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Excellent build and thread. I stumbled on it today and read the whole thing. Awesome work and well planned.
I have a 98 as well, with a 2" lift, soon to go to a 4.5" lift with 31x10.5-15 Firestone Destination ATs. I also have JCR sliders waiting to go on as well. I'm leaning toward an "expedition" syle build, but have also considered getting involved with search and rescue in the North Texas area. I also plan on having on-board potable water with pressurized spray (at least 5 gallons, but would like to have 10), and a good first aid /trauma pack. I also have a host of LED lights waiting to go on the rack, including some terrific super wide-area lights that have a 160 degree beam pattern and very even wide but short distance lighting to go on the left and right sides of the rack. If you don't mind, I had a couple of questions...
1) In one of your pics it looks like you have some Rotopax on your rack. Is that correct? What mounts did you use?
2) Do you have recommendations on radios/antennas that are suitable for SAR work?
3) While it seems many SAR and first responders tend to customize their first-aid/trauma packs based on the kinds of situations they are most likely to come across, do you have any recommendations for a basic kit that can be expanded upon? My plan is to have some cubbies built that will go in the rear hatch, that way, no matter what is in the back of the Jeep, opening the hatch will give quick and easy access to that bit of gear.
Again, terrific build! And I'd also like to thank you for dedicating your time to help others. Very admirable.
I used the universal rotopax mount bolted to the rack.
I use a Yaesu 350 for ham and two icon 1721 for commercial. Various antennas.
I can't really recommend on first aid. We use what our unit requires, combined with additional wilderness and trauma gear.. lots of triangles and splints..
The brace definitely tightens the front end. There is no cross bracing between the rails from the very front all the way until way past the engine. This reduces some of the flex in the front end. I can tell because I am hearing noises when turning or going over a bump, that I did not hear before..
Thanks for posting, I know its a couple years later but your pictures are really helpful in deciding whether to get the re brace...
Any chance you think the clunking is coming from the track bar hitting the brace? They look pretty close together and look like they would get a lot closer going over a bump.
It's been a long time since I posted anything to this forum. Likely because of where this forum went and the fact it is almost impossible to access using regular clients..
I decided to do something I should have done from day one - improve the steering. I studied long and hard the solutions provided by different vendors - RuffStuff, Currie, RockyRoad, Teraflex, etc. Since I knew I did not want to chop, or weld and force an OTK setup, my decision was quite simple. I ended up getting the UTK setup from Serious Offroad. I have gotten stuff from Frank before, when he was still on this forum..
Lift the Jeep, remove the factory steering, or what is left of it after I installed the RE HD track bar, bracket and RE tie rod..
Drilling the knuckles was not an issue, even when mounted. Metal is soft and one just needs to keep the drill lubricated..
Drilling the pitman required removal and even then, became a total PITA, forcing us to scramble to get another bit as we destroyed the one we had.. Frank from Serious, told us after the fact that this stuff is made from unobtainium, or something like that, and that he cannot understand how we managed to drill it without a carbide or diamond bit..OK, i'll admit it took a while..
Once all was drilled, we mounted the inserts and the hardware..
After that, put in the zerks, start tightening and get her on the alignment rack.
Summary - Excellent product from Serious Offroad. Nice and beefy hardware that goes well together with minimal drilling. Steering has changed completely. From oversteer and bump steer, to understeer that is more precise and stable. I like the new feeling a lot, especially on the highway, not having to correct all the time..
Frank Z was always available on the phone when we had a question.. great support..
Third alternator the charm? Or am I looking at the wrong part?
My XJ came originally with a 117A alternator, which I replaced somewhere above in the thread with a no-name 150A, picked up on eBay for like $109 and worked OK - kind of..
Two issues kept showing up. The first one is that both my batteries would go flat after two to three weeks of not driving the Jeep. Pointing perhaps at a parasitic draw or at the fact my alternator was not charging my batteries.
The second one would only show up when driving through snow and/or water/mud puddles, which happens to me occasionally. My check gauges light would come up and the battery charge needle would go to zero. At some point and likely when I'm out of the snow water, it would go back up to 10V and creep very slowly up to about 13V. Next day when riding pavement, it would be at 14V like it should as if nothing happened. I had to abandon the Jeep one day in the woods, as the batteries went super low with all the lights and radios turned on..
I line with the great American tradition of going bigger (rather than actually figuring the issue) I ordered a whopping $279, Load Boss, 220A alternator. The online description showed a little bracket that would allow installing this larger body alternator, away from the bracket and not having to grind anything..
While I was at it, I decided to replace my older Optima, which was like 5 years old. Better have a spare than take chances..
New alt, new battery..
Here is the old after market alternator (150A, but actually fits), versus the new one..
Once having removed the old alternator and installing the new one, it was painfully obvious that I have been had by the good people at 'Alterstart'. Here is the picture of their product with the bracket they claim makes installation a breeze..
The Load Boss 220A from Alterstart. That little 'extension bracket' is completely useless and cannot be used in an XJ..
When trying to install their extension bracket, one tilts the alternator away from the engine and bracket and towards the frame of the XJ. First it does not fit even when pressed against the frame. Second, nothing is more dumb or dangerous that having a part bolted to the engine and rubbing against the frame..
Looks like it's grinding time..
After grinding, testing and grinding some more, for over an hour, the fat bastard alternator from 'Alterstart', finally dropped in and connected..
The fat bastard alternator - Load Boss 220A from Alterstart. Don't buy if you are not prepared to grind your XJ bracket..
Well, it's all working Ok now. Need to see if I still have a parasitic draw and how well my batteries are charging. At least I have a spare one in the trunk..
08-19-2014, 04:22 PM
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