New XJ, no $$$, any Ideas?

[boostamante]

I wish I had got this message sooner, that would have been awesome! I've been trying to find time to get to a yard and start pulling things apart. Thanks for being willing though, much appreciated.

Anyone know when the next 50% off day is?

There was just one this past weekend. dont knwo when the next one will be. Ill keep my eyes peeled

I am up in San Gabriel, near the 10 and the 605. Lots of good metal shops around and lots of parts and tools.

Rear bumpers are easy to build. Just depends on how beefy you want to go. I folded my quarters and bodged one together in about 2 hours for the whole thing. Not quite done yet but i would put it against a drunk in a honda any day. Im going to be putting a couple of bumpers together soon just need to finalize my next design.

If you need help and beer id be glad to help install/ fab.

:cheers:

 

[willy51]

The chop is something to be handled profesionaly. I am currently working on a little project of my own and i got a quote from currie to chop the long side axle tube and re spline the shaft for 320 including tax. Dont forget that you will also need to make up all your own bracketry then and including shock brackets, control arm mounts, coil buckets and track bar mounts. Not something to take lightly. If you are going to build a front axle, i say (imho) skip the 44 front (a super 30 is almost as good) and go strait to the 60 or the 609. Why waste your money building up.

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

The chop is something to be handled profesionaly. I am currently working on a little project of my own and i got a quote from currie to chop the long side axle tube and re spline the shaft for 320 including tax. Dont forget that you will also need to make up all your own bracketry then and including shock brackets, control arm mounts, coil buckets and track bar mounts. Not something to take lightly. If you are going to build a front axle, i say (imho) skip the 44 front (a super 30 is almost as good) and go strait to the 60 or the 609. Why waste your money building up.

I'm used to choping stuff up and putting it back together. here are some pics of a Land Cruiser rear end I made a center diff. However I've never done it to a front, and probably would just end up building the the 30 it has.

 

[willy51]

I agree that it is possible to perform the chop yourself. Getting it 100% dead nuts square is the issue. Any little bit of deflection from either the angle of the cut, the heat of the weld or being off center is going to frag bearings like no tomorrow. I perfer to let somebody else handle the warranty on that issue, axle bearing and especialy unit bearings are to damn expensive.

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

I agree that it is possible to perform the chop yourself. Getting it 100% dead nuts square is the issue. Any little bit of deflection from either the angle of the cut, the heat of the weld or being off center is going to frag bearings like no tomorrow. I perfer to let somebody else handle the warranty on that issue, axle bearing and especialy unit bearings are to damn expensive.

That plus I'm really not that ambitious anymore. What would I need to go about building a super 30? I like that idea better anyways. I will be going to the 50% off ecology sale on the 4th of April and hopefully score a 44 for the rear and be done with it until I break something. The biggest nut to bite off will be the cost of locking the rear and regearing everything to 4.10's.

If anyone in the area needs something from ecology let me know and I can see if I find it.

 

[willy51]

so, why go 410? I thought every body was nuts when they said id get better milage with my 456 in stead of my 355. It is just counter intuitive. Its true though the 4.0 is much happier at a higher RPM. I say if your going to 33"ish area go for the 4.56 if your going to re gear.

The super 30 is a neat way to polish a turdy. it is basicaly a 44 with a 30 ring gear. So, you get the arb 30 spline locker (expensive) and you get the alloy shafts (not cheep) and you may as well get the nifty better unit bearings as well. So, basicaly you make your ring gear your weak link. If i was going to stay 33"ish i would say stick with your stock carrier, throw a lunch box in it. Spend the money on some good shafts and spend the rest on beer.

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

so, why go 410? I thought every body was nuts when they said id get better milage with my 456 in stead of my 355. It is just counter intuitive. Its true though the 4.0 is much happier at a higher RPM. I say if your going to 33"ish area go for the 4.56 if your going to re gear.

The super 30 is a neat way to polish a turdy. it is basicaly a 44 with a 30 ring gear. So, you get the arb 30 spline locker (expensive) and you get the alloy shafts (not cheep) and you may as well get the nifty better unit bearings as well. So, basicaly you make your ring gear your weak link. If i was going to stay 33"ish i would say stick with your stock carrier, throw a lunch box in it. Spend the money on some good shafts and spend the rest on beer.

I have to say thanks a bunch for all the help man, you're like my XJ sensei.

I was looking at a simple Powertrax or similar locker for the front, but is there a suggestion on where to get axle shafts and how I might tell what the spline count is without taking it apart? Should be a 27 right?

Once I get all the parts and such together I might just take off some time and spend 3 or so days putting this all together and welding up some bumpers, sliders, etc. I might even be getting my welder back from Colorado by this point so that will make things easier. But here is what I'm thinking at this point:

Front: Lunchbox locker (Powertrax or something), upgraded axle shafts with u-joints.

Rear:Find a D44...go from there

Suspension: I want to move the rear end back about 4 inches, so new spring/shackle mounts, I might even put the shackle mounts on the bumper. I'll probably get some toyota springs as well because they are shorter than the Cherokee which will help in the relocation, I'll lift it to around 5in. Front will stay as is with new springs and such for lift.

Cutting the wheel wells as well will be in the near future.

Sound like a solid idea so far?

I've taken out the rear sway bar and it rides a lot better, and had the exhaust re-done yesterday to get rid of the cherry bomb muffler (if anyone wants it I still have it with all the clamps and such will bolt right on). This weekend I'm messing with the cooling system and making sure that's up and running correctly. There was some mud/rust in there so I've been running just water and anti-rust stuff for about 2 weeks, now I'll flush it and put in a new thermostat while I do that. Can anyone tell me where the drain plug is on the stock radiator? I've just been pulling off the bottom hose and rinsing it out, that gets really messy spilling on my garage floor. Whoever I bought it off of made some strange housing for an electrical fan so I can't find the fill plug easily, i even took the fan out and still couldn't see it, but my wife tells me all the time when I can't find stuff that it's right in front of my face, so who knows. If anyone is in the Newport beach area later Satuday, feel free to come by and have a beer and offer any suggestions.

 

[willy51]

well, ive never gotten a drain plug in a radiator to work correctly any who. By time you get it open it just clogs with all the junk thats in the radiator. I would go to home depot and get one of the big concrete mixing tubs. there about 6" by 2' by 3'. Thats the best thing i know of for draining.

Ok now for the long term plan. Moving the rear axle back isnt a terribly bad idea but, I wouldnt use toyota springs. A longer leaf = better ride and flex. So, the hot ticket seems to be either the MJ springs or S10. You leave the front spring box alone and relocate the rear. I would not attach it to the bumper unless you permanantly affix the bumper to the "frame rails". Also remember you do not have a ton of space between the diff cover and the gas tank. If you are going to move the axle back you could run into issues with the diff cover contacting the front of your skid. There are ways around this but that may be a long way off and you are talking more than a 3 day weekend and a couple of bucks.

Bottom line,
Beg borrow or trade for some decent used rear springs. Dont go for more than a 1" block in the rear and if you do use one, make sure it is cast iron not aluminum. Put together a cheep short 4+" lift and focus on your axles. Get a 44 and some spare shafts. Get alloys for the front and an aussie locker (cheeper and better built). Go to http://go.jeep-xj.info/ for some cool and cheep upgrades. I dont agree with everything the guys done but he has definitly been there. We should talk before you start chopping yours at the wheel wells. It is easy to go to far and hard to come back from. there are some easy tricks to make it come out pretty nice and are easy.

So, gear up, alloy up and armor up then just go out and wheel it.

 

[karstic]

There should be a pepcock valve on the left side (as you're looking at the Jeep) of the radiator.

No ones mentioned it, soooo do you have front and rear recovery points, or skidplates (t-case, gas tank)?

 

[willy51]

Thank you brother Karstic for the clarity. Yes let me revise my earlier comment.
Armor it, hook it, lift it, gear it, shaft it, lock it, wheel it, break it, repair, repeat. wecome to the Just empty every pocket club.

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

To answer both:

There should be a pepcock valve on the left side (as you're looking at the Jeep) of the radiator.

No ones mentioned it, soooo do you have front and rear recovery points, or skidplates (t-case, gas tank)?

Thank you brother Karstic for the clarity. Yes let me revise my earlier comment.
Armor it, hook it, lift it, gear it, shaft it, lock it, wheel it, break it, repair, repeat. wecome to the Just empty every pocket club.

I'll try and find that pepcock vlave, the guy I bought it off removed all the manual fan stuff and made some strange mounting hardware for the fan shroud and an extra electric fan so everything is kind of a mess up there and hard to see, we'll see if that works, but I might just have to do the bucket thing and get a little wet.

I'm working on the front and rear recovery points, meaning i need to get some steel and start welding bumpers up, I still have the stock ones. I want to do some sliders & bumpers maybe this weekend, but I have a lot of wiring to do as well, so that might get pushed to next weekend. Then find a 44, then gears and lockers....and so on....then I will be an official member of the empty every pocket club.

I'm trying to get a maiden voyage out by the 11th or the following week.

 

[willy51]

thats a pretty fast build rate. you know what they say, you can have it right, cheep or fast, pick one I would say tow points and sliders first. If you wreck up your stock bumper, who cares. Mine looks like its really been thru the wringer (dulley tires at 45mph from across 4 lanes of traffic will do that) If you dont have a winch but might get one you dont want to have to scrap your whole first go. Especialy to know where to tie it in from.

 

[JeepCherokeeGuy99]

hey red i noticed no one commented on your gas mileage yet so here ya go:

* o2 sensor could be bad
*change plugs
*change air filter
*check tires for proper inflation
*dont drive with a lead foot!
*change your oil

perfect air fuel mixture is 14.7:1 so you need to make sure your engine can breathe, get the gas it needs without struggle, and has a nice fire to top it off. (i use E3 plugs)
also check for vaccuum leaks. Hope this helps! good luck

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

hey red i noticed no one commented on your gas mileage yet so here ya go:

* o2 sensor could be bad
*change plugs
*change air filter
*check tires for proper inflation
*dont drive with a lead foot!
*change your oil

perfect air fuel mixture is 14.7:1 so you need to make sure your engine can breathe, get the gas it needs without struggle, and has a nice fire to top it off. (i use E3 plugs)
also check for vaccuum leaks. Hope this helps! good luck

Cleaned the O2 sensor, it was pretty nasty, it has new platinum plugs, and new oil.

I do need to rotate the tires and they are inflated well. As far as a lead foot, I've been trying to drive like an old man to see if that helps. I'm going to fill up today and run the tank and see where it gets me.

Outside of that, I've finished the quick disconnects, and did a radiator flush, and it seems that the heating issues have gone away, but I still want to re-wire the electric fan to kick on sooner and without being on a switch. I was going to pick up a mechanical fan, but it won't fit because of what the guy before me did with everything, so I'm stuck with the e-fan.

next is making some sliders and tow points, just going to bolt on some D-rings to the stock bumper with a big back plate until the bumpers get too torqued out to function.

 

[4xSanta]

Not a good idea on the tow hooks Cliff when one of us yanks on ya hard we might be eaten your bumper, just find some stock XJ hooks they work fine......SANTA

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

Not a good idea on the tow hooks Cliff when one of us yanks on ya hard we might be eaten your bumper, just find some stock XJ hooks they work fine......SANTA

That's kind of the point, then I can tell the wife I need to make some beefier bumpers, but the hooks are a cheaper fix for now, good point.

Santa, you might be able to help me out on this. I'm looking at a D60 rear and D44 front, I know a guy who has a pair he'd sell me pretty cheap, how hard is it to throw them in?

 

[willy51]

Depends on the width. If they are full width and you are cool with that its easy, sort of. Either way you are looking at putting new bracketry on both front and rear. I am opting to cut mine down to stock cherokee+ a little width. it think im shooting for 64.5 wms up front and 61 in the rear. I will have a set of stock hooks available soon. Here is what i suggest, come up to my shop on saturday there will be a couple of us naxja folk around and we can look over your rig, chat about build plans come up with a reasonable and clear course of action to get you where you want to be. So jot down a list of questions and bring it with you on sat.
blonde mike..

 

[4xSanta]

Depends on the width. If they are full width and you are cool with that its easy, sort of. Either way you are looking at putting new bracketry on both front and rear. I am opting to cut mine down to stock cherokee+ a little width. it think im shooting for 64.5 wms up front and 61 in the rear. I will have a set of stock hooks available soon. Here is what i suggest, come up to my shop on saturday there will be a couple of us naxja folk around and we can look over your rig, chat about build plans come up with a reasonable and clear course of action to get you where you want to be. So jot down a list of questions and bring it with you on sat.
blonde mike..

X2......SANTA

 

[Red_daggsXJ]

So I've been working to much at the job lately to even try and work on the jeep, but I have done some quick connects for the front sway bar. This will be a big weekend, I'm heading to the 50% off sale at ecology to find a rear end, either a D44 or last resort a ford 8.8. I know the issues with the C-clips, but i ought to be able to get one for around $100 this weekend and it comes with disc brakes. The only issue I can see is that the gears wont match up, is there a standard gear set that came stock in all Xj's or does it differ from model to model and is there an easy way to tell?

As for scrounging up a welder, I called my buddy in Colorado that has mine and he said he'd either ship it to me or buy one online and have it shipped to my address, so there's light at the end of that tunnel. I do have a stick welder to do some basic stuff like my sliders and possibly bumpers, whenever I get around to that I'll post some pics.

But it looks like the build plan is going slower than hoped (always does), but I am going to Arizona in May so I told the wife it needs to be done by then, and she actually agrees with me.

 

[boostamante]

So I've been working to much at the job lately to even try and work on the jeep, but I have done some quick connects for the front sway bar. This will be a big weekend, I'm heading to the 50% off sale at ecology to find a rear end, either a D44 or last resort a ford 8.8. I know the issues with the C-clips, but i ought to be able to get one for around $100 this weekend and it comes with disc brakes. The only issue I can see is that the gears wont match up, is there a standard gear set that came stock in all Xj's or does it differ from model to model and is there an easy way to tell?

As for scrounging up a welder, I called my buddy in Colorado that has mine and he said he'd either ship it to me or buy one online and have it shipped to my address, so there's light at the end of that tunnel. I do have a stick welder to do some basic stuff like my sliders and possibly bumpers, whenever I get around to that I'll post some pics.

But it looks like the build plan is going slower than hoped (always does), but I am going to Arizona in May so I told the wife it needs to be done by then, and she actually agrees with me.

if you need a welder i can help you out with that, I can borrow my cousins as i payed for gas and spool the last time i used it