an Official goodbye to the 87 XJ trail rig....

[sidriptide]

it has been limping around since i punched a leaf sring perch up thru the floor in september.. i was just going to park it and deal with it after the snow melted... big thanks to Grizzley for finding me a replacement trail rig almost immediately.. turned out to be TOO nice to wheel.. ya dont find legit rust-free California XJs here on the east coast very often.. so i started thinking i would fix the floors and cage the broken one.. but that just seemed like too much work just to save a 250K+ self-oiling XJ and get another year or so out of it..
we stripped it today and pulled the carpets out.. HOLY $HIT!!! here are the pics i took..

http://www.fototime.com/inv/E287DE771D26CAD

the drivers-side rear quarter is seperated from the floor completely and the only real support was from the nearly rust-free frame rails and the top of the gas tank.. but at least it made the upper shock bolts accessible..
the replacement trail rig this year is a uh... 89.. uh.... Jeep... uh... COUGHYJCOUGHCOUGH.. :gag: it's getting a budget boost, body lift, 31s and 2 lock-rights.... it'll be fun running a small rig again.. the 90 XJ is still a daily driver and wil still see some trail duty. including Moab in 2 months...

 

[Grizzley]

Gee, that's in better shape than Steve's rig. Hey BrokenXJ, need a replacement this year? Naw, he'll get another year out of that one, hahaha.

 

[Cherokee-Dan]

wow nice rust Mike, Drive the Yj over here sometime so i can see it/ride in it. Cant wait for paragon!

 

[C-MuRdaA]

Cant you fit 33's on a YJ with BB and a BL? Perhaps you already have the 31's laying around...

 

[Majo]

I speak with the same wisdom chris has spoken with.

I built my XJ I will never build another XJ again, I still love mine though.

BUILD THE YJ

I'm SOA on stock springs, did a amc 360 swap to a TF727 and NP208 tcase, sitting on waggy 44's, and worn 35's right now all for under 1400. I prob have another 400 to 700 to put into it becuase I have to buy another transimission (friend sabotaged it ) . Anyway I have 22 clearance to the lowest point, which is the frame rails. So I have it completely flat skidded and all for that. Rust is easy to fix with a YJ as well, cuz it has a frame.

 

[sidriptide]

Cant you fit 33's on a YJ with BB and a BL? Perhaps you already have the 31's laying around...

probably... but with a 4 angry squirrels under the hood i want the best performance i can get in the package.. running 33s will kil the top end on the highway, which isnt much of an issue, but i will lose a bit of torque on the low end too.. 4lo will become basically 4 1/2lo.. i don't care what some people say.. i have driven a 4 banger with stock gears and 33s and i didnt like it much... it takes the engine too far out of the usable torque curve.. i will "flat belly" it this year but any more mods will be next year.. and i'm staying spring-under.. i know how i want it set up and SOA isn't part of that.. maybe some waggy axles and 5.38s next year..

 

[PA Highlander]

So I'm not the only one in NAC to end up with a YJ! Mine's got the 4 angry squirrels too - except I'm running the 33's from the XJ. It's doable but I'll be glad when I snag some waggy axles get better gearing. Are you bringing the YJ the NAC Fest? If life calms down, I plan to bring mine down.

 

[sidriptide]

So I'm not the only one in NAC to end up with a YJ! Mine's got the 4 angry squirrels too - except I'm running the 33's from the XJ. It's doable but I'll be glad when I snag some waggy axles get better gearing. Are you bringing the YJ the NAC Fest? If life calms down, I plan to bring mine down.

i will still run the XJ at all the events if at all possible..

 

[mack]

holy crap!! how did you not fall out the bottom of that thing??? what was holding the seats to the rust?:scared: lol...

 

[sidriptide]

holy crap!! how did you not fall out the bottom of that thing??? what was holding the seats to the rust?:scared: lol...

the area under the front seats was pretty good still.. but thats about it..

 

[TRNDRVR]

the area under the front seats was pretty good still.. but thats about it..

Must of been resulting from that special coating.
assgas: assgas: assgas: assgas: assgas:

 

[sidriptide]

Must of been resulting from that special coating.
assgas: assgas: assgas: assgas: assgas:

what are you trying to say?

 

[jeepguy97]

what are you trying to say?

Saftey?

 

[TRNDRVR]

what are you trying to say?

Taco Bell!!!

 

[Cherokee-Dan]

mike did u edit my post cause i dont remember writing the part underneath it.

 

[sidriptide]

mike did u edit my post cause i dont remember writing the part underneath it.

OOOOOOOOOOOPS!!! BAD MOD!! :gag: