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$300 Beater Build *the condensed version*

39K views 148 replies 8 participants last post by  tarheel4536 
#1 ·
Ok, so I'm finally getting around to condensing my build thread. Links to both threads will be in my signature. In an attempt to keep this new thread short, and easily navigated to see the progress without killing a week of your time to sift through all of the nonsense, I ask that you jump over to the old beater build thread to leave your comments.

Thanks.....

*edit* I will be working on this over the next 5 hours here at work, but I doubt I will get it all finished, so please be patient and again.....refrain from posting in here, especially while I'm constructing this thing. :cheers2:
 
#4 ·
With the new exhaust and the clogged CAT replaced the XJ was running great. I don't remember exactly when, but sometime around here I also did a full tune up with new distributer cap/rotor, plugs, plug wires, flushed radiator and heater core, replaced thermostat, replaced water pump, radiator hoses, fan clutch, serpentine belt, oil change, and gave it a sea foam treatment.

Oh, and a new starter, because that **** was EMBARRASSING!
 
#5 ·
10/11/09

Picked up some gambler rims with used tires for cheap to replace the bald tires. Now it's ready for inspection and to take over the DD duties, so I can sell the '01 TJ.

Really wish I could have kept the TJ, but bills needed to be paid. So, it was out with the new and in with the old. :thumbdown: but I do love my XJ after all the blood, sweat, and busted knuckles accrued from the many hours spent with it in the garage over the years since these pics. :thumbsup:
 

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#8 ·
12/11/09

LIFT TIME!!! I picked up a RC 4.5" AAL lfit off of CL for a steal. It was brand new still in the box.
 

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#9 ·
The lift took a little longer than anticipated and no WAY would it take me that long to do now that I am a tad bit more edumacated. There is also a pic of the new head unit and speakers I purchased. Say good-by to the gambler rims too. I gave them to the guy that owned the shop I used for the lift. He was nice enough to let me tie up one of his bays all night even after they were closed for the day. he also helped me out here and there when Keith (JF member that I just met to do the lift....nice guy) and I were beating our heads against the wall doing something stupid or the hard way.
 
#10 ·
12/21/09

Attempting to do a driveway alignment after the lift it apears that I managed to slightly damage the tierod......

Since the XJ was my daily driver by this point and I needed to be able to get to work I was forced to just pick something up locally as quickly as possible. I wish I could have just put the $$ towards 1 ton steering at this point instead, but just couldn't afford the shipping time. So, I picked up a V8 ZJ tierod, installed it, finished the driveway alignment and was back on the road in no time.
 

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#11 ·
1/6/10

I was having an oil pressure issue. Anytime my rpm's got under 1k my oil pressure would drop. So, for awhile I was driving with two feet to keep the rpm's up. I was in NC, but it was still cold. We had snow on the ground and I was trying to avoid dropping the oil pan to get this fixed. I caved eventually and got it done. I installed a high flow oil pump and new pickup. It fixed the issue, so I'm guessing either the oil pump was on its way out or the pickup was just clogged. My $$ was on it being clogged, because it happened shortly after I treated the XJ to the seafoam treatment.
 

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#12 ·
While I was at it I also installed the new stereo equipment. I love the 6x9's in the hatch. the 6.5's moved out of the doors was to retain speakers after I made my doors removable. I just wish I would have bought the shallow mount speakers. These stick out a little more than I would prefer, but they'll do. Oh, and this is my garage helper sitting on the 4 wheeler.
 

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#13 ·
1/29/10

BRING ON THE RUST!!! In this set of pics I uncovered my rusty floor, threw in a temporary cardboard solution, removed the front air dam and hitch, received the IPF H4 headlights I ordered, and the '01 WJ heated leather seats.

The plan was to use those seats, but I never got around to installing them and I'm actually looking to sell them this week. I want to sell them and pick up a tailbone tire carrier made by detours.
 

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#14 ·
Here is the rust cleaned up a little bit and the temp "floors". There is a good story involving those later on......
 

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#15 ·
1/30/10

IPF H4's installed and some more goodies received in the mail.

I also picked up the Headlight harness upgrade, but never installed it. It's still sitting in an unopened package in the garage.
 

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#17 ·
2/13/10

At this point the front fenders have been trimmed, plastic on lower doors was removed and sprayed with rattle can bedliner, and I was playing around in a little spot by my house. The XJ's first "flex" shots....hahahahaha
 

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#18 ·
Oh, and I picked up a Lincoln Mig 120 welder with cart and gas bottle off of CL. I had previously picked up a cheapo HF welder, but when I got the deal on this one I sold it at a yard sale. So, the plan was to weld my new floor pans in with my new welder. Seeing as I STILL have not taught myself how to weld? Yeah, that never happened. The temp "floor" ended up getting wet and drooping down onto the exhaust. I was on the way to work one day and it smelled like someone was toasting marshmellows. I pulled over real quick into an Auto Zone parking lot, lifted the back seat up and yep.....FIRE! I pulled the flaming cardboard out, threw it onto the ground, and stomped it out. Two ladies saw me and brought me a just of water they had in their car to help me out :2thumbsup: I went in and immediately bought a fire extinguisher to keep in the Jeep. Needless to say this literally lit a fire under my *** to get the floor fixed sooner than later.

Also, sometime before April I went ahead and fixed some of the dents on the doors, hatch, and front driver's side corner. After doing the bodywork I decided to take the bedliner all the way up to the pinstripe under the door handles. I dig the look and it makes touch ups real easy. I'm overdue for the whole thing to be redone. I'll knock that out this Spring when it warms up. I also installed a Nate's 4x4 recessed winch bumper. Another JF member had picked it up for a friend when he bought his and his buddy decided he didn't want it. He gave me a great deal on it and met me halfway between Charlotte and Hope Mills, NC. Great guy!

I also picked up a cheap HF trailer, which I used to pick up my new toy. That bike has yet to be on the road :( but I'm hoping to have it rideable by this Spring.
 

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#19 ·
6/4/10

So, instead of welding in the new floor pans I used some sealant and self tapping sheet metal screws. Ghetto? Maybe, but it has held up so far and better than holes in the floor. I wish I had more pics of the prep, but...... I don't, so deal with it.

I decided to spray a product called lizard skin, which has ceramic particles in it to dissipate the heat. I guess it works....but not as helpful as a heat shield. After the lizard skin I sprayed the U-POL rapter. I had sprayed the raptor liner in the TJ when I got it. I love the product. Not sure I'd bother with the lizard skin in the future though.
 

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#20 ·
Pics in the previous post were just of the lizard skin. This is after the Raptor Liner was sprayed over top of it. Also, the muffler that I had installed right after buying the XJ has already rusted out. What kind of CRAP is that?
 

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#21 ·
8/3/10

So, my steering was all jacked up. It was hard for me to keep the XJ on the road after hitting the slightest bump. I was planning on taking the XJ on it's first offroad trip. Not really a trip.....just playing at a little local spot, but I still wanted to make sure everything was good, so I took it to a local shop. I had the ball joints and a few u-joints replaced as well as some new Mickey Thompson MTZ's installed. I LOVE my MTZ's. I'm wishing I would have just picked up 35's at the time instead of 33's, but ....... I'll live. I'll probably be sticking with the 33's until they are bald and THEN bump up to 35's.
 

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#23 ·
8/8/10

I got the front doors off the night before I took the HEEP out on the trails for the first time. I had a BLAST! I didn't do anything crazy, but I still had fun.
 

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#25 ·
1/23/11

Ok, so sometime in January 2011 I started off for work and heard a horendous THUNK and then grinding coming from the front end. Someone suggested a pinion bearing, so I replaced the outer pinion bearing. I was trying to avoid digging into the diff, because up to this point I had never even popped a diff cover off and I was intimidated. Not sure why, but I was.

Since the XJ was my daily driver I couldn't afford to have it down for long at all, so I started scouring CL for another one I could pick up as cheap as possible. Well, I stumbled on to a '99 Durango with a 5.9L V8 and leather seats and couldn't pass it up. I got it for $2100 and the guy delivered it to my door. It needed front rotors and pads, but that was too easy. I knocked that out about 2 hours after he dropped it off. Here it is......
 

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#26 ·
4/25/11

With the "dingo" as the daily driver and me not knowing what was wrong with the XJ I just kind of stalled out for a few months. The XJ sat in the garage until around April.

I also ended up losing my job in March 2011. I needed to find a job quick, so I signed up to go overseas AGAIN. That would make my 4th deployment in 8 years. It ended up being for 9 months (June 2011 - March 2012). The deployment was split between Iraq and Afghanistan with a 3 week vacation in between, so I did 4.5 months in each country. So, I've now been to Iraq 3 times and Afghanistan twice. I don't care to ever visit either country or anywhere in that corner of the world ever again.

I really wanted to get the XJ up and running before deploying and to get at least one more wheeling trip in. So, off came the diff cover and look what I found!
 

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#27 ·
Yep, that is one JACKED up inner pinion bearing and a jagged *** oil slinger. I already had a full install kit with all bearings, so I borrowed a press and got to work. This didn't look so hard after all. Just a little research and I was good to go. I wanted to go wheeling the next day with a couple of guys, so I was on a time crunch. I just replaced the pinion bearings as quick as I could and got it back on the road. I think I took it for a test run an hour or two before taking off to meet them. Who needs sleep, right? Good news....all noise was gone and I was back in business. :cheers2:
 

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