Joshrad's XJ Build Thread (slow) - Page 5

2000BB6 · 04-07-2010, 08:23 AM

looks great

**joshrad** · 04-13-2010, 08:47 PM

Well, I was starting to mount my sliders when I realized that the holes I drilled on for the front four bolts on the unibody were off by between 1/4"-1/2". I don't know how I managed to **** it up but I did, even though I triple checked it before I started drilling. I live by "measure twice, cut once" and I was so pissed I had to walk away for a good ten minutes so I didn't put anything threw the XJ's rear window. However, I could move the whole thing back about 3/4" and drill new holes and it wouldn't look too off center or anything even though it actually would be slightly off. I had started with the passenger side and that's as far as I got.

After I came back and sat and stared at it for about another 10 minutes trying to figure out what to do. I decided now would be a good time to go to a local Jeep fabrication shop and have them weld on frame stiffeners, which I was planning on doing in the future anyway. So now I'm gonna go by there after class tomorrow and talk to them about getting frame stiffeners welded on and see what they have to say about the whole thing.

**NW99XJ** · 04-14-2010, 08:12 AM

Lame!!! Well looks like things will turn out for the best. Adding frame stiffeners will be a great upgrade! Might as well have those sliders welded on at the same time too! Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.

**joshrad** · 04-14-2010, 09:10 AM

Yeah, it'll be a nice upgrade. Just kind of a crappy reason to do it though. Oh well, I'm going to a local family owned Jeep fabrication shop today so I'm hoping they'll give me a break since I'm planning on having them do a new exhaust system as well as build custom front and rear bumpers when I have the budget for that.

jkylshark · 04-16-2010, 02:57 AM

nice buildd, very liberal with that green spray paint, i like it

**joshrad** · 04-16-2010, 11:29 PM

So here's some random pics from today.

Found this guy after only being at the OHV park for about 10 minutes. First I tried to tug him out but he just sank deeper, so being the nice guy I am I ventured over to the main campsite to recruit some bigger trucks to help.

It took three of them winching him out, and digging to get him out finally. They broke one of the D-ring tabs off his rear bumper, luckily that was the only thing that broke and no winch cables snapped. So about an hour and a half later he was out, and I was ready to start the hour trek back home but figured I'd do some of this before I left.

I had disco'd my sway bar when I got there to test the flex with it off.

I'm surprised I got this much travel and still had plenty of slack left in the stock front brake lines.

When my brother stuck his camera outside to take this picture I had a feeling it'd either get a rock or mud kicked up at it, but luckily nothing happened.

Smittyman · 04-16-2010, 11:52 PM

Looking great man! I see ya on the forum quite a bit. Seem like we're in the same boat. College student - poor Jeeper. Haha. Hope the slider install only gets easier on ya. I have been looking at their sliders for awhile now. Plus one of my buds hit his rocker pretty well, so it's only pushed me more to get them. Haha.

**joshrad** · 05-01-2010, 01:00 PM

Well, I got the sliders on last weekend. The driver's side went on a million times easier than the passenger side. Here's the only pic I can find right now.

I'll try to find the other ones I took and upload them when I can.

And I'm pretty sure my next mod will be the IRO 5.5" LA kit. So it might be a while before I update this thread with anything that's more than mildly interesting. Hope to do some trail runs this summer and wheel more than I've been able to this last year so I'll update with pics from that as well.

aircruiser · 05-01-2010, 02:17 PM

nice what tires you gonna run with the IRO kit? thats what i have in the front is the 5.5"

**joshrad** · 05-01-2010, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aircruiser

nice what tires you gonna run with the IRO kit? thats what i have in the front is the 5.5"

Well, I'd like to run 35"x12.5" MT/Rs w/kevlar, but I'm at least gonna get 33's. Either way I'm gonna need to get new wheels with the right back spacing so I don't rub. I have a feeling though that I'm gonna be stuck rocking the 30" MT/Rs for a while after I do the lift.

My plan is to get at least 33's and bump stomp it, and keep my stock wheels and when the MT/Rs need to be replaced, get 31" A/Ts to run for daily driving. And then upgrade the axles with at least 4.56 gears and new shafts but I don't know when I'll ever get around to that. I have all these plans but no idea how long it's gonna take me.