Xtra Jeep Build Thread

[grapehead]

You can get a full set of stainless prebent lines for around a hundred bucks.

Your lift experience is par for the course, a 2.5" spring nets about 4" of lift for whatever reason.

 

[1stgenxxx]

Loosened the shackles tonight and set it down, didn’t seem to make any difference. Also even sitting and bouncing on the tailgate didn’t seem to generate much movement, so I think the springs are just super stiff.

Next step was to bleed the brakes. I pumped em and the pedal never seemed to materialize, but when I got out to check fluid level I saw this…
View attachment 413264

Looks like one of the lines has rusted through. There was an odd paintless spot in the same area, and I’m guessing it’s because a pinhole leak was spraying every time you put on the brakes. Sucks, but rather find it now than when driving down the road and the brakes fail.

Since that was a bust, I set about removing the headliner and managed to get it out without much issue and no damage.
View attachment 413265View attachment 413266View attachment 413267View attachment 413268View attachment 413269

Jesus this progress is crazy. I feel like I’m watching a show on discovery.

 

[jeepinmatt]

You can get a full set of stainless prebent lines for around a hundred bucks.

Your lift experience is par for the course, a 2.5" spring nets about 4" of lift for whatever reason.

Where at?

 

[jeepinmatt]

Jesus this progress is crazy. I feel like I’m watching a show on discovery.

I'm doing it "TV style" where I work on it for an hour every day and just take lots of pictures and make lots of commentary so it seems like I'm doing more than I'm actually doing.

 

[grapehead]

Where at?

rockauto, amazon, parts store

DORMAN 919236

 

[NickMaul]

Loosened the shackles tonight and set it down, didn’t seem to make any difference. Also even sitting and bouncing on the tailgate didn’t seem to generate much movement, so I think the springs are just super stiff.

Or you’re just compact weight sized

An empty XJ is going to be pretty light in the back. A full tank of gas and the entire interior should put some weight back there. A little bit of cargo and it should settle. Don’t give up on it yet.

 

[jeepinmatt]

rockauto, amazon, parts store

DORMAN 919236

 

[jeepinmatt]

Or you’re just compact weight sized

I ain't super heavy, but I'm no lightweight either. According to the charts, 215lbs at 5'3" means I'm so fat I'm dead.

 

[CasterTroy]

Jesus this progress is crazy. I feel like I’m watching a show on discovery.

He's making up for the 23 years of dust on the TJ

 

[jeepinmatt]

rockauto, amazon, parts store

DORMAN 919236

Ordered today from Autozone with a 20% off coupon, supposed to arrive tomorrow. That’s cheaper than just about everywhere online and 1 day shipping. I’m interested to see what shape FedEx makes with the ~7ft long rear lines.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Tonight I did a little bit of measuring, and it was sitting over 2” higher in the back, so I decided to ditch the 2.5” leaves and install the shackle relocation kit. Conveniently…

the jeep came with a brand new set of stock leaf springs in the back seat when I bought it, so I figured that would compliment the shackle relocation nicely.

While I had the wheels off again, the first order of business was to paint these drums so I didn’t have to be reminded that the PO painted the old wheels on the jeep.

Shackle relocation kit installation was fairly straightforward, especially since I had already broken everything loose and swapped springs. I decided to go with the last hole for now.
Unloaded

Loaded

I may decide to move it forward one hole, but itll be fine for now. I’ll get the rest of the bolts in when I reinstall the receiver hitch, but I flicked the spring and said “that ain’t going nowhere” so I’m sure it’s good for now. It sits about 3/4” higher in the rear now, which is perfect in my opinion. Once I get the interior back in, I may need to raise it up a little, and if so, I have a set of IRO multi height shackles ready to go.

Before

After

Before

After

Hopefully the brake lines come in tomorrow and I can get the mechanical part wrapped up enough for a test drive.

 

[justjeepin86]

I’m interested to see what shape FedEx makes with the ~7ft long rear lines.

They, most likely, won't be straight.

 

[toyota1]

@jeepinmatt I decided to catch up on this and see if you needed anymore parts, I'm amazed at how different these parts are going on your jeep vs how they fit on mine lol. My rear was almost too low with that setup and an empty jeep. Hence the reason for having those shackles.

 

[jeepinmatt]

@jeepinmatt I decided to catch up on this and see if you needed anymore parts, I'm amazed at how different these parts are going on your jeep vs how they fit on mine lol. My rear was almost too low with that setup and an empty jeep. Hence the reason for having those shackles. View attachment 413329

That is pretty crazy how different it sits. Maybe once I put the rear seat and carpet in, it’ll come down a bit

@jeepinmatt I decided to catch up on this and see if you needed anymore parts

Yeah man I could totally use the rear hatch, doors, front fenders, hood, grille, and fender flares! I’d love it if mine was Patriot Blue.

 

[jeepinmatt]

They, most likely, won't be straight.

Worked out better than expected I suppose.

 

[Jody Treadway]

Where at?

We don't end a sentence in a preposition around here.
I expect more from you

 

[jeepinmatt]

We don't end a sentence in a preposition around here.
I expect more from you

Whycuz?

 

[jeepinmatt]

Getting all this off was fun, but at least none of it rounded off.

Got all the lines run. Front is done, except the SS brake lines are too wide to fit inside the alignment tabs in the caliper, regardless of orientation.

I guess I need a different proportioning valve, since the ABS on only has 1 line for the front to feed the ABS module.

Rear is 100% done and turned out great.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Actually I’m wondering if the fitting in the back that is currently blank is supposed to be threaded for the 2nd line since that’s where the line wants to go. Anybody with a non-ABS XJ confirm?

 

[ghost]

Yes on line is for the front disk and the other for rear drum. The rear drum has a thing, idk what it’s called, that holds the fluid in the line for the drum cylinder.

 

[jovibuilt]

residual pressure valve

 

[jeepinmatt]

Well, no brakes due to the proportioning valve, but I was ready to get it back up to the house so I could mess with the interior stuff during the evening this week. Needs another 1-2” of tire, ~1” wheel spacers, and 1” of shackle in the rear, but overall I’m extremely pleased with it so far.

 

[jeepinmatt]

Well that escalated quickly…

Also made a parts run at @xjay’s shop and got a few things I needed.

Only difference between ABS and non-ABS proportioning valve is the port at the back.

And now every line has a home

 

[Keith1138]

You are missing the bottom half of your fan shroud. They can be had for 30 bucks on Amazon.

 

[jeepinmatt]

You are missing the bottom half of your fan shroud. They can be had for 30 bucks on Amazon. View attachment 413459

Thanks, but I already have a mechanical fan with shroud. I just needed the electric fan and it was getting late so it was faster to just grab the whole thing.