• NAXJA is having its 18th annual March Membership Drive!!!
    Everyone who joins or renews during March will be entered into a drawing!
    More Information - Join/Renew
  • Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

Got bit by the go-fast bug.

KRAKER

NAXJA Forum User
I'm not very good at build threads. I've been around the block with my XJ a few times. She's a beater that gets treated as so. I've had it since October of 06 signed up here in 07 and have been hooked since. My XJ has evolved from a decent used DD to a beater trail rig I'm trying to getting into the go-fast with. I'm going to try and catalog everything I can here and on Facebook under the name Scrap Metal Racing.

Recently, I decided to try the Dirt Riot Modified Trail class. So, some friends and I got together and tossed a few things at my Cherokee to make it pass tech. Just getting it to pass tech three weeks before the race was a feat in itself. In that time we installed a cage to spec, installed and plumbed a fuel cell with alltech motorsports baffles, walbro pickups, aeromotive FPR, modified and massaged the steering system for work the way I needed it to, and put some 7100's out back.

So we went racing. Totally and completely unprepared. Talk about a cluster and mad scramble from loading onto the start line. Because I'm a blue collar worker and this time of year is the busy season I couldnt get any pre running in on Friday. So after work we head out for Congress, Az. Everything was smooth sailing. We get to camp exchange greetings and other stuff with the Shannon Campbell, some Undertakers, 30 pack, and Ryan Miller (Wayland Campbell's co-dawg) and Jeremy Hammer and the Fly N Hi crew. All of which made my weekend possible and are solid dudes.

Since we were busting out butts getting the truck ready for the race we were completely untested. So Saturday night we head away to some blm land and go bombing down the desert. I couldnt have asked for a better truck in the time and budget prescribed. So feeling good we take the day off the truck and watch the W.E. Rock competition.

Sunday morning rolls around and we're up at 5:30a for some course pre running. I fired that pig up and let it loose with some 4 wheel drifts and eating up every rock section and pulling good time for a pre run. Just wish we would have gotten more than one lap in. Good thing we didn't. We broke a misalignment spacer on my right lca.

So the scramble begins to find a RK misalignment spacer. I asked everybody the best thing I could come up with was from Ryan Millerwho suggested and fab me a boatload of washers to act as spacers. It work enough to live through the race.

So the race was on! I clicked 4 hi to get a good dig off the line. Big Rich let everyone go with a 20 second spread. So my turn comes to stage. I gov it a lil throttle and the case pops into neutral. My adrenaline is pumping and I try and put it in 4hi and it lets out a few loud grinds as I try and shove it in gear while in drive. Embarrassing for sure. I get it figured out we're green flagged and I let that pig eat.

We made awesome time making quick work of the course. Between the mix of caffeine adrenaline and nervous in general. Toward the end of the course I didn't see a five gallon bucket size boulder. That was the beginning of the end. After hitting that rock my steering went loose. So we finished the lap and pitted. The guys from Jimmys 4x4 tightened up my pitman and we're off. The rock section was more dug out this time around. So it took more work but we got up it. Making good time last time around. We hit the third rock section. Dip into it and we lose steering ending our day.

If I had my toolbag it would have been 30 second fix. Intermediate shaft bolt at the steering box backed out. Bummer.

We ended up in third place out of three and fastest lap.

So I plan on running the entire Southwest Series and cataloging upgrades and questions here. I will post up specifics and pix later.
 
Last edited:
Recently, I decided to try the Dirt Riot Modified Trail class,...
Bet nobody told you if you that desert dust is just as addictive as coke if you snort it. :rof:
 
So far it's been more expensive than originally anticipated. But it was expected. I'm one race in and prep/repairs are averaging over 1k.

Who/where is a good picture hosting site that's easy to use with a tablet? I "Office Spaced" my laptop.
 
Last edited:
I find that tinypic.com works. Dropbox, google drive
 
Thanks for the info. I think I got it squared up.

Rig is based off an 01 Cherokee Sport.

Chassis mods:
Lii front stiffners
HD offroad mid stiffners
removed and re-skinned front inner fenders
Notched rear hatch
Custom rear quarter armor with integrated rear bumper
Front stubby bumper
Dirt riot spec cage with top hat and tube fenders
Boxed rockers with 2x6x3/16

Front suspension:
Custom 3 link with gen 2 RK lowers
upper in passenger side using RuffStuff parts.
Bilstein 5100's
ACOS
R.E. 5.5 coils
RE extended upper bumpstops
extended lower bumpstops

Rear Suspension:
Ford Bronco II leafs
HD offroad shackle relocators
RE 1.5" lift shackles
Bilstein 14" 7100's
JKS bumpstop plates

Front Axle:
76 Ford high pinion Dana 44
Nitro Gear Chromoly Shafts
Aussie lockers
5.38:1 Yukon Gears
Hodgepodge of Ruffstuff/TNT/custom brackets
Warn Hubs
Stock brakes
Extended braided lines (RE)
Crane diff cover

Rear Axle:
78 Ford f100 Dana 44
Dutchman Axle shafts
Yukon 5.38:1
Genright truss
Rock Crusher cover
Aussie locker

Steering:
Durango box
WJ pump
Surplus center ram
stock pitman arm
Ruff Stuff Specialties 7/8's kit

Other odd ends:
Motor and trans bone stock mechanically. Tuned ecu and increased fuel pressure. Tcase 231 with 2 low and h&t sye and Novak shifter. Jaz 12 gallon fuel cell. Alltech motorsports fuel baffles. Aeromotive fpr. Walbro 255 fuel pump. 3 walbro fuel pickups in tank. Drive shafts are extended or shortened stock front shafts. El cheapo light bar up front. Worn 36" TSL/SX's on 15" Soft 8's with Ballistic Fabrication DIY beadlocks.

That's how she sat at the first race.
DSC_0179_zps47f18fba.jpg
 
Last edited:
The next weekend after the race I tore down everything that even made me think it might gotten hurt during the race.
10001580_1378371375757309_1269239630_n_zpsfd62ca95.jpg


Came up with a parts list and everything was here yesterday except for my air bumps. So I ended up replacing every U-joint, adding oil coolers to power steering and trans, New LCA's made from 7075 t6 and Ruff Stuff 1.25 heims. I also blew a case seal which cause me to lose all fluid and burn up a few bearings. All of them have been replaced with parts from my 231 bucket. Air bumps are supposed to in my hands tonight.

1977433_1378755999052180_1810540532_n_zps357b87ee.jpg

10001362_1378753372385776_471350013_n_zps27475f02.jpg

10003155_1378721219055658_1086710575_n_zps7f17cecf.jpg
 
Last edited:
My co-dawg/fabricator made some progress this weekend. He does most of the work and I do smaller less technical projects. Andrew busted these out for me. 7075 t6 Aluminium links but to spec.
8C1D149B-AB5D-4E54-A612-CFD4EE6C6C20_zpsmguaodgo.jpg

971618C6-D473-45E7-9B1A-E673BB4C7FF9_zpssspbeps4.jpg

B458B492-C786-4028-8951-3EA92E8C2E8C_zps2ro2t6aa.jpg


I started making my pitman into double shear, in the pic is 3/16's. I will be doubling up two strips of 3/16' on the under side of the pitman.
D74C4A7F-7DAC-4208-BE11-E0A1C7360EB6_zpszeurrynw.jpg


We also started at mounting the new ADS 2.125"x4" air bumps.
673796D0-1076-4CA5-A0BD-2EBAB31B4A52_zpskhjrxwag.jpg
 
The race has come and gone and my Cherokee fell apart. Bent the rear subframe, lost my cooling fans. Literally lost gone as in, no longer connected to the truck lol. Bent all of my leaf spring bolts, destroyed my rear bump stops, broke the dust caps on my rear 7100's, popped a tire, overheated, and popped a fuel line 3 times! All in the first lap. Blew my wad on that one super early.

On the positive note, no steering issues, front 4" stroke ADS air bumps worked awesome, New lower aluminum links did great. Everything that was an issue at the last race did phenomenal at Tucson.

I also came home with a tire sponsor and a line on several others. All in all I chalk it up to experience and learning curve.

Next on the build agenda is rear stiffness, -8 fuel line, figuring out how to keep fuel cool, New rims/tires, and rear bumps. Hopefully I can find time to get it all done before the next Dirt Riot race in Cortez, Colorado in August.
 
I have a three year goal. I kind of figured this first year would be the most expensive and most breakage. Next season will be better hopefully.

I'm rooting for you this race, Sally.
 
I have a three year goal. I kind of figured this first year would be the most expensive and most breakage. Next season will be better hopefully.

I'm rooting for you this race, Sally.

So whats the third year then? And thanks. Didn't do as good as I would have wanted but the fact we pulled a 3rd place was good enough for me. Moab was brutal for all classes.
 
A new build in Ultra 4 spec or a collection of stories for the grand children later in life.

I heard a few stories. Miller ok from his roll?
 
A new build in Ultra 4 spec or a collection of stories for the grand children later in life.

I heard a few stories. Miller ok from his roll?

New Ultra 4 stock class car. Jeep Cherokee/MJ. Something I can transfer a lot if not all of my current parts over to with ease.

Yes miller is good. Just sucks as he was cruising!
 
I have an issue with fuel supply. How are those with fuel cells setting up your delivery. In particular, how are you guys tieing the fuel line after the pump and filter? I spoke with Foddrill motorsports and they said to weld a AN fitting to my factory hard line. Is that kosher?

This has been a consistent problem since I've taken up racing an this is the number on culprit in my racing program right now. Thanks in advance.
 
Back
Top