tripleJ

Not tht much trimming is needed to fit 35's you just need to bump stop accordingly . I fit 33's on 2.5 lift with minimal trimming and correct bump stops

N8USCG

Great to know ill have to look him up, wonder how much the shipping will be to kodiak. Thanks for the info!

N8USCG

That's good to know. Sure I'm gonna have to do some adjusting here and there. I appreciate it!

N8USCG

so its been a while since an update. the weather hardly has hardley been forgiving and i have had to change shifts at work so i have had 0 time for the jeep besides doin research on parts. ALAS i have ordered all the stuff to make it somewhat trail worthy. the windshield should be taken care of this week. iv gotten the new poly bushings, quarter window seals, 8.8 u bolts, and a new steering stablizer in already and am awaiting the RC4.5 inch lift to get off the bardge here sometime this week also. also had duty today so i got bored and ordered the rest of the parts from amazon, tally today was 4 new 33x12.5 goodyear duratracs ( i know not super aggrasive but my wife will drive the jeep too and i want something ok in the snow) 4 pro comp 52 15x7s (yes i also know that the recommended width is 8" but they were super cheap and i have seen people running them). also got Rubicon Express full leaf packs, and a set of guages for water temp, volt, and oil press. im super excited to start tearing into this thing and having some fun!!

EASTCOASTXJ

Looks good so far can't wait to see pics of it getting built!!

N8USCG

Thanks man! I'm really excited to start this thing!

N8USCG

so i got pretty lucky this week! I was talking to one of the guys i work with about jeeps and XJs, and he mentioned he was getting rid of a jeep...i was thinkin shelled out wrangler or something not really usable. asked what kind of jeep he was getting rid of, i was super stoked to here it was a 89 XJ laredo! i asked how much he wanted for it and what was missing, he said man if you get it out of my drive way its yours! needless to say i was at his place right after work!! now i got a free almost complete minus a right hand passenger door XJ to pull parts from! here are some pics







as you can see its been snowing so its been really hard to get out there and start pulling parts. but i have pulled the sway bar and am awaiting new bushings. as far as other parts...Seats, center console, trim pieces, Radiator (found mine has a pin hole leak) rear glass, right hand front fender, and other small parts to have as spares. probably be practice for cutting the fender also! Cant beat it for being free! as far as an update on my jeep it just got a new windshield this week and iv got the tires and rims and gauges in all thats left if the lift ( ordered it 3 weeks ago!!!! stupid snail mail!) and rear leaf springs, after i get those i should have all the parts to put the lift on! just waiting for it to come in.

bootxj

Looks like you got yourself a project! Definetly gonna follow this! I'm a Coastie vet myself, golf 162. One of my old shipmates from cutter spencer is in kodiak I believe. Suba is his last name. Puddle pirates all day! Definetly take a peek at rustys parts, shipping is killer though, but worth it. I'm pushing 6+ inches of lift, and rusty himself has been very very helpful with questions. Yes, he answers the phone a lot lol.

If your ever in west palm beach, pm me! We got some decent swamp trails! And it's nice and warm plus rust free XJs!

N8USCG

Awsome man, ya its deffinatly a project. and really slow goin right now the snow sucks to work in. but ya i was Oscar 182 when i went through boot camp. when i first baught the jeep Rustys was the first place i went too and found the perfect kit but then i looked at the shipping and i just couldnt do it. honestly i wished i payed the extra 100 bucks to have the lift here sooner but patience is a vertue i suppose. ill deffinatly have to PM you to do some wheelin if im ever in the area! keep on keeping on man!

N8USCG

welp i almost have everything i need to get this jeep up in the air! FINALLY got the lift in!! the only thing im waiting on now are my RE leaf springs. i do wanna give a shout out to Amazon customer service. its been over 2 weeks since i ordered and the tracking said they were in Kentucky for over a week with no movement. so i called em up wondering what was up. to my surprise it was a really friendly call and they are sending a new set out priority air at no charge. kudos in my book. as far as the jeep right now, i finally got a break in the weather so i took advantage of it. 2 hours of shoveling both jeep out i got alot of work done. on the parts jeep got the swaybar end links off, some of the front trim and headlight, and pulled the radiator ( arethese xj radiators segmented??, i cut a line goin to the radiator and out came tranny fluid?) then cleaned and painted the sway bar, and pulled the front flares on the good jeep. i love how easy these things are to work on.!
here are some pics from the day.















and the parts that are waiting to be used!

N8USCG

Well its been a couple months since my last post, pretty crazy with work and weather but i have gotten a ton of work done to the jeep! little summary.. Trimmed the fenders front and rear ( came out pretty well considering it was my first time cutting) put a new radiator in, oil change spark plugs and coolant change, INSTALLED THE LIFT!!, took off some rust on the body and spot painted it..waiting to buy some bedliner and to start painting it, filled in the rust spots in the back and painted it ( also will be bedlined), put laredo seats i had sitting in the parts jeep, and pulled both front axle shafts off the parts jeep and put the passenger one in the new jeep, just found out the driver side one is bad so ill do some work this weekend. Im sure im forgetting some small stuff but she drives like a brand new jeep! i love it! time to wheel it...here is how she looks right now.










sorry i dont have more pics of putting the lift on and other stuff most of the time i was working by my self and had no one to take pics...oh well hopefully take pic of wheeling it here soon!


so upcoming plans... install a roof rack tracks i took off the parts jeep, build a roof rack/or buy one, mount a light bar, cb, bedline in and out and other various bits.

i do have some questions for yall though, the parts jeep has a welded 4wd fork think i should throw that on? it also has a track bar drop bracket. i drilled for the lift it was a pain in the dick! should i cannibalize that bracket? or if it aint broke dont fix it? also i noticed i got some pretty wicked positive camber of both tires...i know you really cant adjust camber on solid axles so howd that happen??
any ideas, questions, comments what do you guys think?
thanks
N8

N8USCG

well shook the jeep down last night at a small mud hole! did great didnt touch 4wd and learned the 8.8 has got limited slip!
few pics











anyone got opinions on that track bar drop or that welded 4wd shift fork?

bhennessee1

If you've got camber issues. You need ball joints or you have a bent tube.

N8USCG

Thanks man, Ya that's what the research said bout camber issues, think wheel spacers would effect it at all? Still not sure bout that shift fork... All the research Iv seen has been mix opinions