After years of beating up DD’s I decided back in 2012 to pick up an XJ as a wheeling rig. I have always loved XJ’s and while this is far from what I would call a solid trail rig, it constantly impresses me with what it can do without much other then a small lift and tires.
The day I picked it up. i was so dang excited to get it home. 1991 4.0 HO with the aw4 auto and a np231 t case. non Abs too, so I got to miss out on the Dana 35 rear end.
picked up a set of second hand eBay bumpers and ordered a 3”lift with a 3/4” front spacer and upper/lower short arms.
I have been around enough Xj’s to know about unibody flex issues, so I made sure to invest in a set of frame rail stiffeners from T&T customs to lock things down. It might have been just placebo, but I swear it made the Jeep feel a ton more solid going down the road.
Grabbed a set of bald 32’s and some Ford ranger rims, ran it pretty much like this for 6 years. I made up for whatever it was lacking in the hardware department with a heavy right foot.
2 years ago I finally broke down and bought new rubber for it. 33x10.5 dick cepek extreme country rollers on the same ranger rims as before. ZJ steering added as was a steering box brace, and an adjustable trac bar. Under the hood I mounted a ZJ alternator in the location of the AC compressor and removed the engine driven fan and installed a Ford Taurus E-fan. Also ran a cowl intake off the back of the factory air box.
when lack of lockers and a winch caught up with me. Doesn’t look that bad but soaked the carpet And under dash fuse box. Luckily my brother saved my bacon with his Tacoma, it was a bad day to take my hi-lift jack out of the back and just go.
pulled the carpet to find the floors were starting to go. My current project is patching them up. I’m hoping to have them patched and painted up by spring.
The day I picked it up. i was so dang excited to get it home. 1991 4.0 HO with the aw4 auto and a np231 t case. non Abs too, so I got to miss out on the Dana 35 rear end.
picked up a set of second hand eBay bumpers and ordered a 3”lift with a 3/4” front spacer and upper/lower short arms.
I have been around enough Xj’s to know about unibody flex issues, so I made sure to invest in a set of frame rail stiffeners from T&T customs to lock things down. It might have been just placebo, but I swear it made the Jeep feel a ton more solid going down the road.
2 years ago I finally broke down and bought new rubber for it. 33x10.5 dick cepek extreme country rollers on the same ranger rims as before. ZJ steering added as was a steering box brace, and an adjustable trac bar. Under the hood I mounted a ZJ alternator in the location of the AC compressor and removed the engine driven fan and installed a Ford Taurus E-fan. Also ran a cowl intake off the back of the factory air box.
when lack of lockers and a winch caught up with me. Doesn’t look that bad but soaked the carpet And under dash fuse box. Luckily my brother saved my bacon with his Tacoma, it was a bad day to take my hi-lift jack out of the back and just go.
pulled the carpet to find the floors were starting to go. My current project is patching them up. I’m hoping to have them patched and painted up by spring.