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biggn235's XJ Sport build

39K views 361 replies 31 participants last post by  biggn235 
#1 ·
I was going to wait till I was finished with my lift and tires before I started a build thread but I decided it was time to get it going.

My XJ is a 1999 Sport, Gun Metal Blue.
4.0
AW4
NP231
D30/8.25
Body has 176k miles, engine was replaced in 09 (have receipts) and has 95k.

She has been used and abused by her PO and needs a little love. Here it is the day I got it home. (April 29th)

























That last pic is kinda dark but you can see the broken leaf that is hanging down on the driver's side. Sooo much sag.
 
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#89 ·
A few pictures from yesterday. A friend of mine at work had never been off road so I took him down a trail and snapped a few pictures. I have never made it up this hill before and had to get a picture for proof.





I meant it when I said I go wheeling 3 or 4 times a week haha.

I have also decided that I really need some protection on my D30. I slammed the cover into two massive rocks on two different occasions. I don't want the third time to be the time when it punches a hole in it or dents it in. I'm thinking just the Warn cover will be more than enough.
 
#91 ·
Made one big change to the XJ today.



Cragars! White letters in.



Look how clean the wheel is, really shows off the dirt on the tires haha



Looks so much better.



Had to modify the shackle mount slightly, it was too big for the hitch. Apparently Crown Automotive doesn't have very good quality standards if you have to grind it to make it fit. Whatever, nothing to complain about, I made it work.



Using the Angle Grinder of Death I removed enough material on all four sides to make it fit inside the receiver.



Hit it with some Rustoleum paint, and it is ready to go.



In. Rear recovery point is complete.



Looks good from the rear.



Stephen giving the shackle a strength test.

 
#92 ·
Front tow hooks will have to wait. We were going to get them on tonight but Stephen and I started messing around with his XJ instead and then started just hanging around talking. So naturally we didn't get as much done as planned. There is no rush to get them on any time soon anyway.

Still to buy-
NEW TIRES
swaybar discos
swaybar bushings
extended brake lines for front
extended bumpstops
3/4" poly spacer to replace the 1" aluminum spacer and factory isolator
V8 ZJ tie rod with new ends all around

And eventually-
Beefy covers for the D30 and 8.25
Sliders
CB
A good catback for a DD
Front locker?


All in good time. As always, more updates are to come.
 
#97 ·
Spent the first part of the day cleaning the Jeep up really good.



Then this evening Stephen and I got the front tow hooks on.

Getting started.



Bumper off.



While I had the emissions line disconnected I re-routed it under the ground line to keep it away from the hood prop clip and out of danger of being pinched again.



Front recovery points are done.







All finished, took about an hour.



I also noticed today that I have water and mud inside my headlights haha. I'll replace them eventually but they still work fine for now.



Ridiculous.

 
#102 ·
very true, i found a 99 for 5500 and the place takes trades, but car payment isnt in our budget till next year. i still like mine though.

When are you getting the duratracs? and i missed it when i looked through your thread but how much lift are you running?
 
#103 ·
I'm sure you can find a better deal out there somewhere, mine was only $2800.

I'll be getting the DuraTracs as soon as I finish saving up the money. Should be by the end of this month, if not maybe a few weeks into August. As for my lift it is the 3" Rough Country Series II kit with full packs, combined with 1" Daystar greasable shackles in the rear and 1" solid spacers in the front. Realistically I'd say the rear was lifted just under 4" and the front was lifted just over 4". I'll eventually get a slightly smaller spacer for the front to help level it out a little more, but for now I'm satisfied.
 
#104 ·
Ah i see, Yeah im sure ill come across a better deal, its always nice to look.

I've thought about getting one inch spacers for the front because mine leans forward. I got 3" lift front and 3.75 almost 4 in the rear with aal... next summer well next time we get taxes back, ill order new set of leafs.

hell mines not even 4x4 but it will be again eventually.
 
#105 ·
Well tonight wasn't a very good night for the XJ. My exhaust hanger next to the shackle broke, so now my rattle is even louder. Also, my D-ring fell out of the receiver. So at some point tonight while taking a girl out to dinner my rear recovery decided to bail. A minor setback, but extremely annoying nonetheless.
 
#106 ·
Took the XJ on a 200 mile highway trip this weekend. It got up to speed great, tracked straight, no crazy wobbles or shimmy or vibrations, rode very smooth. Cruising at 70mph at a comfortable 2200 rpm, no sweat for the 4.0.



Open road and up to speed for the first time. Before now the Jeep has barely seen above 50 because I live in town and don't have far to go to get to work.



Temporarily fixed the exhaust with a coat hanger because the rattling and banging was killing me. Once I get the money I'll get the Rusty's catback with the 50 series Flowmaster.
 
#109 ·
Took the XJ off road yesterday and today. These pics are from my cell phone but I have a lot more pictures that were taken with Stephen's camera that are much better quality, I will try to get them off his camera and uploaded tomorrow.

Yesterday's trail run.









After we were done. A lot more mud gets thrown on the side of the Jeep with these wheels. I like it.





 
#110 ·
Today we decided to bring some wood and get a campfire going so that we could cook some hotdogs.



Following Stephen up the trail. Pics are more blurry than usual because I was bumping around so much.













 
#113 ·
Arrived at the cooking site. A few leaves had decided to go along for the ride.



Getting the fire going.





My XJ was the buffet table.



Fire



Packed up and heading out.



As I said, I have a lot more pictures that are better quality that I will try to get up soon. But until then, enjoy.
 
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