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Team MAD build

sallys xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Arizona
Well Ive been on NAXJA for awhile and Ive posted here and there but tend to just read and follow the build threads but i figured it was my turn to share my story and build.

My name is Matt and I'm currently in the military and stationed out in AZ. I joined the military right out of high school and went from Ca to to TX for training and then was told to report to the AZ desert. Ive been in the desert for a few years when i felt like i was missing a greater side of what AZ had to offer as my Mazda6 at the time stayed on the black top. So i bought a used Cherokee off of CL for about 2100 and told the wife it was to get me out in the desert for shooting and what not. The XJ has the 4.0 with auto trans and had the HP D30 and D35 combo with the NP231 which i had no clue what all that was then. It had a budget boost and 31" BFG mud's. It did great for taking me off the black top but it all spiraled out of control once i found some rocks. Now they showed me what the XJ could do with proper tire placement and a good line. So from there i wanted more and started doing more trial runs and so forth. I had sliders built, front bumper and a roof rack to fit the picture of what i thought it should look like. Well shortly after i deployed for my second time where i began to make extra money and started "investing" it in my XJ. I wanted to run 35s and that's all i knew so i talked to Andrew and LETZROLL OFFROAD in Mesa AZ and we started talking about the 8.8 swap and upgrading the front. After that i started looking for lift kits and ended up going with Rough Country because it was the most complete kit and it was what i could afford at the time. if i could have don't it over i would have waited a tad bit longer but it worked. I went with the 6.5" Xflex kit. Shortly after my Dad got a samurai and started taking it out to JV to mess around at our neighbors property across the street from Boone road. We saw this huge off road race called "King of the Hammers" and went to it and were in aw at the cars and the event that took place that day. We started to attend them and one day my Brother said Matt were going to run these race one day. Shortly after that while i was in TX for training my Brother called me and said "Matt Ultra4 added two new classes and we can race in KOH". So i hung up and called Andrew as he was building me my cage for trail use when i asked him to switch size of tube to 1.75 to meet tech so i can race one day. He guided me in to the W.E. Rock Dirt Riot race as it was smaller and local and would allow me to get my feet wet with the racing scene with easier tech. So once i got back i picked the jeep up added new seats and five points and picked up a helmet and. So my family and I (dad, brother, mom and wife) loaded the jeep and headed to Tucson and did our first race in the Stock Trail class and won after finishing 6 laps in a hour. I was planning on race all three events in the series but was pulled away on another deployment which I'm still on. So since Ive been gone my dad, brother and Andrew have been planning the next stage in the build to step out of the trail class to the 4600 class in race in the 2013 KOH EMC along with the Dirt Riot races.

Plans for upgrades include plating the frame, adding more cage, installing HP D60 front axle, new shocks and front bump stops (which i have and posted on here already), longer Currie anti rock links, PSC ram assist kit with cooler, Race line RT233 monster bead locks, spool chromolly shafts and spacers to match front axle lug pattern in the 8.8, remove windows and rear hatch, add window nets, fuel cell with shut off valves, and many other odds and ends but those are the big items. The front axle, 8.8 parts and wheels are paid and waiting for me. Working on saving to get the PSC kit with custom steering.

Pictures of the stages it has gone through.

when i first got it and added sliders, bumper, rack and lights. Trip in JV for KOH 2010
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After i got back from my 2nd deployment we installed the lift, new motor mount brackets, currie steering, 8.8 and upgraded the front HP D30 and sold the roof rack.
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Next came the cage..Andrew and the guys had the cage half way done in 1.5 and scrapped it when i said 1.75 for racing. We will be adding more tube, side impact bars and triangulation to meet tech.
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Next was ditching the Rough Country X-flex short arms and modifying the Rock Krawler first generation long arms.
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another view
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After that we had to modify my flat bumper to accept a winch per Dirt Riot rules plus i figured it was needed. so we came up with this.
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After that we had to swap out the seats for a seat that accepted five pts so went to 4 wheelparts (they offer military discount) and got these. Old seats right new seats left, So much more supportive and comfortable.
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another view of them in the jeep
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picture of the RJS 5pts
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Then it was time to race in the Dirt Riot South West Series held by W.E. Rock
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So that's my story of Team MAD (Matt, Adam, Dad) dreams to reality. We still have a long way to go and a lot to learn but ill continue to build and prep the XJ and will update the thread as we go and hope we have a great time along the way.

Id like to say thank you to Andrew and the guys at LEZROLL OFFROAD, Kevin with Randy's Ring and pinon, 4wheel parts for military discounts, Brian with H.D. Offroad engineering and most importantly my family and friends for the help and support. And to my Wife thanks for not leaving me and allowing me to pursue my crazy obsession of going fast in the desert then crawling over rocks the size of small cars. This wouldn't be possible with out them.


Oh we won our series with our one race. Our first place finish and the 212 points we got was enough to secure us the title of 1st place for Stock Trail.

Congratulations to the Dirt Riot Southwest Series Winners!! Mike Klensin won the first ever 4400 Dirt Riot Southwest Series!
4500 Class: Alan Johnson
4600 Class: Shawn Passmore
UTV Class Winner: Rob Usnick
Stock Class Winner: Ryan Miller
Stock Trail Winner: Matthew Salyers

and of course my you tube channel of videos from the race and other trail runs.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TeamMAD2410/videos

Sorry it was so long, future post shouldn't be this long. And always advice, input and criticism is welcomed.
 
That was bitchen, Thanks!

Glad you enjoyed it. I know i still do, as its crazy to see where it was and where im taking it..cant wait to see the "finished" product at the start line in Feb at KOH on the lake bed. should be epic and still a good trail rig for my weekend wheeling.
 
Nice to see you out there doing it man.

Thanks, it is def a whole new aspect of the jeep. Its one thing to wheel and crawl but its another beast when your at a track or course getting a pre running in and when the flag drops you go..its more exciting and im glad to be doing it with my family.
 
Cool...

Just remember the rules for Ultra4/KOH is a bit more stringent if your tring for Stock class. I see a few things that are for sure needing to be put back to stock. As well as I am sure that theres alot more you Can do thats not stock :)

And Kevin at Randy's / Yukon is a great guy to know, And a even better company to have willing to help...
 
Cool...

Just remember the rules for Ultra4/KOH is a bit more stringent if your tring for Stock class. I see a few things that are for sure needing to be put back to stock. As well as I am sure that theres alot more you Can do thats not stock :)

And Kevin at Randy's / Yukon is a great guy to know, And a even better company to have willing to help...


Yes Kevin is a great guy and im glad i know him.

As for KOH/Ultra4 ive read through the rule book on the 4600 class requirements and i meet the general information. I know i need more safety stuff and a fuel cell which i mentioned but not sure what you see. What do i need to bring back to stock? The only thing i could think of off the top of my head is the hood, as the rules allow you tro trim fenders, just not inner wheel wells. But please let me know so i can add it to the list as this is my first real big race and i want to be able to race in it then get DQ'd at tech.
 
i would think the cut and fold on the rear quarters wouldn't count as trimming for tire clearance, but not sure on that one.
 
i would think the cut and fold on the rear quarters wouldn't count as trimming for tire clearance, but not sure on that one.


It didnt change the inner fender and there are no holes throught the floor..But i dont know for sure as i have never had some one tech my Jeep for this event. I do know there was a Mod Stock (4500) Xj that was no way near mod stock in fender trimming so we shall see..Once im back from my deployment and start putting parts on and get everything buttoned up ill have Andrew and the crew at LETZROLL OFFROAD do i full walk through with rule book in hand.

I think ill be fine though.
 
Matt to cut and fold the rear fender you had to get into the passenger compartment behind the plastic. Who did the cut and fold for you?
 
Matt to cut and fold the rear fender you had to get into the passenger compartment behind the plastic. Who did the cut and fold for you?



I did the cut and fold...and I didn’t get in the space behind the plastic. When I first got the XJ with lack of knowledge I trimmed past the pinch seams and so I notched tabs then folded it over but the kept coming apart.
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So I re-bent the tabs, riveted the metal pieces together (lack of welder) folded them back and applied some bondo to help keep em together.
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Inner fender still intact.
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So far they have held up and have even hit the rocks a couple times.
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From ultra 4 rule book under stock class


6.3.2.4 Front inner fenders must be complete and unmodified, with the following limitations and exceptions: outer fenders (wheel well openings) may be trimmed for the single and exclusive purpose of allowing for tire clearance. Modifications to the outer fenders must preserve the look of the stock wheel wells, as originally manufactured, and must not be trimmed
excessively (no more than a 2" gap between any part of the outer fender and the tire at full compression).

6.3.2.6 Rear inner and outer fenders must be complete and unmodified, with the following limitations and exceptions: outer fenders (wheel well openings) may be trimmed for the single and exclusive purpose of allowing for tire clearance. Modifications to the outer fenders must preserve the look of the stock wheelwells, as originally manufactured, and must not be trimmed excessively (no more than a 2" gap between any part of the outer fender and the tire at full compression).

From how I’m reading it I’m still within rules as the outer fenders have been trimmed and still remains with factory look. The inner fenders are still intact both front and rear. But I could be reading it and viewing it wrong.

Complete rule book can be found here
http://ultra4racing.com/racers/rulebook/

 
Matt sorry, I'm retarded, I was talking about the rear 1/4 panel.

6.3.2.2 Stock body (body is considered to be the full cab, including all interior and exterior sheetmetal, bed, doors, hood, fenders, grill, etc.) required. Must be complete and unmodified, with the following limitations and exceptions: Holes may be cut in any part of the body for the single and exclusive purpose of allowing rollcage tubes and transmission/transfer case linkage to pass-through the body. Open holes must be kept to within .5" of the diameter of any tube or linkage that passes through the body, with further restrictions related to holes in firewalls specified in Section 6.1.3.4. Stock doors may be modified to create half-doors and/or may also be replaced with tubular doors.
 
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Rear lower 1/4's will need to be rebuilt. Back to stock
 
I'll ask the question because i feel the rear qaruter adds no improvment but if they say yes, then 4500 class may be the class i race in...


rule for Mod-stock
6.4.1.2 Stock body (body is considered to be the exterior of the cab, bed, doors, hood, fenders, grill, etc.) must be complete, with the following limitations and exceptions: Modifications to the body for performance and/or clearance are permitted, but must preserve the look of the stock body, as originally manufactured.
 
I would expect Chris to say, that the body has to be unmodified for the stock and for mod, it can be fully removed and then some. BUt for stock, I am interested to see how he words, what has to be done to qualify as stock class, in regards to the rear 1/4's.
 
Well since i still have no reply on the 1/4 panel question im moving forward. worse case we will rebuild them or move up a class...in the mean time i had Andrew at LETZROLL OFFROAD in Mesa Az add these to my pile of parts.

5 of these 17x9 super excitied in running beadlocks now.
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