98 green 2 door build

[256offroad]

here is my build thread for my new jeep. Its all done so i figured now would be a good time for a build thread. Not many pictures due to building this jeep in 3 months. This is my first build thread so it is pretty brief no BS

I used most of my parts off my old jeep so thats why it went real fast.

I picked it up in Cleveland (tenn) with dan and tyler from a meth head that swamped it and blew the motor.

brought it home and washed it.

it sat for about 8 months until the old xj couldn't handle any more abuse (crawl '11)

started stripping the old one in December 2011 and hauled the body off to the scrap yard by the end of the month. I kept everything but the body.

Had to fix the rear of the new body where the previous owner had backed into a tree. so out came the winch.

and used the dmax to hold the front of the jeep. ended up pulling the front tires about 2 feet off the ground. who knew these bodys could flex so much.

Pulled the new body in the garage and pulled the motor and axles to prep for HD offroad engineering frame stiffeners.

Welded the frame stiffeners on and added lots more plating in certain areas. also welded the 3 link mounts. I am using the Rock Krawler setup.

Lots of clean grinding. this is 3/16th over where the old lower mounts were.

 

[256offroad]

also re painted the old arms and serviced the joints. (take note of the paint booth) this was in January 2012 30 degree temps

trussed the front axle (this is a rock krawler truss)

repainted the front steering and knuckles This is Rock Solid Fab Steering.

Installed the front and moved it around in the garage to work on the rear

trussed the rear using 2x2

 

[256offroad]

I used the old motor with the 98 aw4 and 231. Luckily i had an HO motor in the old jeep so it was a direct swap. I added a SYE and 2low kit (which i HIGHLY recommend)

got its 2nd bath... have the all terrains on for some street driving

picked up a jcr front bumper

you can also see my new Spectre Cowl intake

at this point the pics started to slow. my funds ran up fast (what little i had) and had to pull parts together to get it wheelable. i had a set of sliders on my dd so i took them off and installed them. i also had an old Olympic roof rack that i used the tube bottom half as roof sliders. and reused my old back bumper

got HIDS?

First wheeling trip was 4 months before I started working on it and a little over a year before I bought it.

while i was at it i put new spicer joints up front, new brakes, new springs and pins and center pin in the front lock right.


if it needs to be moved somewhere other than here than do so.

 

[256offroad]

Future plans are Rock Solid Exo and eventually 3/4 tons. pending funds from the wife

 

[Zingerxj1129]

Looks great. Ive debated swapping all the stuff from my 4 door to my red 2 door. Your build is weighing heavily in my decision.

 

[highspeed]

Looks awesome. Would love to drop by and see it.

 

[High2by]

Nice build David. The Jeep looks great!!

 

[256offroad]

Looks great. Ive debated swapping all the stuff from my 4 door to my red 2 door. Your build is weighing heavily in my decision.

I will never wheel a 4door again. Wheeling and looking out of with the window on the 2 door is so much better than wheeling my past 4 doors.

Looks awesome. Would love to drop by and see it.

Any time!

Nice build David. The Jeep looks great!!

Thanks mark! What's the latestest on your white one?

 

[highspeed]

I need more info on the 2low kit you have as well

 

[TanasiXJ]

Very nice build! I like the Krawler 3 link design. Having Tyler do something like the Krawler setup is on my short list.

 

[XJfreakHO]

I dig the 2 doors, my brother has a nice 97 2 door...

I like my 4 door for what I do, but if I build a dedicated xj trail rig I would go for a 2 door.

 

[256offroad]

I need more info on the 2low kit you have as well

Terra flex sells it. Picked it up for $200 and is very easy to install. Its great if you have an auto locker up front while wheeling. I modified the rail for the shifter so I could bump between 2 low and 4 low very easily. 2 low is just one more notch behind 4 low.

Very nice build! I like the Krawler 3 link design. Having Tyler do something like the Krawler setup is on my short list.

I love mine. When my arms and joints wear out I'm going to replace them with new links using heims. But prob won't happen till I put different axles under it.

I dig the 2 doors, my brother has a nice 97 2 door...

I like my 4 door for what I do, but if I build a dedicated xj trail rig I would go for a 2 door.

I love my 2 door so much I bought the wife one. Same year and everything. Therefore when I'm in a time crunch the night before a wheeling trip I just take what I need off of hers. D)

 

[XJfreakHO]

My next project will probably be a Comanche DD... 4x4, ax15, 97+ conversion. Sweet DD Style, rubis and 245s or something of the like.

But if I stumble upon a 2 door XJ... Anythings possible.

Eventually Ill throw tons under my YJ too... but thats small priority.

 

[MELKORsXJ]

Good write up... Short sweet and to the point...
I need to get you some more wheeling pics lol.

 

[Ghost]

Nice! Any shots on how you did the 2x2 over the rear?

 

[256offroad]

Nice! Any shots on how you did the 2x2 over the rear?

No pics of in progress. But its actually 3 pieces. It would be a lot easier to do on a full width axle. Its welded to the top of the diff and the tubes on each side.

 

[Ghost]

No pics of in progress. But its actually 3 pieces. It would be a lot easier to do on a full width axle. Its welded to the top of the diff and the tubes on each side.

Ok any shots of it before you put it in from the other side? I need to do a traction bar and want it in the center of the axle like what ho bags ran. I like this idea better then the crossmember I was working on.

 

[Team Willys]

Ok any shots of it before you put it in from the other side? I need to do a traction bar and want it in the center of the axle like what ho bags ran. I like this idea better then the crossmember I was working on.

Once you get that one traction bar done, build 3 more and use round springs instead. You'll like it better!

 

[256offroad]

Once you get that one traction bar done, build 3 more and use round springs instead. You'll like it better!

This haha.

 

[Ghost]

Once you get that one traction bar done, build 3 more and use round springs instead. You'll like it better!

This haha.

No doubt!