Well after 3 days of snow and windchills of Zero, Plus wrecking my diesel a few weeks ago, i decided it was time to fix my heat. Bit the bullet and bought a new heater core, new water pump, new thermostat and new water pump inlet tube from Quadratec with Crown automotive parts. I will try my best to do a write up of the heater core install. There are a few tutorials out there, but it never hurts to have more information.

 

Got new tires and rims. 265/75/16 Cooper STT MAXX and 16x8 American Racing bajas. I loved the PROs, but they sucked in ice and i needed something more road friendly. I will have to do some fender trimming to gain my flex back and install my spring spacers and shackles. FYI, It is sitting lower in the rear due to 2 dogs in the back hatch.

 

Slow down on ice, otherwise you get to go through this, and get a whole new frame and completely rebuild front end

 

Love this thing, also your pictures are making me miss Wyoming

 

Started a front fender cut n fold. The 32's were rubbing the flares at full lock. Will be installing napier flat flares this spring, so i started doing the prep work. Best part of an arizona jeep...no rust! I did snapnoff 2 bolts of the mounting brackets. 10mm nuts for the mounts and a 5/16 self tapping screw holding the bottom of the flare. Got one side done last night, and currently snowing right now, with my garage full, ill have to wait to do the other side.

 

Did a few odds and ends today. Oil change, air filter cleaning, removed the driver side flare and trimmed the liner in prep for Napier Flat Flares.

Needed to secure the inner liner to the wheel well, so i used self tapping shoulder screws.


Also got in this cubby bag off ebay. Very well built.

 

Made a purchase on Amazon:

Extended Front and Rear brake lines
New steering stabilizer
Steering box brace
Front diff guard
Spartan Locker for the 8.25
heavy duty steering upgrade
rear lift shackles.

Should be here in a week or so

 

Well all Parts Arrived. Spent Sunday doing the Cut n Fold Procedure to finally finish my Bumper. It was really easier than i anticipated. I used this write-up http://www.ajsoffroadarmor.com/pages.php?pageid=12 The only hiccup i had was making the right cuts on the inner part of the fender. Too small to get a grinder in there, so i used Tin Snips. It wasn't the cleanest cut, but since that flap goes inside the fold, i wasn't to worried. I wasn't to impressed with the final Fit and Finish of the Ares Fab Bumper. You are supposed to somehow bolt the side guards into the body. But there is no way to get the bolts through the body once you do the Cut n Fold. I used self tapping screws, but those popped out on the first speed bump i hit. Plus the side guards are to short. I will be making some of my own and discarding the ones provided by Ares Fab.

 

I Also got my heat working. All it took was a Flush of the cooling system. The crap that came out of the heater core was flat disgusting. i flushed it back and forth with a hose about 10 times and finally dislodged the crap. Also did a complete radiator flush and added new coolant and a new thermostat. Hooray for not having to do a heater core swap!!!! I still have the heater core i bought in the box and a Water Pump. One of these days i will get around to changing the water pump just for good measure.

 

I just put my new water pump in, that I bought for my last cherokee before it got totaled. Its nice that the seeps stopped so I guess it was worth it. Flush HC is next. Nice build so far! Very similar to what i want for my 99

 

Make sure you properly taped up the heater core intake pipe (that bent L shaped metal pipe) It will dribble coolant out the threads. I have been fighting mine leaking, so when i install my new pump, that sucker is getting taped and pipe doped to keep from leaking.

 

Lots of teflon tape went on it.

 

well i got a few things done this weekend. Did the zj steering upgrade and changed front diff oil. While i had everything apart, i cleaned and painted the diff cover and installed a RC diff guard.

Inspecting the internals
Diff Guard on:


New Steering. Old vs. New


Left- Old Right-new




Stock




Upgraded

Installed:



Got some new recovery gear

 

Liked the reading so far. We've got very similar builds. Mine is also a 99, same color, pretty much identical engine bay mods, same size on the lift.
I've got the bushwacker flat flares on already and am running 32's. With the 4:56's, I'm looking to go to 33's , but I'd like to stay in the 10.5 range VS. 12.5's. we'll see tho. If I find the right set on sale or a swap, I'll do the wider ones.
What are your plans for the exhaust, and how are you liking the cut rear quarters VS. leaving them stock?


here's mine.

 

Thats a clean XJ. It looks like your lift is more, but i think its just the cut fenders. Do you have issues with those flares at all? I am looking at the Napier flat flares. I cant wait to get new gears. She runs "ok" with 3.55's, but ultimetally i would like to have 4.56's. i wont go to 12.5's, it just kills road manners especially on ice. my next step up is 285/75's. For Exhaust, i really want to do a header back exhaust and have it custom made. 2.5" all the way back to get rid of the dent in the downpipe. But for now i think i might just do a magnaflow Cat Back. I had to do the cut quarters because of the PO. When he tried to fit 31's on a stock suspension he cut the rear quarters with a sawzall and left a gap for mud and crapto get up inbetween the fenders. I like the look at the increase departure angle. I think it also helps make the rear quarter a little more rigid.