Comanche County Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 I picked up this 89' XJ on a trade for a bone stock AR. Its a 4.0 renix, 231, D30/D35. I had 900 bucks in the gun and it came with brand new 30" Cooper STT mud tires, that's almost $700 in tires alone so I figured it would be a good candidate for a mild family wheeler. The goal was to give it a small lift with the spares I've got floating around my garage. Its got a lot issues though. Needs a rear main seal and it has blow by pretty bad. Also, it has excessively high oil pressure. It hovers around 60 psi and settles down to about 40 psi when warm and pretty much stays there on the highway and street driving. Good thing is the heat and AC works nice. Looks to still be on R12. Also needs a headliner, weather stripping and some other color beside rustoleum yellow. It has electric windows, but I think the rear doors need bushings or new window motors, they're real slow and one side needs help to go back up. I should've picked a better candidate to flip but this one won't be too bad when I'm done. I think I'm going to give it a military paint job like on my MJ. PO's pics... First thing was to dump the grey instrument panel, I've got a handful of the fake wood grain country panels, I like them better. Then added one of my extra radios and a set of door speakers. Someone put a non-cruise column in it...so finding a grey cruise column is on the list too. I made friends with a guy that works at the local LKQ, now he keeps me updated on any jeeps that come in the yard...he dropped this XJ right on the end of the row for me. My buddy helped me pull its lift components. 4" coils and 4x Pro comp ES3000 shocks, the rear had 3" blocks and helper springs. Also had 4 1.5" spacers....good score. My JY buddy is gonna be dropping a ZJ with a 6" lift and adjustable CAs next week...I plan to get those too. I also helped a guy put a SUA lift on his YJ which had a SOA lift. I got to keep the take offs, 4 more procomp shocks,,,longer than the JY XJ, stock YJ springs and some perches and other odds and ends. Whoever did the lift on his YJ couldn't weld at all, the perches just knocked off and the welds on the rear were already broken. He'd been driving around like that for some time. Went and pulled a headliner board and every piece of weather stripping from a 99' XJ...the weatherstripping on the 89' was just shot. I like the built in speaker mounts in the 97' and up XJs. lots of little things to fix under the hood... Brakes were poop, so it got new pads, rotors and calipers. Also gonna get a ZJ dual diaphragm booster and MC I've got in the garage. Rear hatch cover was held on by deck screws and there was one pioneer 4x6 speaker and a bunch of crappy wiring. I may just go get another hatch from the JY. back panel was poop too, picked a new one. Putting the front lift on...it got the 4" springs, RE tubular LCAs, shocks, V8 ZJ sway bar and steering linkages. With the front lift on. Got the rear lift on today. It got the longer YJ procomp shocks using the rear sway brackets as a BPE,and an MJ/XJ bastard pack. Its the main XJ leaf and the others are MJ leafs including the overload spring. The front is a little higher compared to the back, I may cut the coils down or throw on some MJ shackles...I think some longer shackles are the way to go, should flex a little better than the shorter XJ shackles. So far it handles pretty good, corners well without much roll at all with the bigger sway bar up front. It is a little stiff but that's fine with me. The headliner and exterior paint are next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Good score, Jay. I like these builds that are based around the idea of "how cheap can I build this and still have a good time with it?"! :popcorn: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Yeah, this was supposed to be a "One day XJ" build. I had everything for it but was disappointed at having to buy brakes. But its gotta be safe to drive,,,,better safe than sorry. ;) I'm also thinking of making a roof rack outta HF ATV cargo baskets. Something like this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 Also, this is my first XJ or MJ with chrome....I'm kinda liking it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neohic Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 Also, this is my first XJ or MJ with chrome....I'm kinda liking it! Watch out, Don! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 Haha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Last two days I pulled a set of 3/4 ton axles from a 77.5' F250. An HP D44/D60 combo with open carriers, .10" gears. I'm debating saving them for my MJ or throwing them under this XJ...wasn't really planning on going this route with the XJ but these were "get em when you see em" items in the JY, so I got em. Not sure what I'll do with em yet. Three of the four 315 AT KOs still hold air too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 4:10 gears. Wouldn't let me correct that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Computers hate me...won't let me type "4:10 gears". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 See, I swear to the almighty it won't let me type the number that comes after 3. Shows up fine until I hit the post button, but doesn't show afterward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minuit Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Noticed quite a few people have had trouble with 'four ten' not showing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 Richard Simmons wouldn't put up with this $#!& I tell ya. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOrnbrod Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 4.10 gears Test, test, test 4.10" gears Test, test, test Anyhow, glad you like the chrome Jay. Stick with it. :yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 21, 2014 Author Share Posted March 21, 2014 10-4 good buddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectormj Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 the xj looks good 4.10 gears will be pretty beast a 44 and 60 under the mj you could set that truck on its arse to go up a wall if you so felt with that set up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 24, 2014 Author Share Posted March 24, 2014 Thanks, did a little work on it today. Cleaned the TB and set the TPS and idle. Seems to run a bit better. Also swapped the LCAs...the flex joints were just a little too worn so I got a pair of Zone Offroad lowers from a local club member, Found a few little parts for it. I may go back and get the spare tire holder. Its got a key lock lug nut on the tire but I think I can chisel it off or use an extractor. Few more easy grabs, and possibly one of the last remaining undamaged fan shrouds left in N. America. :) The carpet is fairly clean, the cargo mat almost makes it look worse. :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectormj Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Get a laser fit mat from I think it's huskey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectormj Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Laser fit might look better and I think you could get it carpet colored Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 27, 2014 Author Share Posted March 27, 2014 This one was practically free though :). Been doing a little bit of work lately... Cruiser's valve cover mod. Seems to be working so far. I did clean it up a little better before I installed it. I swear it hasn't been off since new. There were some small carbon deposits on the rockers under the two grommets but it wasn't bad at all. Everything looked good. Almost got the grey column in before it got dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted March 29, 2014 Author Share Posted March 29, 2014 Fresh out of the paint shop! :yes: Its not a 20' paint job, more like a 60' paint job, but hey, one spray bomb deserves another. I think its an improvement....Military decals to follow. Still need to redo the flares. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted April 1, 2014 Author Share Posted April 1, 2014 Made a roof rack outta HF ATV cargo racks, really easy. It cost me about 65 bucks or so after using the %25 off coupons. The rear springs have settled, I'm gonna have to fix that. Its a little too low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88whitemanche Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 Nice flex...lol That last pic looks like you were close to tip over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Yeah it flexes well for what it is. I should have put on some MJ shackles, I think they just ran out of travel and the ramp just smashed the springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comanche County Posted April 2, 2014 Author Share Posted April 2, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Automan2164 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Now for sale? Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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