard air, just want to free up some h.p. and run a little cooler)

next is the cat, i don't have to worry about emisions, the cat looks somewhat new...but it needs a catback badly...so for $105 to my door i'm getting the dynomax cat back and might replace the cat with a strait pipe. if i do get rid of the cat....will it help...or hurt?

now, for the main use of the truck will be onroad comuting to work (construction) and the ocasinal "mild" offraoding (basically muddy orcards), so i don't want to go more than 3" in lift..and don't need crazy articulation. i want to go 31x10 on black craigers...but i might do a 2" ome kit and just run 30x9's. i amd not going to be a hard core offroader...no need to keep braking things and fixing them. but i love the look of the 3" with 31's...it looks perfect to me.

so with that said...woud my drive line be safer (geometry wise) with the 2" ome. or sould i just go with a 3-3.5" re lift?

sorry for a long post...and bad spelling

thanks

88'XJ said:

this thing has a/c that does not work, so can i just pull all of the a/c stuff out including the "radiator for it" so the main radiator will get more air and run a little cooler? (don't want to convert it to onboard air, just want to free up some h.p. and run a little cooler)

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First, welcome to the forum. You'll hear it alot so....Search is your friend..

That said, when you pull the A/C make sure you have a shop purge the system properly. It will lightening things up, but I doubt it will make any more HP.

next is the cat, i don't have to worry about emisions, the cat looks somewhat new...but it needs a catback badly...so for $105 to my door i'm getting the dynomax cat back and might replace the cat with a strait pipe. if i do get rid of the cat....will it help...or hurt? now, for the main use of the truck will be onroad comuting to work (construction) and the ocasinal "mild" offraoding (basically muddy orcards)

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If this is going to be your DD you should retain the cat. State may not require it but dropping it won't really do much for you power-wise, and you could run into legal problems without it.

so i don't want to go more than 3" in lift..and don't need crazy articulation. i want to go 31x10 on black craigers...

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I run an RE 3.5 SF system on exactly the tire/wheel combo you are talking. With a little trimming (and application of BFH) I have plenty of articulation with NO problems.

Welcome again and good luck.

non-stick said:

I run an RE 3.5 SF system on exactly the tire/wheel combo you are talking. With a little trimming (and application of BFH) I have plenty of articulation with NO problems.

Welcome again and good luck.

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did you do a sye? or a drop for the transfer?

i don't want to "trim" anything, just bigger bump stops maybee?

bfh? tried searching that one...got nothing.

thanks

Big F**kin Hammer

With the AC, after it's been confirmed as empty, go ahead and pull the plumbing, and remove the condenser from the front if you want. Check your radiator carefully for "fin rot." As they age, the copper fins will corrode off, leaving the tubes naked. The radiator won't leak, but it won't cool well either.

It's easier to leave the compressor on, and just let the clutch act as an idler, because you will otherwise need a replacement bracket with an idler pulley on it. Since the AC clutch idler is at least as durable as the non-AC idler, you might as well leave it as long as it isn't worn out.

If this Jeep is to be a DD, and the off-roading really mild, I would suggest you wait on the lift until you see whether you'll need it at all. You might be pleasantly surprised at how well a box stock XJ does with good tires. Just my personal preference as an occasional mild off-roader who puts a lotalota road miles on.

Oh, and welcome, etc. Looks like a good bargain there.

thanks

hers the post with pics

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=76014

88'XJ said:

did you do a sye? or a drop for the transfer?

i don't want to "trim" anything, just bigger bump stops maybee?

bfh? tried searching that one...got nothing.

thanks

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No SYE, no TC drop, no shims, yet. I have a pretty substantial front bumper, winch, dual battery setup along with rear tire/gas can carrier so I'm probably not getting the full 3.5" anymore, but no vibration problems with this system at all.

The system included front bump stops and I had to buy replacement for the rear (rotted off long ago), but with the proper backspacing on the wheels I got minimal rub at full compression and none on the LCA's, so trimming was my choice.

And yes

raypla said:

Big F**kin Hammer

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is correct.

There is some merit to what Matthew Currie said regarding keeping it stock. It is fun to mod, but these vehicles are EXTREMELY capable in stock form.

non-stick said:

No SYE, no TC drop, no shims, yet. I have a pretty substantial front bumper, winch, dual battery setup along with rear tire/gas can carrier so I'm probably not getting the full 3.5" anymore, but no vibration problems with this system at all.

The system included front bump stops and I had to buy replacement for the rear (rotted off long ago), but with the proper backspacing on the wheels I got minimal rub at full compression and none on the LCA's, so trimming was my choice.

And yes is correct.

There is some merit to what Matthew Currie said regarding keeping it stock. It is fun to mod, but these vehicles are EXTREMELY capable in stock form.

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thanks..just so i'm sure....back sapcing should be 4.5" ? for that combo?

as far as stock goes...i'll try it for a bit...i really want a rear posi (alot diff in my freids 06' tj with the rear posi off road)

but i have my daily (99' supercharged grand prix) all done up with ecu pully intake full exhaust ect.. and i'm still not satisfied...i have to mod my rides for some damn reason.

i have a left over k&n cone sitting here waiting to go on...and i just ordered the dynomax cat-back cause the factory one is wired together. other that that and the clutch/slavei 'm going to leave it for a bit...prolly get the recovery hooks for the front (the reinforced ones) and maybee a hitch for the rear (incase i get stuck)

thanks again

88'XJ said:

thanks..just so i'm sure....back sapcing should be 4.5" ? for that combo?

as far as stock goes...i'll try it for a bit...i really want a rear posi (alot diff in my freids 06' tj with the rear posi off road)

but i have my daily (99' supercharged grand prix) all done up with ecu pully intake full exhaust ect.. and i'm still not satisfied...i have to mod my rides for some damn reason.

i have a left over k&n cone sitting here waiting to go on...and i just ordered the dynomax cat-back cause the factory one is wired together. other that that and the clutch/slavei 'm going to leave it for a bit...prolly get the recovery hooks for the front (the reinforced ones) and maybee a hitch for the rear (incase i get stuck)

thanks again

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Of course if you want to lift it because you want to lift it, that's another matter. It will probably get through the orchard either way.

Do get front hooks and make sure you get the proper frame reinforcers. You can sometimes find these at a junkyard, but be prepared to torch them off. The bolts used have torx heads and they're a PITA. The heads of the set that goes behind the front stabilizer bar must be shallow to prevent interference. If you get a receiver hitch for the rear consider springing for the proper Jeep nut strips that go inside the frame. Easy bolting and unbolting, no need to fish things through.