XJ Buildup III

[XJEEPER]

I've spent a lot of time on other projects over the past few year and the Jeep projects have been left on the back burner, but I do have some updates to share.

The JCR Rear Quarter Armor that I purchased.....several years ago, had been sitting in the corner of my garage, collecting dust. It was high time to finish this project.

Due to the fitment issues of the units that I received, the Upper Quarter Armor with integrated taillight boxes did not fit without contacting the hatch, so I resolved to remove the box section and I used a hole saw to port the armor, which would allow the stock taillights to adhere to DOT-specs, yet still provide protection to the stock taillight housings.

Once the armor fitment was dialed in, I sent them off to the body shop for a coat of PS5 Silverstone Metallic paint to match the body. I also had the shop repaint my Bushwacker Flat Flares, which had seen a bit of trail scuffing since their install.

For those of you who have installed this armor or similar, installing the passenger side is simple when compared to the driver side, as the fuel filler housing and bracing requires some Gumby-like arms to reach some of the bolt points.
I applied urethane body panel adhesive to the top and vertical edges of the body-facing side of this armor during final install, so as to keep water and dust from entering through the top and sides, but still allow for drainage of moisture out the bottom, if it happens to get between the armor and the body.

Finished product, with flares reinstalled.

More to come.........

 

[XJEEPER]

I installed the TnT Customs Y-Link lift in June 2007 and in the 11+ years since that install, I have logged over 100k miles. The Y-Link uses RE Superflex bushings at the axle end and Summit Machine Flex Joints at the crossmember mount.

Both have performed well, but as I was pulling the front lift apart to perform some cleanup and corrosion-abatement (repaint everything), it would also a good time to perform a bushing refresh.

The Flex Joints really work well, but one negative of their design is that they are very hard to grease, i.e. there is little clearance between the ball and races to allow grease to penetrate and reside, with the end result being that they squeak. This noise radiates up through the body and is very annoying when on the trail.

I reached out to Summit Machine http://www.summitmachine.com/ to inquire about a joint rebuild kit and was pleased to learn that in their quest to always improve their products, Summit has designed a updated race for their Flex Joints, which is machined from a different material and also incorporates a machined spiral groove which allows grease to be evenly distributed throughout the joint, resulting an a smooth, silent ride.

You can see the difference between Gen 1(black) and Gen 2 races here:

I picked up rebuild kits for both Flex Joints, and swapped the internals out.
Lacking a torque spec for the threaded retaining ring, I guess on how much to tighten them.......and I guessed wrong. SNAP!!:banghead:

I had stripped the threads on the Flex Joint housing, rendering it useless. I reached out to Julene at Summit for replacement housings and since they are local-ish to my area, I dropped by to pick up a new joint housing.

When I explained my torque error, Julene apologized for not have a torque spec on her website and grabbed 2 replacement Flex Joint housings and retaining rings, so that I could replace the one that I ruined and also the one that I "potentially compromised" with the incorrect torque.

I fully expected to pay for these parts but she insisted in not taking payment and again claimed partial liability for not having the torque spec readily available online. She went above and beyond any expectation and stands behind the Summit Machine products 100%. Very impressive customer service, to say the least.

Back home, I proceeded to remove the existing Flex Joint housings from the Y-Link long arms and weld the new housings in place. I was careful to remove the weld slowly so that I could retain the original position of the housing and ensure that I didn't alter the overall length of the arm. Mission accomplished, ready to weld on the new housings.

Better than new, with updated housings and races installed. Torque Spec for the Summit Machine Flex Joint is 55-60lb/ft . The updated Flex Joints were very easy to grease as well.
The Y-Link components got cleanup, primer on bare metal and a couple of fresh coats of Rustoleum, then I pressed the new RE Superflex bushings into the the long arms and also into the UCA mounts on the TnT Customs D30 truss assembly.

My Bilstien's were looking a bit hammered so while I had them off, I cleaned them up a bit as well.

I also took this opportunity to update the front brakes with some Black Magic WJ pads that I've had for a while. I ordered a full set when I replaced the pads on my TJ Disc-equipped rear D44 last summer, but the fronts still had plenty of material so I held off on installing them. The braking improvement with Black Magic pads front and rear is noticeable and I highly recommend them.

All buttoned up and ready for the trail. I also replaced my AntiRock swaybar endlinks with new rods and greasable heims, as the originals were worn and sloppy.

Time well spent, on my recent 1000+ mile overland trip, with 450+ miles logged off-road, the suspension was smooth, quiet and performed better than new.

 

[XJEEPER]

Hood Louver Installation

It's no shocker that underhood temps are an issue on the XJ platform and in an effort to improve airflow and reduce temps, I ordered up a pair of louvers from GenRight, PN: LVR-1006, which are 15-1/2" long x 4" wide, made from aluminum and come powdercoated satin black.

As for placement, I looked for a balance of functionality and aesthetics and as I didn't want to cut any hood bracing, arrived at the location that is 6.5" rearward of the leading edge of the hood.

I masked off the area to be cut and covered the engine compartment with a tarp, then blocked up the hood so that I wouldn't snag anything underneath as I made my cuts. I then drilled holes in each corner of the area to be cut so that I would be able to start the saw from any direction.

I masked off the hood area to protect the paint from hot metal chips that the saw kicks out and then got after it. When I encountered the area where the hood bracing resides, I switched to a cutoff wheel to only cut the hood skin and not the brace.

Once both holes were cut, I lined up the louvers over the holes and then marked out the 8 holes per louver that would be used to rivet them to the hood. These holes were drilled and then I cleaned up the edges with a flap wheel and file and touched up the bare metal with some silver paint.

I attached the louvers temporarily with screws, as my plan was to paint match them with Chrysler PS5 Silverstone Metallic, but after they were on for a while, the color grew on me. The black louvers provide a nice accent to the silver hood, so I ended up riveting them on tight with the black rivets that were supplied with the louvers.


I don't have any before and after temp number to support the added cooling effect that these louvers created, but I do see a lot of heat escaping from them. I also notice that the hood is much cooler when on the trail, so there's your "palm of the hand" scientific data.

 

[XJEEPER]

I'm not sure how this mod update slipped through the cracks, but it has proven very effective in reducing stress on the intake manifold and providing a means of partial exhaust system removal, allowing for better access when working on various under-body components.

I sourced this 2.5" braided stainless steel flexible exhaust joint .....from a place which sells them.....don't recall exactly, but Summit Racing and many other suppliers carry these.

I paired it with a 2.5" mild steel flange clamp, which is designed to be welded in-line on your exhaust tubing.

The logical place to install this unit was in the section of exhaust directly behind the engine and below the trans. I measured the flex joint and flanges , transferred this measurement to the exhaust tubing, then got busy with the sawzall.

Once the stock exhaust section was removed, I test fitted the new joint, tack welded the flange and joint in place and then burned them in.

It the same time, I installed a new hi-flow catalytic converter to round off this project.

 

[Rockwood]

Interested to see how that holds up. My exhaust has a number of witness marks on it there from rocks.

 

[XJEEPER]

Interested to see how that holds up. My exhaust has a number of witness marks on it there from rocks.

I've run this setup for about 10yrs, no issues. The clamp has a few witness marks on it, but has not been compromised.

 

[Rockwood]

I've run this setup for about 10yrs, no issues. The clamp has a few witness marks on it, but has not been compromised.

Nice! :thumbup:

Now if I could just keep mufflers alive. Every time I throw a new one on there, some rock smashes it.

 

[XJEEPER]

Nice! :thumbup:

Now if I could just keep mufflers alive. Every time I throw a new one on there, some rock smashes it.

Stop running disposable mufflers........:doh:

 

[Rockwood]

Stop running disposable mufflers........:doh:

First one was a nice stainless Magnaflow. Smooshed on the 'Con. Second was a Walker $30 special since I knew it was gonna get ruined. Smashed on the Chariot Canyon rock garden maybe 2 months after I got it. Still sealed, but is starting to rattle. Next one will be another Magnaflow with a piece of 1/8" plate welded to it...

 

[XJEEPER]

First one was a nice stainless Magnaflow. Smooshed on the 'Con. Second was a Walker $30 special since I knew it was gonna get ruined. Smashed on the Chariot Canyon rock garden maybe 2 months after I got it. Still sealed, but is starting to rattle. Next one will be another Magnaflow with a piece of 1/8" plate welded to it...

I'm running a Flowmaster that is 11+yrs old. I ran one on my 89 and battered it on a stream crossing in the San Juans, but I welded up the hole and ran it another 7 years. It was still holding up when I sold the rig in 2007.

 

[cwyman6]

I just moved the muffler as far back as I could so it stopped getting hit. I run a glass pack now so if it gets hit it wouldn't rattle

 

[CSpeade51]

Very nice build

 

[Rod Knee]

Very nice build

Yes it is. I enjoyed reading xjeeper's update too, even though the thread is a few months old.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[XJEEPER]

More projects coming your way, but here's one that I failed to upload.

Circa, July 2016
My factory steering box had logged about 200k miles and it was getting mighty sloppy. I attempted to bandaid it by adjusting the lash in the sector shaft gear, but without any notable improvement.

I then purchase a "quality" rebuilt box from NAPA and installed it, only to discover on the first drive that it actually had more free play in the gears than the worn-out factory box.
I then sourced another box from a local part house and while discussing my issue with the seasoned counter help, he informed me that all domestic steering gear boxes are now re-manufactured/refurbished by the same company in Mexico and that they just slap a different label on the package.

Great.

I purchased the 2nd reman box and proceeded to replace the other box. Much to my chagrin, this box had as much slop in it as the previous unit.

So much for reman boxes.

I parked my XJ and returned both "new" gear boxes and then got on the phone with PSC.

The helpful steering technician asked what vehicle I was working on and how I used it and his recommendation was to go with the following PCS components:

*SG654 4 bolt steering gearbox

*SP1205C Pump with new reservoir

*PP2401 4.5" pulley ( smaller than stock, which spins faster at idle to build more pressure and improve the steering force when rock crawling in 4Low)

*Swepco 715 PS Fluid ( I opted for the AC Delco equivalent 10-5073 non-corrosive PS fluid with anti-foaming properties)

*Gates K060938 serpentine belt (1" shorter than stock, due to smaller pulley)

With all new components, installation was pretty straightforward and included 4 new Grade 8 steering box bolts, replacing both PS fluid lines and adding a Magnefine inline PS filter for added protection.

Once installed, I cycled the pump per instructions to remove air from the system and then put the front end on the ground and took my Jeep for a test drive. The steering improvement was a welcome mod and required less effort and the Jeep tracked straight and steering input was immediate and precise. No more wander or random direction changes with uneven road surfaces.

In 4wd and rock crawling, there is also a noticeable reduction in steering effort. While this solution was not the cheapest route to go, I have no regrets in spending the money on these new components.

:thumbup:

 

[XJEEPER]

Catching up on recent XJ projects.
I've never felt that the XJ trans cooling system was adequate and as I live in the high desert of Utah where ambient summer temps can reach 100*F. I frequently climb mountainous terrain both on the freeway and off-road at 4Low crawl speeds, so I decided to upgrade my transmission cooling system with a B&M aluminum stacked plate transmission fluid cooler #70273 with a 15,000 BTU rating.

This unit has approximately triple the cooling surface area compared to the stock cooler and with the B&M plate style being more effective at heat dissipation than the factory tube and fin style, I have no doubt that this unit will be a significant improvement over stock.

Upon removal of the stock cooler, I discovered that this unit was manufactured by Modine. I held onto this unit, as I may plumb it into my power steering system in the future.

I made the decision to use reinforced rubber transmission tubing, brass fittings and high-quality fuel injection hose clamps for this upgrade and while some may argue the benefits of running braided stainless hose and AN fittings, I went with simplicity and off-the-shelf convenience of components. I also made the decision to bypass the radiator tank mounted heat exchanger as part of this mod.

Not being of fan of shoving ziptie anchors through the radiator/AC condenser, I picked up a length of 3/4" W x 1/8" T steel strap and cut and bent up a couple of mounting brackets to span the distance between the upper and lower header framework. I had to remove the header panel nuts to gain working space, but I left the header panel on the Jeep and simply tilted it forward for access.

Once I had the correct bracket spacing and grill clearance dialed in, I painted up the brackets and bolted them in place and then bolted up the cooler. The supplied tubing was not long enough to accommodate the routing for my install, so I sourced additional reinforced AT tubing to complete the install.

I tapped into the existing transmission fluid lines using a brass barbed male fittings on the steel feed line and rubber return line and secured all connections with fuel injection hose clamps that are designed to not pinch the tubing or resist coming loose when subject to vibration like standard worm clamps do.

With the tubing installed and the clamps double checked, I secured the tubing with zipties to eliminate chafing and also added a small section of cooling tubing which I split and ziptied around the ATF tubing where it passed under the front bulkhead below the radiator support, to prevent any potential chafing. I fired up the engine and checked for leaks and added a little ATF to accommodate for the slight increase in system capacity.

This setup works well and I will be adding an inline filter and ATF Temp gauge to the system to monitor fluid temperature.

 

[XJEEPER]

Time for some updates.

I had visions of fabbing a rear bumper out of 1.75"DOM tubing, to match my front bumper, but those visions have passed and I've gone in the direction of a pre-cut, weld yourself unit that will meet my needs and allow for some customization.

JCR DIY Rear Bumper is the one that I settled on.

The bumper parts come pre-cut and with instructions on how to fold them to proper angles.
I added some scrap tube to the process to minimize warping.

Take your time on stitch welds and alternate ends, allowing for cooling between melty passes will prevent warping and keep the unit square.

With the inside stitched, time to flip and burn the front side joints solid.

 

[XJEEPER]

Lots of grinding with a flap wheel follows the welding process, to contour the angles of the bumper.

During the test fit, I noticed that the bottom outside corners of the bumper did not tie in to the bottom of the bumper, which leaves them vulnerable to snag rocks/bending, when dropping off a ledge or boulder.

Time to break out the C.A.D (cardboard aided design) tools to remedy this issue.

Portaband and SWAG Offroad table make quick work of fabbing parts.

That will work nicely! :thumbup:

Corner beef completed

Next, the taillight filler pieces were formed and welded up.

Test fit to the mounting brackets, it's looking like a solid unit.

 

[Tom R.]

Nice work, Jeff!

 

[ShoeterMcgav]

Finish the bumper yet? I think I will follow suit, I like the looks of that bumper- but would like a tire swing incorporated. Shouldn’t be to hard.
Off-road TABLE?? Looks like a nice workspace.. definitely better then the garage floor... something I need


From all the PSC goodness you added a few posts up... did you get a tapped gearbox for hydro assist??? I know that’s a lot of coin (good products though) and as is will be a nice upgrade... but down the line hydro has to be a thought? Lockers up front and big meats equate to the stock steering not liking anything other then straight lol

 

[XJEEPER]

Finish the bumper yet? I think I will follow suit, I like the looks of that bumper- but would like a tire swing incorporated. Shouldn’t be to hard.
Off-road TABLE?? Looks like a nice workspace.. definitely better then the garage floor... something I need


From all the PSC goodness you added a few posts up... did you get a tapped gearbox for hydro assist??? I know that’s a lot of coin (good products though) and as is will be a nice upgrade... but down the line hydro has to be a thought? Lockers up front and big meats equate to the stock steering not liking anything other then straight lol

Bumper is not finished yet, but I made some progress last night on the modification to tie the receiver hitch into the modified hitch mounts that are currently on my rig. Pictures will explain this better, I'll post these later this week.

The work table in a folder that I purchased about 20 years ago when a store was going out of business. Think that I paid $25 for it. I used it a ton as a mitre saw stand and various other things. The hard plastic top is sturdy but not ideal for welding projects:looney:.

Space is a premium in my 2 car garage and sometimes I like to weld outside, so I need a welding project table that is mobile and folds up for compact storage. Eastwood, Northern Tool and Miller all offer a decent unit, but I may fab up one that is a combination of the Eastwood and Miller, for a larger work surface and adjustable top on a folding frame.

I considered a ported PSC box, but my rig will never run a 35"+ and I have no problems steering with my ARB locked, so I didn't see the need to jump up to the hydro assist option.