I recently sold my 2018 Tacoma TRD Offroad and paid cash for this 2001 XJ with 97k on it.

I had the Tacoma for exactly one year and was not super happy with it. I loved the way it looked and it did well offroad, but the engine/trans and overall drive-ability left a lot to be desired. My lack of love for the Tacoma combined with my wife's student debt made me decide to get a car I could pay cash for, use off-road, modify and daily drive. I hope this works out.

Here it is the day I brought it home (after cleaning it)






Here are all the things I plan on doing and/or am in the process of doing:


SHORT TERM:

• Deep clean - DONE
• upgrade wheels (current ones rub) - Ordered Pro Comp 69 Series 15x8
• change fluids:
  • Rear Diff
  • Transmission & filter
  • Front Diff
  • Oil
  • Coolant
  • Transfer Case
• replace brakes Front and rear done!- ordered this: Power stop brake kit
• replace oil pan gasket
• replace rear main seal
• replace valve cover gasket
• replace rear hatch struts - ordered
• replace Center console mounting bracket - Ordered this: Center Console Bracket
• increase storage space
• rubber all weather floor mats

LONG TERM:

• replace steering components
• Possibly - a better lift kit
• Rack/Bars for RTT

I will update this thread w/ photos and what not as I go.

 

What is the current lift?
If you don't mind me asking,, what did you have to pay for it?

Slack

 

A nice looking XJ to start a build with!

 

Its a rough country 3”

i paid 5k

i probably over paid But it’s the cleanest one I was able to find. There was one cleaner but was a fleet vehicle and they wanted 8500$ for it with 75k miles

 

Well I had some time today after getting emissions done and registering the Jeep. I also had a set of Baja designs sport s2’s laying around.

My factory passenger side fog lens was broken so I yanked those off and used the factory plug on the Baja designs and mounted them in the factory location so they will work off my OEM switch.


Oem fog light


Baja designs with factory plug spliced onto it


Close up of mounting position

Had to get a little western with the drivers side fog bracket


Final product, powered on

Powered off

 

I love the basic simplicity of it! The way the market is going these days, I could easily see someone over here on the east coast trying to sell that rig for almost double what you paid. Seems like a nice deal to me.

Do you know if it was originally an Up Country, or did the PO install the skid and tow hook(s)? - speaking of which, what's going on there?

 

I have the window sticker it says it is the up country package and has the fuel tank skid

not sure if that’s part of the up country package

 

Yes! That's awesome. It should have a transfer case skid too. It very well might have a rear track-lok limited slip too, which would be cool. Pretty sure that and no rear sway bar from the factory was a part of the Up Country package as well.

 

Previous owner made a tow bar for it, he hauled it behind his motor home. So the tow hook slides into the tow bar sleeve

As per the window sticker, It it does have the track-lok.

Im not entirely sure what that means haha

will it need an additive for the rear diff fluid?

 

Wheels mounted with old tires


offset is much better

 

Completed a few upgrades;

new shocks, tie rod ends, adjustable track bar, stubby antenna, rear storage thingy, alignment, rear hatch struts to replace wooden rod

 

looks good

 

The fun never ends;

did the valve cover gasket; breather valves and hoses connections and threw some moog sway bar end links on it today

was trying to just do the bushings but the link snapped when trying to remove the bolts

Valve cover before

After

Fancy blue bushings

 

Rear hatch rubber bump stop things replaced!

 

Got into the rear diff today


Kind of cool that these were left on

All cleaned up


Paint can had a black lid on it; to my surprise it was “copper” so I just stuck with it

All done


also removed plastic trim trim from the doors