• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

What are you doing to your rig - the continuing saga

1-tonxj said:
I thought smitty built was a decent winch ? ... not exactly a warn , but not complete trash .
Click to expand...
A product is only good as its design, the materials its made of, its manufacturing process, and quality control. The Chinese have proven effective at doing everything a little cheaper. I took the Badlands winch at face value and purchased the big one based on amperage draw as published on the box.

"You pays your money and you takes your chances."

I found some videos or you:





 
I see they make an 18k model that may be what I put on the Dodge. I don't plan to use it much it's just an in case thing , so 18k and a block make for 36k to pull the loaded truck if stuck .
 
Where did you put your plate? I haven't even had mine on since I'm kinda out of real estate up front. Did you use a roller fairlead? That thing stuck out so far on mine and after reading a few horror stories about rollers flying out or just not working anyways I just stuck a hawse one on.

I watched Craigslist for like 3 months til I found my warn basically unused for $400. Warn is nice but damn they're not cheap new.
 
time2getdirty said:
Sure it does if it’s well thought out and not hacked as you went.
Click to expand...



Re: How much does your built XJ weigh?
4,700lb with me, trail gear and 1/2 tank of fuel.
JCR Offforad bumpers, sliders and armor.
33's on steelies, with a spare on the rear bumper.


That's an xj weighed as I did my xj driver , tools , gear and it's on stock axles and 33s... I think one needs to start hitting dot or cat scales rather than guesstimate their weights ...simply adding 1 ton axles that weigh about 300lbs more per axle and a 42 tire combo that adds about 100 lbs per corner is an extra 1000 lbs to that xj for...hold on...5700lbs . It seems my weights fall in line with folks who actually took their xj to a scale and weighed the xj alone .... There is no magic under In or on my XJ it's built like 99% of all the full body XJ the here and there use of a thicker plate only makes for minimal weight variance... Now pudding show me the rest of the full body, xj in 42s weighing much less than 5600lbs with tools. 257 lb driver, 150lb passemger, and gear... I'm sure it will take you a very long time to find enough to make your comment even remotely accurate.
 
in4aride said:
I literally posted pic of my scale weight, on a certified scale, no passenger or camping gear.
Click to expand...


Tools , driver, passenger are required, ...can you read a post ?...lol...when so weighed my XJ I had myself at 257 ...150 lb brother ...150 spare tire...a set of dana 60 spare front shafts ...200lbs if tools ... full tank...now that's 600-750 lbs . And you lack many items on that xj such as a cage and axles trusses , which most have on a 1tonxj and 42s . My axle weights were 2850 front 2750 rear per downy ville dot scale house eastbound dot scale at 234mm . I'm sure I could weigh my XJ empty no driver , 1/2 tank , no passenger, no tools , and now no spare and lose 700 lbs .Not an arguing tone here just a civil debate .
 
Like I said was loaded for cofest. So tools and parts. But scale was at our shop so no one with me. It’s easy be to heavier with more shit no doubt. However the point is you unnecessarily make the truck heavier requiring more heavy shit and extra shit that also made it heavier and the process goes rounds. You don’t need every thing in the world and the biggest heaviest shit to wheel an xj in Colorado. Especially on gnarly trails. Most are super short and accessible so leaving things at trailer isn’t an issue.
 
in4aride said:
Like I said was loaded for cofest. So tools and parts. But scale was at our shop so no one with me. It’s easy be to heavier with more shit no doubt. However the point is you unnecessarily make the truck heavier requiring more heavy shit and extra shit that also made it heavier and the process goes rounds. You don’t need every thing in the world and the biggest heaviest shit to wheel an xj in Colorado. Especially on gnarly trails. Most are super short and accessible so leaving things at trailer isn’t an issue.
Click to expand...

Mike's right.

The heavier rigs just don't work as good. Light and nimble is key. That allows you to distribute weight as you'd like (e.g. water in tires), and run a smaller engine if you'd like. Hell, I've still yet to weigh my buggy, but I wouldn't even consider it remotely light compared to most. If I ever did another build, it would be decently bare bones, v8, and front and rear steer. Basically, I'd build something similar to either the current JHF rig, or something like a RedDot.
 
freerider15 said:
Mike's right.

The heavier rigs just don't work as good. Light and nimble is key. That allows you to distribute weight as you'd like (e.g. water in tires), and run a smaller engine if you'd like. Hell, I've still yet to weigh my buggy, but I wouldn't even consider it remotely light compared to most. If I ever did another build, it would be decently bare bones, v8, and front and rear steer. Basically, I'd build something similar to either the current JHF rig, or something like a RedDot.
Click to expand...

No doubt in lighter is better ...after I've had my fun here if I'm up to dumping cash again beyond a realistic xj on 33-35 I'll build off a prefab chassis like a jimmys or similar...lol... building a frame around a unibody is like wheeling two rigs ... that said I have enough high dollar parts now to take a realistic beating without throwing in the towel.
 
Need to order seats and harness... I'm probably going to go with cheap corbeau or possibly cheap knock offs from ebay. I'm thinking about doing an expensive seat for me on the driver side and a cheapie on the passenger...Guess my point to the post is does anyone have experience with fleabay knock off seats or suggestions on a seat ?
 
1-tonxj said:
Need to order seats and harness... I'm probably going to go with cheap corbeau or possibly cheap knock offs from ebay. I'm thinking about doing an expensive seat for me on the driver side and a cheapie on the passenger...Guess my point to the post is does anyone have experience with fleabay knock off seats or suggestions on a seat ?
Click to expand...

I thought the oreillys ones held up pretty good and aren’t too uncomfortable. Plus usually in stock.
 
in4aride said:
I thought the oreillys ones held up pretty good and aren’t too uncomfortable. Plus usually in stock.
Click to expand...


Have to look at them...the main things are that they don't fall apart and have a decent bolster to hold me in so I'm not flopping around . Last year I had a stock seat with a lap belt welded to my boat side and the belt was knotted together, so no shoulder harness ...lol... that's why on Cleveland rock I never tried to hard on the Men's line and took the right side up I think at 118-120 wb that right side is harder to do a way up without playing turtle than going the left ,but I did kill it no winch and my buddy has no video ...lol... mysteriously anytime I kill an obstacle he fails the video vanishes.
 
1-tonxj said:
Need to order seats and harness... I'm probably going to go with cheap corbeau or possibly cheap knock offs from ebay. I'm thinking about doing an expensive seat for me on the driver side and a cheapie on the passenger...Guess my point to the post is does anyone have experience with fleabay knock off seats or suggestions on a seat ?
Click to expand...

I have no experience with cheapies but I LOVE my PRPs. Best money I have spent on my XJ.
 
1-tonxj said:
Need to order seats and harness... I'm probably going to go with cheap corbeau or possibly cheap knock offs from ebay. I'm thinking about doing an expensive seat for me on the driver side and a cheapie on the passenger...Guess my point to the post is does anyone have experience with fleabay knock off seats or suggestions on a seat ?
Click to expand...

I have one of the cheap seats for my GT5 simulator. It's held up fine but it's basically a glorified office chair. I have some Carbeau seats in my Dad's CJ some of the worst seats ever. Granted the CJ is bouncy as hell but those things are like slamming your side into a brick wall. I'd go PRP if I was buying some seats. Little more coin but better quality by far.
 
smokeyyank said:
I have one of the cheap seats for my GT5 simulator. It's held up fine but it's basically a glorified office chair. I have some Carbeau seats in my Dad's CJ some of the worst seats ever. Granted the CJ is bouncy as hell but those things are like slamming your side into a brick wall. I'd go PRP if I was buying some seats. Little more coin but better quality by far.
Click to expand...


I'm probably going to spend the cash on my seat and go cheap on the shotgun seat .
 
I ordered some tube adapters from an Amazon vendor that sells one of our vendors products and it only took 3 days for them to get them to me and I ordered it Sunday evening it showed today ...lol...the actual vendor takes a week just to get it out the door. I ordered from Amazon because the supplier listed the hex tube adapters out of stock ...lol... My experience thus far is ordering through eBay and Amazon vendors is superior service to the actual suppliers for many goods
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Goose_XJ88
RenoFest 2024 Event Rig Requirements
Replies
0
Views
36
Goose_XJ88
Goose_XJ88
Goose_XJ88
RenoFest 2024 Event Rig Requirements
Replies
1
Views
175
blondejoncherokee
blondejoncherokee
L
Manual to Auto transmission swap
Replies
9
Views
223
lvcanyoneer1
L
M
March Membership Drive 2024
Replies
11
Views
165
MEMBERSHIP
M
Bent
Becoming part of the Sierra chapter; is that what you want?
Replies
1
Views
53
Anak
Anak
Back
Top