Hey all.
So this will be my third XJ. I sold my 96 because I used it and my first one to learn from my mistakes. Plus I wanted something that was 97+ with power options and all that good stuff. I paid $2k for this 98 that's pretty solid, but has a few cosmetic issues. It's a 4.0/AW4/NP231/HP30/C8.25 combo. Pretty good starter platform. It has a new top end and cooling system done last year. I plan to keep this one pretty simple for awhile til i can afford the "good" stuff.

I have a 2" BB and some 30x9.50 Falken Wildpeak A/T's on the way as we speak. I'm gonna try to tinker with it this week and knock some easy stuff out.
Here's a list of things I'm gonna try to do/fix soon:
-Air only blows through the defrost vents
-Fog lights do not work (switch, I think. Already checked fuses)
-Cruise Control does not work
-Power locks and mirrors do not work
-Gonna change all the fluids (oil, trans, transfer case, diffs)
-New hatch struts
-New windshield and get windows tinted 15% all around
-New rear hatch
-New LF Fender
-New header panel

Then, I'm gonna install the lift/tires, putco harness, and front tow hooks.
Probably gonna make a couple runs to PAP to try and find a LF body color fender flare and fog light switch. Gonna stop by maaco as well to get a quote for a cheapish paint job since the clearcoat is fading on the hood and roof.

Eventually I wanna move to a 5.5" LA kit with 33's, 4.56 gears, lockers, OBA, etc. I'm keeping it relatively small for now to conserve some $$ and gas mileage. Plus I'm broke as hell right now lol. Then I'll get bumpers, winch, armor and all that good stuff. This will be a really slow build.

Thanks for reading, here's a pic:

 

Nice build lol

PAP won't have a fender, they're all picked dry. Guessing you have a vacuum leak as to why you air and cruise don't work. Have fun with that lol

 

It's worth a shot lol. Yeah I gotta check all the lines. I'll get around to it eventually.

 

I would check the drivers door boot for broken wires, seems to be a common problem. For filling t case and diffs, I use a handheld gas bulb pump from the boat section at Walmart. Works awesome. We need to go wheeling again.

 

Yeah I'll check it out.

Just text me whenever. I gotta do a few things to get her ready first.

 

Oh yeah I have to do a bunch of crap too.

 

Got the tires on. Went with 30x9.50 Mud Claws instead of the Falken A/Ts... gonna try and do the front tow hooks and putco harness tomorrow. The BB should be here sometime this week.

Next up when I get paid again is the windshield and window tint. Then I'll start messing with electrical stuff and trying to find a vacuum leak to fix the ac and cruise control. Might need motor mounts and tranny mount also, because the mechanical fan is hitting the core support under acceleration from a stop.

 

a couple pics of the new tires. I paid $120 per tire, not a bad deal if you ask me. Gonna go test them out when the BB gets here.

 

Got a fender flare today at the local JY. Gonna go back friday and get the fender and windshield if they're still there. Still on the hunt for a fog light switch, and now I gotta pull and clean the NSS soon.

 

Getting a new windshield tomorrow. Wanted to do that and the tint together but money doesn't allow that right now. Priorities lol.

Also, my budget boost came in. Gonna try and get it on sometime this weekend.

 

Getting a fog light switch through a member on here, and getting my CB setup back from the guy that bought my 96. Said he wont use it and asked if I wanted it back lol.

Now I'm debating on selling my 30's and budget boost and going with the RC 4.5" X-series kit with drop brackets; then picking up some soft 8's and 33" M/T's...

Decisions, decisions.

 

Nice looking rig! If I was closer I'd buy the 30's and BB from you to help coax you to a bigger lift and tires

 

Make a roadtrip! lol. Probably sell the tires with wheels for $600 and the BB for around $75...

 

Nothing much been going on lately. Just laying out plans and making decisions on which way I wanna go.

I did get my fogs working, and installed my putco harness. Still gotta do the tow hooks and order lift and tires/wheels. Then comes gears/lockers and bumpers/winch.

 

I now have my complete list of plans/parts for now (could change within a couple weeks). This includes short and long term stuff...

Maintenance/Fixes/Misc:
Change all fluids / full tune-up
New windshield
New LF fender
New header panel
New rear hatch
Clean NSS
Headlight switch
Fix intermittent gauges
Fix vacuum leak
Fix power locks/windows
15 % window tint
LED interior lights
E-fan conversion
Re-do headliner
Bedline Rocker panels
Motor/tranny mounts
Frame stiffeners
Cheap paint job (I’ll probably do the prep work and get a friend to spray it)
Offroad lighting (probably a 10” LED bar with cubes on the A-pillars)
Suspension/Steering/Wheels/Tires:
4.5” lift
Control arm drop brackets (long arms later)
No-lift SRB’s
33x10.50 KM2’s
15x8 Soft 8’s
1-ton steering
SYE if needed
Performance:
Spectre cowl intake
APN header
Bored TB
Neon injectors
Flowmaster exhaust w/ hi flow cat
Bumpers/Winch:
Dirtbound Front winch bumper
JCR cut/fold tire carrier bumper
Engo 9000lb winch
Armor:
Engine/tranny/tcase/gas tank skid plates
Rock sliders
JCR Quarter panel armor w/ LED tails
Axles:
Lunchbox lockers F/R
4.56 or 4.88 Gears
Chromo axles

MAYBE a hybrid cage down the road….
That’s it for now. Like I said, all of this is subject to change as I go along.