My 98 XJ

[harwood39]

Here are some pics of my Xj. Just put on a lift, turned out to be 6 in of 3 like i intended. Its an s-10 bastard leaf pack. and re 4.5" front coils, i still need to put in a 1.5in spacer up front to even out the lift, but oh well. I am in the process of making a rear bumper/tire carier. The main part of the bumper is mounted and im working on tail lights, lower quarter guards(maybe uppers too), and the tire carier. The tails and quarter armor will be one peice with the bumper. Than the tire carier will be a swing down style with mesh and supports on the backside so i can use it as sort of a step to get to the roof. I also cut and folded the rear quarters and painted them to the flairline instead of the body line. I did this cause the paint was peeling on the passenger side that far, than was scratched on the drivers side from a dear taking the flare off. I am triming the fronts up to the flare line also.

Let me know what you think...

 

[SteelblueSteve]

Let me know what you think...

[/QUOTE]

No nonsence, nice vehicle. Great color, steelblue. And judging by this picture the birds even knew which vehicle to stay away from and which one to shit on.

 

[four_shot]

you planning on putting new flares on? or leave it bobbed.

 

[XJroll]

Nice Jeep man.

You live right by me, I'm in Joliet.

 

[harwood39]

im leaving it bobbed, its basically a cheap jeep for one, so im not going to spend money on flares right now, and i like trhe flareless look. Also It is a classic so the front bumper was originally blue, but traded plastics and bumpers for my life and got a red bumper to paint black. I am designing a front winch bumper for it too.

I am basically fabbing up most if not everything for this jeep. I find it very easy and very cheap to fab everything my self. I even used the rear sway bar brackets(ones on leafs) as sort of a bar pin eliminator for the rear. The bolt holes line up for the bar pin bolts on the body, and i just used washers to make sure the original bolts wouldnt pull through. han the shock just slid right in it and i even used the original sway bar bolts to mount the shock.

As far as the shocks go, they are monroe gasmatics, fronts are for a grand cherokee up country, and rears are to a comanche. perfect lengths for the lift, fronts will have to be slightly longer once i get the spacers... Im also just using YJ brake lines. So far everything is going nicely. I even got the 6x3 stock for the bumper for free, actually all the metal for my fab work

 

[Rocketman]

Nice but, ahhhhh, recovery points??

BTW... those rear lights, while they are nice, won't last long with any Midwest wheeling. I know why you placed them where you did though. Have to open that rear hatch.

 

[harwood39]

Rear recovery points will be the hitch(not installed yet) and a couple points on the bumper. Front points i have 1.5" recievers up front if you look close, for a tow bar, tied into he frame nicely. I am having D ring mounts made that will slip into those.

As far as the lights go, 10 bux at walmart, not too worried. brackets are welded on to the bumper.

Pics of front receivers

 

[harwood39]

well its been a long time since i updated this. Got some more work done finally. Got the front fenders trimmed, and some more work to the rear bumper done. I also mounted some side lights as it is a search and rescue truck. Im in EVAC here in Fargo ND so they come in handy every once in a while.

Lit Up

Some flex, i know, poser shots...

This weekend im cutting and folding up the quarters and hopefully finishing the fold down tire carier/bumper... and yes, im back to the stock tires... looking for 32's ad crager soft 8's... The 31's were shot and winter is comin up on us fast....

 

[harwood39]

Alright, here is the tire carier. Its a fold down style, i use it as a step to get to the roof. I should have pulled it in towards the window more but that means i can just store something behind there. Im adding gas can holders to both sides between the tails and license plate. I know, i just have the doughnut spare on there til my new wheels and tires come in.

I will post some of it down later tonight.

 

[Rev Den]

Hey.

I am gonna be in Fargo all next week.

Gonna be around?

Rev

 

[ChiXJeff]

Have you tried flexing it up after mounting that tire carrier? I know on mine there's quite a bit of flex around the tailgate area when it's twisted up. I'd be afraid of the upper mounts tearing out of the tailgate.

 

[harwood39]

no issues with the flex(yet) but i am also doint unibody stiffiners to address that too.

Rev, I will be around all week. Give me a call, 701-361-0955

This is one of a few design for tire carries that i will be producing at my shop. I am working on a design that hinges at the roof and will lift up with the tailgate. I just need to find struts that are strong enough to hold up a tire, hatch, carrier, and a gas can.

(Im also working on buying a cherokee line of products to start reproducing as the other manufacturer discontinued them)

check out my site, www.harwoodmfg.com

 

[harwood39]

pics of it down

 

[C85D4x4]

Im not going to lie.......thats a vary interesting tire carrier

Tell us how it all turns out

 

[harwood39]

i will keep everyone updated for sure. Most people hate the ideas for things i will be doing to the jeep, but its mine so idc what others think. Like i am removing the rear seat, putting a tool box on one side and a storage box on the other. They will be on ball bearing sliders so they can pull out through the doors for access. Than i am putting a power tank where the spare used to be, a welder, and power inverter in the hatch area. Along with other misc things.

Than, this is the interesting part, where the rear 2 side windows are, those will become little hatches to access the trunk area too. I have a glass company in town that can drill out the glass for hinges and a latch so i can retain the glass if i really want to, than seal it with the same weather stripping used on doors. And if the glass becomes too much of a pain, either tinted plexi or just a sheet of steel.

Also can anyone get me the measurements of a jerry can??

 

[waserwolf]

would like to hear about the s10 leafs u installed,r they a direct drop in or is there some cutting/welding to be done, how much lift did u get, is it recommended to install a SYE with this much lift? thnks.

 

[harwood39]

i would recomend an SYE unless you can live with vibes like i have done. I got about 6.5in of lift using the smallest and middle of the 3 leafs the s10 has. You only have to cut the center pin out and replace it with a longer one. You would have to cut the top spring of the s10 if you wanna use that alone to get about 3 in of lift. We were having problems with my cutoff tool and compressor when we did my lift so we just used the bottom 2 springs. Than you need longer u-bolts(i went to fleet farm and got some thick u-bolts). I havent had any problems except for the vibes.

Also you will have to cut the spring retainers off in order to add the leafs in, we added them right uner the longest xj leaf. And if you use the bottom 2 s10 springs you can spread the s10 spring retainers and use them instead of finding new ones.

 

[harwood39]

i would recomend an SYE unless you can live with vibes like i have done. I got about 6.5in of lift using the smallest and middle of the 3 leafs the s10 has. You only have to cut the center pin out and replace it with a longer one. You would have to cut the top spring of the s10 if you wanna use that alone to get about 3 in of lift. We were having problems with my cutoff tool and compressor when we did my lift so we just used the bottom 2 springs. Than you need longer u-bolts(i went to fleet farm and got some thick u-bolts). I havent had any problems except for the vibes.

Also you will have to cut the spring retainers off in order to add the leafs in, we added them right uner the longest xj leaf. And if you use the bottom 2 s10 springs you can spread the s10 spring retainers and use them instead of finding new ones.

 

[w_howey]

i will keep everyone updated for sure. Most people hate the ideas for things i will be doing to the jeep, but its mine so idc what others think.

I would agree that it is an interesting design....


But an attitude like that won't help you as you start your business........

 

[harwood39]

with my business i build things to the customers needs, so what they want, i build. And i will have a swing out design too. This is not from a business standpoint where i say that. I will do things differently on my vehicles than a customers because i want so many different things for my use of the vehicle. I am saying that as the vehicle owner. Not the business owner.