Modified Street Legal XJ?

I am in need of assistance, I am putting together a promotional vehicle for a organization dedicated to the modified vehicle scene here in Ontario Canada.

I am doing 2 vehicles up - sport compact and a off road machine. I am incharge of the off road machine and decided to do up an XJ. I would like to have a blank cheque book, but thats not gonna happen.

Here is what I am in need of, first - it has to be 100% street legal. In Ontario the only thing that one has to do is pass a safety - only once in the vehicles life time, unless it changes owners, and 2 a emission test every second year. Ontario does have some strick rules, not nearly as bad as some Provinces or States. However saying that this XJ will be in the public's eye, from media, insurance companies to government officals and ofcourse its to serve our membership base. The XJ will be attending major events from car meets, to off road events.

Here is what I need from you guys, what mods will be considered 100% street legal from the hardest standards? I need the Jeep to be modified and look the part, but not have any or very little critizism from other multiple juristictions.

Here is what I have in mind, the total value allowance will be in the neighbourhood of 5-6K, here are my thoughs.....

1990-1994 XJ
4.0L I6
Auto
4dr.
Colour Pref: Blue/Red/White

Mods:

2" Budget Boost lift from RE, spacers up front and blocks out back
30" BFG Mud Terrians
Safari Snorkel
Front Bush Guard
CB Radio
Decal Package

Whats your take? Will this set up pass the harshest safety tests? I will be buying the Jeep Certified and Etested, just want to make sure these mods will be able to pass as 100% street legal, no questions asked!

Any input will be great!

Jeff

that would acctually pass in utah

Dont do the blocks

Starboard M said:

Dont do the blocks

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I dunno...

They'd work well with the decal package.

if its just gonna be for show, then blocks might be ok. but maybe try some lift shackles or an add-a-leaf. but dont get RE blocks... went to look under the jeep one day and my RE 2" tapered cast iron blocks had cracked all the way through (driver and passenger sides) and were ready to fall out from under my springs. Rocky-road outfitters seem to have a good lift block. www.rocky-road.com

that dosent sound to much of an off road machine to me but i would at least have some 33" tires

sorry im not trying to be a dick im just giving my honest input

any if its going to be a promotional vehicle make in different then most XJ's around within your cash limit . . . i wouldnt keep the stock color go for something bright that says "hey look at me buy what i have to offer"

just my .02

I would do a small lift 2-3” and scrap the Budget boost and Snorkel. Get 33s and cut with abandon. Instead of a brush guard get one of the less expensive front bumpers that are available. For colors, think bright, it’s a show vehicle.

At least a 3" lift and 31's. I ran 30s with a stock setup.

JIMBOJAMES said:

At least a 3" lift and 31's. I ran 30s with a stock setup.

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go up at least three inches. carve up the fenders to fit the skinny 34'LTBs. use tj rear flares to clean it up( or if the budget allows and you want it to go with the decals the bushwacker flares) a nice bumper with the winch low so as not to block the rad too much. rocksliders of some sort preferably with the door guard tubing mod. do the bottom half in grey bedliner the top half in blue white and grey camo pattern. skip the decals they are lame.

do that and you'll have something that stands out on the street but is actually trail worthy, while totally street legal.

What kind of budget are we talking about? The advice given will be largely based on what you can afford.

I would lift about 5in, bushwackers on 33's, crane or rockcrusher diff covers, SYE, a wild preruner style winch bumper, c-rok rear bumper with spare, Make sure it has the 8.25 rear end so. add some rocker rails and the snorkle and you have an eye-catching machine. Top it off with a loud paint job and you've got a winner that screams look at me!

A budget boost with a grill guard is not stand out, but it only costs 100 bucks.

buy an older vehicle for under 800 bucks, get some paint and paint any faded parts gloss black, itll make it look a lot nicer. first regear to 4.56, that will be the most expensive part of the project.
then throw on a 3 inch lift, get some colored 3inch lift springs and new 3inch leaf packs. then throw on some 33inch meats with rockcrawler rims (the 40 dollar variety lol) maybe some trxus muds (not too expensive, pretty durable, very mean looking)
cut the fenders but make sure you do it very neatly.
so so far if you do it all yourself...
your looking at
800
~500 for gears
~1000 for tires and wheels
~500 leaves and springs
get some lower control arms for
~150

ok so now your around 3000, (4000 if you have the stuff installed for you by a shop)

get one of those cheap but good looking bumpers for maybe 200, and a rear for about the same

get a nice roof rack for around 300 and some cheap like walmart offroad 6" lights and throw them on the rack to give it that safari look.

so now your lookin at 4000 (or 5000)

probably lookin pretty good by now.
use the rest for asthetics fix up the interior and make sure the paint is nice and clean looking.

take the rest and change ALL the fluids. trans, motor oil, gear oil, (full tank of gas, probably the most expensive part yet)

then anything else that might need repair, if nothing, get some spare parts.

have fun

hey fellow Ontario...ian?
anyway, I have to back the others here, scrap the budget boost, anyone with a little knowledge of lifts will laugh itup if they look below. I honestly look at all trucks I see lifted now to see if they are real... or blocked.
Skip the snorkel, unless you are going to waterproof the rest of it, it will suck if you get called out on why you have it and you have to say 'to look cool'
The brushgaurd may not be a bad idea, you could maybe find one at a wrecker off another Cherokee and its a quick cheap and easy mod to make it 'look' tough.

For the decals, don't buy'em if your gonna put them on. Whoever you buy your lift from ask to have some stickers sent with them, same with tires n such. I have never paid for any of the stickers I pasted on my ride, if you tell them your a faithful customer wanting to show off their name... shit BGF sent me 6 small and 3 windshield size decals for free.
Maybe get the performance package from Rusty's with the airtube and bigger filter. the cat bak on their would help the sound and performance a bit too. The sound at idle would change and while its sitting in the parking lot looking good it can sound the part too.

Def go upto 3" with 31's, cut the fenders and make the old flares work, or put some TJ flares on. Every little thing you can do to make it dif than the other XJ's people see will make it stand out. If you can get a purely stock XJ to park near it just to show what a measly $5k can do.

Have a look around wreckers to see if you can get one with the skid plate at the front, a prope tow hook package, a gas tank skid and anything else that beefs it up for cheap. Clean the parts up finish them off right and for another few hundred you can keep the 'tough' look going on underneith too. Rockergaurd the rockerpanels, and I just did the front of the Jeep too. pulled the grill, light surroundings and a bit of the hood just to change the look of it and I like it.

Anyway best of luck with the project, having a $5k limit isn't too bad at all...is that for the Jeep too, or just for parts... that may limit you a bit.
What are the chances you do a really great job with this you can walk away with the Jeep too... I mean after all that work who better to have it than the person who raised it from a tender Cherokee to the offroad machine it'll become.

I would suggest that you go with Kumho Mud Terrains, they are very inexpensive and very capable and just as good if not better than the BFG MT's or the Trxus MTs. Why not do a 3" lift with a set of 32's, you can keep stock gearing but the larger tires will look more pronounced, you will need to cut. The grab a grill guard for 100-200 bucks, and add some lights on there (Harbor Frieght, really cheap). You can put some new diff covers on, and get cheap roof rack and throw the spare up top and get some rustys flares.

That is well below 5000-6000, depending on how much you spend on the Jeep.

Lift - 400 (or so) for full spring packs and suck
Tires - 600
Brush Guard - 200 (or however much you can find one for)
Lights - 50
Roof Rack - 300
Fender Flares - 350
New Diff Covers - :dunno:

but those are some decent mods to make it look aggresive, and it will stand out...Just my $.02

As far as street legal goes here, fender flares must be 3" or less and they have to cover your tires. Maybe one more thing to consider is bumper height (not so much if its only 2-3inches of lift). I don't remember what it has to be but make sure its within the legal measurement.

all states have different laws about that type of stuff. read up on all the auto codes to make sure everything is legal.

a show xj that at least has to perform mediocore on a 6k budget? Rough Country 6.5 lift, 33x14 boggers on 15x10 MT Classic II's. Itll look mean as hell and be done right. All you really need for that to be legal are flares to cover that right? That leaves at least another 2k for some nice lights or brush guards or gay ass stickers or whatever.

I have a feeling the decal kit he is wanting to put on has something to do with whoever this promotional vehicle is for? If so then obviously it has to go on, whats a promotional vehicle if it has no name on it.

Hey Guys, thanks for the reply!

Its for a non-profit modified vehcile group, established in Ontario Canada. It will see some trails, but it will be use mostly for show, I may just skip the lift, go with the snorkel and tires, and then next year when the budget allows, get a proper lift and accessories installed. For some back ground on this organization, you can refer to the press release :

Ontario Modified Vehicle Owners Council

June 23, 2006

Your vehicle is your pride and joy. You invest many hours and dollars in it and it shows. This is why OMVOC (Ontario Modified Vehicle Owners Council) is here – to support you and your passion for your vehicle. OMVOC was created to effectively lobby governments and multiple jurisdictions about modified vehicle owner’s common interests for recreational purposes.

OMVOC is a non-profit, member supported organization that will educate and change the public’s view of modified vehicles and their respective owners, in addition to promoting safe usage of modified vehicles in the owner’s choice of recreation.

OMVOC will make recommendations to the government so that modified vehicles will be provided fair and reasonable insurance practices, free of skyrocketing premiums and discrimination towards modifications that are street legal. OMVOC will also use its resources to work with local Police forces and eliminate social profiling that modified vehicle owner’s encounter.

Promoting your passion with the rest of the community will provide our members with a much better approach to the issues that they face. Whether a timeless classic, highly advanced tuner or a lifted 4X4. OMVOC will keep the freedom to own a modified vehicle alive, but this can only come from a unified, supportive organization. Join now – your voice counts, BE HEARD!

Meanie5470 said:

a show xj that at least has to perform mediocore on a 6k budget? Rough Country 6.5 lift, 33x14 boggers on 15x10 MT Classic II's. Itll look mean as hell and be done right. All you really need for that to be legal are flares to cover that right? That leaves at least another 2k for some nice lights or brush guards or gay ass stickers or whatever.

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hmm you seem to have left out gears on that one...and possible axle swap..

If you need some local help, get in touch with Luvs2getMuddy at http://www.soxja.org. Southern Ontario XJ Assn. Terry lives in Aurora, ON and has lots of contacts and this sounds like something he'd like to get involved in.

Good luck.