Make: Jeep
Engine: 4.0 Ltr. HO 6 cyl.
Drivetrain: NP242 TC
AW4 Tranny
D35 Rear with 3.55 RP
D30 Front
Trak-Lok'd Rear
Other: Tow Package

MODS
4.5" Bastard Leaf Lift (net 5").
 »» Excellent Write-Up at NAXJA
4.5" RE Front Coils
30/9.50/15 Firestone Destination MT's (soon to be 33's!)
Home-Made SwayBar Disco's
Home-Made Front Shock Mounts
Home-Made Rear Bumper Tire Carrier
Home-Made Roof Rack Tire Carrier
Home-Made Rear Shock BPI's
Home-Made 1" TC Drop Kit
Home-Made Leaf Spring Clamps
Home-Made Overhead Console
Home-Made CB Antenna Mount
Communication Devices Added

Notes
I was very happy to get my hands on this baby. I've done ALOT of fabbing and modding in the 6 months I've owned it. Bought it in pristine condition from an elderly couple who had it in 4X4 maybe six times in ten years. Plans are to to head west again and take it to MOAB or Colorado. I've already crawled it in some pretty good areas around Missouri and it pulled through just fine. I have managed to snap my swaybar links several times and had to re-make my lengthened Diso's at least twice (finally got it right!). You can scroll down the page to kind of see some of the Mods I've done. Feel free to copy anything I've done as I found most of my ideas from searching the 'Net and modifying what others have done.

Lastly, if you are new to Jeepin', these vehicles just beg to be modded and 'wheeled! Don't be afraid to break out the angle grinder and welder and Mod away. There is lots of great info from very knowledgable people on any of the Jeep Forums I have on my Links page. Enjoy!

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The XJ's first camping trip

Another shot

After Lift

Looking Better

 

 

 

Trail Carnage

Link Snapped!

 

Raised Shock Mounts

These are a temporary fix until new shocks are bought.

Ummm... Welding

 

Home Made Spring Clamps

 

 

Rear Bumper Tire Carrier

Great Idea.... turns out the factory bumper began falling apart from the weight. Onto the roof with the tire we go!

Side Shot

Rear Shot

Opened Up

 

Transfer Case Drop

I just used a couple of spare 1" square tubing. Don't even ask how hard it was removing the factory studs!

 

Interior

 

 

Roof Rack Tire Carrier

Very simple design and easy to Weld up. Took about 2 hrs to make out of some scrap I had laying around.

 

 

Done!

 

Mounted

After alot of plan drawing on paper, metal cutting and welding, I managed to fabricate my own Winch Bumper and Rear Bumper with spare tire carrier. I used 1/4" and 3/16" plate steel, a 4.5 inch angle grinder/cut-off wheel and my Lincoln Electric MIG Welder. The Winch Bumper is attached with 1/4" plate that extends down the frame-rails on both sides and bolts up like most commercial made bumpers. I utilized five bolts on each side (to include the steering gear bolts). The Shackle Mounts go through the face of the bumper and extend back into it about 3 inches where they are welded all the way around (not gonna break these babies!)

After 5 incarnations of Sway Bar Disconnects, this last one finally makes the grade! I used 5/16" steel flat bar.... no snapping in half or bending anymore while connected. I used shock-mounting bushings so there is no "clunk" noise.

The Rear Bumper and Spare Tire Carrier took some "trial and error" to get right...but I think I did alright with the end product. For the Swing-Out pivot point, I used a short piece of pipe with some bearings that I purchased from a Farm Implement store. I think they are supposed to be used as the center bearings for a disc-blade-type implement (they can take some abuse). The rest of the Swing-Out is made of 2.5 X 1/8" square stock. I then drilled 7/16 holes in the end of the arm and other mount and welded a nut to the bottom of the arm so I could thread a 7/16 bolt into it after I welded a "T" onto the end of the bolt. I added a CB Antenna Mount to the Tire Carrier just because I liked the look of it on other XJ's I have seen.

I made some Light Mounts for the Surco roof rack to mount my cheapy Walmart lights on. These were amazingly an absolute pain in the ass to make (and I don't really know why?). I couldnt seem to get the holes "just right" for the mounting screws and had to mess with them for an hour!

NOW for the BAD NEWS..... I have had to sell my XJ. I have another child due soon, and those of you with children know that with two car seats in the back, it is already cramped. I will have a third this summer and there is no way all three kids (with booster seat and two car seats) are gonna all fit. I sold this little Gem and have since taken over our Toyota 4Runner (I have already started its' transformation by the way). I will miss my XJ, but the 4Runner has a factory E-Locker and is a limited with all the leather and bells and whistles (I know...just more to go wrong on the trail) so I'll make do.

I hope this section of my website helps somebody who is looking for ideas for their XJ!

 

One last romp in the snow!

 

 

 

FINAL version of my Self-Fabbed Winch Bumper

Lot of hard work...but VERY worth it!

 

 

FINAL version of my Rear Bumper and Tire Carrier Design

 

It says NO STEP, but I could stand on my Swing Out Carrier!

Antenna Mount

I saw this done on other XJ's, I liked it so I copied it

Interior Shots

Clean Jeep!

FINAL version of my overhead scanner mount

Added a Marine Compass that lights up... I am a "Gadget Man"!

Light Mounts

These Light Mounts were MUCH more of a pain than I thought they would be to make (I should have just bought some ready-made ones)!

Sway Bar Disconnects

After 5 incarnations of disco's, I finally made a pair that stood up to all kinds of abuse while connected (note the thickness of the main shaft!)

Representin'

A club full of a bunch of great people