kryptic11

So I have been tossing up what I want for the next jeep another XJ or change it up and got for a yj/tj. So I finally decided to go with a XJ because I get more for my money and with my being in school for dual majors welding/metal fab and auto mechanics this will come as an advantage so here is where I am at.

starting with a 98-01 xj sport
4.0 i6
aw4 trans

then this is where the fun starts for a long winter

1. first things first rip out all interior fabric(headliner carpet ect)
   line the entire xj roof and floor with duple-color bed armor probally around 6-8 coats.
2. Chop the cargo area giving it a small truck bed feel
3. build an custom interior roll cage
4. build a decent exo cage
5. pick up truck bed style light bar welded to exo cage
6. custom pre runner style tire carrier
7. custom sub frame stiffeners
8. smitty built xrc frontbumper w.grill guard, rock warrior rear bumper, xrc rocker armor,
9. bushwacker cutout fenders
10. bds 8 inch long arm lift
11. 17inch mamba wheels with 37" trail grabber tires with beadlocks
12. and the last upgrade this winter will be a warn 12000lbs power plant winch.

anythoughts on what I should change or add?

Bbasso

97-early 99 years skip the rest.

kryptic11

ok... JW whats the advantages for those 3 years

BNJeepsta

I have a 97 so that makes them the best lol

kryptic11

Oh ok lmao... I know I want a 98 up just because of my programming software I can open the engine up more also when I stroke.the engine should I go with a 4.7 or 4.9 I was gonna do a 5.0. But that will
Make walls to thin I believe correct me if I'm wrong

BNJeepsta

97 is the same as 98

macgyver35

From my understanding, you have to have 99 up, with the coil pack ignition system, in order to do much tuning to the computer. The problem that you mainly run into on the later years is a defective head, which has been exhaustively documented on these forums.

Most of the rest of your upgrades are year agnostic.

In regard to your 8 inch lift and 37's...
Be ready to spend some bucks on SYE, new gears, and probably an upgraded rear axle or axle shafts. The 29 spline 8.25 which is common on 98 up is strong, but too much stuck combined with too much skinny pedal... You're gonna put some strain on things with that much meat on the ground. Also, the 17" Mambas are sweet Moab knock offs! However, with the 37's likely being pretty wide, you may also need wheel spacers, which I don't know how I'd feel about with that much unsprung weight and strain. Definitely sounds like you'll need a good compressor for field use, along with a highlift. Ever change a 37" wheel/tire combo? They're kinda heavy...

Watch that 12000 pound winch. It's a great product, but make sure you really do your homework (no pun intended, Mr. Welding Major) on frame stiffening, and if possible, some triangulation. Otherwise, that 12000 pounds of force can turn your XJ into a pretzel really fast.

Lastly, with 37's and a few hundred extra pounds of steel welded to your rig, don't forget to upgrade the brakes. I'd get disks in the back somehow if you can, stainless braided lines to replace the rubber ones, and drilled and/or slotted rotors and ceramic pads.

kryptic11

funny funny, Yes my first mod will be good heavy duty frame stiffening as well as a heavy duty roll gage along with an exo cage when I chop the top but I do understand those damn uni-body are just stupid and not too strong. and the mamba's are a knock off to whom? moab? thanks for that in the beginning this will be my crawler/DD but eventually it will be my purpose built climbing rig with use for camping and stuff like that a weekend and vacation rig.

macgyver35

The Mambas look just like the factory Jeep "Moab" style wheels that were standard equipment on Rubicon Edition TJs. The Moabs are a popular score to put on XJs and look great. I think the factory Ravine style wheels ( what I have) are a close second in terms of factory wheel options. in other words, you have great taste in wheels!

kryptic11

Oh ok I got confused I had big plans for the 93 sport until I realized the unibody was rotted and crushed as well as the trans was slipping bad and the tcase was. Pretty much gone I only spent 800 on it now I'm spending 3500 and hope I get a decent 99 sport

kryptic11

Btw I was planning on doing crown 5 ply custom braided lines along with ssbc upgraded vacuum resivour and master cylinder with 14" drilled rotors from ssbc along with their dual piston calipers all the way around

Bbasso

newest model without the "0331 Head" issues.

kryptic11

so for me to have me to have the age i want, computer programming compatibility and not have the head issues the I have narrow my search down to 99 thats no issue and thanks for the heads up on that i found a nice 99
http://detroit.craigslist.org/mcb/cto/3063077726.html

what do you think?