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What did you do to your ZJ today?

3564662 Views 54888 Replies 2075 Participants Last post by  Off Grid Access, 
Jones
This thread is to serve as an inspiration to others modifying their ZJ's. Pretty simple, just post what you did to your ZJ today!


Today I shamefully took my Jeep to get the oil changed because it was to hot to change it myself.
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yjsaabman
AdidasCJ said:
Finally got around to welding in some sliders. Then used a bed coating to cover them. Also Installed Snorkel.

Before:


After:



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Your ZJ and mine have a lot in common! Is that the $100-ish one from Amazon, like mine? Install was a bit of a PITA, having to remove the fender, and all. Mine still isn't totally connected to the airbox because it's all kinda crappy, IMO. Have a plan for that that involves a junkyard sourced replacement airbox for a readily available air filter and a pre-sealed airbox.

Today on mine I gave it a quick blast with pressure washer to remove the worst of the scuzz that accumulated in the last almost 2 years since it's last proper washing. Also started some calculations for materials to build a custom roof rack.

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yjsaabman
Damn! That's a steal! I'm sure it was made in the same factory in Asia somewhere. I thought about the aftermarket airbox, but wanted something easily serviceable, so I'm going to try a Ford E/F-150 airbox as it's got a tube inlet and outlet and you'll never not be able to find a filter.

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yjsaabman
AdidasCJ said:
I was looking at the F150 and the explorer setup, it was just to big.
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I was thinking it might be for your dual battery setup.

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yjsaabman
klaxmaster said:
Look what i found in a junkyard... Looks like it got totalled in a rear end collison.

Wish i had time to extract the tranny.

So this is more of a 'what almost can do to my ZJ' manual 5 speed conversion...


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Sending you a PM, interested in some bits if they're decent!

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yjsaabman
AdidasCJ said:
Built a custom roof rack.

Stock


Mocked up for fitment


Bedliner!




Installed
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Been planning a similar project. Nice work!

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yjsaabman
JKandZJ said:
Was able to find the correct shifter for the NP231 swap.
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The more I read and see over the years the luckier I consider myself to have found a ZJ originally equipped with the NP231. My shifter trim is coming apart a little, but it still stays in place. I really need to pull the console back out and freshen it up. Should have done that when I had it out for the 5 speed swap. After I replace the O2 sensor, though. I picked that up Sunday, now I just need to install it.

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yjsaabman
Replaced the oxygen sensor yesterday. After 27 years and almost 188k miles it was not surprising it took the torch to get it to break free.

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yjsaabman
KiloWatts said:
Nothing else needs to be changed with a meager 0.75"-1" lift am I right? Just swapping springs, but the OME do have a little extra...
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Alignment after with any lift. Do a basic toe measurement on both front and back of the front tires before so you can get it in the ballpark to be drivable. The y-link steering gets thrown out of whack with any height change.

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yjsaabman
I had the opposite issue with mine early on. It would start, but the key wouldn't come out! A quick cable adjustment got it working consistently again.

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yjsaabman
Lowered the rear back down to stock height with 30 boxes of laminate flooring.


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yjsaabman
Do you have a prybar? You could try to lever the arm forward once you have it up in the pocket, or even guide it as you're jacking the axle up. FYI all you needed to do was loosen the bolt so the axle could droop without binding up the bushing. Be sure to torque everything with the weight of the vehicle on the suspension.

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yjsaabman
My wife said she got multiple comments/questions from the staff in a McDonald's drive thru in regards to the snorkel and the exhaust tone.

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yjsaabman
I've been noticing a nasty clunk from the RF on hard right turns with a dip, like pulling into/out of certain parking lots and driveways. Yesterday I took a few minutes and cranked the steering all the way to the right and jacked up the RF to see what's going on. Some definite witness marks on the front driveshaft yoke, but what was it hitting? It looked like there was plenty of room everywhere...but then I saw it. It's hitting the new 2.5" downpipe I built a few months ago. As it was sitting static on the jack it looked like there was plenty of room, but the axle and suspension is actually deflecting that much under a heavy load to contact. I'm not sure if new bushings/arms will be enough to keep from happening. Still feels solid on the highway, and the trackbar (cheap MevoTech from RockAuto) still seems tight.

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yjsaabman
95-ZJ said:
Thats a bummer KiloWatt.

Glad your physically safe and ok it seems anyway? Accidents do unfortunately happen hence their name but, whats even worse, to me, is dealing with the aftermath of waiting on their/your insurance and waiting for estimates, then finally the repairs. What a headache.

If I could offer a piece of advice, its that, if you dont just have them cut you a check and you repair it yourself, then wherever you have it repaired, you MAKE SURE they use OEM parts.

I had a fender bender like yours long ago but it wasnt my fault either.

After all was said and done, I went to the body shop to check in on the progress of the repair and low and behold they were just getting ready to paint the fender but I saw the box laying by the vehicle with made in china stickers and said "whoo! no ya dont! I want usa made or best equivelent fender and bumper, oem quality parts only.

I had full coverage insurance on the vehicle with comprehensive and collision so I demanded, like parts for like parts. Its what was on it and its it should be replaced with in kind. They hemmed and hawwed but they finally made it back to OEM original. Just wanted to mention that so they dont try to pull a switcharoo and give you cheaper parts like they tried with me.

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The other way they will get you is they will only paint the outside of the fender, leaving just the basic keep it from rusting on the shelf coating on the inside. That stuff deteriorates quickly out in the world, so make sure the inside of replacement panels like that get painted, too.

Good luck with sorting it out, KiloWatt.

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yjsaabman
Mr. Puddles said:
Picked her up from the axle shop. 4.10 gears and a lunchbox locker up front.
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Curious to hear your driving impressions with the lunchbox in the front.

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yjsaabman
1shotleft said:
I didn't do anything I swear, it just shut off and wouldn't start back up. Turned over fine but not starting.


Sent from space with lasers.
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Lol! Well, is it missing fuel or spark? They don't usually just shut off from a lack of air.

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yjsaabman
GOLDWING said:
My thoughts exactly. I can imagine not terrible in full time, but under torque in part time the word bind springs to mind.

I think @8v of fury mentioned ill handling with that setup.
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Yeah, my concern with a front locker and no lockout hubs is maneuvering tight trails without it binding and such. I'm running a 231 t-case.

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yjsaabman
PolkaPower said:
I had them on my first ZJ. They were just pieces of C channel cut at an angle and I welded them on.
Depending on steel prices in your area, it might be way less expensive to just do it this way if you have scrap laying around. View attachment 3990291

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I was thinking exactly that! I should have enough left over from doing my other rocker to make some.

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yjsaabman
I still have some minor fitment issues with my over the axle pipe. Not sure if a triangulated 4 link would be easier or harder than the trackbar to work around. The turn down setup doesn't pass inspection here in PA, it has to exit out from under the vehicle.

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ax1598ZJ said:
Would anybody else on here have interest in something similar/custom gauge backgrounds in your ZJs?

They had plans, but haven't finalized making them available because they say the market for ZJ/WJ isn't as good as XJ. Which I understand. But I can't be the only one who would go for these if they were available for ZJs.


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Funny this should come up as a coworker and I were just talking about Azzy's Design Works yesterday. Neat stuff, but there are other areas I should be spending that $$ on my rig. If it came down to needing 1 more order to make it happen I might be swayed, though. Maybe start a separate thread about it and include how many they'd like to see to make a run?

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