How did you make that cage for the rear of your XJ I really like that. Could you share with me how you did that and was there any welding involved because I don't have access to a welder right now.

 

Yeah sure no problem, i explained it in a different thread a few days ago so I will just copy and paste it.

Original thought was to take 10ft pieces and round them to make one solid piece in an oval type shape and put a coupler on the back side. trying to bend 3 the same didnt work so well, im no professional bender and some were off just a bit, so i scrapped that idea.

I went with the square idea, the most money came from the 90 degree elbows, at like 2-3 bucks a piece, and i needed 12 of them.

Material was all 1/2" conduit, threaded rod, nuts for spacers, the 90 degree elbows, and spray on bedliner. I think i have about $80 in it.

For the botttom, i cut some MDF and threw the same speaker carpet on to make a spacer to keep it up off the box. once the rack was built i measured the inside dimensions of it, cut a piece of plywood to fit inside the rectangle and carpeted that with black auto carpet.

When it came to mounting, i put the rack up on the spacers and centered it, then took some 1/2" conduit clamps and spread them open a bit so it wouldnt mess up the paint, and clamped the rack to the spacers i put on the speaker box. Then i laid the flooring part of the rack in to cover up the clamps and popped a couple screws in.

 

Today I painted the fender arches black.

 

Great build... I've never seen an XJ with a roof like that, very unique! It definately looks better with the stock bumpers and flares painted black.

Btw, I just bought the same RE coils from Serious, can't wait to get my lift done too. Did you need to use a spring compressor to get yours in?

 

I did not need a compressor to do them. However I was putting in new lower control arms, so those were out when I put them in, I didn't have them both out at the same time, just the side I was working on. There is a few easy tricks to help you out to get them in easier though. I'm on my phone now and don't feel like typing it all out on here right now.. llol. What all are you going with on your lift as far as other components.

 

Looking great man! Hey check out theres another one like yours on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JEEP-...item1e66d81293

 

Sweet! I think that same red one was for sale a few years back when I bought mine. This is weird, because 2 have surfaced for sale in the past couple days. There is also a green one in florida on craigslist for 3500.

 

Haha that is weird, do you know the background it? Like who modded them? Seem to be all 96s. But really digging your xj build man, whats next for it?

 

I know some background. Originally they were going to do the grand cherokee. It was only done in 96, and to how many I am not sure. I know the 2 I saw for sale a few years ago, their vins were not very far from mine, maybe at the most 5 to 10 numbers.

They included leather seats, tv, vcr, rear tape deck, heahphone outputs, little storage pockets in rear, mood lighting, custom woodgrain panels, bumpers, grill, running boards, two flip open sunglass holders up front, pull down pocket for radar, with a cig plug up top.

It was done by glaval, labeled as their "autoform" line. Glaval is who did all the conversion vans.

 

Well, things kinda slowed up a bit... you know that green stuff that doesnt grow on trees, well it definitely aint growing around here.

I am still working out a few kinks, mainly with some steering noise seeming to be coming from the track bar still, and gotta get my exhaust moved over and secured better.

I did yank my old hitch and installed a brand spankin' new one so I could make use of my D-Ring Receiver and I had to get a lower drop ball mount for my trailer.

Ill get some pics up tomorrow of it. I really like it, made by CURT. It tucks alot better than the stock hitch that was on it.

I ordered all the components to do a ZJ tierod upgrade, ordered all new tie rod poly boots, and a new recovery strap, mag lite brackets.

Tomorrow the thing I am going to look into is a storage box mounted to the front of the Subwoofer box.

Nothing too fancy just a box made out of pine or something with a flip open top and sprayed with bedliner. Just want something to hold basic tools, recovery gear, whatever else i feel like putting in it.



A couple beach pics from last weekend!

 

Went on my first wheeling trip a couple weeks ago... rained all weekend here are a few pics.








And today I finally got around to swapping in my ZJ steering I had around.

Pic of the XJ compared to the ZJ setup.



And on the Jeep....



And I have found that I have another TR to replace. The pitman arm one is bad, after just a little over a year.

 

your jeep is so sick man. loots kinda like a rover with that roof, Good job

 

Thanks!.. and I agree about the Rover.. others have said that too.. lol

 

im so glad to see a converted being built. good work man.

 

Sorry for not replying sooner.... just saw a comment on this. Thanks alot! People either hate the thing of love it.. thanks for the compliment!

On another note.. I had the stock alternator go out on me.. so in came a ZJ 136A unit.

Pretty straight forward swap, took just a few hours overall.

Here is kind of a write up I did over on XJOR.org.

Below is the stock 90A unit on the left and the 136A on the right. You can see the size difference. Also you have to swap the keyed boot from the stock to the new one as the ZJ faces the wrong way.


The bushing on the new alternator is pressed in to far and wont allow you to slide over the bracket to mount it. I took a pair of vice grips and twisted it to move it back out to give the proper clearance.


Onto bracket modification... I put this bolt in place and then rested the bracket on the alternator to see where I needed to grind. I dont know exactly how much I took off in areas, it's one of those grind/test/grind/test/grind/test until the holes line up.



This is the bracket before grinding.. how far off the bolt hole is.



most of the grinding will be done in this section and the sides toward the backside of the mount




next is the front bracket. below are a couple pics of where I cut/grinded. much less to do on this bracket.





then its all a matter of maneuvering everything back into place and remounting and reconnecting all the wires.



I also upgraded to 2 Gauge wire for grounds and power. I also added in a MEGA Fuse holder and 150A fuse from Napa.