Expedition XJ Build, Tech & Sources Thread

[yaromb]

It's an XJ tray made by a company called Wrangler NW. You need to relocate your air box (we used the Spectre CAI). Look in my build thread on CF (98 Search and Rescue). It's all documented there. There are some downsides...

 

[X E Ryder]

It's an XJ tray made by a company called Wrangler NW. You need to relocate your air box (we used the Spectre CAI). Look in my build thread on CF (98 Search and Rescue). It's all documented there. There are some downsides...

I think it all looks awesome but... As I recall that intake in the cowl can get VERY loud hehe. On level ground it's fine though right? I would guess it would be a bit much on a long grade.

 

[dsapper]

Yeah, its very loud. I actually plugged the hole in the firewall and pointed the CAI tube straight up to the vent in the hood. I drilled to 1/8" holes at the bottom to let water drain if it got in there.

Has access to cool air and would need water over the hood to get into it. Got to test it this week, we had the biggest rain storm in a few years in vegas, worked great.

 

[GordoSmasho]

How much did that dual battery kit cost? Can't find any pricing on there website. I just put in the Thor cowl intake and it's not all that bad but my jeep is noisy to begin with.

 

[iluv83vettes]

Quadratec has them for $150. I had seen it before, just hadn't made the connection that it was the same one on here. Search "dual battery tray" on quadratec and it should be on the first page.

 

[FlexdXJ]

Why hasn't stumpXJ found this thread yet? Or OverlandXJ?

 

[yaromb]

Depends if you want to buy the whole kit from someone, or just buy the tray and then gather the other items yourself.

I think the tray was like $50 from Quadratec. Then you need an isolator ($30), battery connectors ($10), in line 200A fuse, 13ft. 2AWG for positive going around to the other one, short 2AWG going to ground, small switch in the car, etc...

How much did that dual battery kit cost? Can't find any pricing on there website. I just put in the Thor cowl intake and it's not all that bad but my jeep is noisy to begin with.

 

[X E Ryder]

Why hasn't stumpXJ found this thread yet? Or OverlandXJ?

Maybe I will send them an invite

 

[LYKOS]

I like this thread as it is EXACTLY what I am doing with my 2001.


As far as electronics goes I'm thinking I may take a different route than the iPad.

I'm considering a Toughbook.

We have them in our Ambulances and Fire Engines and we beat them to death. No, they are not as stylish as the iPad but they do have a touch screen, internal GPS and WiFi and are basically just bulletproof laptops. There is a huge aftermarket as far as used units and accessories goes.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=toughbook

What do you think?


I've also made the hard decision to stay with 31's and use a LSD in the front and a No Slip lunchbox in the rear. On this board it's HARD not to get caught up in going bigger and Bigger and BIGGER...

 

[LYKOS]

And if you're not already a member it wouldn't hurt to join the www.expeditionportal.com community as well.

 

[kndrewa]

I'm staying at 31s as well, actually a bit smaller than that at 245/75r16s. Going to re-gear to 4.10 though to make up for the extra weight from various accessories.

 

[dsapper]

I'd like to do 4.10's too, it just looks to intimidating to do myself and I'd rather not pay for it. So it sits stock lol

 

[X E Ryder]

I like this thread as it is EXACTLY what I am doing with my 2001.

As far as electronics goes I'm thinking I may take a different route than the iPad.

I'm considering a Toughbook.

We have them in our Ambulances and Fire Engines and we beat them to death. No, they are not as stylish as the iPad but they do have a touch screen, internal GPS and WiFi and are basically just bulletproof laptops. There is a huge aftermarket as far as used units and accessories goes.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=toughbook

What do you think?

I've also made the hard decision to stay with 31's and use a LSD in the front and a No Slip lunchbox in the rear. On this board it's HARD not to get caught up in going bigger and Bigger and BIGGER...

Alright! Yes I did look around, have you seen the Xplore Technologies PC? You can drop one into the deep end of swimming pool and leave it overnight, or heck use it underwater if you want (not that I could find a snorkel and scuba dive my XJ), it's how the test them! The iPad size and available apps make it tough to beat for the price - I dunno I'm still a little on the fence, here is the Xplore (with end views of connetors etc)...

Yes I am likely going with TrueTrac front and rear - all this talk about "if you get a wheel in the air", well a little tap on the brakes is all you need to bind the spiders up for traction to the other tire, if you even get into that situation. But I'm truly sold on the snow and ice performance of the TrueTrac - they really work well to keep your feet on the ground - not side slipping so much. A couple years ago I would have been Lockers dood go go go! But after experiencing enough off camber ice I had to rethink things when the TrueTrac'd people drove around me hehe. I've settled on 4.56 gears and 33x12.50-15 GY DuraTracs.

And if you're not already a member it wouldn't hurt to join the www.expeditionportal.com community as well.

Yes I have been lurking over there, just need time to register, I'll probably do it this weekend - good stuff!

I'd like to do 4.10's too, it just looks to intimidating to do myself and I'd rather not pay for it. So it sits stock lol

Ahh come on dsapper! You have dumped some coin into your rig, Looks good! Finish the job! hehe

Going to try to get some pictures up this weekend - my XJ is still scattered from heck to breakfast in my garage, but it is coming together enough to share I think.

 

[knever3]

We have those tablets at work. They run well but the keyboard is microscopic and unusable. I vote for the iPad myself. A toughbook for the garage was my thought but after my wife bought a second iPad for herself now I have my garage mate.

 

[FlexdXJ]

I think it all looks awesome but... As I recall that intake in the cowl can get VERY loud hehe. On level ground it's fine though right? I would guess it would be a bit much on a long grade.

Yeah the cowl intake is kinda loud but I have mud tires and no carpet so its not any worse than before!

 

[AJTorris]

Well for me i cant exactly post pictures on here due to being on my work computer.

But, as for storage areas:

Doors-if you have a 4 door and dont plan on rolling down the back windows, redo your door panle and there is quite a bit of storage in the doors

Hatch- get a sound bar and then cut out the speaker grills and screw the hatch plastic down and theres more storage

rear 1/4 panle- passenger side has quite the ammount of storage if you cut the plastic. You can then attact a straight piece of metal on there.
Even the driver side has storage but not much

another idea i have been throwing around the idea of making a compartment infront of the gas tank under the jeep that will have access from the inside, havent measured or anything yet but i think i will have room on mine but a stock rig or even lifted 4 in may not.

Most bumpers are bulky and there is a lot of dead space (unused space) that is involved. Why not use it? I used to have a warn winch bumper with a brush guard. The bumper was bulky and boxy. I looked at the spaces inside of the bumper and there was massive ammounts of storage.
--same with rear bumpers... box bumpers are bulky..use up that space!!!

if you dont ever plan on using your back seat, take it out! make a compartment that is level height with the hatch floor board and make it extend to your seats... that would be a huge storage area...

use a bungee cargo net (like for truck beds) and attach it tightly to the rear corners of the back and then to the b-pillar right behind your head. Make sure its tight! then you can store soft fluffy items up there instead of out side on a roof rack...

Now these are just places i have thought about in the past and things that just keep poping into my head. I try not to waste any space. Especially for me with my wife, 3 daughters, and two dogs.... I need all the space i can get.

 

[dieselenthusiast]

Subscribing! This is my kind of thread!

 

[X E Ryder]

Well for me i cant exactly post pictures on here due to being on my work computer.

But, as for storage areas:

Doors-if you have a 4 door and dont plan on rolling down the back windows, redo your door panle and there is quite a bit of storage in the doors

Hatch- get a sound bar and then cut out the speaker grills and screw the hatch plastic down and theres more storage

rear 1/4 panle- passenger side has quite the ammount of storage if you cut the plastic. You can then attact a straight piece of metal on there.
Even the driver side has storage but not much

another idea i have been throwing around the idea of making a compartment infront of the gas tank under the jeep that will have access from the inside, havent measured or anything yet but i think i will have room on mine but a stock rig or even lifted 4 in may not.

Most bumpers are bulky and there is a lot of dead space (unused space) that is involved. Why not use it? I used to have a warn winch bumper with a brush guard. The bumper was bulky and boxy. I looked at the spaces inside of the bumper and there was massive ammounts of storage.
--same with rear bumpers... box bumpers are bulky..use up that space!!!

if you dont ever plan on using your back seat, take it out! make a compartment that is level height with the hatch floor board and make it extend to your seats... that would be a huge storage area...

use a bungee cargo net (like for truck beds) and attach it tightly to the rear corners of the back and then to the b-pillar right behind your head. Make sure its tight! then you can store soft fluffy items up there instead of out side on a roof rack...

Now these are just places i have thought about in the past and things that just keep poping into my head. I try not to waste any space. Especially for me with my wife, 3 daughters, and two dogs.... I need all the space i can get.

Damn! That was a shopping list of storage spaces I had not considered! Thanks for the post!

In other news... My XJ is finally going back together - I had it so tore up I began to lose sight of which portion of the build I was working on, but alas, it is all finally coming together. Pics Soon! :roll:

 

[xjtrailrider]

I built my rig to be a DD, mild crawler, handle mud/water fording and have everything tool and spare parts wise to get me home. I can clear out the rear in less than 5min and sleep in it. I carry a sleeping bag and a small folding stove. I have on-board GPS and Nav, two separate units right now but I plan on upgrading to something combined.

For spares I carry a spare front DS that can be used F/R, a spare 8.25 axle shaft, alternator, starter, fuel pump, U-joints and all of the sensors that normally will strand you(CPS,TPS, IAC, MAT, CTS, O2's) All of this is under the rear seat area where the rear seat use to be. Its now covered with a platform that flips up for access. In the right rear fender I have spare hoses and belts as well as a small drain pan(resealable)

For tools I pack everything in Rubbermaid action packers(2 of them) and I use another action packer for spare fluids. The 35" spare is in the cargo area and is strapped down with my Hi-Lift.

My COG is very low as all of this sits at floor level and I'm on 5.5" of lift.

Im geared 4.88 on 35's, Detroit locked F/R, RCV's in the front Yukon Alloys in the rear, rear disc brakes, Safari Snorkel hooked to a Spectre inline filter set-up. Warn 9000ti winch. Logans front bumper, Detours sliders/stiffeners, full skid protection Trussed D-35 and 8.25 with cryoed Yukon gears. Tera 2-low. AA SYE.
I also made roof sliders(weighs less than 50#) and can be used to strap on extra gear if needed.

Here it is;

I started my build with crawling in mind but realized there is a line you cross to get a rig dependable enough to run big rock. I wasn't interested in going full width at any time, just taking what I had and making it reliable.

I have not been disappointed. I have plenty of power on the road and I can set the cruise at 70 with the AC on and iPod blasting through the head unit in total comfort. I get stockish mileage, 14 in town 19 highway.

 

[kndrewa]

Awesome post, TrailRider. No Front Skid?