ahhdrjones

I recently picked up a 1992 5 speed manual (oh yeah!) Jeep XJ Sport that was in excellent condition with 164,000 miles. This is my first time modding a Truck so It should get interesting. Everything on the jeep appears to be stock (minus the window tint). No lifts or cosmetic changes that I am aware of The engine seem clean and maintained. My Plan is to beef this thing up and use it as my daily driver. In the "City of Angels" there is no shortage of luxury super cars and overly modded Trucks so I want to mix it up a bit and build something I can park next to a Ferrari and distract the onlookers.

ahhdrjones

I need to catch everyone up since I have had the car for a few months and have made a few upgrades so far. Nothing major, just a few small things to get the juices flowing. The first Item of business was to rip out the stock cassette player radio and update it with something a little more functional. I grabbed a pretty cheap stereo with SD card and iPhone Aux inputs (who uses CD's anymore...) and I added a much needed cup holder over the E-Brake. The Shifter was a little warn so I picked up a leather **** and I added a steering wheel cover to add some thickness. Like I said before the truck was in excellent condition. Got it detailed. The interior cleaned up nice! I got lucky there.

ahhdrjones

With a 20 year old Jeep comes 20 years of sun damage. The trim around the jeep had turned a lighter shade of grey so I tried to bring back the black by using some trim restorer (by Turtle-Wax). It helped a little bit but I was not overly impressed. I hit Ebay and found a chrome grill and light doors for $50 bucks as well as some bumper guards which were missing. I have a feeling the bumper will get replaced in the future but for now I want to spice it up a bit and give it some accessories. Being my first build I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to swap the grill and add the guards. It was a good confidence booster.

ahhdrjones

One of the first things I did after buying the jeep was take it to the Valvoline shop to have the fluids changed. Since I had no way of knowing when the last time it was serviced I figured it would be a good idea to set the records straight. I had them do a front and rear Diff fluid replacement, Fuel system cleaning, and oil change. When they were done they closed er up and tried to start her up to pull out of the service bay. The jeep wouldn't start. no turning over or grinding, it just sat there. After about 20 minutes of the attendants double checking their work , one of them got the idea to tap the starter with a broom. That did the trick. I continued to drive it over the next week or so and it happened to me a couple more times until I finally decided I should probably fix the starter.
Rather than try to actually fix it I lazily just purchased a new one at AutoZone. My first attempt to replace a engine part! I spent several hours researching the install steps on cherokeeforum (the search function works great!) I bought some lift ramps, drove the truck onto them, blocked the rear wheels (safety first) and bravely slid under the jeep and started pulling off bolts. In about an hour I had the part replaced. I think I am starting to get the hang of this.

Xj88

Cool start, Id have to vote going back to the black grill though.

ahhdrjones

I picked up these driving lights from PepBoys and tried to figure out how to wire them with what I think is the stock fog light wires. I found two wires that were laying along the front passenger side wheel well. One black and one Green. I am trying to figure out which is hot and which is ground. I am looking for the fuse location as well. The lights I bought only have a wire for power and a short wire that grounds them to the bumper. My jeep does not have a fog light switch, only a blank panel is in place of where it would normally be in the lower left of the console next to the headlight switch. when I removed the console cover I found these cables tucked inside. Anyone know what these go to? I would like to get the stock switch so I am hoping these are the wires need for plug and play. worse case I just run the wires provided with the new lights.

ahhdrjones

I had the suspension and steering checked out and it looks like a lot of the rubber bushings are dried out, cracked, and/or weak. I need to replace the tie rod ends and sway bar links. I found a full steering replacement kit online. here is what I got:
2 Upper Ball Joints
2 Lower Ball Joints
3 Tie Rod Ends
2 Drag links
2 Sway Bar links
I also picked up a steering stabilizer from Rough Country. I have a feeling this is going to take me a while to install so I will be bribing my neighbor with some pizza and beer to help me out. I'll make sure to get some pics when we do the install.

ahhdrjones

Parts are starting to show up! My new valve cover gasket arrived today.
I am still waiting for delivery on:
Flowmaster 40 Muffler
Tail pipe
Polyurathane Bushings for sway bar and links

speedballin

thats minty clean looking for those miles brotha
i expect too see pics soon parked near a ferrari or on it is cool here they make good RTI ramps.....
and anywhere good wheel way over there in LA??

Xj88

The stabilizer should take all of a half hour to install, the TREs shouldnt be bad..Get a pickle fork.

alsxj

Thats not the factory plug for the fog light switch, thats the rear window defrost switch connector, u need to find the 3 prong connector. I did sorta the same thing ur thinking of but mine already came with after market fog lights that they wired to a crappy switch mounted on my lower dash. U just took the wires from the switch and ran them too a factory switch that I got from the junkyard along with the factory housing that goes with it. So in other words. Just run your own new harness with the lights to a factory switch if the factory harness isnt there. Clean looking xj btw

ahhdrjones

The Flowmaster muffler, Tail pipe, and 23mm bushings arrived today all at separate times by separate drivers. I bought the bushings without knowing the diameter I realized and checked my sway bar I think it is closer to 25mm. My collection of parts is stacking up! Better start bolting this stuff on the jeep.

ahhdrjones

Thanks for the info Alsxj. I figured something was up when I saw the pink connector. I should just run the new cables to the new switch and be done with it.

ahhdrjones

I'm on the lookout for one I can take with the jeep as a before pic. hehe.

ahhdrjones

I think I might steel your grill paint job from your 88xj. I like how the chrome frames the grill. I also think I will paint the lower 1/3 panels black like you did. it looks much better that way.