DD/Offroad '92 Build
 

I bought my XJ in early 2011 for $2000 off Craigslist. I should have started a build thread when I first joined CF but never did. Quite a bit has changed since then and quite a bit more is to come. I have pretty much pics of everything I've done to it, so I'll try starting from the beginning to show some progress.

Here's how it looked when I bought it:
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92 with 130k miles, 31x10.50 15x8 Dick Cepek Mud Country (with untouched spare), Custom bumper and roof rack with tube doors for the rear to match, 8,500lb winch, Aussie front locker, D30/8.25, 4'' lift (Rubi Express hybrid with bastard pack), amp and sub in back.

This was after my first outing with it:
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I let my father drive and he deiced to go down a trail that was off the map and we ended up getting so stuck that a chopped 4runner had to pull us out backwards:
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First thing to break! Passenger side axle shaft:
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Later that year I decided to go up to 33s. I bought 33x12.50 tires on a 15x7 rim, which I later found out.

Before:
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After:
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Was rubbing like mad, so I had to fix that:
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I ran these for a few months, but due to tread and the rim size, I was having issues. Went and bought a set of 33x12.50 Kumho Road Venture KL71s new from Tire Rack.

Loaded up the Expedition:
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Still running these today (1/23/13) loving them!
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Was getting tired of my taillights so I tinted them a little. You can still see the original colors. They don't change the visibility at all.
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Wonder what this is could be!
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Stinger!:
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Pic of me going doorless with the tube doors:
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Went out wheeling:
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Broke my passenger side mirror, so I cut it off. Still thinking about putting it back on:
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I was running a straight pipe with no cat/muffler (pre 96 don't get emission tested), was having a sputtering issue in the heat so I bought a cat and haven't had any issue since. I also bought a snorkel!
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Installed the cat, snorkel, and cut some hood vents too.
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This was last year on one of the wheeling trips. Making more cosmetic changes:
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After sitting at 4'' for over a year, I decided to go higher. For the whole month of October in 2012, I saved up and bought lift parts. Went to 6.5'' and bought each piece individually every week. Only spent $802, kept my short arms.

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Ready to be installed!
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Before:
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After:
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Got a beefier tie rod as well:
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Had to cut my diff guard for it to fit:
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Changed my stinger angle. I like it a lot more now!
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Drivers side axle shaft broke on the first outing with the new lift.
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Replaced the hub assembly as well:
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Got tired of the cat back exhaust, bought one of these off eBay!
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After wheeling and driving around with 6.5'' leafs on a stock shackle, I had to change that. Without wanting to get a relocation kit and go up another 1.5''+, I bought leaf sliders!

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Waiting to put these on:
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I'm going to be buying long arms within the next week to replace my short arms. Can't wait!

Going from 4" to 6.5" really makes a differance. XJ looks really nice sittin @ 6.5". those tires look nice, how are they wearing? Keep the pictures commin":thumbup:

Yeah, it's a very nice difference! Thanks! The tires are wearing nicely! It's coming up on a year since I've had them and honestly the tread depth doesn't look too different and this is my DD.


Cheers!

How do you like the sliders?

I'm loving them so far! My ride quality was horrible and now it's quite smooth. I only tested the flex a little bit on a few large rocks, but it was great. Definitely worth the money!

That's mint!
If you don't mind me asking brand and cost?

$250 from LiquidIron. They're customer support is phenomenal!
http://www.liquidironindustries.com/...roductid=18222

Just purchased a set of Serious Offroad long arms! Can't wait for them to get here!

:icon_smile: Nice cant wait to see it on them! As far as sliders are concerned I may just get some! For 250 they aren't to bad!

Not at all! Kind of glad I went with the 6.5 leaf packs too, I had bought them from a buddy for $200 with less than 2k on them. And I couldn't use these if I had a 4'' pack with 2'' shackles. I feel like the flex with these and the long arms will be very nice. :D

So my long arms should be getting shipped out soon. Frank from Serious had an inventory issue, but I'm in no rush to get these. Still really cold outside haha. I also recently ordered a ZJ disc conversion kit from a CF member here as well as chromoly shafts for my D30 from a vendor here. Pretty excited to get this stuff!

Nice purchases. I know you were talking about getting a cage kit a while ago, did you put that idea on the backburner?

Yeah. I decided to go with long arms instead. I'd honestly get more immediate use out of the long arms anyway. I'm at a little over 6.5'' with short arms.