Looks good! Just curious, why did you buy another grille instead of painting or bedlining yours?

 

I dont know about the AAL, but the stuff for the 8.8 sounds sweet!

 

x2 it really is funny when you read a build start to finish always the same story. " planning on a 3inch with 32's" then you skip to the last page and notice a LA lift with 35s lockers and all kinds of mumbo jumbo lol

 

Why you saggin so much man.... It's like that song pants on the ground lol

 

Well I got a black grille cause I had a chrome one and when i talked about painting it a lot of guys wanted to trade cause the chrome ones are hard to find.

Im not sure how the AAL with turn out so im going to play around with it

my tool box is about 125 plus I had an axle in the back thats why its saggin.

Picked up the 8.8 but I just realized the guy welded both of my shock mounts on the same side looks like im going to have to take it back and have him cut it off and re-weld it...FML

Crappy pics

 

nice build man! how did he weld them to the same side without noticeing...

 

some trucks have shock mounts on the same side im sure it was an honest mistake.

 

4.56's and 35's in a 5 speed is fun
3.55's and 31's is slightly better than stock. 3.73's and 33's is slightly better than stock gearing, 307s and 28's is stock. 4.10s and 35's is about stock gearing..bet it feels great with 4.56's!

Instead of AAL's why not hit the junkyard..I noticed the Mj overload springs are HUGE compared to the XJ ones, like 3times as thick and longer. Since I carry weight alot, like you with the tire carrier and such. It'll help out, I tossed it inplace of mine and it raised me 1/4" but on bumps it feels WAY better, no more bottoming out of rough over bumps..
I would get a big overload and a mainleaf off any spring under truck, as long as the leafs are 2.5" way better than an AAL.

 

Hmm okay I may look into that if this setup does not work these s10 springs are pretty beefy so we shall see.

And yes I love this setup the gearing is perfect if you ask me but I need more power my I6 is bogging a bit its no race car but 0-60 in 21 secs aint cutting it

 

I used a S10 main at first on my OME 1" springs. Gave me about 3"! I made sure that when I cut the eyes off, I kept it as long as possible..its like 1/16" of an inch longer than my Xj main. Did this so the S10 would carry the full weight and not let my springs sag over time.
But since I carry weight..its a camping rig. On bumps it would bottom out, or fully loaded it would sag. So I went to find a BEEFY overload spring. The Mj overload is huge, but any beefy overload should work the same.. I swapped the Mj overload for the Xj overload and it gave me about 1/4" of lift and it takes bumps far better, and when weighed down, it doesn't sag hardly at all!

I have 5 leafs all together now. Xj main, S10 main, xj 2nd, xj 3rd, xj 4th and Mj overload. I'm at 3.5" of lift and the ride is perfect.
I know the whole Mj spring will net something like 5.5" of lift if used on a XJ, you may look into using the MJ main leaf as it'll probably give you more lift, and hold the weight better without sagging. Or use most of the S10 spring pack.

 

Alright so pulled the axle out today and got the leaf springs done

I used all my lift pack that was previously installed along with the S10 main leaf (bushings cut off of course) and the 2nd leaf. Not sure how it will turn out but we will see.

Of course Solid's shipping is slower than christmas so i will have to install the stock cover for week till I get mine in.

Also my header came in so that will be going on in the next few days.

Old


New


Springs

 

Got the Axle in today ran into some issues

1) still have to get the right shock mount moved
2) the left one is off due to the pinion angle
3) Busted a U joint so I have to fix that
4) still have to install the Solid cover when it comes and get rid of the crappy stock cover.
5) still have to paint it
6) Space the driveshaft yoke adapter out cause its pulling my driveshaft out too far.

Other than that it went well and the rear suspension is right where I want it.

 

Rock Rails and Solid Diff cover came in today. Should have the hood vents tomorrow and Flares Soonish. Also going to have to modify my Clutch pedal its not engaging the Cultch enough before hitting to floor...its causing major issues considering today i was stuck at a light cause I couldn't get 1st or 2nd had to take off in 3rd....my interior still smells like clutch.

 

Got the Diff cover on but of course the E locker fitting isn't long enough so another temp RTV job has taken place till I get a part that works. Also got the driveshafts back together. and the intake/exhaust off. Also the Rock rails came in. The plan for tomorrow is....

Fill rear diff
Wire the E Locker
Mount shocks
Modify the clutch pedal
Finish installing the Header
Mount rock rails
Modify the T case linkage so she's a 4x4 again.

Lots off work but gotta get it done goin wheelin on saturday.

 

Took it out wheelin yesterday. good shakedown run for the tranny and rear suspension. New Mexico claimed some carnage tho.

Blown power steering pressure line (went thru it quart to get off the trail smoking the whole way)
Ripped my valve stem off one of my 35's

Drivers side mirror ate some rock....the rock won




passenger side fender ate even more rock...score 2 for the rock.




some overall pics