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Weekend is over...what did you get done?

I think it's pretty safe to say that the Internet Forum is officially dead... lol

I've sold 50 shirts for this event from out Facebook page.

Not a single reply from any post I've made here. haha.
 
Well, my trusty XJ let me down on Saturday. I went to Publix grocery to pickup a few items. 30 minutes later I am back in the XJ and it refused to start. It cost me $25.00 per mile to get it 3 miles back to the house. The fuel pump died and took with all plans to go to Matanzas beach, a distance of some 45 miles. I have since replaced the pump after a lengthy exercise with a hand pump removing about 14 gallons of fuel. All is good again in "The Land of the XJ".

On another note,...I have a pair of Bilstein 5165 #25-187717 for sale (I will post on the FS forum later). I bought them a year ago. Used less than 100 miles all highway. They are too long. I looking for a set of the same shocks but with a stud at the top and 16" compressed.
 
I got the XJ out this weekend for the first taste of dirt since it rolled in Harlan in July of 2018. I won't lie...the first couple times I got off-camber my heart raced a little, since the last time I was off-camber started 3 barrel rolls down a mountain. After about 5 hours of some of the easier and moderate trails and a long rock garden, I'm feeling it again.

Bosco joined in his "new" mid-80's 4Runner. His first time wheeling a manual and an IFS. And Eric came out for his first ever trip to Land Between the Lakes in anything but a dirt bike.

Good day all around...but I only saw 2 other trucks on the trail all day besides ours. A Gladiator and a Tacoma. The number of motorbikes and side by sides were off the charts though.
 
I got the XJ out this weekend for the first taste of dirt since it rolled in Harlan in July of 2018. I won't lie...the first couple times I got off-camber my heart raced a little, since the last time I was off-camber started 3 barrel rolls down a mountain. After about 5 hours of some of the easier and moderate trails and a long rock garden, I'm feeling it again.

Bosco joined in his "new" mid-80's 4Runner. His first time wheeling a manual and an IFS. And Eric came out for his first ever trip to Land Between the Lakes in anything but a dirt bike.

Good day all around...but I only saw 2 other trucks on the trail all day besides ours. A Gladiator and a Tacoma. The number of motorbikes and side by sides were off the charts though.

Had a lot of fun. That was technically the first wheeling trip my son had too and he had a blast. I haven't hit up trails in a while so it was really nice to get out and ride.

My next project for sure is to swap to a solid axle. I have the axle, just need the money for the parts to swap it.

Already looking forward to the next trip out.
 
Decided to do a mid-week get away and took one of the girls camping on Wednesday night. We did some mountain biking at Montgomery Bell State Park and sat up by the campfire. Tent camped in 65* weather, perfect for sleeping.

I think that mid-week camping trips should be mandatory from here on out!
 
Yesterday, I replaced the $35.00 (70 for the pair) set of el-cheepo shocks that are less than a year on the XJ with some 5160's. What a difference!! Now I am kicking myself in the shin for having spent $70.00 on something so useless.

Note to self! Spend money once, save time twice.
 
Yesterday, I replaced the $35.00 (70 for the pair) set of el-cheepo shocks that are less than a year on the XJ with some 5160's. What a difference!! Now I am kicking myself in the shin for having spent $70.00 on something so useless.

Note to self! Spend money once, save time twice.

That is why I buy Ironman4x4fab parts..... :gee:
 
So, due to having to take a 60% pay cut (for now - probably will get cut more by Christmas) I decided to get the 1996 Grand Cherokee back on the road in case I need to sell the Commander for living expenses.

I got a lot of stuff done (thread is in the ZJ forum) and took it to my mechanic for final look-see. He said that the transmission needed to be replaced. I found a used one in Knoxville so I drove there yesterday to pick it up. About 40 miles outside of Knoxville I hear a boom and lose all forward gears in the Commander.

Luckily the parts yard had a transmission for a 2006 Commander as well, so I hired a Uhaul and trailer, picked up both transmissions and last night dropped off both transmissions and the other truck. My mechanic is going to make out on labor doing two transmissions for me next week.
 
I didn't know they were still having it this year. I don't know why they schedule it on a Thursday - Saturday AFTER school has already started in Tennessee. Makes it kinda hard for parents to attend all 3 days.
 
Going on furlough on Sept 14 for the rest of the year. Hoping the additional $300 a week US help lasts more than a few weeks. Compared to most of the rest of the country the Tennessee unemployment sucks ass - $275 a week max.

First order of business after going on furlough - helping out Kittrell in the Colorado Chapter. Going to fly to Seattle and drive his "new" ZJ back to Colorado for him.
 
Well, this happened tonight...

50325365687_bc61d8a359_c.jpg
 
Just bought a 1998 ZJ. Has the 5.2 and a 249. Rust free with only 98,000 original miles on it.

I'll go get it either tomorrow or Tuesday - whenever I can snag a trailer. I was going to use it for parts for my 1996. I may just fix a few things and then flip it, or I may retire the XJ and make it my new trail rig, or I may just hang onto it for when my daughter starts to drive.

No hurry to make any decisions. I'll get it home and clean it up and decide eventually. For the price it was to good to pass up.
 
Just bought a 1998 ZJ. Has the 5.2 and a 249. Rust free with only 98,000 original miles on it.

I'll go get it either tomorrow or Tuesday - whenever I can snag a trailer. I was going to use it for parts for my 1996. I may just fix a few things and then flip it, or I may retire the XJ and make it my new trail rig, or I may just hang onto it for when my daughter starts to drive.

No hurry to make any decisions. I'll get it home and clean it up and decide eventually. For the price it was to good to pass up.

Everyone says the V8's are the bomb. I think about making our 1998 a mild trailrunner after we can get my wife something better to drive.
 
As soon as I get the brakes fixed I can take her for a spin. I think it needs an alternator also. Headed to the junkyard today to search out some random parts for both ZJs
 
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