Hello from KY

[96 XJ Sport]

I'm new to NAXJA and just wanted to say hi and introduce myself. My name is Eric and as you can tell by my username I'm not big on creativity. Hey, I'm an accountant so cut me some slack, haha! I've been hanging out over at CherokeeForum (96 XJ Sport over there, too) since last fall when I bought my current XJ, a 96 Sport 4dr 4.0 AW4 8.25. I had a very similar 94 a few years back and regretted selling it, so here I go again. I met XJStryker over at CF and I got tired of him telling me how great NAXJA was...just kidding buddy :laugh:

As I said, I'm an accountant, not a mechanic, but I do like working on my own junk. I'm almost finished with my lift and SYE install...RE 3.5 and RE SYE with dpgoffroad DS. I'm a noob to offroading, but I'm going to be kicking off my new hobby with my first trail run sometime soon. Anyway, I'm looking to get involved over here, too and meet some more local XJ fans. So there you go, I'm sure I'm missing something, but it's late and I need to go to sleep. Glad to be here!

[96 XJ Sport]

Here's before and after pics...SYE and DS are yet to be installed, but at least it looks good, eh?

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/007.jpg

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/0012.jpg

[XJ Stryker]

Welcome to NAXJA Eric. You will find a ton of Information on this site. And here people actually wheel.

[XJ&CHZ4ME]

Welcome Eric to NAXJA

Good to see that your getting your hands dirty with the install. The only way to learn is to get in there and do it :thumbup: Keep your calander open for the begining of March, that is when the MWC hosts Winterfest. You wont want to miss it. Keep us updated on your build and hope to see ya on the trails.

I like cheese.

[FlexdXJ]

Welcome aboard man! I agree with Tyler Winterfest is one you won't want to miss! Especially if he has the cheese dispenser in tow! :D You got a nice rig man!

[XJ Stryker]

I will be hounding him to go wheelin prior to WF hopefully carnagefest will be a good time for him to test his ride!

[RAM-ROD]

Welcome Eric. Like the lift. Oh ya i have the same one, anyway this site has great peole and great info as Stryker said

[96 XJ Sport]

Thanks for the welcomes guys! Tyler, I like you already...I get giddy over most dairy products myself.

OK, what's this carnagefest? Doesn't sound like a good way to break in my new rig, lol.

[hanaxj87]

Welcome Eric, Nice rig..

Heres a vid from last years Carnagefest.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFdiZgYfqFo

Nick

[96 XJ Sport]

Hey, it might take me awhile to work up to that kind of carnage, but I'm game. When and where?

[XJ Stryker]

OH it has yet to be announced but it is one of the two big runs the MWC has every year. Usually in Aug-Sept if memory serves.

But there will be plenty of smaller get togethers and runs to help ya build up your courage. Just keep looking through these threads and you will see them coming up. These are a great group of guys and it doesn't matter if you are a newb or experienced one wheelin trip with them and you will feel like part of the family.

[FlexdXJ]

Thanks for the welcomes guys! Tyler, I like you already...I get giddy over most dairy products myself.

OK, what's this carnagefest? Doesn't sound like a good way to break in my new rig, lol.

Its not too bad really but lbexj had the misfortune of a blown power steering line which resulted in a fire that was the worst. I got a dent on my fender and a couple guys lost some glass. I think they just ran out of names! :D

[96 XJ Sport]

Hehe, glad to hear carnage is optional! But hey, sometimes it happens.

[96 XJ Sport]

Well, if you haven't heard about my goof on my SYE install, check out the "Important" thread here in the MWC. On my first time using a tap, I broke it off in the tail shaft. Much could be said about that, lol. Here's some pics of the successful parts of the install. Don't have any pics of the broken tap yet cuz I wasn't in the mood for photography at that point. I hope to get it fixed today so I can go on my first wheelin trip tomorrow with Rob.

Got the shaft cut off smooth and square by letting it spin in reverse...was just like cutting on a lathe (not that I've ever done that either!)
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/001-Copy5.jpg

Slid the SYE flange onto the shortened shaft temporarily just so I could more easily find the center of the shaft with my punch.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/003-Copy3.jpg

This was the final drill with the 21/64" bit supplied with the RE kit. I started with a 5/64" pilot hole followed by a 3/16". I didn't drill it crooked, but it looks like it in the pic because the drill is hanging by its own weight.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/004-Copy3.jpg

Then it got ugly... More to come when I start extracting the broken tap later today.

[96 XJ Sport]

Thank you, God! It's done!

Rob, I am absolutely crazy, but I'll see you in a few hours :guitar:

Plan A or Plan B didn't work out, but Plan C did...my neighbor just welded the flange onto the shaft. It will be a pain if I ever need to break open the t-case, but oh well, it's done.

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/004-Copy4.jpg
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/010.jpg
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/011.jpg

[96 XJ Sport]

Well, it didn't take Rob long to get me on the trails. Thanks for inviting me, buddy. A last minute opportunity came up to wheel at some private property in Hardin County yesterday. Sorry Rob, all I got were pictures of your back end since I was following...if I was a better photographer I could have caught your front tires off the ground a few times lol.

I had a blast! These little XJs do more than I thought they would with open diffs. I'm hooked! Somebody tell me if I'm being a pic whore. I'm not sure how you all roll over here yet.

Driving up to the property with our trail leader. He was locked F and R with 4.56s and 34s (I think). Needless to say, his wheelin was effortless compared to ours. Cool guy.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/002-2.jpg
Rob grinning as we entered the trails...
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/003-1.jpg
A little poser shot of the lineup. Trails were pretty tight...mostly just new spring growth, not too bad.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/017.jpg
Several opportunities for rocks at this place.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/006-1.jpg

http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/007-1.jpg
Another poser with my boy in his seat...I had another buddy riding shotgun and 3 kids in the back, probably a little brave for the first time out, but oh well. Rob, your boys were absolutely well-behaved BTW, nice job!
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/010-1.jpg
Slippery rocks...
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/011-1.jpg
And more rocks...
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/013.jpg
Some fun uphill ruts...thanks for spinning off that top layer of slime for me, Rob.
http://i441.photobucket.com/albums/qq133/wheater13/first%20wheelin%20trip/015.jpg

[dudeinanxj]

Nice pics and looks like some good trails there.

[96 XJ Sport]

Yep, and there was plenty of more challenging stuff for those that are more built. Hope to go back there again sometime. Next time I post wheelin pics, I'll start a new thread, though. Just thought I'd post these here since it was my first time wheelin and all. Hope to see you on the trails sometime, dude.

[XJ&CHZ4ME]

Good pics, even if Rob was in them :D It is good to see new guys getting into the sport and taking the family along as well. :thumbup:

[96 XJ Sport]

It was funny, I asked my son (6) and daughter (4) the next day if they wanted to go wheelin again and my son was all "yeah, yeah!" and my daughter said "no daddy, that was too boyish. I'm going to do something girly with mommy next time". That's cool, at least she tried it. I'm glad to see that families are welcome in this crowd :thumbup:

[XJ Stryker]

Nice pics man sorry I never replied or called I am in Washington for the next 2 weeks working. I may have a line on some northwest wheelin though. course I would have to ride shotgun but hey i am sure it would still be fun.

[96 XJ Sport]

No worries, Rob. Hope the NW wheelin works out for ya.

[IndyXJ]

Check out www.itsajeep.org sometime if you want. Lots of wheelers local to you(KY,TN,IN, AL,etc) They hit Turkey Bay especially in LBL. I pretty much hang out there and NAXJA.

[96 XJ Sport]

Check out www.itsajeep.org (http://www.itsajeep.org) sometime if you want. Lots of wheelers local to you(KY,TN,IN, AL,etc) They hit Turkey Bay especially in LBL. I pretty much hang out there and NAXJA.

Hey Bill. Sorry, your PM the other day got lost in the shuffle. Thanks for the invite. I'll definitely check it out. Really been wanting meet some more locals and hit Turkey Bay, too.