Finally Joined....

[AT FAB XJ]

I have been stalking this club for about a decade and finally bought my first XJ about a year ago.

I have had a dozen or more Jeeps and have always wanted an XJ. I waited to join until I built a rig that I could actually wheel a little bit. This is my daily driver and not going to be a "hardcore" wheelin rig. I have an 06 LJ on 40s that is my trail rig, so we will only be doing some "light" trailing in this rig.

I have had a 4" lift and some 32s on it for the past 6 months that I acquired from a customer that upgraded to a long arm.

We are currently finishing up installing a RE long arm and JCR armor all the way around.

If anyone is interested, I posted a build thread on the LSJC forum located here http://lsjc.org/board/showthread.php?t=46699

I'll post up some pics when we get it completed and hopefully get to meet some of you guys in an upcoming event.....

Justin

 

[POSJ]

Welcome, I got into XJ's on accident and fell in love. Now that you have one you will too lol.

 

[SpartyKrunk]

Justin! What's up man!? It's Alex! Glad you finaly joined! I was just thinkin about yall earlier today.

 

[xjintx]

I've been watching your build on LSJC it's a nice truck... can't wait to see it on the trails. Maybe the fall run to Hidden falls ?


Wecome aboard!!!

 

[AT FAB XJ]

Thanks, I am taking everything to our painter today. I don't know if we will have everything back together in time to make it to the Hidden falls run.

 

[XJ Eric]

Absolutely Love this rig. My wife's was like this one, wish I had kept it now. I'm going to be copying your's only in Black!

 

[xjintx]

I am also doing a lot of the same to mine I will be very interested in your light choice for the quarter panel guards. especially a source... I don't have much of anything down here in Eddy. I have the Thor guards and currently have plain jane lights. I really want to go to LED. If you do and have a source please keep me posted... pretty please.

Secondly, if / when you do a cage I would be very interested in giving you mine to do in tandem maybe? Might defray some of your cost if I pay you for mine mine is a 2 dr and I'm looking for an interior cage.

I also like your wheel well flats if you deiced to go with another type

 

[AT FAB XJ]

There are a lot of places to get LED STT lights from. Almost all of your local parts stores will carry them. I ordered most of these LEDs offline from Superbrightleds.com. I am putting a 2.5" white/clear backup light, oval STT, and 2" clear lens/red led side marker to match the front clear corners when off.

I currently have no plans to put a cage in it as I am 6' and already almost hit my head on the roof. We have installed the RockHard cages in a few XJs and it makes it too cumbersome for me to get in and out all the time.

 

[xjintx]

I'm 6ft too but want a cage... maybe a 2dr will give me better access... I'll keep looking.

Dumb question... if I do find correct LEDS do they just wire in/ I've heard sometimes relays need to be changed and resistors added so relays funtion properly? Mine's an old 1987

 

[AT FAB XJ]

I think all years of the XJ will be the same as far as the tail light wiring is concerned.

Any time you have separate tail lights from brake lights you will need a tail light converter.

STAY AWAY FROM THE NAPA and AUTOZONE "HOPPY" branded converters. They do not work.

What you want to do is get a "non-powered" tail light converter. They have powered units that can handle more amperage but you will have to run a power wire from your battery for them. When you are using LEDs you don't need the extra amperage anyway.

We used the Uhaul brand non powered converters that Uhaul stocks. They are not the prettiest in the world but they are the cheapest, work great and you can't see em anyway.

I used a separate converter at $15 a piece on each side so we wouldn't have to run a wire back and forth to the opposite side.

You basically hook the (4 wire) tail light wire, brake light wire, turn signal wire, and ground in to the converter. Then you hook up the ground, stop/turn, and tail light wires into your 3 wire tail light. This will fix everything.

It may seem difficult but it is really straight forward. The other lights like the reverse and side markers are just separately wired straight to the Jeep.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. We also have it taken apart if you are local and want to check it out.

 

[xjintx]

Thanks for the detailed reply!!!

I'd love to come by and see your setup... maybe sooner than later but I live way down in Eddy

I will stop by the biggest Uhaul we have here... if they don't stock maybe they will order them for me. I have a bit of time... my guards upper and lower as well as gas filler cover are in shop getting powder coated to match my bumpes, sliders and rack

I need to find lights now.

 

[Mosephus]

Welcome!

Roger if you do alittle searching I think I had a little write up on the led taillights I did somewhere on this forum, the biggest thing is the trailer converter, I ended up getting a Reese from a trailer shop, all the u-hauls around me were out.

Once they are all wired up you can see if your blinkers blink fast ( not sure what yours will do since yours is an 87 ), if they do blink fast napa sells an electronic flasher.

You do always have the choice of running amber LED Blinkers instead of running all functions on one light, I ended up running flood lights under my taillights.

 

[xjintx]

Thanks for the help... you missing your old truck? That's a nice pic!

 

[Mosephus]

Yes, really missing it. Having a stocker is no fun right now. I'm waiting to save for some axles and start from there.

What color are you going to paint all the armor Justin?

 

[AT FAB XJ]

going to paint flares, bumpers, armor, sliders, kitchen sink...... factory white PW1 to match how it used to look with the limited trim.

 

[Mosephus]

Cool!