One more time, Dutch has an XJ again!!

[eflores]

You call that beer?

lol

 

[DutchVDub]

First of all, I don't drink coors. When I want cheap beer to get drunk off I grab PBR. Second of all, Coors brews a ton of different beers and my buddy knows my tastes. He recently gave me 6 cases of Blue Moon seasonal sampler, a 24 pack of Blue Moon Grand Cru, and just last week dropped off 8 6-packs of Coors Batch 19 that is surprisingly good. Apparently it's the closest approximation they can get of the original pre-prohibition recipe that had been lost until a few years ago. And thirdly, I primarily drink for taste.

No, I haven't trimmed the rears yet but I always use the slice and fold method back there. Although I might give the air hammer a try after the quick work it made of the seem inside the front wheel wells.

 

[DutchVDub]

Diff cover showed up already

Now to back track a bit on the ABS delete.

After getting the line for the passenger front caliper re-flared with the correct fitting I had apparently cross-thread the fitting into the prop valve. Luckily I hadn't damaged the threads on the fitting, but un-luckily I had chewed the threads in the prop valve all to hell. Dreading a major delay and requisite trip/s to the junk yards I decided to grab the ABS prop valve and have a look.

The ABS prob valve has a plug in the back where the driver front line goes into the non-ABS valve. I experimented and sure enough they're interchangeable. Just in case I swapped the guts too. Then I pulled the cap off the other end (warning, spring alert) and swapped the guts and springs (including the colorful piece of paper) as well. Then I re-installed the prop valve, hooked it all back up, and convinced the wife to work the pedal while I bled the brakes. End result is a nice firm pedal and no leaks. Hopefully everything is all good brake wise.

guts, plug/adapter

all the internals from the abs prop valve

transplant operating table, i'm almost tempted to leave the gutted prop valve in a bath tub of icy water

 

[fallacist]

hey could you explain just a bit more on what you had to do with the chevy lines?

I have a pair of chevy front brake hoses I got from napa waiting for me to put them on..

 

[DutchVDub]

I ground down one of the edges on the part that goes to the caliper so it would fit inside the little cast guides. As for the little bracket that attaches to the frame I chose to locate it where I wanted and used two self tapping screws.

The Dakota line on the back took a bit of finagling to get the lines on. It's designed to sit at an angle on the axle tube. I don't know if I grabbed the wrong one or if others have just failed to mention it. The few write-ups/posts I saw on it just mentioned 96 Dodge Dakota. I guessed at the 4wd V8. It works though and is long as shite. I'm going to have to use a small spring I think to keep it up high so I don't snag it on something.

 

[Joe94xj]

Ok dumb question here. What's the point of taking all the abs stuff out?

 

[DutchVDub]

Ok dumb question here. What's the point of taking all the abs stuff out?

Well for 1, the 8.25 was never designed to accommodate ABS. So once I removed the D35 the ABS was non-functioning anyways.

Second, ABS sucks off road.

Third, if it's non functioning anyways why leave all that extra complicated arse bullshite in there anyways?

Fourth, I needed the room for my washer reservoir because of how high I trimmed the fenders.

Lastly, so that people would ask me "why?" and therefore giving me an opportunity to be a sarcastic asshole.

 

[xj-grin]

I think your fourth reason is the real cause -- I disabled ABS in the WJ (with ABS-capable, but different cog count JK axles) by pulling a couple of fuses, and removing the bulb that tells me there is a problem with the ABS. I hate ABS too, both on and off-road -- I'll be alert in slick conditions and pump my own brakes, thanks!

 

[Joe94xj]

I think your fourth reason is the real cause -- I disabled ABS in the WJ (with ABS-capable, but different cog count JK axles) by pulling a couple of fuses, and removing the bulb that tells me there is a problem with the ABS. I hate ABS too, both on and off-road -- I'll be alert in slick conditions and pump my own brakes, thanks!

This is what I did on my 97 when I swapped the 8.25 in. Just thought maybe I missed something.

 

[DutchVDub]

I know I could've just pulled fuses but that would still leave an unnecessary component in the mix to fail. I've also heard if issues with bleeding the brakes with the ABS module intact and of reduced pedal feel from it. While I've never had any issue bleeding brakes on any car with or without ABS I will say that out of all the XJ's I've owned this one did have the worst feeling brakes of any of them and is the only one to have had ABS.

I mainly did it to simplify the setup and remove excess crap from under the hood. The ability to relocate my washer reservoir and have a spot to put my ARB compressor is just a bonus.

 

[DutchVDub]

And lifted, its a bit pre-runner status but damn does it ride nice. The Rancho's are set at 3 and the seem to match the bilsteins up ront nicely. I still need to fine tune a few things here and there but its basically done for now. I might get some new leafpacks though, probably the RE 3.5's but I'll look around. Might be swapping with a buddy of mine too if his 3" packs are still too tall. So..... anybody for some wheeling on Monday??

 

[fallacist]

looks good! I really dig the clean fender cut. wish I was closer so I could buy you lunch

 

[dannanw]

suddenly yours looks better than mine...looks nice.

 

[eflores]

reminds me of JD's

 

[DutchVDub]

So I just sat down and figured out what I've got into this thing so far. After I finish the winch bumper for the front and install the winch I'm about 3780$ including purchase, tax/title/registration/, parts, and misc hardware/materials.

 

[Fidget360]

not bad. not bad at all. did you sell off any parts to recoup?

 

[DutchVDub]

Traded my LP D30 and worn out D35 for the 8.25 so that saved me some coin. Have a few misc stock parts sold off it. Other than that there wasn't much to get rid of. I could sell off the stock aluminum rims but I really like them so plan to hoard them for awhile. I'm even thinking of sending them off to Champion to widened and converted into beadlocks.

 

[DutchVDub]

FYI, welding sucks when you have a migraine. But the Jeep insists, "Finish my bumper fool!!"

 

[DutchVDub]

Rustoleum brush on Hammered Finish is awesome, and the bumper isn't half bad either.

 

[Kiefer316]

Sweet bumper! Looks 100 times better then iowa fab thats for sure! Dutch, the jeep is coming along nicely!