part 1

High School

I purchased the Jeep bone stock from my dad at 16 years old with 85,000 miles.

99' XJ
4.0 I6
AX 15
NP231
Dana 30
Chrysler 8.25 29 spline

Sorry no pics of it stock

My dad took me to moab on a business trip with him and we went to watch a UROC event. It was game over from there for me. As soon as I got back I got a 3" skyjacker cheapo add a leaf kit and some 32" BFG ats




The tires were rubbing and with no mechanical knowledge at this point I took it in and put on 2" spacers and 2" shackles




About the middle of my Junior year, I blew out my knee and couldn't drive for a few weeks. My dad took my jeep in and surprised me with this...



My senior year I enrolled in a manual transmission and axle class...during some free time I got to install 5.5" coils, 4.5" rustys leaves plus the 2" shackles, upper and lower adjustable rough country control arms, jks quick disconnects, and 6" rustys shocks



To pass the class we had to install gears in a differential...so I figured my jeep would be the donor vehicle. We put in 4.56 Yukon Gears...sorry no install pics.

After a day of driving on the street with 4.56's and 32's, I was miserable...time for new tires








Right before I left for college I went to show my jeep at the UROC event in salt lake city ( I know mall crawler pic)



Then it was off to school

 

Damn that jeep looks sexxy

 

Part 2

College Year 1

Off to michigan for school. Big change...NO Rocks...Very cold

But I did manage to find a few places to wheel



This year was pretty slow for modifications...I was mostly focussed on school. However I did manage to do a radiator replacement in the dorm parking lot. ha ha.

I went back to Utah after the first year for the summer. On the drive back the rear drive shaft decided to take a dump, so I finished the last 500 Miles in front wheel drive. When I got back I put on a SYE, Tom woods drive shaft, teraflex long arm kit, put the spacers I had on top of my 5.5" coils, and 6.5" rubicon express leaves with 2" boomerang shackles. Gotta love living at home with the parents expense free for the summer.







Then it was back to school for year 2

 

College Year 2

My school puts on the largest outdoor new car auto show. This year I was on team motorsports and got to put my jeep on display...more mall crawlin pics




I decided to run no doors for about a week...then I decided michigan is too cold to daily drive like this



By the end of this year I started my own business as a mechanic in my spare garage...this allowed for some extra cash flow and more parts

New aussie locker




My girlfriend doing some cosmetic work







And a little more fender removal


Then to year 3 of school

 

Awesome jeep, best red one Ive seen!


More pics!! of girlfriend please!

 

college year 3

I ended up spending the summer in Michigan so some of these pics are from between the two years of school...

Business was good of the summer, so that meant more new parts...

New rear bumper/tire carrier...cheap on ebay!!


New Ball Joints


New Rear Aussie locker and HD steering...sorry no pics...It was snowing outside when I installed these, so pictures were the least of my worries

I also decided it was time for new bump stops



I learned the hard way that using a high lift jack like this is a VERY BAD idea...

The jack fell and crushed my hand


Had to have surgery after it severed the tenden


Then after I recovered...it was back to work...

New double shear track bar


My buddy and I decided it was time to get rid of the teraflex style long arm (short uppers with long lowers...bad for pinion angle)

We welded a bracket on the lower and made a radius style long arm






Then it was off to the trail to test it all out











I spent the next summer away from my jeep

I went to Arizona to intern with Tenneco Inc. ( The makers of Monroe, Walker, Dynomax, Thrush, and Rancho) That was a wild summer. I did end up with this lovely memory...



For those of you who have never been to arizona...this is a picture of me speeding in my "MAN VAN" company car. It was attached to a lovely $200 ticket.

More to come...

 

College Year 4...Final Year of School

As soon as i got back I went straight to work on my jeep

First was the repair of a peske rear main seal leak





Sorry no more pics of that as it was a very messy job

Then I had to move into a new apartment

Redneck/ poor college student move-in



I knew the tire carrier would come in handy.

I also lowered the front two inches, by removing the spacers. The height difference is minimal and the performance difference was totally worth it.

Next was to repair the gap in the rear fender thanks to teraflex installing the bushwackers







After this I got to researching easy free modifications...and went ahead and did the cut and fold lower quarter panel. I've wanted to do it for a while, but didn't quite have the nerves...It went very smooth and was a really easy job.





Then it was Off to rocks and valleys offroad park to test everything out




This is what happens when you remove the front locker to improve daily driving...not only do you get stopped on easy hill climbs, you get insanely frustrated...

 

Year four part 2







This trip led to a smashed in rear diff cover and a sheared out steering gear box...luckily I was able to fix the steering gear box on the trail...sorry no pics.

My rear diff cover from ruff stuff specialties came in the mail and it is AWESOME...I also received a few parts from Rancho for working for them over the summer




New RS9000XL



Aussie locker going back in the front DIFF!!!



Just my luck two diff cover bolts sheared off inside the diff while installing the new front diff cover... took two days to get them out and 8 drill bits






So currently my specs are

99' XJ
4.0 I6
K+N Intake, Flowmaster catback exhaust
AX15
NP231 with SYE and Tom Wood Drive Shaft
Dana 30 4.56 Gears Aussie Locker HD diff cover
Chrysler 8.25 4.56 Gear Aussie locker HD diff cover

Front Suspension
5.5" rubicon coils
custom three link
hd steering
hd track bar
jks quick discos
rs9000xl shocks

Rear
7.5" rubicon leaves and shackles
rs9000xl shocks

Custom bumpers
custom fender work
35x12.5x15 bfg mud terrains
15x8 steel rock crawlers

I'm sure theres more I'm missing but that covers the basics.

I also have the Rancho my-ride remote air adjustable unit for the shocks that I will be installing this week.


Let me know what you think...I will continue updating this as I go along

 

love it man! keep it up

 

beautiful jeep, and awesome thread. good job

 

+1

Also It looked alot better in the beginning of the tread, but you traded looks for function!


Edit: Oh snap you can see the secret message better now!

 

Hahahaha thats awesome! Nice jeep too man!

 

I am definitely in love with your jeep. One of the best I've ever seen. Keep it up!

 

WOW!! Rancho really hooked you up! This thing looks awesome man. Keep up the great work.

 

Awesome XJ man!!