IXNAYXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Wherever the next race is.
Sort of...that's my team.
Just finished the cage and sprung under conversion last night. We'll be leaving Seattle first thing Thursday morning and on the track Friday.
-----Matt-----
Lets say you were going to road race an XJ
- Thread starter cal
- Start date
Just finished the cage and sprung under conversion last night. We'll be leaving Seattle first thing Thursday morning and on the track Friday.
-----Matt-----
- Location
- Houston, Tx
Awesome Ixnay, good luck out there!
- Location
- Columbus, In
(oh, and yes, it was my intent to split the beam to make room for the oilpan - I have no concerns about strength there with the resources available to me, and labor isnt factorered).
Yeah that could be done easily just truss the hell out of the bottom of the beam and drop the center about 4-5 inches for extra room since its a road race anyways!
I'd look at making a drop axle like the street rods do (google "drop axle" and see). Offset and truss where the C meets the tube. This drops without affecting the suspension: control arms, shocks, springs, bump stops, etc.
Spring under in the back. Shortened bumpstops to make room. May need to C-notch the frame rail if you want to go really low. Lincoln-locker to fight understeer with throttle :firedevil.
Low-backspaced wheels. Stick them tires out for extra track :laugh3:.
For cheep sway bars just visit the junkyard and double up: you can run 2 bars per axle if needed.
Definitely run a stick, and have the flywheel lightened as much as is safe (smooth the front AND back, cut a bevel under the ring gear). Get rid of the heavy glass too.
very cool project. In a crazy-dorky "WTF-why?" way. I love it.
Spring under in the back. Shortened bumpstops to make room. May need to C-notch the frame rail if you want to go really low. Lincoln-locker to fight understeer with throttle :firedevil.
Low-backspaced wheels. Stick them tires out for extra track :laugh3:.
For cheep sway bars just visit the junkyard and double up: you can run 2 bars per axle if needed.
Definitely run a stick, and have the flywheel lightened as much as is safe (smooth the front AND back, cut a bevel under the ring gear). Get rid of the heavy glass too.
very cool project. In a crazy-dorky "WTF-why?" way. I love it.
- Location
- Port Orchard, WA
clipped the front coils.
added a 2" AAL to the rear, and put the D35 on top of the springs, stiffened, and retained mostly the same height.
Cage, seat, big tranny cooler for the AW4.
hood pins..
gutted...
not a whole lot else...
Root Moose
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- ON, Canada
#1 mod:
Find someone that can drive.
I mean really drive.
Anyone in the crew auto-x or do sprints?
Someone that can drive will be worth 10000000000000hp in comparison to teams that don't have a driver.
Normal people that think they can drive can't. This is why a lot of people that turn up at a sprint or auto-x for the first time in their hopped up über car get spanked the first time out and never come out again.
Technical side: Monkey with sway bars and spring rates to get the b!tch to turn in properly. This will be the biggest issue.
The next will be brakes. XJ brakes suck in general. If you can manage to get a good pad compound you may be able to brake deeper.
Adding lightness will make the power be available when you want it. You may even have issues keeping the rear hooked up. Don't move the fuel tank - you'll need the weight there to keep the rear end hooked up under power - may be a handful with a light tank regardless due to being lightened and the polar moment changing more because of the general lightening programme.
Don't swap in a 2wd beam unless you have a 2wd transmission to go with it. Just start with a 2wd machine. Easier.
Big thing is maintaining corner speed. See driver and turn in above. Adjust with deeper braking zones.
Wish I was closer. I'd drive it for you.
$0.02
Find someone that can drive.
I mean really drive.
Anyone in the crew auto-x or do sprints?
Someone that can drive will be worth 10000000000000hp in comparison to teams that don't have a driver.
Normal people that think they can drive can't. This is why a lot of people that turn up at a sprint or auto-x for the first time in their hopped up über car get spanked the first time out and never come out again.
Technical side: Monkey with sway bars and spring rates to get the b!tch to turn in properly. This will be the biggest issue.
The next will be brakes. XJ brakes suck in general. If you can manage to get a good pad compound you may be able to brake deeper.
Adding lightness will make the power be available when you want it. You may even have issues keeping the rear hooked up. Don't move the fuel tank - you'll need the weight there to keep the rear end hooked up under power - may be a handful with a light tank regardless due to being lightened and the polar moment changing more because of the general lightening programme.
Don't swap in a 2wd beam unless you have a 2wd transmission to go with it. Just start with a 2wd machine. Easier.
Big thing is maintaining corner speed. See driver and turn in above. Adjust with deeper braking zones.
Wish I was closer. I'd drive it for you.
$0.02
IXNAYXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Wherever the next race is.
We all have various levels of track experience, but we all have some.
Interestingly, we did very little to the suspension. Cut the coils and went sprung under with a 2" AAL. Dropped it down a little and the AAL stiffened up the whole package quite a bit. Stock sway bars. Handles GREAT.Technical side: Monkey with sway bars and spring rates to get the b!tch to turn in properly. This will be the biggest issue.
The next will be brakes. XJ brakes suck in general. If you can manage to get a good pad compound you may be able to brake deeper.
Adding lightness will make the power be available when you want it. You may even have issues keeping the rear hooked up. Don't move the fuel tank - you'll need the weight there to keep the rear end hooked up under power - may be a handful with a light tank regardless due to being lightened and the polar moment changing more because of the general lightening programme.
Don't swap in a 2wd beam unless you have a 2wd transmission to go with it. Just start with a 2wd machine. Easier.
Big thing is maintaining corner speed. See driver and turn in above. Adjust with deeper braking zones.
Wish I was closer. I'd drive it for you.
$0.02
Brakes we left bone stock and had pad left at the end. Some teams did 4 pad changes. Further, the brakes were very easy to modulate, full of pedal feel, and we were able to out brake plenty of other cars. We had zero rotor warp and zero brake fade.
We stripped the interior, but didn't get any more drastic. We even left the hatch and all the glass because we weren't sure about the weather. We were traction limited in a couple of corners, but the next iteration's 3.73 LSD 8.8 swap will fix that, as well as add some weight to the light rear end. We will also be going to a 20 gallon tank before our next outing.
We bought a 2WD AW4 equipped rig to begin with. Honestly, I think the best mod we did was good rubber. I'm suprised this wasn't on your list; it's elemental in both racing and off-roading. We went with a set of Toyo Proxes 4 in 245/50R16 and they stole the show.
-----Matt-----
Root Moose
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- ON, Canada
Good stuff!
Yes, tires are huge. I didn't mention because of budget. I don't know those particular tires you mention. I run Toyo Proxes R888 on the S2000, my wife runs Dunlop Star Specs on her Si (she'll move up to R compounds in a season or two). I run the R888s as my daily driver tire because I'm too lazy to swap wheels for events and not competitive for FTD with the classing our club uses so moving to Hoosiers is pointless for now.
If you stick with Toyo make sure you get signed up for the racing programme. It's free and you get really decent discounts (IIRC for the R888s it's ~$100 per corner, other tires must be eligible). I'm assuming they have that programme in the U.S.
Yes, tires are huge. I didn't mention because of budget. I don't know those particular tires you mention. I run Toyo Proxes R888 on the S2000, my wife runs Dunlop Star Specs on her Si (she'll move up to R compounds in a season or two). I run the R888s as my daily driver tire because I'm too lazy to swap wheels for events and not competitive for FTD with the classing our club uses so moving to Hoosiers is pointless for now.
If you stick with Toyo make sure you get signed up for the racing programme. It's free and you get really decent discounts (IIRC for the R888s it's ~$100 per corner, other tires must be eligible). I'm assuming they have that programme in the U.S.
hubs97xj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fort Wayne, IN
Aren't the late model sway bars thicker? Can ZJ bars be swapped in? What about cutting down Up Country coils? And you need stripes. Stripes = faster.
I ran a pair of Toyos on my RX for year. They were great tires. I wish I'd kept the big windshield banner so I could donate it. Stickers also = faster.
I ran a pair of Toyos on my RX for year. They were great tires. I wish I'd kept the big windshield banner so I could donate it. Stickers also = faster.
IXNAYXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Wherever the next race is.
Tires, brakes, wheels, all safety gear is not included in the $500. The Toyos were damn near free (used some industry connections), and I forsee future collaborations.
-----Matt-----
-----Matt-----
Root Moose
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- ON, Canada
Ah, so all the good stuff you can go nuts with.
Yeah, if you are running pavement I'd switch tires... Star Specs are about $120/corner US IIRC. That is considered a "cheater" tire in auto-x circles. It is basically one step under a hard R compound (R888 is a hard R). Kuhmo also makes a decent cheater that is a touch cheaper.
Depending on what your skill levels are moving to R compounds may make sense. Typically people make the jump in auto-x by doing a season or two on normal tires, a season or two on cheaters, then on to Rs. Driving Rs when the skill level isn't developed enough can be a bad thing though. Rs let you get away a lot of bad lines while maintaining decent speed and it is hard to unlearn those bad habits to become insanely fast. I'm a bit of a mixed boat in that regard myself - should have waited a season before going to Rs.
Anyway, there's always race teams dumping Rs. They don't like to store them over the off season and/or they only use them for a certain number of heat cycles before dumping regardless.
Yeah, if you are running pavement I'd switch tires... Star Specs are about $120/corner US IIRC. That is considered a "cheater" tire in auto-x circles. It is basically one step under a hard R compound (R888 is a hard R). Kuhmo also makes a decent cheater that is a touch cheaper.
Depending on what your skill levels are moving to R compounds may make sense. Typically people make the jump in auto-x by doing a season or two on normal tires, a season or two on cheaters, then on to Rs. Driving Rs when the skill level isn't developed enough can be a bad thing though. Rs let you get away a lot of bad lines while maintaining decent speed and it is hard to unlearn those bad habits to become insanely fast.
I'm a bit of a mixed boat in that regard myself - should have waited a season before going to Rs.Anyway, there's always race teams dumping Rs. They don't like to store them over the off season and/or they only use them for a certain number of heat cycles before dumping regardless.
IXNAYXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Wherever the next race is.
We're limited to a 190 or worse tread wear rating, so semi-slicks are a non-starter. As well as the Proxes worked and as predectible as they were, and how they meshed with the set-up we had, I'm loathe to change.
I've owned a lot of sports cars and run a lot of Solo events and club track days; I can say without flinching that the Cherokee was one of the most balanced, easy to drive cars I've ever turned a tire in anger in.
-----Matt-----
I've owned a lot of sports cars and run a lot of Solo events and club track days; I can say without flinching that the Cherokee was one of the most balanced, easy to drive cars I've ever turned a tire in anger in.
-----Matt-----
IXNAYXJ
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Wherever the next race is.
Also, keep in mind we're running 30 seasons of auto-x in one race; 600 miles at least. A slightly harder compound isn't a bad thing; with the threat of rain it was also nice to have some siping.
-----Matt-----
-----Matt-----
Root Moose
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- ON, Canada
Yeah, they are quite docile at the limit. You can hang the tail out as much as you want even stock I find. Far cry from the axe murderer that I drive. LOL
Some friends of mine and I were talking about this the other day. If it ever comes to our local road track(Hallet) we are going to try and make it.
We discussed how hard it would be to add a 2nd front sway bar, yes two sway bars. I think it would be do able?
We also discussed the 242 t-case but I think it wouldn't work. Since the 242 is another open differential its possible to just spin 1 tire with the 242 in full time mode. It would suck to come out of a corner and light up one front tire under power lol.
Damn it would be a good time though. Compared to alot of the other cars on the list if you get it light enough its got a pretty good HP advantage.
We discussed how hard it would be to add a 2nd front sway bar, yes two sway bars. I think it would be do able?
We also discussed the 242 t-case but I think it wouldn't work. Since the 242 is another open differential its possible to just spin 1 tire with the 242 in full time mode. It would suck to come out of a corner and light up one front tire under power lol.
Damn it would be a good time though. Compared to alot of the other cars on the list if you get it light enough its got a pretty good HP advantage.
old_man
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Loveland, Colorado
Score a sway bar from a 1996ish Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer with the 5L. The thing is about 1.25" in diameter and about the same width.
bjoehandley
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- WeGo, Chi-Town, Ill
It'll take alot of effort to break a front tire loose on dry pavement with a 242 t-case and 225/70/r15 or 235/75/r15 all terrains and unless it's really, really slick, it's difficult to do on wet surfaces with balding but otherwise the same tires while accelerating hard! If you want more of a sway bar, why not look at the Addco bars, IIRC they're 1.28" for the front and 7.8" for the rear.
hubs97xj
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Fort Wayne, IN
Cost.
bjoehandley
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- WeGo, Chi-Town, Ill
Forgot about that, maybe the V-8 ZJ (5.9 Limited perhaps) sway bars then.
