2T2-crash

Background:
87 XJ Laredo, originally bought and owned factory new by my Grandfather who took care of it then sold it to my Uncle who tore it up. I bought it in2002 and have been dealing with it off and on since.
She sat in storage from 06-2013 while I lived in Japan (Military). After a 100% fluid change, tune up, new tires and new brakes here is how I sit:

What's been done:
Bone yard lift: 87 Chevy leafs, 78 ford F150 (I think) coils, wrangler brake lines and sway bars, 1" transmission brace drop.
Closed loop cooling system swapped out for three core open system
Carpet removed and interior bed lined
Head liner replaced
Door lock relays installed to fix sticky (non-op) electric locks
Post storage tune up
Turn signals fixed
Drain plug holes covered. I love red neck ingenuity.
To do:
Fix window leaks- seals need replacing all around
FIXED: Rear axle seal replacement
Install cb
Upgrade bumpers
Try not to get murdered by the wife as she counts the cost
adjustable control arms
Trackbar relocation bracket
Bar pin eliminators... that rattle and banging is annoying!

The list will grow as I work on it.



Sep 2013
My current issue is the blinkers: the right side both work and blink, the left does not. I have replaced all blinker and side marker bulbs, only me bulb was burnt out, one blinker socket needed cleaning. I replaced the blinker fuse and am to the point where I think the blinker switch on the steering column might be bad.. FIXED: always double check which fuse you are replacing (doh).

2T2-crash

sanders066

What kind of Chevy leafs are you running ? And is it a bastard pack or are they bolt in? And what amount of lift did you see from this set up?
Thanks in advance

2T2-crash

They leafs were from a Chevy S-10 pickup truck, I made a bastard pack out of them. I believe I replaced the middle two leafs and got about 3 1/4" if I remember correct. I did the lift about eight or nine years ago. It makes for a stiff rear suspension but I like it.

2T2-crash

Well I took her out for the first substantial off-roading trip the XJ has ever been on. Last week my Uncle went out to the family hunting spot to check up on it in prep for deer and elk season and had to get towed to a shop after his power steering pump. I volunteered to drive him 130 miles to pick it up yesterday, so we stopped by the camp. It was pretty dry so it made it easier for a first timer in the area but in a few weeks it will be mud.
The drive up gave good scenery, that is Mt. Rainier in the background, the hat was my Grandpa's hunting hat that hasn't seen the hunting grounds since 1988.

After three hours out we got to the aproach trail which wasn't too bad.

We got to the camp and had a look, my family has been using this camp site since the 70s.

We had the option of going back the way we came and driving an hour around a ridge or going over the top of it. I chose the latter, only to realize later it'd take almost four hours. The XJ has never spent that much time in 4wd Low before, it handled well.

We got to see a grass fire being out out. Thank goodness it's always wet here.


The Choopers were parked on the ridge and we stopped to chat with the firedogs on our way past.

All in all I had a blast, I need bar pin eliminators because that rattle sucks.

2WDUnderachiever

Nice Jeep, man!

If you didn't drain the tank or fill it with fuel-stabilizer, though, your tank is currently full of **** and rusting from the inside out... Mine sat for 6 years before I got it, I would know.

2T2-crash

The tank has a new fuel sending unit and I am hoping its not full of rust, it's something I need to keep an eye out for and should have thought of. Thanks for reminding me!

2WDUnderachiever

Yeah... The top of my tank (part with tubes in it) was rusting, as was my fuel sending unit.
You probably want to drop the tank and at least check it out, as much a pain ad it might be, buying a new tank new beats buying a new tank and a new fuel pump in the future.

Also, where'd you get the complete sending unit? How much was it?
I couldn't get the complete one, and the parts of it I could get were crazy... I just put a new fuel pump in mine and a new sock (pickup filter) and sanded/dremeled the rust off of mine. Figured it would be okay as long as the new gas in the new tank isn't ever sitting around.

2T2-crash

Honestly I paid Sears to do it. I've never paid someone to do something I could but I had a lot on my plate. I took it to sears, told em it had been sitting for seven years and that I wanted new tires and it tuned up with a 100% fluid change. They did good. It could be just a new fuel pump but the whole piece that screws into the tank is new.

2T2-crash

I plugged the drain holes.
I used .019" thick aluminum sheeting, cut it to disks and then put a hole in the center. One disk on each side of the hole with a small bolt, lock washer and nut secured the in place.
Chopping the tasks down.

2T2-crash

It's been a while.

Had a long weekend so I did some work.
Full brake replacement.. Drums, rotors, shoes, pads, springs, adjustment gears, rear pistons and a full fluid level (the brake fluid was at 300ppm for metal in it).
While I was at it I pulled the axles to replace the seals, I replaced the bearings and races while I was at it.

New **** discovered: power steering pump has a slight leak somehow and I might have a leak in the damn radiator.

Another fixed item: I discovered how water was getting inside the jeep, and fixed it.

RubberSideUp

RIIIIICCCCOOOOOLLLAAAA riccccoollllaa rriii ccoo lllaa.....riiccolla

2T2-crash

LOL