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Oil Town XJ's 2 Door Build

O

Oil Town XJ

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Edmonton, AB
This build actually started in April, but I decided to wait until I had a lot done before I put it on here.

The Specs
2000 Cherokee sport
Dana 44's front and rear
4.56 gears with aussie lockers
35" KM2's
NP241 rock-trac
BDS 6.5" Longarm
Shackle relocation brackets
12" travel 7100 short bodies
Iceland offroad XJ flares

I bought this Cherokee last november when my old Cherokee was written off after being rear ended by an FJ cruiser:smsoap:

Here's a shot of my 94 before being written off
xj1.jpg

IMG_0005.jpg

Getting hauled away after being stripped
theendofthe94.jpg

The 2000, I ended up getting a really good deal because the 8.25" in it was toast
S5000673.jpg

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The first thing I did was install some ebay ricer clear corners and a pair of rampage h4 housings.
S5000723.jpg

Next I upgraded to the ea headlight harness and then a few weeks later added ddmtuning HID's, which was a huge mistake! The headlights blinded everyone so I had them pretty much pointed straight down. I want bright lights, but didn't want higher wattage bulbs because up here in Alberta your headlights crack pretty fast if you headlights get to hot.
[
S5000715.jpg

the ddm kit, which quality was really lacking, but for $50 I guess you can't complain much. After 4 months one bulb is toast and one ballast is toast, I'm still trying to see if they will warranty them.
S5000020.jpg

The cut off didn't look too bad in the garage, but once I got outside to aim them thats when you see all the light scattered above the cut off.
S5000719.jpg
 
Then after a couple weeks after waiting on parts the real build started

First up were Unibody stiffeners from staangs fab
S5000786.jpg

First step was to remove all that nasty undercoating, it was actually pretty easy using a torch to heat it up and then just scrap it off with a scraper.
S5000788.jpg

Clamped in place
S5000789.jpg

Next was the shackle relocation brackets, I don't have any pictures from the install, but everyone has seen that 100 times
S5000815.jpg

Both 44's came out of my old cherokee, the front is from an 82 waggy, it has 4.56 gears, an aussie lockers, Ballistic mounts and Ballistic 1 ton steering
S5000620.jpg

I always hated the Trac-bar that came with the BDS Long arm kit, it used a tierod at the body end and a bushing at the axle end. This caused way to much bumpsteer in my old cherokee
I ended up using some .250 dom tubing for the trac bar with a Ballistic joint at one end and flex joint at the other.
S5000027.jpg

Painted it Orange
S5000030.jpg

I used a Clayton trac bar mount for the body and a ruff stuff mount for the axle
S5000822.jpg

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Then came the BDS LA install, I had to paint it orange to match the track bar obviously :D
S5000825.jpg

I sold my BDS shocks and got a great deal on some 12" travel short bodies from a guy off dezertrangers
CIMG0116.jpg

CIMG0115.jpg

Next I traded my 33's for some 35" Km2's
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Sitting on all 4's for the first time in a couple weeks
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I found a guy parting an 05 rubi and I bought the NV 241 rock trac off him
231 out
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the 241
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The 241 install was actually pretty easy the it bolts right in and clocks up higher then the 231. The only two problems were the shifter and the plug for the dash lights.
For the shifter I used http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/kit_sk2xr.htm
For the plug a few guys recommended this http://www.jbconversions.com/products/nvg241or/4wdswitch.php, but I was cheap and didn't want to spend the money.

Then I found this post on Jeepforum and order teh pigtail and switch from rock auto http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f9/np241j-rock-trac-transfer-case-4wd-switch-revealed-651308/
The pig tail worked fine, but the switch didn't work. It didn't matter what position I had the shift lever in, it always said I was in 4wd.
I ended up using the stock switch and when I'm in 2hi or 4hi the light is off and when i'm in 4low the light is on
S5000819.jpg
 
Next came the Iceland offroad Flare install
To start off I was too impressed with the quality of flare for the price I paid! The mounting system for these flares is the major week point, the bolts to mount the flares are only held in with bondo:puke:

A couple of the bolts had already fell off when the flares arrived
CIMG0121.jpg

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They mounting hardware they sent me was just some washer that were too small for the bolts. There is also no instructions for the flares
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The first step was to renforce all the bolts with some 6oz biaxle matting and epoxy resin
S5000038.jpg

I started with the front, since it was easy!
Just tape off where you want to cut and mark off the holes
S5000047.jpg

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Next came the rear, just like the front tape off where you want to cut and mark the hole
S5000057.jpg

No here comes the fun part, you have to cut out the pinch seem and weld in a new inner fender
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Looks like a nice neighborhood, im sure they love your jeep as much as my neighbors do! They always give me weird looks when driveway testing my heep in different ways.
 
dellstopjeep said:
Looks like a nice neighborhood, im sure they love your jeep as much as my neighbors do! They always give me weird looks when driveway testing my heep in different ways.
Click to expand...
The neighbours aren't the biggest fans of the XJ, or the air compressor, or friends broken rigs that like to hang out in my driveway
 
I needed to drown out the sound from my Aussie's so I picked up Rockford fosgate 10" P3 shallow mount. I bought the sub box off a guy who said he got it from subthump.com, but it looks a little different.
DSC01647.jpg

CIMG1040.jpg

I also installed a Rail shifter at the same time, but I'm having problems with it. The shifter part works fine, it the tc switch thats the problem. When I try and lock or unlock my tc when the tcu is controlling my transmission it turns off solenoid 1 and 2 putting me in 4th gear.:dunno:

I've followed the instructions and cant for the life of me figure it out! I hate wiring
CIMG1039.jpg

My 110v welder was working a little to hard, so I picked up a Longevity 205
CIMG1042.jpg
 
My current projects that I'm just finishing up
My rock sliders are done they just need to be mounted
CIMG1055.jpg

CIMG1057.jpg

Hummer style intake its done, but just needs to be cleaned up a little bit. It uses an edge 62mm throttle body, spectre 4" inline filter and an AEV/Donaldson topspin prefilter. Yes thats snow already! It snowed up here yesterday
CIMG1087.jpg

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Last edited:
I just got one of those rail shifers a few months back, it is the best thing ive bought for my jeep so far. But im only running the rail shifter so its a semi auto now.
 
G.P_XJ said:
I just got one of those rail shifers a few months back, it is the best thing ive bought for my jeep so far. But im only running the rail shifter so its a semi auto now.
Click to expand...
I've used it on the trail once now, and it has down one of the best mods you can do to your xj. I think I'm going to lose the tc lockup switch
 
xSUx SGT BAKER said:
Did the brackets for the cable just bolt right up? or did you have to drill holes in the body? Very nice looking build BTW:clap:
Click to expand...
It bolted right in, the only thing I had to do was notch the bracket to clear the shift lever. You can see it in the top right corner of the picture
 
Sweet XJ :loveu:

I have a 1999 XJ up here in Yellowknife that I am in the process of building up....mine is only going to go with the 31's and 3.5" lift (have yet to decide which ones)

I plan on wheeling it in the NWT and Alberta, so I may see ya on the trails next year!
 
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