X-Factor.... JK axle swap in my XJ

[tow hook]

LOOKS GOOD, i like the idea of making my own u-bolt flip kit. looks like 3/16 2 x 4" square stock. or is it thicker ?

 

[XFACTOR]

Thanks man!! Its 3/8", 5"x5" OD, 6 1/2" long.. Worked out great!

 

[tow hook]

Thanks man!! Its 3/8", 5"x5" OD, 6 1/2" long.. Worked out great!

HUMM. i'll have to track some down.. it seems cheaper to build then pay 139$ + shipping for it.... thanks

 

[XFACTOR]

HUMM. i'll have to track some down.. it seems cheaper to build then pay 139$ + shipping for it.... thanks

i preffer to make stuff myself.. but do remember that once you add the hardware ( 8x grade 8 bolts, nuts, washers ) a hole saw the diameter of your axle tube and a 9/16" drill bit, it adds up quick! but the tools i get to keep and i get braging rights!!

 

[kndrewa]

...but the tools i get to keep...

I keep trying to explain this to my wife!
She's having trouble letting my buy any more because we live in a 1 bdrm apt. downtown...
...I'm lucky though, she let me build a work bench where normal people put their dining table...

 

[XFACTOR]

thats awesome!!! looks like you found yourself a keeper!!

 

[yossarian19]

Im jealous. Of the work bench. And axles.

 

[XFACTOR]

after some thought i decided to make my own truss... didnt wanna go crazy and add a bunch of weight.. so i came up with this ides out of some 2 1/2" x 1/4" that i had picked up.. and its areodynamic!! lol

 

[XFACTOR]

so with all the pieces welded on to the axle it was time to install it and do up the brake lines, breather tube and try and sort out how to do the e brake... still working on the last one...

 

[XFACTOR]

since the breater tube is on the passenger side of the axle.. xj its on the driver side... i couldnt use the stock location and had to get creative. just so happens that the gas tank bracket had a hole that worked out great so i stuffed it in there!!! the tube has a little cap that prevents dirt and water from getting in the tube.. so for now im happy with it!!

 

[Voteban]

Nice work man! I want to swap JK axles under my XJ as well. I want Rubi 44s unless I can get a sick deal on a JK 30/44 pair. I'm planning on running 35s though. Your work is very clean / simple, I like it!

 

[yossarian19]

Nice job with the plumbing. What did you us? re-purposed front lines?

 

[XFACTOR]

Nice work man! I want to swap JK axles under my XJ as well. I want Rubi 44s unless I can get a sick deal on a JK 30/44 pair. I'm planning on running 35s though. Your work is very clean / simple, I like it!

id be lying if i said the thought of 35s hasnt crossed my mind... i think once the bushwackers flat fenders go on ill know for sure!!! your just fueling the fire!! lmao!!!

 

[XFACTOR]

Nice job with the plumbing. What did you us? re-purposed front lines?

yes!! i bought the same lines that came with the kit for the front.. added 12" of 3/16" brake line to make the final connections... really happy with the way it turned out! just need to make some brakets/clips to hold the lines away from the bump stops.

 

[yossarian19]

Thought so. Looks very clean. When I did my ZJ conversion I had a hard time with positioning the soft lines. I used OEM ZJ rubber lines. Eventually I welded a couple bolts to the axle housing, threw the tab on the soft line onto that & double nutted it. Works, though I'm not sure I have enough slack in the lines.
I like your solution better. Honestly, it ought to be integrated into somebody's rear disc kit.

 

[XFACTOR]

Thought so. Looks very clean. When I did my ZJ conversion I had a hard time with positioning the soft lines. I used OEM ZJ rubber lines. Eventually I welded a couple bolts to the axle housing, threw the tab on the soft line onto that & double nutted it. Works, though I'm not sure I have enough slack in the lines.
I like your solution better. Honestly, it ought to be integrated into somebody's rear disc kit.

i could have used the stock JK brake lines front and rear and did a similar setup for the back. the rough country kit came with new lines for the front and a new line for the rear for drum brake setup. for the 50 bucks i opted to just replace the stock JK lines... i actually gave my buddy the JK front lines and hes gonna be using them in the rear of his JK.. low buck solution for extended brake lines in a JK!!

 

[XFACTOR]

so one of the last things i had left to do was the steering. had to mess around a bit to get the JK drag link to work but in the end it turned out great! i used a JK pitman arm because the XJ arm had the wrong tapper and wouldnt take the JK ball joint.. the one on the right is the stock one, and the one on the left is the JK one.. the middle one is the rough country XJ drop down pitman arm.. another reason i had to use a JK arm is cause its longer.. thus giving it more throw left and right... it has a bit of a bend in it but this didnt afect anything.

 

[XFACTOR]

with the pitman arm sorted out... i had a drag link that was just over 3 1/4" to long so an inch and a bit was cut off of each threaded end and the sleeve was also trimmed down by a couple inches.. after i installed it i was very happy with the angle of the drag link compared to the track bar!!

 

[XFACTOR]

well i gotta say im very pleased with the swap!!! it looks great and its 100% jeep right down to the full width axles and the wheels!! all in all it was an easy swap and i cant wait to get it out on some trails!!!

this concludes my JK axle swap into a XJ.... thanks for taking the time to check it out and hope i could shine some light on this topic.. feel free to comment or ask any questions regarding this swap.. would love to hear what you jeepers think or help you along if your thinking of doing these axles!!! heres a couple more pics and stay tuned for my build thread where i will be doing many more mods!!

 

[kndrewa]

Well done, sir!