Daedalus454
December 22nd, 2008, 16:26
Well it took me long enough, but I finally took the XJ out and got it dirty last week. It was the first time I'd had it off road since installing the T&T long arms and the RE XD trackbar and brace.
First I left the swaybar connected to try my hand at some "fast stuff." The front end ate up the bumps, very impressive on washboard sections. I did end up destroying a click pin on my JKS quicker disconnects - I had not checked the swaybar's travel, and it turns out that my swaybar will bottom out against the inner fenders well before I hit my bumpstops. I ended up punching two holes in my inner fenders where the bolts stick through the top of the quicker discos, destroying the passenger side click pin, and bending the passenger's axle-end disco mount.
Disconnected, it flexed very nicely, easily maxing out my 10" shocks. My bumpstops are almost perfect, stopping compression with about 1/4" of shaft showing on the shock during full flex. Fully extended, the coil springs just barely unseat at the top - less than 1/16" of an inch. The brake hoses were pulled nearly straight, but I don't feel that there was any actual tension pulling on the hoses.
The rear end leaves much to be desired. My horrible shackle angle really bit me in the behind, I got next to no droop at all from ride height, and the sharp jolts from the rear were in stark contrast to the smooth front. Additionally, my tires ate my inner fenders before contacting the hard bump stops, so I have some more work to do there.
The trip to my wheeling spot (Jawbone Canyon in Mojave) let me know that I need a bit more work on my driveline angles - the front has a rapid vibration that starts around 60 MPH, the rear has a slower vibe that starts about the same speed.
Tips and advice are certainly appreciated. Let me know what you think.
Finally, here are a few gratuitous poser pictures. :D
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l130/Daedalus83/XJ/P1000186.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l130/Daedalus83/XJ/P1000188.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l130/Daedalus83/XJ/P1000190.jpg
First I left the swaybar connected to try my hand at some "fast stuff." The front end ate up the bumps, very impressive on washboard sections. I did end up destroying a click pin on my JKS quicker disconnects - I had not checked the swaybar's travel, and it turns out that my swaybar will bottom out against the inner fenders well before I hit my bumpstops. I ended up punching two holes in my inner fenders where the bolts stick through the top of the quicker discos, destroying the passenger side click pin, and bending the passenger's axle-end disco mount.
Disconnected, it flexed very nicely, easily maxing out my 10" shocks. My bumpstops are almost perfect, stopping compression with about 1/4" of shaft showing on the shock during full flex. Fully extended, the coil springs just barely unseat at the top - less than 1/16" of an inch. The brake hoses were pulled nearly straight, but I don't feel that there was any actual tension pulling on the hoses.
The rear end leaves much to be desired. My horrible shackle angle really bit me in the behind, I got next to no droop at all from ride height, and the sharp jolts from the rear were in stark contrast to the smooth front. Additionally, my tires ate my inner fenders before contacting the hard bump stops, so I have some more work to do there.
The trip to my wheeling spot (Jawbone Canyon in Mojave) let me know that I need a bit more work on my driveline angles - the front has a rapid vibration that starts around 60 MPH, the rear has a slower vibe that starts about the same speed.
Tips and advice are certainly appreciated. Let me know what you think.
Finally, here are a few gratuitous poser pictures. :D
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l130/Daedalus83/XJ/P1000186.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l130/Daedalus83/XJ/P1000188.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l130/Daedalus83/XJ/P1000190.jpg