My 99 XJ

[Roblaza]

Hey guys, and girls.

My name is Rob, and I have a 99 XJ that i bought in September of 2012.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/Jeep/88CF1374-7768-432E-84BC-6FCA467F98FF-2516-00000253B5D501B1.jpg

About 3 weeks later, I bought and installed a 3'' Zone Lift kit:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/Jeep/1AC4A267-C57C-4B94-98B5-6E3603A6163F-5574-00000609E649D5EC.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/Jeep/09E68F03-DCE6-48C3-B961-AE22450BC1B7-9579-00000AC640575895.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/Jeep/FD91CAA1-633A-4D7A-9D09-E93E5C681A96-9579-00000AC64C549CD2.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/Jeep/091F0ED7-B864-45F2-8C92-6E11737BCBFC-9579-00000AC6586B8586.jpg

I found some 31x10.50x15's on 15x8 keystone soft 8 wheels with a 3.75'' backspacing and tossed them on. Not bad for $360 for 5 wheels and 5 tires!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/8ECDC9B5-0688-456A-9518-BE68C225224B-3542-00000376C8AD131D_zps718b45b8.jpg

That was all well and dandy till about 2 weeks ago, when I bought and istalled 1'' spacers and 2'' shackles. I went this route because when the leafs settled, they were about 1'' lower than the front. Zone replaced them under warranty, but the new ones settled to the same place as the originals.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/20130212_201628_zpsdeeb776c.jpg

Thats all i've got for now....But I have some planned upgrades:

SYE (currently shopping for)
Front winch bumper (currently looking at styles/ companies)
Steering linkages
Accessory lighting (currently looking at companies and options)

[XJ Wheeler]

Nice looking jeep, and a real good start. Those gold XJs always had a classy look in my opinion. Don't worry, its typical for leaf springs to settle some.

[4.3LXJ]

X2 Great start. Looking good :thumbsup:

[Roblaza]

Thanks guys. It's a work in process for sure. There's much more to come in the future!

[Roblaza]

Took my dog out for a walk through the bush today...and managed to find a stump...it was the only one around as the trail was gated off.:bang:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/2013-02-25_09-58-35_883_zps5abed5e8.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/2013-02-25_10-12-51_787_zps4a85075e.jpg

[bluedragon436]

Nice looking XJ and pup you got there!!

[Roblaza]

Nice looking XJ and pup you got there!!

Thanks man, She's a good pup.

[Roblaza]

Snowstorm Flexin!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/2013-02-27_02-02-19_460_zps8893eaad.jpg

[4.3LXJ]

What, you only flex at night :D

[Roblaza]

What, you only flex at night :D

LOL I work nights, so I wake up in darkness, and go to bed in darkness... I dont get to see a whole lot of sunlight :jail:

[4.3LXJ]

LOL I work nights, so I wake up in darkness, and go to bed in darkness... I dont get to see a whole lot of sunlight :jail:

I did that for awhile. Ended up being bad for my health :confused:

[Roblaza]

Looks like some flare removal and fender trimming is in order. I went up, heard some pops and had to back down a bit to avoid popping the flare off. LOL

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/IMG_0877_zps8c26536d.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/IMG_0879_zpsa34d6a4c.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/IMG_0880_zps7f14bdb2.jpg

I also ordered an HD hack n tap SYE last week, and I picked up a front DS from the wreckers this morning for a rebuild...
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/AFD336A2-CA16-4FC3-A279-26FB0E9D14C5-5790-0000049FDD7DFD2E_zps3bee5c5d.jpg

[Roblaza]

Picked up some Super-Strength greasable moog's today at my cost (under $20 a peice), AND a ball joint/u joint press kit (regular $99, on sale for $39)

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/3099488C-D3E4-4466-A886-7900A249337B-6840-000005B87A1882B4_zps269e8c81.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/DE09A9EE-3DFE-4668-9357-45573762BF45-6840-000005B886CC2517_zpsa46b116b.jpg

I'm going to press out the old joints, prep and spray some paint on the shaft then install the new joints tomorrow.

[Mudderoy]

Picked up some Super-Strength greasable moog's today at my cost (under $20 a peice), AND a ball joint/u joint press kit (regular $99, on sale for $39)

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/3099488C-D3E4-4466-A886-7900A249337B-6840-000005B87A1882B4_zps269e8c81.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/DE09A9EE-3DFE-4668-9357-45573762BF45-6840-000005B886CC2517_zpsa46b116b.jpg

I'm going to press out the old joints, prep and spray some paint on the shaft then install the new joints tomorrow.

Damn! I'd buy one for $39

[Roblaza]

Fresh paint, fresh u joints, fresh grease, fresh outlook on life (for the shaft it is)

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/A0921094-7076-4AD3-943A-2D1290C68DA8-7446-000006A391E106A6_zpsc9889fec.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/49B9B400-53AF-484E-BB54-957B000BA088-7446-000006A39A9ED031_zps6e3a0f31.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/AD86618E-5E33-4AE3-9A82-9CC2E76BDA98-7446-000006A38C2B9110_zps4a20f036.jpg

[Roblaza]

If anyone was wondering, the moog 280's are the same as the 369's with one exception. The location of the grease fitting on the 369's are in the middle where the 280's have the fitting on one of the bearing caps. The 280's is what I used for all 3 on the front shaft.

[Roblaza]

Freebie bumper action...
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/DF66CC8F-050A-4C98-A5EE-F762FE0F778F-3696-000003D09433B795_zps335c90bb.jpg
Painted:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/CA77A42A-26C1-4023-BB67-1A61756722D4-3853-000003E1C01B1397_zps3126611a.jpg
Installed!!!!
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/A7E4915E-1E4D-4739-A26B-D104F8702A78-4887-0000053362FE9F22_zpsb36af944.jpg

[XJ Wheeler]

Awesome, bud. Not much better than free, especially something as big as a bumper. :eek:

[Roblaza]

Awesome, bud. Not much better than free, especially something as big as a bumper. :eek:

Thanks man, I was pleasantly surprised when I found it for sure. I'm still up in the air about the hoop though.

[XJ Wheeler]

Thanks man, I was pleasantly surprised when I found it for sure. I'm still up in the air about the hoop though.

Yeah, some like em and some don't. If you get to really not liking it you could cut off the top of the hoop and weld on a tube across to connect the uprights. If you can picture that. lol. Just a thought.

[Roblaza]

Well it's been a while since I was on and updated my "build", so here goes...

Since the last post, I added 4 10W Cree LED lights to the bumper:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/371F57CB-9089-47C6-B262-BA85A6B36E7A-13837-00000E5AC3F773DB_zps15baa41a.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/IMG_0894_zps1ac9af72.jpg

Also added a cb, antenna, and head unit on te interior. Go around to replacing the CPS, tps, cts, water pump, thermostat, hoses, power steering lines, rotor, cap, plugs and wires.

Also added some JCR tie in brackets for the bumper:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/131817FC-DF67-4195-8F34-AE944A743AA0-2883-0000030C8DD95C08_zps601a4b77.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/16424E87-385D-4B08-B8F7-6FF1695DED5C-2883-0000030C9BC762E6_zpsaa723ff7.jpg

And did a lil wheelin!
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/6BE68C15-F290-4CE3-B055-826F0AD5E2B5-3441-0000043730D776CF_zps7d2db612.jpg

[bad luck]

I like your jeep, mine is a 2001, I would rather have a 99. Do you have a lot of places to go wheeling up there in Ontario? And on some of your early pics, what is that white stuff? Just kidding, we get a little snow here too.

[Roblaza]

Thanks man!

There are a ton of places to go wheeling up here, but there's a certain number of tras that are specifically open to 4 wheelers. The majority of stuff is only available to dirt bikes or atv's...luckily we have the ontario federation of 4 wheel drive enthusiasts (of4wd.com) who actively seek out land owners and fight to keep the trails open and clean to the 4 wheel drive guys.

[Roblaza]

Time for some new 31''s...time to do some digging I think

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/9497FD81-0D48-499C-85A2-5412A7998E30-9411-00000AB02CA555A3_zps41be7396.jpg (http://s22.photobucket.com/user/roblaza/media/9497FD81-0D48-499C-85A2-5412A7998E30-9411-00000AB02CA555A3_zps41be7396.jpg.html)

[4.3LXJ]

You aren't going to stomp that toy are you? :D

[XJ Wheeler]

You can tell its frightened.

[Roblaza]

You aren't going to stomp that toy are you? :D

LOL My nephew was kickin around...he's 2, and wouldn't let me move it. He yelled at me. HAHA

[bluedragon436]

The build is looking good... I like the way the bumper looks... myself personally...

[Roblaza]

The build is looking good... I like the way the bumper looks... myself personally...

Thank you. I was up in the air about the hoop, but I think I like it. it's really growing on me lol

[Roblaza]

Well today was an interesting and somewhat stressful day for me... It started as this:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/DC3B19FC-EE47-447E-9F60-79DF93917D04-2355-0000025B98E72F84_zps843c945e.jpg

Then it went to this (don't mind the crooked cut, it was straightened):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/D9D9DB61-A8A3-43F0-B0FB-41FEC60C83E4-2355-0000025BA47E75F8_zps28037035.jpg

Then I found this hiding behind the inner fender...the source of my stress):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/59DE3C72-23DB-4994-B7DF-BDA487EB1D73-2355-0000025BAE617035_zps1fdebf14.jpg

After 4 hours of buying metal and supplies, welding, seam sealing and bed lining it ended like this (keep in mind I'm not here to win a beauty contest, and it'll keep the mud and water out. Also it was my first time EVER doing any bodywork on my own):
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/AFCA76B9-A5BA-46FF-93B1-D3C0FFD221BA-2355-0000025BB5D349F0_zps813659a8.jpg

The other side is solid as solid can be supprisingly. Now I have to tackle the rears and the hole in the floor and I'm golden!

[4.3LXJ]

Necessity, the mother of skills

[Roblaza]

Necessity, the mother of skills

LOL I don't think i'd go as far as to call them skills...more blind luck. HA It looks kinda funky in the picture, but the bend you see in the new panel is actually contoured the way the old stuff was.

[Roblaza]

Found me a little ramp tonight...just had to flex it out a bit!

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/31522451-5844-4A6D-84FB-D1BBE61DEF74-3475-0000036C9D1D6D01_zps1cbda349.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/002C83CD-9AAA-4FD5-8E4A-1DFF7BB3C7D3-3475-0000036CB2F45CD0_zps73492941.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/3414D359-5192-4CF3-B039-B4E42F5BF5CF-3475-0000036CAC1F3DB2_zps24094edc.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/38F5BCD8-CC11-4FEE-9993-470AB182D3BF-3475-0000036C97687499_zpse863f693.jpg

[bluedragon436]

Looks like some decent flex!! How big/heavy is that ramp?? Might need to find out who owns it and see if you could pick it up as an RTI ramp!! LOL

[xjfreak97]

I like the build thread! let me know what you go with for steering I'm currently deciding what i want to go with.
If you get a chance check my build out :beer:

[Roblaza]

Thanks man! I appreciate the comments guys. I'm still up in the air on the steering part aswell. I know I need to go with some adjustable lowers for sure, or db's..

AS far as the linkages, it's a mystery lol I've got a little death wobble going on around 90km/h, but it's bearable for now. Needless to say it needs to get dealt with.

I'll cruise on over and have a look at your build for sure.

[Roblaza]

Well, I finally got some lowers from Rocky Road Outfitters. Man these things are pure BEEF! Also installed a new Rustys Offroad Steering Stabilizer kit and front rotors and pads. The jeep handles like a new machine!
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/roblaza/2237A7F6-03BD-411F-ABD9-23D5ADE4FF17-3731-0000044D1880C151_zps44da57e8.jpg

ALSO got to test out the new arms on Saturday...What a day!
http://www.jeepcentral.ca/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3026&d=1377471505&thumb=1

More pics posted in the picture forum!