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Project Overland DD

54K views 348 replies 24 participants last post by  V1GiLaNtE 
#1 ·
Out with the old, in with the "new"


So old jeep got totaled by some guy driving down the road late at night drunk. Long story short bought it back for $350 and parked it for the time being. I'm thinking it'll be come a trail rig and I'll update accordingly in its own thread.

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f177/v1gilantes-98-classic-build-thread-1222997/

So this one. Found it on CL last minute at dealer for $3995. Call a friend they drive to check it out. This place closes at 7 and they roll in low ball the guy hard, test drive it and leave. Guy is already ready to go home. Now mind you I told him I would show up around 7 ish but with traffic let's be real.. Roll up around 730, drive it, get out slap 3k on the table and say that's all I have.

The perfect score. Guy was so ready to go home he just waived it away.

Specs:
1998 sport
144k
Dana 30/Dana 35
Factory fogs
Np231 tcase

Pretty standard xj

Plans:
Build it to a overland DD'er for commutes to work and adventuring on the weekends while black 98' gets built up.

Like so..



List up front is going to be maintenance
Diff fluids
Oil and filter
Trans oil and filter
Tcase oil
Alignment

Stage 1
Rattle can the fenders because they are faded
Swap tow hooks over from black xj
Install new bar pin eliminators
Swap rubicon shocks over
Install 2" coils I have
Install new quadratic hd leaves because the stock ones are sagging and inverted. ( should net about ~2 of lift in rear)
Swap bumstops over
Swap 31s over

I can't decide if I should run the eccos I have on the black xj or run some canyons. Maybe just maybe I'll look into rubicon five spokes

Somewhere between 1 & 2 a cargo basket will go on the roof.

Stage 2:
Diff Covers
T-Case Skid
Lights
Winch/recovery

Pics:




 
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7
#3 ·
Most of the summer not much happened

Small maintenance items, damn those brakes were bad, changed the diff fluids and pulled off my old front tow hook kit and Hella 500 fog lights.





Sat like this for quite some time.


Took it on a few adventures and camping.



Ended up selling my black XJ to a NOVA Jeepers members and kept the wheels and 31's. 31's DO NOT fit well already under a stock XJ without some serious rubbing. Well when your rear leafs are practically flat you get even more.


Took the money and ordered/bought the following

OME HD leaf packs
Rubicon Shocks
JCR Offroad Transfer case skid.




Already had 2" lift springs from the first iteration of my black XJ, extended rear bump stops and some bar pin elminiators from my old busted Rubicon shocks to give me an extra ~1" of shock travel.

Front took about an hour and the rear consumed most of the day. The biggest hold up being the shear torque needed to loosen the bolts which held the old packs in place.. And my ******* for forgetting well over a month ago to press out a metal sleeve in the bottom of the rear shocks.

Some pics of install and old parts comparison.
(buddy wrenching away)




So now it sits like this.




I've got a few driveline vibes which aren't bad.

Mainly my next course of action is as follows:

Install Tcase Skid
Fix driveline vibes
Build CB antenna mount
Mount CB antenna and wire up CB
Purchase/install some front quick disconnects

Get it out on the trails! I'm really itching to get back up to Harrisonburg and hit all the local trails I miss.
Updates will come as things progress.
 
#4 ·
So I should probably add some updates to where the XJ is now.

TC drop was installed and helped rid almost all of the vibes except around 35mph and 55. Got the JCR skid installed and cannot be more happy with the fit and finish.

XJ's are notorious for burning up Fog light switches so got to order a new one of those and my cruise control stopped working. Couple of things to check and eliminate the problem.

So I would say ~Stage 1 has been accomplished with a few things to set it right.

I threw the 2" coils on because I had em. Jeep sits too raked and I know it will cause some clearance issues with flex.

So Stage 1.5:
Buy 3" Rough Country coils to bring it up to level and give me more clearance.
Buy/Install JCR Quick Discos.
Build/Install CB mount/Antenna

Keep up with Maintenance(burned switches, fix CC, etc.)

I found this guys 93 XJ running 3" and 32's.. With the proper backspacing and bumpstopping (and obvious fender trimming) he's got no rubbing. So 3" and 31's has never been a problem for me but the look and feel of this jeep is the long term blend of function and form I'm looking for.

 
#15 ·
Thanks man! Like I said before, the woman and I crave being out and away from the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia. So this rig functions as my DD and our expedition steed to the great outdoors.

I drafted up some sketches to build a rack/basket in the cargo area. Give me a place to put my spare without it being on the roof killing MPG's.. BUT still have the space underneath to fit a grocery bag, packs, gun cases, etc.. I'll have to snap a pic tonight of what I'm trying to build.. I'm thinking mainly square tubing should suffice for strength, weight, and cost. :2thumbsup:
 
#22 ·
Interesting. I've read some people make a bracket then use the screws for the visor clips to hold it up.
That's how I did mine. Used a piece of 1/8" flat aluminum. Because I had the time, I even traced the visor clip onto the metal and trimmed it out to match the profile like a dork. Pics and info at http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f177/kevin108s-2000-xj-build-867428/index12.html#post10765139

Thanks man! Like I said before, the woman and I crave being out and away from the hustle and bustle of Northern Virginia. So this rig functions as my DD and our expedition steed to the great outdoors.
You've seen this before, right?





 
#25 ·
So I found the inspiration for my cargo shelf..
Looks like dirtbound off road makes exactly what I'm looking for.
http://www.dirtboundoffroad.com/camping_gear/xj-interior-cargo-shelf/

I imagine I can pick up some square tubing and weld this thing up myself for at least half the price.
The idea would be to keep the 31" spare inside the jeep to keep mpgs up , spare out of the weather and secure.
But still keep the space below usable.
 
#27 ·
The idea would be to keep the 31" spare inside the jeep to keep mpgs up , spare out of the weather and secure.
But still keep the space below usable.
Most people have been able to fit a 31 in the stock location. I haven't tried yet. Still gotta get the best of my old baldies mounted.
 
#28 ·
Just for you Kevin since I'm working remotely today.. As you can see not much room to slide that 31" spare into the old space. That's why I want to build this rack system. Want to utilize all that free space to its potential. So maybe the spare on top of the rack with a hilift mounted to the edge..?

Car Vehicle Motor vehicle Vehicle door Automotive exterior
 
#31 ·
Just for you Kevin since I'm working remotely today.. As you can see not much room to slide that 31" spare into the old space. That's why I want to build this rack system. Want to utilize all that free space to its potential. So maybe the spare on top of the rack with a hilift mounted to the edge..?
It's nice to see someone else riding around with as much crap as I do! What if you put the spare in the stock location then built your rack? It would be harder to get the tire out but taking up rack space for something you may never even use seems like a waste.

This has been my setup for a while now. I may have to modify it some to fit a 31" spare though.

Vehicle Car Automotive lighting Automotive tail & brake light Trunk
 
#30 ·
Picked up a buddies roofrack. He's on the other side of the mountains so I'll have to wait till after the superbowl to get that from him. That should help with the EXPO theme.

I wasn't able to get the coils on last night as the spring compressor I rented from advance one of the rods was stripped and you could only use one of them to compress the coil.. It was getting dark and progressively reaching the single digits.. FFFUUUUUU Advance. I need to swap it for another one and try again.
 
#33 ·
Seems like many of my jeep parts, fixes, updates are kinda of like all the books sitting next to the bed... I have about 5 of them and I end up starting one and then get side tracked by another, time constraints, waiting to get a book back.. etc.. There's my half-a$$ analogy for the day.

Filling up this big ol' "checklist-to-do" thingy:

- Get these 3" Rough Country Coils on (Darn weather has not been cooperative)
- MAAAYBBBEE grab my roof rack from my buddy this weekend if he can fit it in his Scoobi
- I actually built a CB antenna mount.. More preliminary so now I need to make another one because I..
- Ordered CB Antenna Stud
- Ordered CB COAX cable
- Which means now I just need to go out to the garage and build the same mount with a 1/2" hole to accommodate the stud mount.
- Build mount for CB to go inbetween sun visors
- Stop spending money so I can order these JKS Discos
- Find enough time to get out to the trails on the weekend and play!
 
#36 ·
jeeps lookin good man ... the white just looks soooo clean. ... The bedlined rockers are a good way to go for sure, but be careful painting your fender flairs, if you do them with spray paint, a lot of times they look like crap and they don't hold up long.

honestly i wouldn't even worry about painting little crap like that, keep your eye on the prize, get your lift together and get a roof rack if you want. To be honest I LOOOOVE my roof rack and I'm about to extend it to the full roof, I use it all the time, I don't know what I would do with out it. Some people don't like the look, or they don't like it because it can get snagged on stuff, but I never have a problem. It's a must for me. especially if your going expo/overland ... got to have a sick roof rack :D, mine is close to getting some serious love :rofl: cant waitl!!
 
#38 ·
Thanks man! I personally believe it serves a lot of purpose. I've considered bedlining the rockers and rear quarter panels. I loved the panda color contrast. Plus looking back a lot of the guys who yank the door moldings it really cleans up the rig.

Yes.. Some may not like it for whatever reason but expo/overland to me.. that's just hawt..

Bedlined quarter panels..



And then there's HeavyMetal's XJ which I have always lusted over.


Kevin. How did the orginal mount break? How is the newer Firestik one holding up?
 
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