RangerWeaver

I've also been looking at this tow hook mounting system. http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/10509.html

RegularGuy

That looks tough, looks like the same idea as a front hitch receiver. About the same price, too.


I might have a source for another 5spoke steel wheel, but too bad he already sold the factory tow hooks and skids. I'm thinking of getting his roof rack bits (they are from the "half-rack" style) because I thought the differently shaped end parts of the crossbars look neat and aerodynamic, it would look nice to put that one as the front cross bar on mine. Ut I'm not sure.

I found another part-out much closer to home but I don't have pictures yet. He says he has aluminum wheels- depending how they look and the shape they are in, I might try and snag those.

Does anyone know how much lighter on average the aluminum wheels are vs the steelies?

RangerWeaver

I'll tell you a good idea about the weight tomorrow. I'm having my tires swapped on the front. So I'm having them remount some tires on to my steel wheels from my aluminum wheels.

RegularGuy

I asked about the CB because i'm still mulling over getting one. Ideally id have a radio that can communicated with other vehicles, but also a pair of handsets, but to do all this is something for sure going to require a license. I might just settle for a CB and call it good.

It would seem that rough estimates show most aluminum wheels running about 5-7 pounds than the 5-spoke steelies. Now im really kicking myself for letting those Grizzlies go because i could have probably gained some MPG from them, or at least offset the loss of a roof basket somewhat.

also, this 'closer to home' cherokee was actually a WJ. so needles to say that didnt net me any parts.

RegularGuy

So i got an answer on the Rubicon Wheels. As i suspected, not for sale.
But i DID score some of the silver center caps that seem to be impossible to find. i forced the guy to take ten dollars for them (he didnt want anything but i figured i badgered him and his family enough trying to get ahold of him the last few days) but now i just need another five spoke steel wheel and i'll be set. well, i'll have a set, anyway.

Sorry, it REALLY doesnt want to upload pictures for some reason.

RegularGuy

>7 pages of build thread
>XJ looks the same


Shaping up to be a good weekend, if the rain holds off for a few hours at some point.

Just wait till Monday. Stay tuned!

RangerWeaver

I can't stay tuned. My short term memory doesn't work like that!

Basslicks

Dude.... screw the light bar. Spend that money on a spartan locker or something performance-worthy.

RegularGuy

Alrightly, here it is.

Thursday i heard about a coworker at a different location selling a set of "jeep wheels". Turns out they belonged to a guy I once knew (I was once going to buy a Comanche off of him) and they used to be on his YJ. the guy selling them bought them just for the tires, and said he would sell them for 50 bucks.

So when i asked what they looked like, this is the picture i got.
ZJ Canyons, nice. This will work!

After I picked them up Friday, i could tell that one of them definitely had some torch marks on it from a stuck lugnut
HOWEVER, i learned that a Mr Clean magic eraser took it off pretty well! actually, after a few hours friday, and combined with a scotchbrite pad on the inside of the wheel, the wheels looked pretty dang clean and shiny.
guess i dont need another five spoke steelie anymore!

Then on Sunday i took advantage in the break in the weather to start taping off my doors and flares.

I took another scotchbrite pad and cleaned the desired areas pretty well, rinsed, repeated, then rinsed again and wiped it down with alcohol. Then i took a can of Rustoleum bedliner and gave it a few coats. I noticed the stuff needed shook up pretty frequently, and one can kept getting stuck on so i had to clean up a few runs before they set in. So i pitched that can before it was quite gone and used the other that i had got, and it went along a little better. No idea how thick i laid it on but each side got maybe 6 coats.

I was nervous when pulling the mask and tape off, as usual, but this turned out pretty well. in a few places the tape wasn't perfectly straight but i can go back and fix those up later.

RegularGuy

Now, for today- My tires came in!
Got the Mastercraft Courser AXTs again, which i enjoyed on my last build, in 235/75/15. I got a good deal on them to boot.
Funny how new tires can change the way something rides. i was a little concerned about having the beginnings of death wobble, but now its like im riding on my own cloud everywhere.
Combined with the wheels and bedliner, i think shes really starting to look nice.

Also my Rugged Ridge floormats came in the mail. I got them from A-zon over QTec just because the former had them on sale for 49 bucks, 20 dollars off.

they fit pretty nicely in there.

RegularGuy

the next thing i'm going to tackle is the transmission fluid leak. I figure i may as well add a tranny cooler while i'm at it.

Heres the slippery slope. There seems to be nothing wrong with my cooling system, besides needing flushed and a mech fan shroud. BUT... i might be able to get an HD cooling radiator from a 95 for pretty cheap/free. If i'm already in there rooting around, i might be ahead to put that in, but as far as i know there isnt anything wrong with the radiator i have now.

Basslicks

Lookin' real sharp there, man!

As far as the cooling goes, I would rape the HD radiator and just set it aside for future. If there's nothing wrong with your cooling system now, I wouldn't mess with it. No reason to fix what isn't broke.

RegularGuy

So, i picked up a tranny cooler today for 20 bucks. Came from a ZJ which looked like it came with the Upcountry package. I was tempted to pull the front skid off and dicker with it to see if i can get it to fit, but it was getting ready to storm, so i left it.

One 95 ZJ does have the fuel skid still on it though, but i dont really want to crawl around the ground in a junkyard to try and get it off there.

anyway, here this is. i sprayed the finns out pretty good but it still needs cleaned up. Should i scrub it down and paint it, or leave it this way?

I got the two mounting clamps that go around these round bars in front of the ZJ radiator, but I didnt grab the hard lines because i didnt expect theyd fit an XJ.

>pic isnt uploading
ill try again later on that front

Basslicks

From what I've heard, the ZJ gas tank skids require some modification to get them to work on the XJ tanks... don't quote me on that though. Don't know about the front skid.

Good find on the ZJ trans cooler though

I don't know about painting a radiator. I've seen people do it, but I would imagine it would hinder heat dissipation a little though.

RegularGuy

Yeah it actually seems the grimy oily filth that was caked in it at the junkyard has kept it looking decent. there are a few bent fins but nothing terrible.

The bracket might need a coat of paint but again no big deal.


By all accounts ive seen the ZJ fuel skid is an actual upgrade over the XJ as the steel is thicker, and it just needs some mounting holes redrilled/widened to fit. As for the front skid, AFAIK its 'Neva ben dun befo' so i was kinda taking it into my own hands, even if i have my doubts.

i'm going to flush the cooling system and replace the thermostat sometime soonish. My reasoning goes that since i need to fix the leak in the tranny fluid return line-

• I may as well add in a cooler while i'm at it
• Seems the optimum place to put the trans cooler is in front of the mechanical fan
• to better direct airflow, create suction through the radiator (and thus trans cooler) and to avoid losing fingers, i'll replace the fan shroud while i'm at it
• may as well flush out the cooling system and replace Tstat to make system more efficient and thus create the most efficient use of the new trans cooler

I was going to toss in the new headlight harness i came upon today, buuut it looks like the rain is coming and i dont want to be 1/4 of the way through the job when it opens up.

I also love living in BFE sometimes. When the only internet you can get is through the WiFi hotspot on your phone that you only get 1-2 bars of if you set it in the window, and it wont work well enough with the clouds to upload pictures