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Lets say you were going to road race an XJ

cal

cal

NAXJA Forum User
NAXJA Member
Location
Hammertown, USA
Where would you start for VERY CHEAP handling improvements?

I'm thinking move the gas tank, 2wd beam up front, spring under rear, lowered ~3" with stiff springs and decent shocks..

Any experiance from the guys who went the opposite direction as me?
 
Apparently I didn't know what I was searching for.

Thanks!
 
I am going this way with my MJ. I got a set of WJ tube arms, and I am getting the biggest swaybars I can find. I lowered it a little, I plan on lowering it another 2in or so. Add a front airdam from a blazer like Dino. I have the WJ knuckles and calipers I want to add, and I have a 3 turn z rated steering box from a formula trans am. Then start working on engine stuff. I may even keep the 4cyl and go with a remote mount turbo instead of a I6 or V8 swap.
 
I'm not allowed to spend that much money. :)

Maybe, and this is a big maybe at this point, Team Naxja will be going to LeMons.
 
The inline 6 is like a anchor in the front. I had a '79 Mustang Cobra with the 2.3 turbo. Cranked the factory boost from 6PSI to 10PSI, added water injection to prevent pre-ignition. Blew off all the stock V8's no problem. No power steering, but it was light enough that I didn't need it. Good luck, going around corners is way more fun than acceleration. Later I bought a '93 Lightning pickup. Same story. The acceleration was fun, but taking people around the corners at speed in a full size pick-up blew their minds the most. The only two vehicles I bought new!
 
cal said:
I'm not allowed to spend that much money. :)

Maybe, and this is a big maybe at this point, Team Naxja will be going to LeMons.
Click to expand...

Dude, I would love to be a part of that!
 
cal said:
I'm not allowed to spend that much money. :)

Maybe, and this is a big maybe at this point, Team Naxja will be going to LeMons.
Click to expand...

the $500 or less challenge? I have always wanted to do that. The costs mount up quickly though.

All the parts I mentioned can be found in JYs for reasonably cheap. I traded my stock MJ Shackles for the WJ arms and they were already cut for an XJ/MJ. Swaybars are easy from a V8 GC. for road racing you will want to get a good set of brakes, but you could still do that on a budget. Heck, grab a 1996 booster and MC for cheap at the JY and go with it. With all the parts I got, I have spent maybe $100 in the truck. Everything else was either a trade or free.
 
wolfpackjeeper said:
the $500 or less challenge? I have always wanted to do that. The costs mount up quickly though.
Click to expand...

Maybe the $20__ Challenge that Grassroots Motorsports holds, get Renix or Early H.O. and throw a bunch of well selected JY sourced factory parts on it, bolt up good shocks and tires, then find a competent driver that isn't afraid to throw an SUV around like a sports car:party:

wolfpackjeeper said:
All the parts I mentioned can be found in JYs for reasonably cheap. I traded my stock MJ Shackles for the WJ arms and they were already cut for an XJ/MJ. Swaybars are easy from a V8 GC. for road racing you will want to get a good set of brakes, but you could still do that on a budget. Heck, grab a 1996 booster and MC for cheap at the JY and go with it. With all the parts I got, I have spent maybe $100 in the truck. Everything else was either a trade or free.
Click to expand...

Yup, TJ front springs, Libby/ZJ rear disks, urethane bushings, wide JY rims from a TJ, ZJ, or Mustang, '99+ intake, ect on top of what you listed. Shocks and tires would be personal preference, but that would be about it.
 
If it were me I would...

1. Lighten the hell out of it.
2. leave the gas tank where it is
3. definetly 2wd beam
4. lower as much as you can while leaving 2-3in up travel
5. focus most of your $ on sway bars and tire

The biggest improvement you can make to your track times in this case, is by loosing weight. If it's allowed in the rules, get rid of every non-load bearing peice of steel/plastic you can. Once you got it light I'd focus on getting it stiff, stable, and turnable. The XJ is going to have ungodly amounts of understeer, which is going to require stiff rear springs and a thicker rear sway bar.

It's not going to be a rocket ship, but it'll be faster than you think if done right.
 
1329.jpg


Know your competition......... :scared:
 
I have a 2wd short bed mj with a 2.5 i have been considering for the 24 hrs of lemons damn thing wouldn't break and is alot of fun to drive.
 
After lowering it 6 it will still be wide and tall. A brick to push thru the air and ride like a logging wagon. But I GOT to see an XJ scrap on speed bumps. :) MAX luck.
 
Last edited:
Chop the top, run a 242t-case. and make sure you put the disc hubcaps on .. hahaha
 
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