Build thread: daily driven tow rig

[Woodswanderer]

Originally Posted by maxbraketorque

They can't be mounted backwards because the axle attaches to the leaves significantly away from the center of the leaf packs.

🤔

Not sure why the front eyelet is narrower than the rear one then unless by (bad) design. OEM springs that came off had same size eyelets front and rear.

Seems all the aftermarket options i find are set up the same as the Husky springs that are on there.

I’ll post pics this afternoon


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Also, when i spoke to the guys at Jeff Daniels, they mentioned its not uncommon for the exhaust to bang around back there. Explains the noise, Still wouldnt explain the feeling of lateral movement under me

If i had to do it again for the first time, i’d spend a bit more and use different leaf springs. Should have done the 2” lift in the first place, wasnt planning to lift at all though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Not much to report, snow has me laid up inside hibernating. Replaced a couple vacuum elbows on the manifold with some leftover 4mm silicone tubing from last car.


Dumped half can of B12 chemtool in the crankcase in prep to do an oil change and hopefully quiet down the lifter tick at idle when cold. Can and a half in the gas tank. Seems to have made a difference so far. I’ll change it at the end of the tank and run rotella T6 10w30.

Need to check my 12 hole bosch injectors, make sure they arent leaking. MPG dropped from 23 highway to 16.5 (in part due to the cold and in part probably due to the aFe intake pipe, but i was seeing 19 before the intake pipe)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

One more thing to note: used about 1.5-2 qt of oil on this OCI. Not terrible for just over 6k miles and ~192k on the odometer (ran long this time, usually run 5k intervals...anything less is a waste of high mileage synthetic oil).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Can anyone share some info/experiences on the Rocky Ridge Outfitters 2” budget boost kit? Aint trying to spend a whole lot more or go any higher than that since ive already done rear springs and kyb shocks. Longer u bolts are done...

What else would i need to piece together a kit? 1.5” Drop shackles, 1/2” rear blocks, and 2” front spacers are all i need yet, correct? Maybe BPE shock extension for the monomax shocks? What about sway bar links?

If i can piece together something for cheaper than the RRO kit i’d rather go that direction


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Think i figured out my rear end issue, the banging and the sagging.

Stock shocks have an extra 0.81” of length when extended vs kyb (20.61” vs 19.8”), but less compressed length (12.73” vs 12.95”). Travel length of stock shock is just over 1” more than the KYB (7.88” stroke vs 6.85”). Bad design on their part 😏 i’ll be calling KYB to complain lol. I suspect that paired with these leafs that have more free arch than the originals, the lack of travel is causing the bump stops to hit and possibly blew the shocks prematurely (<5k miles)

gabriel hijacker shocks i have on hand should fix the problem. They have a 7.73” stroke length, 20.77” extended and 13.04” compressed length up to 200psi max. I’ll have to get bar pin eliminators to use them or press the bar pins into the top eyelet

Oddly enough, the rancho monotube shocks listed for up to 1.5” lift have the same measurements as the KYB 🤨

JK wrangler oem shocks are an option according to a thread i found here circa 2009, good for up to 4”-5” lift if i press the bar pins into the top eyelet from the xj shock and press out the small sleeve in the lower eyelet. Tenneco monotubes rated up to 4300lb curb weight vs xj’s 3100lb curb weight. Should be able to find cheap takeoffs on craigslist or marketplace

https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=966436


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Thought i posted these pics but heres what i did on the dash/overhead console/visor upholstery. Visors got LED replacement bulbs. Cluster surround panel and dash top will get redone, not happy with the results (note to self; dont use gorilla spray glue dumbass). With the complex curves and cutouts, its a pain in the ass to wrap and relief cut the fabric properly once laid (mainly for IC opening and the hump over top the cluster)

Probably wrap the gauge pod in green to match visors and pillar trim once i get around to the pillars.














Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Woodswanderer]

Night time lighting shots from in cab (led headlights and cubes, prior to clear markers and light bar). On road performance isnt quite as good coming off the cubes, they are really only good for throwing light upwards onto signs and for use as city lights with clear markers/switchback LEDs on
And after the light bar/clear markers. Also shots/vid of the rear led lighting conversion.

[Woodswanderer]

Last pic dump for the evening...












codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread

[Woodswanderer]

I forgot to measure the before on the suspension overhaul...after though (and still using stock front springs) im right around 18” from center of wheel to top center lip of fender arch. Need to recheck that now that theres 3k-5k miles on things, on more level concrete.

Ride heights (loaded):

Left rear 18 1/8”
Left front 17 3/4”- 17 7/8”
Right rear 18”
Right front 18 1/8”

According to THIS i should be around 17”-17.5” all around from factory.

So 2” lift will be closer to 3” by the time i’m done. Good enough for me. Not planning to run 31”/33” tires...maybe 245/75-16 in the future when im due for new tires (and the wj brake swap will happen then, depending on if i can find 16” classic or ZJ wheels). I think i want to bring the rear up a bit higher than the front, but not noticeably so. 1/4”-1/2” max


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread

[Woodswanderer]

Need to go back in and shim the radiator. The ebay 3 row sits too low in the frame (1/4”-1/2”) and bows the upper support. This throws off the alignment of the fan shroud mounting tabs and top hose on the passenger side. Hose is rubbing on the underside of the hood and the fan shroud popped out causing the fan to rattle (baseball card in bike spokes noise).

I noticed this when i installed everything, didnt think it would be an issue since im using silicone g-plus hoses and everything is stable front to back/side to side.

Not sure how im going to fix it yet. The core has 2 pins welded to it on the bottom that slip into the frame. The factory bushings are there still, i may need to get another pair to slip on or washers to take up the gap. May also put some stick on closed cell foam blocks under the core ends. The mount pins are a bit short though so i cant stack too much or they wont sit into the frame properly. Its

For now, just do my best to pop the fan shroud mount tab into place, and i’ll shorten up the rad hose a bit to pull tighter at the radiator or thermostat housing. I’ll worry about it in the spring when i get the new AC condenser and recharge the system. Gotta get back in there anyhow to install the trans and power steering coolers.


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread

[Anak]

I had that issue with my Cold Case radiator. Look at post #236 in this thread: https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthre...150722&page=16

If that doesn't show, in short what I did to make up for about a 1/4" shortage was to make 1/8" washers to space the bottom mounts up and then to space the upper isolators up. I split the difference top and bottom. The spacers were made of 1/8" rubber sheet material. I punched them out with gasket punches.

[Woodswanderer]

Originally Posted by Anak

I had that issue with my Cold Case radiator. Look at post #236 in this thread: https://www.naxja.org/forum/showthre...150722&page=16

If that doesn't show, in short what I did to make up for about a 1/4" shortage was to make 1/8" washers to space the bottom mounts up and then to space the upper isolators up. I split the difference top and bottom. The spacers were made of 1/8" rubber sheet material. I punched them out with gasket punches.

Awesome! Thanks for that 😊 i have some self stick foam blocks here that my buddy gave me with the yakima roof rack to fill the gaps in the crossbar mounts that i was going to try wedging under the corners to lift and isolate from vibrations, but they are more likely to lift the rad out of the mount holes too far.

That cold case rad looks exactly like my blackhorse racing one from ebay. Plastic plugs and all 😅Not bad for $85 with free 2 day shipping and definitely a huge improvement over the stock one with plastic tanks.


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread

[Woodswanderer]

Link to my rad (price went up a lot 😳 was $100 make offer in july). 2” core, no clearance issues with the upgraded HD fan clutch. And no modification of the shroud/e fan bracketry required (as was mentioned in outjeepin’s install video on youtube).


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Full-Alumin...-127632-2357-0


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread