crystalballer

Bought my xj back in August of 2011. At first just did maintenance stuff. It's my first jeep so I'm still figuring everything out. I'm no mechanic either so I'm learning everything as I go. I love my xj tho. It def deserves the title of being a transformer lol.

What I have done so far
- Tune up and maintenance
- new muffler
- cheapo roof rack
- cheapo Walmart lights( not mounted yet)
- weather tech floor Matt's
- new hatch struts
- new radiator
- new battery

ManiacXJ

Clean looking XJ, good luck with it.

Please though, for the sake of all of us named Matt, they are floor mats, not floor matts

crystalballer

Thanks and my bad!

crystalballer

A few more pics. A month after getting it I decided to test it out and took a road trip to CT. Broke a u joint on my way there. What a terrible night.

crystalballer

You can see in the pics how rotted the radiator was. Also Changing diff fluid.

ManiacXJ

I see your Jeep isn't the only one getting new fluids.

crystalballer

Lol yea just enjoying a beer while working on the car

crystalballer

I have been slowly buying everything for my lift. I decided to go with a 4 inch lift pieced together from different brands.

Purchased:
- RC shocks
- super lift coil springs
- pro comp leaf springs
- 32x11.5 r15 Dunlop radial mud rovers

Ordering soon:
- Exhaust manifold
- SYE
- Pinion seal front
- Rear pinion seal
- Oil Pan gasket
- Valve cover gasket
- Front exhaust pipe
- Steelies
- extended brake lines

Future mods
- new sound system
- k&n cold air intake
- front and rear bumpers
- new drive shaft
- and anything else I can think of

Jallen9

i like the autobot sticker. i had a big red suburban for a while and i was going to put an autobot emblem on it, but i sold it instead. now i have a blue xj, so i may put a decepticon sticker on it pretty cool

crystalballer

Yea man I love that decal on xj's.

Hopefully If I have time today I will replace the pinion seals and drive shaft u joints. If possible maybe even get started in the lift!

crystalballer

So I decided to start working on my lift today. Started with the rear and all the bolts are seized and rusted. I picked up an air compressor from harbor freight too. Worked on the xj for like 5 hrs and still couldn't get the leaf springs off. This is going to be a PITA. Its my dd but for now I think it's going to sit in my driveway until I can find time to continue. My brother is helping me with the process but It going to be hard to find time cause we both work alot.

crystalballer

Yesterday I continued to try and take my right leaf spring off but it's taking me forever. Today it's raining so I can't really work on it. I have a few questions I anyone can help me out.

Do I need to get a shock compressor? I have a spring ones but not for shocks.

Should I use the stock shackles or get new ones?

Should I reuse the u bolt plates or get new ones? I'm trying to spend too much right now so I just want to make sure I don't buy something I really don't need now

crystalballer

I Ment I'm not trying to spend too much

200sportxj

If you get a mini disc for your die grinder you could cut the leaf spring bolts and then just buy replacements. as for spring compressor, if you unbolt the control arms and have the jeep up high enough you can usually slide them in. but not everyone has that luck. otherwise yes you will need one and you can borrow them from oreillys or the likes for free with deposit. new shackles vs old. Well you can get stock replacements for dirt cheap with new bushing, or you can get longer ones for dirt cheap with poly bushings, but it will raise the jeep even higher. I had such a hard time getting out my old shackles that i ended up hammering them so they were not usuable, but picked up a new set for like 35$

crystalballer

Thanks man I have a grinder so it looks like I'm going to have to cut them off and def going to get some new shackles but stock height for now