Hey RegularGuy, I found your build thread. I like it, I like it a lot. I really like the bed liner/cargo floor mod. That's cool and if I could find one around I'd take advantage of it. I don't think I'll take the one out of truck though, unless I was going to herculiner the truck bed.

 

I cant blame you for that. It was out of my neighbor's F-150 that he got rid of, and it was just laying around the yard. Free is Fun!


So today i went to work on the other neighbor's XJ.. Which turns out has the UpCountry package. I spent two hours and managed to break one bolt and coax another out intact...

One bold of the four holding the fuel skid on, and then there are two more holding the hitch receiver up. However, im going to guess the receiver isnt going to be worth my time, as i can't even get the cotter key out of the pin to remove the attachment point thing, everything is seized solid.

I looked in the cargo area and as i expected the entire floor is gone. so i don't have to take the bumper off to get at the bolts, i can see them plain as day from the top. Another bolt on the skid plate just turns the nut on the nut strip, it broke the weld on it and not it just turns the whole thing. I think ill need an angle grinder to get this stuff off at this point.

Also, he doesnt know where the other skids are, ad he thinks he gave away to tow hooks, Bummer.
And the rearend is the Dana 35 type, i dont think a D35 LSD is worth ditching my C8.25" for.

 

I'm looking forward to following your build, I'm starting a similar build on a white 96 cherokee. Looking forward to seeing your build ideas and watching it go together.

 

well like i said, its slow going.

White XJ huh? Bleche-Whit is your friend, it will make it look new, take off pine sap and just about everything else.

I like my jeep dirty but its nice to wash it every once in a while

 

Alright, im thinking my options might be
>borrow an angle grinder from someone, cut the bolt heads off and try to pull the stuff off
>using a screwdriver and hammer, try and bust the rusted parts of the unibody where the bolts go through to drop the stuff down

Im considering the second one, since i wont have to borrow expensive things from people... Thing is, i figure that metal is thicker there than i realize, and the bottom of the 'rail' that the stuff is mounted to appears to be somewhat less rested and crumbly than the sides.

The guy doesnt care what happens to the jeep, so...

 

I think i will borrow a grinder from somebody sometime to get this stuff off here. I think thats probably the best option available to me.

As an aside for the moment, here are a few of the interior mods i plan to install.
>MOLLE visor panels
>Gun rack in the back side window (thanks for the idea, ZombieResponseJeep)
>That OEM cup holder that sits on the side of the console
>Red-tinted dome lights (after i fix them so they work again)
>disable door buzzer

If i could rig some kind of slim magazine holder onto the driver's side of the console, that would be neat i think. Obviously i couldn't roll around with one of my PMAGs there all the time, but if SHTF it would be nice to have a mag ready in an accessible place. Though arguable with the window brace of the pre-97 door, it doesn't get along too well with a 16" barrel, so a handgun mag holder might be a smarter idea anyway.

I also want to do some kind of storage solution in the rear, at the moment i have my tool bag bungeed to the floor tie-down, my GTB sitting in front of the cubby at the corner, and my three days rations are in a box bungeed on top off the tool bag.
Bungees, Bungees everywhere. I did have a Command Hook on the trim piece by the window, and the get home bag hanging on it, but it eventually pulled the hook off the trim, so meh.

I might go take a picture here in a little bit to better illustrate my point.

 

Nice you got one that was untouched and for a steal!

 

Jeep looks super clean, nice!

 

Well, i did get it for a nice price, but then i turned around and got took to the cleaners for a brake job and such, so i guess it evened out.

I think it immediately got all new brakes past the master cylinder, new P/S pump, reservoir and lines, new front U-joint, and a new headlight switch. if i remembered everything
Tires were some 215/75s for like, a car or something. Finally got those replaced, even if they are Wrangler Radials for now. Exhaust still needs work (no hangars holding it up, plus my muffler has a hole in it), i need to figure out the power locks/dome lights problem (after the guy replaced the headlight switch, the radio had no constant power. he ran a new power line into the fuse box but now the domes and power locks do not work, even if i disconnect that wire), and the dang passenger door. Other than that, she's a peach for 236,xxx miles.

Bojengle, it was, er.. pretty dirty when i got it. I believe a woman bought it new, sold it to her daughter, who gave it to the kid i bought it from as his first car. To this 18 year old urban kid, this must have been "an old junker" and it was never washed or anything- i found 12 dollars in change inside, and enough archeological evidence that i could write a thesis about how this kid lived at Buffalo Wild Wings.

 

here are those pics i said id take. Yeah, they are a little late.
as you can see i need to sort out my storage. probably more command hooks, or at least some kind of bungee points on the wall there.

 

Whelp, had my first problem.

I parked for about 20 minutes on an incline, nothing too too crazy bot definitely noticeable. Jeep started right up, but then began idling funny. Instead of putting it in gear i listened to it as the idle slowed down and got rougher. had plenty of electical power, ect. The pedal did nothing to the engine.

Eventually it just died. However, after leaving it alone a few seconds, i turned the key again, fired right up and was running perfect like normal. drove home normal and everything.

Throttle Position Sensor, im not so sure about. off the top of my head, it sounds like a Mass Air Flow or MAP sensor issue, because my mother had a Buick that had a similar problem and both of the sensors were effed up.

Make any sense?

 

Too bad about the problem, the top of your head(about the sensors) is waaayyy above my head. Hopefully somebody will see the request for assistance and chime in.

I was coming home from church this morning and saw another 1999 XJ for sale on the side of the road. Now how could I talk my wife into the idea that 2 Jeeps are better than one?

 

If you can afford it, tel her she can have one.


New happening, i was run off the road on the way home (idiots hauling trailers too fast on a road they know nothing about because of a detour) and into a pothole that was concealed by water. it jarred my exhaust loose and so after dragging the muffler for about a mile i was finally able to pull over and spend an hour trying to get it off there without a saw. eventually i jacked it up and with the new clearance between the body and axles, walked the tailpipe forward so i could get the dang thing off.

I also noticed that the rear passenger floorpan is about 25% gone

So anyway now i have to drive two weeks until i get paid, at which point i can either buy a new muffler and try and fix it myself, or take it to the muffler shop and pay maybe 120 bucks.

 

Got a Thrush Turbo muffler from Advance AP for 34 bucks. 2.25" inlet, but only like a 14" body. I was concerned that it would be loud and raspy because of the short length.

20 bucks at the muffler shop and it was welded up on rock solid. And its quieter than the stock muffler was, i think. Im very pleased.

 

Those little tires are what are stock on the older models, mine had been upgraded to I believe 225s by the previous owner. I upgraded more to the 235 Wranglers myself and so far I really like them. 8k miles in the past year and they still look new and did well on the snow last winter. If not doing any serious rock climbing and rough trails I figure they will work good enough.

You have a really nice looking Jeep there, mine being an 85' is a little more worn even though it only has 150k miles on it. Seems the white holds up better than the gray did.

If you try those rear leafs from General Spring mentioned in the other thread, let me know how they are, I am thinking of getting a set myself, if I get them first I will let you know how they do for me.