Build your ultimate XJ daily driver

[upandovr]

btt

 

[KarmirXJ]

I as well am building a DD / rockcrawler, to tackle most of the CA large bouldered trails (hammers)

heres My Idea (and project in progress) of a the "ULTIMATE" Wheeler/DD

basic 2dr or 4dr XJ body

- 8" lift, front long arms
- rear leaves moved under "frame rails" for flatter springs (nicer ride more flex)
- Aw4 tranny with biggest cooler you can find, and 2nd gear /loc up mod
- clocked/ flipped D300 with 4:1 lomax or tera
- Klune V (4:1)
- RCD44HD (probably from F250) cut down for total 64wms-wms
- Hysteer, supeior inners warn alloy outers, CTMS, ARB
- D60HD full floater 64 wms-wms 35 spline. ARB or Detriot, anti wrap bar.
- skid plates / rock rails and stuff like that.
- 8 point cage DOM tubing (not hrew)
- some sort of exo cage tied into interior cage
- sleeved or boxed frame rails + tied into the interior cage
- bedlined interior 5 point harness, appropriate & ACCURATE gauges. nice GPS good sound sIstem
- Beadlock 15x8 black rims with 37 MTRs or TSLs
- choise of bumpers winches lights and other misc thingys

 

[lesslimited]

I don't really use my XJ as a daily driver, but I did put about 4k miles on it in 2 weeks last month on a trip to Steamboat Springs and Moab, so we practically lived in it for that time. It rode and steered fine at 70-75mph @ about 2800rpm in OD. Rpms were a little high maintaining that speed downshifted for some hills, so I wonder if 4.88s would be better or worse. When I had the 4.10s with the 33s, any slight hill or headwind would force a downshift, but the rpms weren't as high. The lockers didn't cause any problems on rain-slick streets(most of the week in Steamboat ), but we did have lots of stuff in the back. Back home with it unloaded, the Detroit made the rear a bit hard to control, so I would probably go for a selectable locker for a DD. As far as gas mileage, I got about 13-15mpg depending on speed and terrain. The XJs aren't very aerodynamic to begin with, and a lift exposes more of the undercarriage for more drag, plus the drag increases very rapidly with higher speeds. I'm sure my Con-ferr rack didn't help either. I'm extremely pleased with how it does off-road, which is the most important thing for me. See my Moab '03 pics on the pictures forum.
HTH

 

[mbryson]

As most of you probably know, I've used my XJ for a daily for the past 4 years. I've had it stock, budget boost with 31" tires, 4.5" RE with 32" MT/R's and 33" Swamps and 4.10 gears {still running the tracklock in the D35 and an ARB in the front}, 6" with 33" Swamps and some trimming (yes, still the D35....), and finally the 35" MT/R's, XJ D44 with ARB (4.10s and 4.88's), a little more trimming, suspension changes, etc.

My personal opinion is that I really haven't gained a lot by going from the 32" tires. I just do things easier now with the 35" tires (like break 297 joints). The daily driver aspect is still there, but it was much more comfortable with the 4.10 gears, 4.5" lift and 32" tires than it was with the SSR's or with the current MT/R's (esp. the 4.88's). I still drive it on long trips, it's just not as comfortable and gets HOT (EVERYTHING--engine, tranny, transfer case, etc.) if I go over 75 mph.

If I had to start over on another XJ (using NOTHING from my current XJ), I'd buy the RE 5.5" kit, ensure that I had the bigger shafts in my D30, D30 ARB, 4.56 gears, 33" tires (whatever mud terrain you can get a deal on), swap in a Ford 8.8 (Detroit or ARB, probably leaning towards the Detroit) with discs and drive and wheel the thing wherever I wanted. {appropriate armor required of course}...........


Just my humble opinion.......

 

[upandovr]

Awsome guys these last 2 posts are exactualy what I was looking for thank you!

 

[KarmirXJ]

thats your idea of an "ULTIMATE" DD/ Wheeler???

 

[mbryson]

thats your idea of an "ULTIMATE" DD/ Wheeler???

For an XJ platform, yes {many hinderances, but the biggest is the unibody construction}.......I think it will last a long time and do what he's asking it to do in a very reasonable fashion.


If you want to vary off of the thread topic and build an "Ultimate" DD/Wheeler, we could certainly do that. I'd chuck the XJ as a platform, though.

 

[Root Moose]

What I'm building:

1.) Armour!
2.) D44s front and rear
3.) ARBs front and rear
4.) NV242 with SYE
5.) 3.5RE lift
6.) 31" tires (ATs or snows for winter, tame MTs like used Rubi MT/Rs for summer, may get a set of swampers eventually for local wheeling)
7.) 4:10 gears

This is a daily driver, I need ~20 mpg (currently getting ~24mpg(Imp) with babying the throttle and tuning).

I don't need a larger tire for touring with the family so 31" works well enough for me. If I can't get where I want with the configuration above I need to give my head a shake and ask where the hell am I going anyway. LOL

Just my spin.

HTH

r@m

 

[KarmirXJ]

If you want to vary off of the thread topic and build an "Ultimate" DD/Wheeler, we could certainly do that. I'd chuck the XJ as a platform, though.

makes sense, I understand that...

what else will you build that could tackle difficault trails. lets see.

- you got your TJ
- then the YJ, (thats no so bad)
- and the CJ, jeez <--- beat to death, brought back to life, then beat to death again. you want to have a CJ, just like the next guy right?
what else...
-a Yota 4 runner or cruiser but dont forget the chrome, and tubes, lotsa big chrome tubes.

oh and almost forgot the match box sammy!



Im behing a bit sarcastic here. What Im trying to say is that compared to other groups we are very small group, I go down to johnson valley here and there. most of the rigs there are all poser TJs and CJs and an occasional Yota all lined up "shootin da sh|t" with each other, then along comes a single XJ. Then everybody runs towards it like an angry mob, start bombarding the owner with questions other half the guys are underneath the rig toughing all sorts of sh|t. Get the picture?

XJ is a small % of all the trail rigs out there, that makes it stand out.
AND THAT MAKES US SPECIAL!

we are like the underdogs that kick ass (know what I mean), with are modified grocery getters we tackle crazy stuff. we look funny with are waggon like rigs, and unibodys, but at the end of the trail, we are the only ones laughing!

So BE proud of your XJ dont just "chuck it"....


this is the biggest reason why I stuck to my XJ instead of going hard core with another rig.

 

[MountaineerMac]

Here's mine, and it's worked great so far for my DD, and trail rig -

1998 XJ with 35" MT/R's, custom long arms (Carolina Rock Shop), 8.8 rear/HP D30 with 4.10's and LockRights, ARB bumper/XD9000, Bilstein 5100's, & essentially a RE 5.5" kit with AAL and 3/4" spacer to clear the meats, with appropriate fender trimming. Of course, rock rails and appropriate skids are a must.
A Dana 300 is sitting in my garage that awaits to be installed. Working on the 4:1's and the flip kit right now.
The longer you have it, the more mods you'll end up doing. The key is to find whats right for you. How comfortable do you need to be? How much time are you willing to put in to keep it comfortable?
My buddy Woodkrawler's XJ on 38's rides better than some folks XJ's on 32's, because it's properly executed and he works hard to keep it a well oiled machine.

Pics Here

 

[mbryson]

makes sense, I understand that...

what else will you build that could tackle difficault trails. lets see.

- you got your TJ
- then the YJ, (thats no so bad)
- and the CJ, jeez <--- beat to death, brought back to life, then beat to death again. you want to have a CJ, just like the next guy right?
what else...
-a Yota 4 runner or cruiser but dont forget the chrome, and tubes, lotsa big chrome tubes.

oh and almost forgot the match box sammy!



Im behing a bit sarcastic here. What Im trying to say is that compared to other groups we are very small group, I go down to johnson valley here and there. most of the rigs there are all poser TJs and CJs and an occasional Yota all lined up "shootin da sh|t" with each other, then along comes a single XJ. Then everybody runs towards it like an angry mob, start bombarding the owner with questions other half the guys are underneath the rig toughing all sorts of sh|t. Get the picture?

XJ is a small % of all the trail rigs out there, that makes it stand out.
AND THAT MAKES US SPECIAL!

we are like the underdogs that kick ass (know what I mean), with are modified grocery getters we tackle crazy stuff. we look funny with are waggon like rigs, and unibodys, but at the end of the trail, we are the only ones laughing!

So BE proud of your XJ dont just "chuck it"....


this is the biggest reason why I stuck to my XJ instead of going hard core with another rig.

I really do enjoy my XJ. It gets me a lot of places. However, the Jeeping I do is seriously taking a toll on it (don't tell me yours isn't) structurally. If you build it for 33" tires, I think it will last a long time and will do almost anything you throw at it. I've really enjoyed being the one 'grocery getter' that gets through some major trails. I think I've garnered the XJ chassis some respect around here, but I'm willing to accept the limitations.

I live next door to someone who has welded his unibody together many times. (he does put more stress on it than me......big axles and he's run longer with bigger tires) I think we are both of the similar opinion about the unibody.

You're right that it's hard to be original while building one of the other platforms. I just want something that I don't have to worry about the chassis falling apart after tough trails. Mine has served me well and I will hate to see it go one day. It will go away, though and I'll move on to something else (unless a perfectly good XJ pops up.....too easy)

 

[TOZOVR]

I hear ya bro, but that is excactly why mine is getting a cage...I don't creek or squeek or rattle yet...it's a '99, so we're giving it some backbone.

 

[mbryson]

I hear ya bro, but that is excactly why mine is getting a cage...I don't creek or squeek or rattle yet...it's a '99, so we're giving it some backbone.

Seriously, best of luck and be careful and thoughtful while building the cage.

 

[TOZOVR]

Absolutely