The Jeep I Should Have Built

[TheOffRoadCorner]

I got a new XJ. So it seems fitting to start a new build thread.
A little back story. I’ve had 4 XJ now(+1 MJ). I just love them. There cheap, easy to build and source parts, work great off road and a blast to own. My first XJ I got when I was 16. It was an 89 4door 5speed. I loved that jeep. Probably were my XJ sickness came from.

The 4L in that jeep spun a bearing. I sold it to my GF’s dad and headed off to college. Got back from college and got I job as a mechanic(2006). Made enough money buy a 01 4door XJ. Drove that for years until a cold winter day, I put the jeep in the ditch. That sucked. I ended up buying another 01 4 door XJ. This XJ was REALLY clean, low miles, one owner jeep. Payed a pretty penny for that jeep so naturally I didn’t want to ruin it.

That jeep was fun but I never really wanted to scratch that jeep. It was so pretty. I would have felt sick if I laid it on some rocks. So I sold it in 2011. So that brings me to my newest XJ.
This is 2001 2door XJ sport. It was a little beat up from living on the Chicago streets part time. It was prefect for what I wanted.

It needs some TLC for sure but the price was right. I have big plans for this jeep but its going to be a somewhat slow build.
At the same time as buying this jeep I decided to start a YouTube channel to kind of document the build and inspire some folks to build their jeeps
Heres a link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9a8_WVXctcKykJiM_0AiJQ

-Drew-

 

[denverd1]

back window delete

what's your plans for it?

 

[RCP Phx]

I bought my 95 2dr just to make a Cheromanche!

 

[TheOffRoadCorner]

back window delete

what's your plans for it?

haha. figured back window delete sounds better then I backed into a tree.

my plans for the jeep are to turn it into my adventure rig and take on the trails out west (Colando, arizona, california, utah, etc). build wise i'd like for it to be reliable and capable rig on 37's (maybe 40's). As you can see I have a long way til I get there but you have to start somewhere.

 

[TheOffRoadCorner]

I bought my 95 2dr just to make a Cheromanche!

That thing is sweet! it looks super clean. here in Iowa that jeep probably would have rusted out a long time ago. finding clean jeeps to build from in the rust belt is nearly impossible.

 

[TheOffRoadCorner]

When I bought the jeep it had some issues. The first issue was the track bar. The joint at the frame was ready to fall out. So I decided to replace it with a factory replacement. I had plans to lift the jeep 3” later, but I felt like an adjustable track bar wouldn’t be needed, yet. And worst come to worst I’d just use this stock track bar to build an adjustable one later when needed. I ended up picking up a new MOOG track bar from Amazon.
Part Number: DS1235
Moog Track Bar - https://amzn.to/2NgUATf

I gave it a quick coat of paint before install. Bare metal parts here in Iowa gather rust very quickly.
After installing the track bar I took the jeep for a drive and was very surprised how much better the jeep handles now.



Check out my video on this herehttps://youtu.be/-_wXNSt8hEI


-Drew-

 

[TheOffRoadCorner]

So the jeep developed a power steering leak. I didn’t notice it was leaking until I was entering a parking spot and had to crank the wheel against the steering stop. It was at this point hot power steering fluid sprayed onto the exhaust header causing a huge cloud of smoke to come from under the hook. The jeep didn’t catch fire but it definitely could have. I took the jeep home and found the pressure line had a hole in it.

I wanted to flush the system first before installing the new hose. I when to the hardware store and picked up some 5/8 clear vinyl hose. I removed the return line at the reservoir and caped the reservoir. Then I slipped the vinyl hose over the return hose. With the front tires off the ground, turning the steering wheel back and forth pumps the old fluid out the return hose into a drain pan. I just kept turning the steering wheel from lock to lock (engine off) and topping the reservoir off until clean fluid started coming out the vinyl hose.

Here the hose: https://amzn.to/2MMtC4S

With the dirty fluid flushed out, I installed the new Gates power steering hose.

Here’s the hose: https://amzn.to/2Jfpq9B

After installing the new hose I bled the system. With the front tires off the ground still, turning the steering wheel from lock to lock (engine off) making sure the reservoir always has fluid in it.

Check out the video: https://youtu.be/gHR60jxApIk