What's new
By:
Filters

Stainless TealX - a fire road cruiser XJ

Xj Cubby plate for $107 dollars?
www.jcroffroad.com

XJ Cubby Mate | Jeep Cherokee (84-01)

Jeep Bumpers, Sliders, Armor, & Accessories | #BuiltForWhatever
www.jcroffroad.com

I can make it for cheaper!

3 revisions later and 3 hours later...

20231007_095645.jpg


Additional labor in paint and tracking down some self tappers. Maybe I would have been ahead paying. Oh well, now I have the cut file and can make a few for some friends. :lmao:
 
From early December.

20231202_082300.jpg


IMG_0704.jpg


Minor hiccup where it didn't start back up after i turned it off for about 30 minutes.

Literally unplugged sensors and cap/ wires, juggled fuses and relays, then it started and had ran flawless since then... hmmm...
 
Afew updates -

$400 cold case aluminum radiator leaked, warranty is a joke, and requires you to send them the serial number and then $50 for shipping you a new one. Unfortunately the serial number is located on the bottom and there is no way to see it without removing the rad. i bought a $100 Amazon "Spectra" radiator that's been flawless. Dunno if I want to warranty the other one and spend another $50 to have the next one leak too.

Bought some newer JL rubicon wheels and tires.
20240401_192610.jpg


Getting ready for an upcoming trip to Moab. Decided a rear spartan locker was in order.
20240427_221223.jpg


Also installed a "Solid" rear diff cover at the same time. Shame on me for assuming they would have the bolt pattern correct. One hole was a bit off, and by the time I realized I needed to let go of the M18 impact trigger the bolt twisted off :mad3: Oh well, looks like it's now a 9 bolt.

20240427_230705.jpg


Also drained, dropped the trans pan, changed filter, cleaned a ton of gunk off, reinstalled, and added a Stinky Fab Racing skid plate.

20240427_171308.jpg


Tucks way up there. If you're reinstalling the pan at the same time, pro tip: the rear trans pan bolts are inaccessible with the skid installed, so getting all the bolts started then tightening isn't going to work.

Changed oil and filter.

More tomorrow.
 
Front fenders got a little roomier
20240428_144920.jpg


Installed a fire extinguisher, because it's an XJ.
20240428_160012.jpg


Welded together a DIY kit of dirtbound offroad sliders. Not impressed with material selection, fitment of parts, lack of directions, and overall length of the main tube being about 4" short of what I expected. That and the lead time of 8 weeks kinda sucked. On the plus side, all the parts were there, and because I tacked everything on the jeep, I was able to adjust most everything. Nothing needed a saw of any kind and I didn't have to go to the metal store on my way home from work.
20240502_210741.jpg


20240502_225422.jpg
 
Made more room in the rear fenders.

20240504_214426.jpg


20240504_221247.jpg


Showing how much more room...
20240504_221316.jpg



20240504_222741.jpg
All trimmed up and bolted back on. Huge thanks to Rob Boardway for using Anti-sieze on the 4ea (per side) stainless countersunk 3/8 Allen head bolts on the bumper / rear quarter armor bolts. I was really dreading snapping one off and having to drill 7 out. Came right out!

20240504_223849.jpg


HS9500i with new motor, warn branded, made in China. With the finest $90 Amazon 3/8x80 foot synthetic rope that $90 can buy.

Jeep is ready for Moab, with the exception of the stinkyfab.com t-case skid that arrives Tuesday. 😀
 
Sexy build dude, love that color.

You and I have very similar builds, I have a build thread for my 1990 shitbox up also.

Let me know if you ever need any parts, I have a TON of leftover stuff, most of it I would give away if I knew someone was actually going to use it, if you'll cover shipping. I have the same diffs as well, probably 2 and a half complete rebuild kits for each lol (don't ask...)

Following this thread. Good luck dude!
 
SFR fan-boi engaged.

20240507_204451.jpg


To take advantage of the rear bolt hole on the T-case skid side, I needed to make a spacer approx 1-1/16" thick. previous owner had about a 3/4" t-case drop installed via 2ea pieces of 3/8 plate stacked between the crossmember and frame. This made my need thicker than someone with no t-case drop. Decided some 1.5" aluminum round ought to work.

20240507_213148.jpg


Undercarriage is hella grey.

20240507_214249.jpg
 
I have those same rock sliders, and T-Case skid.
For the rock sliders, the previous owner had just turned some 3/8 bolts into "self tappers" basically, with a cutoff wheel lol. They worked alright, but, they weren't interchangeable and I kept having to play "does this bolt fit in this half stripped hole, or that one?" They were threaded directly into the uniframe, which is pretty damn thin metal.

I ended up getting some 1/2-13 (total overkill after I actually realized just how big that was) weld-nuts and welding (I use this term very loosely, lol) them to the uniframe (and the SFR crossmember, so, those bolts in particular aren't going anywhere.)

1715277068084.png
1715277164629.png
1715277271774.png
1715277524452.png


They only protrude like 1/4" from the frame rail, so I just make up for that by stacking some washers on the bolts going through the pinch weld.

This makes taking those rock sliders off a breeze (I have a RockHard 4x4 bolt-in cage, and the backing plates are directly above the rock sliders, so, it's one of those things where I have to take off 5 different aftermarket parts to tighten one fucking bolt that has worked itself loose...)
 
Opiebennett said:
Xj Cubby plate for $107 dollars?
www.jcroffroad.com

XJ Cubby Mate | Jeep Cherokee (84-01)

Jeep Bumpers, Sliders, Armor, & Accessories | #BuiltForWhatever
www.jcroffroad.com

I can make it for cheaper!

3 revisions later and 3 hours later...

20231007_095645.jpg


Additional labor in paint and tracking down some self tappers. Maybe I would have been ahead paying. Oh well, now I have the cut file and can make a few for some friends. :lmao:
Click to expand...

JCR shit is stupid overpriced.

Dirtbound makes the same, for $30: Rear Cubby Molle Panel - Jeep Cherokee XJ 84/01 - DirtBound Offroad

CavFab also $30: Cubby Molle Panel [Rear] (XJ)

Probably 5 other vendors for ~$50.

Yet, JCR wants over $100. I swear JCR is just for mall-crawling duck-tards.
 
Opiebennett said:
Afew updates -

$400 cold case aluminum radiator leaked, warranty is a joke, and requires you to send them the serial number and then $50 for shipping you a new one. Unfortunately the serial number is located on the bottom and there is no way to see it without removing the rad. i bought a $100 Amazon "Spectra" radiator that's been flawless. Dunno if I want to warranty the other one and spend another $50 to have the next one leak too.

Bought some newer JL rubicon wheels and tires.
20240401_192610.jpg


Getting ready for an upcoming trip to Moab. Decided a rear spartan locker was in order.
20240427_221223.jpg


Also installed a "Solid" rear diff cover at the same time. Shame on me for assuming they would have the bolt pattern correct. One hole was a bit off, and by the time I realized I needed to let go of the M18 impact trigger the bolt twisted off :mad3: Oh well, looks like it's now a 9 bolt.

20240427_230705.jpg


Also drained, dropped the trans pan, changed filter, cleaned a ton of gunk off, reinstalled, and added a Stinky Fab Racing skid plate.

20240427_171308.jpg


Tucks way up there. If you're reinstalling the pan at the same time, pro tip: the rear trans pan bolts are inaccessible with the skid installed, so getting all the bolts started then tightening isn't going to work.

Changed oil and filter.

More tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Ugh, don't remind me of that POS cover.

I ended up welding nuts to the broken bolt to get it out, then hogged all the holes out to make it sorta-ghetto-fit.
 
A few minutes in the shop today. Post Moab identified I got muck between the driver front tire and the seal surface of the rim on Kane Creek. I aired up twice, then started driving the tow rig to work intending to fix it later. Finally broke bead off, cleaned out sand and sticks, reinflated.
20240525_162539.jpg


When I was installing my SFR t-case crossmember, one of the factory frame side bolts tightened until it got easier to turn. Lacking time, I just ran it. Donated that somewhere in Moab to the trail gods. Prior owner had metric factory bolt problems there at one point too, and had kinda half bolted some 3/8 plate on there and tapped a hole to 3/8-16. decided long term fix was to make both the bolts 3/8-16 and weld the plate on.

20240706_130614.jpg


Passenger side uses one metric and one standard still, paying homage to Jeeps intent to mix those in fasteners right next to each other.


Two problems fixed. Two currently in inventory:
1) Sometimes the starter relay will stick with the starter engaged and just crank and crank until I pull the battery cable. I put on a new starter (with integrated relay) in April. I changed the smaller trigger relay in the PDC, hoping it's that one, but intermittent electrical problems are intermittent. I did change the electrical part of the ignition switch on a hunch, but that didn't fix it.

2) I think I'm getting vapor lock after idling and not changing out under hood air. I've had a few episodes where the jeep will die, or fail to start after running for a while when not moving. Each time after no parts changes, and waiting a bit, it starts. While on Kane Creek, I was jiggling the CPS and the fuel rail burned my hand. We poured water on the fuel rail, which boiled off,and then it started right up. i suspect lower than ideal fuel rail pressure may be contributing.
Fuel pressure gage on the Schrader valve indicates 49psi at idle with engine running. Fuel pump primes right to 49, but then once the pump stops, (if engine is off) pressure drops down to ~10psi really quick. Anyone know how to figure if it's injectors or if it's the anti-drain back check valve?

Anyway, back to "drive to local woods and fart around" version of "good to go". :laughing:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh