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Everyday XJ Build

35K views 159 replies 27 participants last post by  jesse12296 
#1 ·
Hey Everyone,

I am currently in the market for another XJ after a short affair with a 1993 Toyota Pickup which recently ended because I lost the head gasket in it. Instead of fixing the truck I just decided to sell it and get something else. I sold my beloved '96 XJ about a year ago and ever since then I have missed my Jeep. Don't get me wrong I loved my Yota but there were a few things it was lacking that the Jeep had. The Yota was a 22RE 4 cylinder and there was a lot to be desired in the horsepower department unlike the 190hp Jeep that would smoke 33's. Being a regular cab the the truck had no room and I found myself missing the rear hatch area of my Jeep. So I have decided to buy another Jeep and I am going to do a build this time because I never got to do one with my last XJ. I haven't bought it yet but I am currently looking and will update regularly with what I find. This time around is going to be different than the last though. The previous XJ had 6 inches of lift and agressive 33's and I am not going that big this time.

Plans/Ideas:
1- 3 or 3.5 inch lift
2- 265/75/15's (P rated for a smoother ride)
3- decent exhaust
4- soundproofed interior (the Yota had a much less interior road noise)
 
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#2 ·
So I have been on the lookout for another Jeep and I have not had much luck. I have 5000 to spend but I do not intend on spending that much because I want a cushion for any needed repairs it may need. The plan is to buy something in the 2000-3000 price range leaving me with an extra 2-3k for any repairs I may need to make and then upgrades. Hopefully what I buy won't need much and it will be on to lift and tires :thumbsup:

Here is the old XJ


Like I said before I am going in a much different direction this time. I sold the last Jeep because of rising fuel costs and how bad it was on gas. Not to mention the fact that it was slowly falling apart. I am going to do a basic all terrain tire and probably a 3.5 inch lift. I am going for the more driveable Jeep this time instead of a trail rig. I would prefer a 97 or newer but if the right deal on a pre 97 comes along I will buy it. I have a fairly long commute and I loved the 3 inch lift I had in my 96 before I went to 6 and 33's because I kept ride quality and decent fuel mileage with 31's. I am going for a budget build and will try and be as cost effecient as possible. Now if I can find a decent deal on one... Fortunately I have my girlfriends car to tool around in for the meantime. I am going to be patient and buy the right one that fits my needs. Hopefully something comes up soon so I can start building!
 
#3 ·
i bought my 94 for 850 bucks have since done 97+ conversion front end 6.5in long arm and 33 bfg mud terrains along with entire braking system, sye, steering components and alot of the engine gaskets to dry up the engine bay some. and i am just touching the 3k mark. you should be able to stay in your price range with plenty left over for the route you are taking. good luck with your build!
 
#4 ·
Im at $18XX its an 84(gross right? 4cyl carbed) but it came with loc rite. $15 to rebuild it(pins and springs) and its amzing. Always wanted a jeep. So i.... "bought my wife a cherokee".... $700 for jeep that needed clutch, $200 for used rubicon express 4.5" i think, $100 for a buddy's week old teraflex's, $680 for 32" maxxis bighorn, $200 for hoses, steering box, and misc. Ive seen them cheap, granted im in AZ and dirt is all we have.
 
#5 ·
So I found a couple of decent Jeeps to check out tomorrow.

Jeep One:
'98 XJ white with a 5 speed 150k
Looks real clean
$3200

Jeep Two:
'99 XJ green with an auto 150k
$3900

I have looked at both real quickly but have the day off tomorrow to check them over better. I am leaning more towards the white one because it looks cleaner and is more in my price range. The green one is nice too and I would prefer and automatic but I don't want to spend that much and I am not a fan of green. I am not really sure whether I will like either but I am going to bring them to the shop and put them on a lift. If one is nice I will probably bring it home and the building plans will set in motion :D
 
#6 ·
So I went and looked at those two Jeeps... They weren't bad but I don't think either of them was quite worth what was being asked. I did however find a super clean Jeep at a dealership which is really reasonably priced but more than I wanted to spend.

1999 XJ 4 door 5 speed red super clean 105k miles







They are asking $4995.00 I called and offered them $4500 out the door taxes, title doc fee all that stuff. I am waiting on a call back from the general manager. I didn't want to eat up all my funds, but in the same sense I don't want to buy junk either. I would rather get a nice vehicle with low miles and upgrade later when I have the money than put a bunch of money into something just okay and still have 4 or 5 grand invested. I booked it and what they are asking is exactly what it books for. That seems fair right?
 
#8 ·
Good news! I found a 2000 Cherokee with only 94k miles on it super clean runs and drives perfect! I drove an hour to check it out but I put a $100 deposit on it and will most likely pick it up tomorrow. I am glad I waited and didn't buy the red one above because it was a stick with no options. This one is a year newer with less miles and has all the options plus it is an automatic like I wanted. I am almost positive I will pick it up tomorrow but I wanted to wait because a new Uncle Henry's comes out tomorrow and I want to make sure nothing is in there for a better deal. I offered them $4500 out the door and they said they would take it so I won't have much money left over for mods but I will have a rock solid platform to build up...it will just take some time to build the funds back up. I am going to go for a clean daily driver look that is functional. Minimal lift, probably 265/75/15 AT's passenger rated to keep my ride, decent rims and an exhaust and thats about it. I will definitely do some small mods like fog lights and stuff too but I want to make sure I work out all the quirks first.
 
#10 ·
I am one of those people who is very particular about their stuff. I am very fussy when it comes to buying new things and I research meticulously before I purchase. I am patient and will not just buy anything, which has paid off with almost all the vehicles I've bought. I spent more than I wanted to because I had intended on having money left over for lift and tires, but that will just have to wait a bit.
 
#11 ·
I'm the same way. I just picked up a 2000 Cherokee Sport a couple of week ago after relentlessly searching Craigslist and car lots for just the right one and in decent shape. Your patience will pay off.

You were smart to leave a deposit, around here a good deal on a Cherokee lasts maybe hours until it is sold. I hope you bring it home today and look forward to seeing some pics. :thumbsup:
 
#14 ·
So I picked up my Jeep tonight and I had to drive it about 60 miles home and I was so impressed with the comfortable ride and clean interior. It is like a Caddy compared to my '96 and I like the styling of the interior so much better. I did find a few quirks that I need to address.

1. blower motor resistor
2. minor exhaust rattle at idle
3. whistle in cabin maybe weatherstripping?

Pics coming probably tomorrow!
 
#15 ·
I brought the Jeep into work today and checked it all out on the lift. I greased and shook the front end down and it was tight as can be. It does need a few minor things but nothing serious.

Brake Rotors Are Nasty


Rear Shock Leaking


Front Pinion Seal Leak


Blower Motor Resistor...Not Sure Why It Wouldn't Work :dunno:


Minor Rust Spot On Passenger Door


Paint Chipped On Flare


Overall the Jeep is in real good shape I am not too worried about the minor stuff. I want to get that rust fixed first off before that becomes more of an issue. I also need to reattach the passenger rear fender flare the bottom is a little floppy. I am going to fix the brakes and pinion seal once it warms up outside and the damn snow is gone. I am also going to drain and refill both front and rear differentials and changeover to synthetic fluid...the fluid in the front differential was naaaaasty. I had to add a little bit of fluid to the front and rear differentials but not an alarming amount. The shock isn't really a concern of mine because I intend on lifting it this summer and it will come with shocks. I did change the blower motor resistor out because I only had heat on 4 and it wasn't even the right speed but it works perfect now. Fluids under the hood were all good and my air filter was clean. I cleaned the throttle body plate while I was under there, but it wasn't too dirty. When I was looking it over I did find out that it has a front tow bar which is sweeeeet.

Things To Do Right Off:
-Oil Change
-Clean Interior Real Good
-Fix Door
-Fix Flare
-Remove Door Molding

In The Future:
-Front Brakes
-Clean and Adjust Rear Brakes
-Pinion Seal and Differential Fluid Change
-Rainguards
-Fog Lights
-Herculine Rockers and Bottom of Doors
-Lift and Tires
-Replace Front Axle Joints

As It Sits
 
#16 ·
I see you picked up a green XJ, nice choice. :thumbsup: Now let the spending spree begin..........errrr, I mean let the build begin. :laugh:

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
#17 ·
Haha right I have to build the funds back up first. I am going to fix the mechanical stuff first and once it is tip top then comes the fun stuff...tires and lift :thumbsup:
 
#18 ·
So I decided to sand down that rust spot on the passenger door. I was hoping that it was only surface but sure enough there was a small hole there :brickwall

You Can See Where It Is Bubbled...


Sanded...


Sanded A Little More...


This Is What I Ended Up With....


Filled With Short Strand Fiberglass


Sanded And Shaped...


Painted...


Finished Product...


I know that filling rust with bondo is not the ideal way to repair something but it only cost me $5.27 in paint. We had some filler kicking around the shop and sanding discs are free...if it lasts even a year or two I won't complain. If it rusts through then I will buy a door and have it painted right, but it works for now. I know it isn't perfect, but I intend on bedlining my rockers and the bottoms of my doors with herculiner and that will cover up any imperfections.

List Of Things To Do In Rough Chronological Order
-Mobil 1 synthetic oil change
-fix passenger rear fender flare
-fix that annoying weatherstrip leak
-fix pinion seal and flush diffs w/ synthetic fluid
-fix noisy transfer case linkage w/ linkage repair kit
-fix front axle joints
-lift and tires
 
#19 ·
I went to Wal Mart and picked up some goodies



I decided to run nothing but synthetic in the Jeep for a few different reasons. The main reason is because you can go more miles in between oil changes and it only cost me 35 bucks for oil and filter. I am going to go 6k miles between changes which figures out to $17.50 per oil change which is basically the same as using conventional oil without the hassle of changing it so often. Secondly, synthetic oil performs better in harsh temperatures and living in Maine the temperatures are all over the place. And more importantly synthetic oil is better for the Jeep and will prolong engine life. As soon as it warms up I am going to change my differential fluids over to synthetic and probably my transfer case too.

I also picked this up so I can listen to my Ipod without annoying f.m. tranmitter static and I don't have to get a CD player and I can keep my stock am/fm radio... EricsXJ would be proud :laugh:

 
#20 ·
I also picked this up so I can listen to my Ipod without annoying f.m. tranmitter static and I don't have to get a CD player and I can keep my stock am/fm radio... EricsXJ would be proud :laugh:
:thumbsup:

BTW, you can run a larger oil filter for the same cost as those small ones and that will help keep the oil cleaner longer. Plus you get to run a little more oil in the system too. There are part numbers for the oversize filters on here somewhere (use the search) or they are also listed in my book if you have a copy.
 
#23 ·
Yeah the old XJ was an awesome rig, but it was KILLING me on gas... So I am going for something a little more economical this time around. It is definitely going to look nice when I am done. It is going to be a clean rig similar to Stevieboys rig as far as the cleanliness aspect goes. I am have other plans as far as the direction I want to go, but a lift is in the very near future!
 
#24 ·
So I am probably going to be ordering my lift and rims here within the next week. I am going to do the RC Series II 3 inch kit with basic black steel wheels. I already have a t-case drop lying around from my old Jeep plus a trac bar relocating bracket too. Hopefully I get no vibes because the last thing I want to do is use a t-case drop! I have come up with enough cash to put together the lift and rim package...now I just need to save up for tires. I work at a shop and we sell tires, but even with my discount tires are soooo damn expensive :thumbdown:
 
#25 ·
Goods news! I ordered my lift and rims today...rims will be here on Monday and the lift most likely Wednesday or Thursday. I ended up ordering some Pro Comp 15x8 black steel wheels with a 4.75 backspacing instead of the black ones from RC. The ones from RC had that stupid blue and red pinstripe around the lip of the rim so I opted to spend like 20 bucks more and get the Pro Comps because it doesn't have that hideous pinstripe. Now I just need to save up the cabbage to get some tires and I am in business. I have a bunch of junk on craigslist for sale so if it sells then I should have money for tires soon. In other news I finally got around to changing the oil today we had an extra bottle of oil system cleaner kicking around the shop so I ran that through first then I changed the oil. Come to find out my oil cap was broken and barely even tight so its a good thing I decided to change the oil when I did or I probably would have had a mess :laugh:

I am tempted to put my lift in even if I don't have my tires yet. Not sure how it will look with a 3 inch lift and 225's :dunno:
 
#26 ·
^^^ it will look a little silly, but focus you on saving for bigger meats.

glad you've come back - I left the XJ fold for a compact hatchback for about 1 1/2 years - sitting in an XJ looking down the hood just feels right.
 
#28 ·
I got bored at work today and I smoked out my tail lights and corner lenses. I forgot to take pictures of what it looked like before with them on.











I am happy with how it came out overall I was trying not to go too dark but the corner lenses got dark pretty quick. Definitely goes good with the overall dark color of the Jeep and will look even better when I have my black wheels on it.
 
#30 ·
Surprisingly enough I have never gotten any grief about my tail lights and I have done this to a few different vehicles. I made an effort to try and lightly spray them and the back came out perfect, but the corner lenses got dark really quick. I only sprayed them with two really quick coats and before I knew it they got that dark. Most of my previous vehicles were realllly dark and I didn't want to do that this time around. I used VHT niteshades and you have to be careful because some lenses take differently to it. When I did the tail lights on my truck they didn't look too dark...and then they dried and I was like :eek:

This is how dark my truck was...


I am excited because my lift is getting shipped out today and my rims should be here today. I am still trying to scrape the money together for some tires, but even if that doesn't happen right off I am going to put my lift in anyways. I'm sure it will look a little odd with a 3 inch lift and 225's but I don't mind if I get a couple people doing this :hahaha:
 
#31 ·
Got an email today confirming the delivery of my lift it is scheduled for delivery on Thursday. My rims didn't show up today, which really isn't all that big of a deal because I have no tires anyway. Most likely the lift will be installed mid next week if the weather cooperates and I feel up to it. I would really prefer to have new tires all on rims and ready but it is not looking like tires are the real immediate future due to a serious shortage of funds :thumbdown:

Updates to come...
 
#33 ·
Thanks :thumbsup: I am going to do the high mount stop lense on the rear hatch too I didn't even think of it until I walked up behind my Jeep and now it sticks out because it is the only red lense left.
 
#34 ·
My rims came in yesterday and my lift is coming in tomorrow so I am 75 percent of the way to completion of build phase one. Once I am all set up with my lift, rims and tires I need to fix some maintenance items I have been putting on the back burner...barring any driveline vibes that require attention. I just couldn't stand driving the Jeep at stock height any longer...if I wanted to drive a Volvo I would have bought one :laugh:

The station wagon look just doesn't suit me...

Maintenance Items
  1. Fix annoying whistle coming from passenger door :brickwall
  2. Fix transfer case linkage rattle
  3. Replace front pinion seal and exchange diff fluid to Mobil One
  4. Replace front brakes
  5. Replace wheel joints
  6. Flush transmission fluid and change filter
  7. Exchange transfer case fluid to Mobile One
Mods To Come
  1. Exhaust
  2. Fog lights
  3. Remove door molding
  4. Herculine rockers
There will be more but thats my rough list for now...
 
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