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Build thread: daily driven tow rig

Nice.

If you ever get around to having your buddy make up some of those stickers in white I am interested.


That can be arranged 😊 send me a PM, we can hash it out. I’m going to talk with my print shop guy too and see what he would charge to make full decals instead of just outlined like these.

StreetRays brand Rear BPE’s on order from Ebay, should be here by the end of the week. Hopefully i can put them in next weekend and i’m done working on the heep for a bit. Only thing left for the 2” lift is a set of drop shackles and proper front lift pucks. Probably going to piece the lift together with 2” Rough Country shackles and energy suspension 1.75” poly front pucks.


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
19c29c12a9e2fe795915ad2c69d66754.jpg

Worked on these today...

Also trial and error with the ball joint press yielded results on the KYB bar pins. Looks like they vulcanized the bushing to the pin. So when i install the front BPE’s i’ll have to install some Energy Suspension poly shock eye bushings. Not sure about the rears since i switched to the Gabriel Hijackers...suspect they are vulcanized to the pin also.

Took note too that the bar pins on the old rear shocks are dented in. When the mechanic installed them he put new bolts thru 3 of the mount holes that stripped out and tack welded a bead onto them to hold them in place (one tacked to the body, the other two just hang loose). This causes the bar pins to move around and the whole shock rattles on bumps. Have flag nuts ready to go in, need to grind the beads off the new hardware and figure out how to get the one remaining captive nut out before installing them. Air chisel should do it...


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
I can't recall exactly what the issues are, but I know that when I converted my tail lights to LEDs I had to install a trailer wiring converter and change out my turn signal relay. I think part of that was the fact that I ditched the factory arrangement involving amber turn signals. IOW, I wasn't just changing out my bulbs for LEDs. At any rate, I have been happily running my LED tail lights for something on the order of five years now.

It is possible that the LEDs that you bought were simply defective. Between the popularity of them and the supply chain issues that everyone is dealing with there is a reasonable chance that they simply weren't up to snuff.
 
I can't recall exactly what the issues are, but I know that when I converted my tail lights to LEDs I had to install a trailer wiring converter and change out my turn signal relay. I think part of that was the fact that I ditched the factory arrangement involving amber turn signals. IOW, I wasn't just changing out my bulbs for LEDs. At any rate, I have been happily running my LED tail lights for something on the order of five years now.

It is possible that the LEDs that you bought were simply defective. Between the popularity of them and the supply chain issues that everyone is dealing with there is a reasonable chance that they simply weren't up to snuff.


Very well could be the issue. I installed another one of the same brand/pack to replace it, we’ll see what happens. Swapped the bad bulb over to the driver side to test and the problem followed. The IC driver inside the bulb probably failed...I’ve used these Auxito brand canbus leds in the past with no issues, but they are made in china.

One thing i will say i dont like about them is that with full LED conversion, i can see the signal and high beam indicators dimly lit up on the cluster when im driving. I suspect its because they are lower current than the halogen bulbs that came factory. Could also be due to one side having halogen and one side having LED, causing an imbalance in the circuitry. I do need to install a resistor on the headlights, they run dim when the switch is off, like an underpowered daytime running lamp. Minor annoyance really...i’ll eventually install a custom built relayed headlight harness at some point, so i dont burn out a headlamp switch harness. Low priority at the moment.


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
I have the same issue with the dimly lit turn signal indicators. No issue with high beam however. Might be a difference between '96 and the late model. It hasn't been worth bothering over.
 
I have the same issue with the dimly lit turn signal indicators. No issue with high beam however. Might be a difference between '96 and the late model. It hasn't been worth bothering over.


Very well could be. I figure its most likely due to current draw of the LED headlights 🤷🏼*♂️ minor annoyance really. Daylight hours its not noticeable, and at night from the driver seat its not really noticeable either (lights being on). Just the high beam indicator on the dash.

Afaik this jeep never came with DRL but the capacity for it is there in the fuse blocks. May play around with it in the future if i get curious enough, wouldnt mind having that function


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
Picked up energy suspension poly 9.8107G shock eye bushings for front and rear shocks (6x total) and 9.8101G shock tower bushings (4 pack) today in prep for the bar pin eliminators to go on before end of the month.

Also snagged a Cherry Bomb 85710CB 2.25” in/out 23”L muffler to have welded in. For $25 i’ll deal with a little more noise...thats what the volume knob and pandora exist for 😉

From here she’ll get the 2-3” lift after i move west anf i’m done for awhile. Eventually i’ll build another junkyard ling block in the living room to have dropped in down the line, and get a junkyard aw4 to rebuild and drop in. Gotta have some goals 😉🤣


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
Investigated the ticking noise i get at cold idle. Its not the flex plate bolts as far as i can tell. Very well could be the issue but i can only verify 3/4 bolts are tight. It could be a cracked flex plate too i suppose 🤷🏼*♂️

Most likely a lifter. Goes away once warmed up and doesnt change speed as rpms go up.

Chalk it up to a 193k mile 4.0. Still runs fine, good oil pressure and power, no overheating.


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
Get the kit. It is something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049EHD1M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't know how much those vary by year. That particular one was the right one for my '96 XJ and for The Varmints' "97 ZJ.

Be prepared for a bit of battle with that monster Torx bolt. It was no problem on my "96, but the ZJ was tight. You will want leverage. The socket won't fit, but you can take the insert out of the socket and use a doubled up wrench on that. Or you can get the L-shapted Torx wrench (like an allen wrench) and add a cheater pipe on that.
 
Get the kit. It is something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049EHD1M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I don't know how much those vary by year. That particular one was the right one for my '96 XJ and for The Varmints' "97 ZJ.

Be prepared for a bit of battle with that monster Torx bolt. It was no problem on my "96, but the ZJ was tight. You will want leverage. The socket won't fit, but you can take the insert out of the socket and use a doubled up wrench on that. Or you can get the L-shapted Torx wrench (like an allen wrench) and add a cheater pipe on that.


👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I have something in mind for that T60...my serpentine belt wrench should give enough room with a 1/2” t60 socket on the end. If not, there is a volvo specific tool for belt tensioners that i think i still have floating around from my 850T wagon days that should work (similar to the L shaped wrench and used a T60 iirc)


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
Energy suspension 2.6102G 1.75” front coil spring lift blocks on order. That should level out the front to rear at least, until i pick up the RRO 2” lift kit. Since the crown springs were 1-1.5” shorter than what came off and i doubled up the oem rubber spring isolators, im still 1” low in the front

I suspect ditching 1 OEM rubber spring isolator and installing the ES blocks will bring me in at 2.25”-2.5” up front, leveling things out. I also need to adjust the rear shackles and retorque them to make sure they arent binding or causing unwanted lift due to incorrect installation/angles.

Cherry bomb isnt going on just yet, unless i leave it hanging out underneath without a tail pipe welded on. Which i may end up doing just to get it out of trunk. I’ll hack the old tailpipe off the oe muffler and take it to the exhaust guy later on to weld in. 🤷🏼*♂️ we’ll see what happens. Doc has me on light duty no lifting over 5lb right now, so not much is getting done


codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
Nothing new to update. Back to banging around in the ass end again... i need to re-adjust the rear shackles i think. Suspect they are binding and blowing shocks out.

Jeep projects took a back seat for the moment. Pistol league starts up again this month so i’ve been prepping for that...suppose it could be jeep related since i want to install the JCR molle panels for my favorite banana pill dispenser 😉😅 it’ll match the camo headliner and dash covers once i finish it up 😋
985da603e4861f07b981bfaf76510609.jpg



codename 99 problems: Daily driver/tow rig build thread
 
Got bored today, and it looks like i’ll be camping in the XJ for the next few months while lawyers settle an insurance case. Took the afternoon today to install the rough country front bar pin eliminators with energy suspensions poly 5/8” hourglass eye bushings and upper bushings. Went pretty easy. Still need to do the rears. Will reset shackle angle when i do that.

Need to investigate a clunk when shifting into drive/reverse. Its not motor mounts, its in the driveline. Goes away when in 4wd, suspect u joints or the slip yoke.

Shes ready for inspection and emissions testing at the end of the month. Tires show barely any wear still, 3500 miles later. Front brakes still look brand new 9k miles later. Need to check the rear shoes or junkyard the rest of the ZJ brake swap parts

No pics, i’ll drop them later.
 
Interesting that the clunk goes away when you have it in 4wd. I can't see how that would be u-joints or slip yoke. I would be more concerned that it could be in the transfer case.

And have to camp in the XJ for months while waiting on lawyers? Sounds like there is a story behind that one. Good luck.
 
Interesting that the clunk goes away when you have it in 4wd. I can't see how that would be u-joints or slip yoke. I would be more concerned that it could be in the transfer case.

And have to camp in the XJ for months while waiting on lawyers? Sounds like there is a story behind that one. Good luck.


4wd works perfect though, so 🤷🏼*♂️🤷🏼*♂️🤷🏼*♂️

Long story short, i’ve been fighting for long term disability insurance coverage (that i paid for) for the past 2 years. The coverage that is there to keep me from ending up homeless and keep food in my stomach…had neck surgery and am more f’d up after than i ever was before, still not allowed to go back to work and the lawyers are fighting jnsurance company as well as soc. Security disability. So end of the month the XJ is my home unless insurance company settles


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I suppose its quite possible that the clunk is being caused by a bad trans mount at the crossmember. Its already been replaced, but its possible the new one is bad out of the box. Id like to install a poly mount there eventually, since i have energy suspension poly motor mounts installed


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