98' XJ Sport.. Another XJ Thread

[V1GiLaNtE]

Good times at Rausch Creek with NOVA Jeepers.

Rock sliders did their job.

Toasted my steering box Friday wheelin in a CRAAZZYYY rain/hail storm. I mean nickle sized hail. Fed her 2 bottles of power steering fluid throughout the day Saturday and just kept wheelin. Eventually burned up the pump too. I have an aftermarket steering box spacer to install which helps provide extra strength to the unibody rail since the factory spacer is made of brittle aluminum. This can ultimately lead to you ripping the power steering box right off the unibody rail in a stressful situation.



A 99 V8 4x4 Durango steering box is a direct swap into XJ's and provides a much beefier steering setup. This will be part of the prepping for the inevitable jump to 33's. With all the weight from the armor I lost a lot of belly clearance and found myself scraping or banging on something I know I didn't last year. That will have to be addressed.

Julianne and I got home safe and sound in one piece. She now has decided she NEEDS a jeep after riding in a linked TJ on 42s on the comp course.



Overall, was a good time and I look forward to some more personal trips to explore the property myself. I'm leaning on becoming a trail guide for next years Camp Heep.

[V1GiLaNtE]

[Kaan]

:thumbup: it was a good weekend. time to do a nosigma tummy tuck?

[Kaan]

oh yeah i'm volunteering your help for sylvias tummy tuck/control arms/SYE/drive shaft/rear track bar weekend of doom FYI

[Jake]

Ahh that looks like so much fun! Want to go.

I see the new (KL?) Cherokee in the foreground of your big group shot. Did anyone try wheeling one of those? Curious how much they can actually handle - obviously ground clearance is the biggest hurdle but didn't know if there were smaller trails for the more stock Jeeps to play on.

[V1GiLaNtE]

:thumbup: it was a good weekend. time to do a nosigma tummy tuck?

I've considered clocking the transfer case. I would need IBJ's expertise in building a flat belly skid.

oh yeah i'm volunteering your help for sylvias tummy tuck/control arms/SYE/drive shaft/rear track bar weekend of doom FYI

I already factored myself into that equation.

Ya'll will be equally voluntold to help when I do my SYE/drive shaft/8.25 axle swap/rear diff cover/3.5"coils/lower controls arms/slider boxes weekend of insanity. :thumbup:

Amazing, how it all adds up. Let's not forget the 33x10.5 KM2's.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Ahh that looks like so much fun! Want to go.

I see the new (KL?) Cherokee in the foreground of your big group shot. Did anyone try wheeling one of those? Curious how much they can actually handle - obviously ground clearance is the biggest hurdle but didn't know if there were smaller trails for the more stock Jeeps to play on.

Good eye Jake. He was out on the trails with a pretty stock greens group. I personally did not see him run.

[Senor_Taylor]

Those rock gardens... my truck would cry.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Got the Durango box, new P/S pump and spacer in. Swap was simple enough and a direct fit. Steering is silky smooth and very light at low speeds. I can easily turn the wheel with one finger.

[ibjeepin95]

:thumbup: it was a good weekend. time to do a nosigma tummy tuck?

I've considered clocking the transfer case. I would need IBJ's expertise in building a flat belly skid.

oh yeah i'm volunteering your help for sylvias tummy tuck/control arms/SYE/drive shaft/rear track bar weekend of doom FYI

I already factored myself into that equation.

Ya'll will be equally voluntold to help when I do my SYE/drive shaft/8.25 axle swap/rear diff cover/3.5"coils/lower controls arms/slider boxes weekend of insanity. :thumbup:

Amazing, how it all adds up. Let's not forget the 33x10.5 KM2's.

First, so jealous you wheeled RC. Thanks for the invite .!. .!. I've been there 3 times to watch RCrocs, but have never wheeled my shit there.

I got a clocking jig to do a belly up. Yes, I've done a belly up on mine, and it's completely flat. And it's a bitch. Hence why basically no one does it. But it's worth it. Here is why. I would have made this ( Red at old Crozet) if it wasn't for my stupid stock member. Slammed into it just to smoke off the tires.



Oh, and here is the trans re-drilled...



And let me know how the Durango steering box does. Mine sounds like death.

[V1GiLaNtE]

Just join NOVA Jeepers homie! It's their annual trip. Im trying to get a group up there for wheelin/campin in October if you're down!!

So far I like it. I lost a little turning radius but I can still whip a udoneit no problem.

Right now I'm trying to track down some DW that starts up right before 50mph and then goes away.

[ibjeepin95]

I don't think I can join. NOVA doesn't like me and I think I'm one warning away from being banned from the forum lol.

[Kaan]

just don't curse on the forum. someone is afraid their kids will see it lol.

there is always drama over there anyway.

[ibjeepin95]

Well, that's kinda what I did. A friend and I used to get on there and screw with them a bit for fun. They come here to wheel a lot, and they take things WAAAAY too seriously. From this end of the state, Jeep guys here think they are a bunch of wimps ( I don't group you with that attitude, Cabell!) . Let me give you an example. When they were wheeling here once, they broke a swaybar link ON THE TRAIL and decided that they must quit, turn around, and go home. WTF?

[V1GiLaNtE]

Well, that's kinda what I did. A friend and I used to get on there and screw with them a bit for fun. They come here to wheel a lot, and they take things WAAAAY too seriously. From this end of the state, Jeep guys here think they are a bunch of wimps ( I don't group you with that attitude, Cabell!) . Let me give you an example. When they were wheeling here once, they broke a swaybar link ON THE TRAIL and decided that they must quit, turn around, and go home. WTF?

There's definitely more NOVA than JEEPERS in the club. There's a few hardcore folks but still a lot of JKs and whatnot. Kaan/Sylvia and I spend most of our time bitching about it. :lol:

I can't facilitate the hardcore-buildityourself jeep lifestyle right now but I'll still pull a "hold my beer and watch this" move.

[ibjeepin95]

lol. I don't think they have a total disregard for body damage like myself.

[Kaan]

Sylvia would rather take a tree to the hard top on her wrangler than a door ding from some soccer mom parked in Fairfax lol.

there are a lot of JK owners in NOVAjeepers now that like to roll 35s and green/blues. they don't like to scratch their paint or hear anything bang/clang when you are on trail. there are still a few people that will wheel hard and fix it later... but not many. I watched people cringe when the TJ slams armor to clear blues and blacks on 31s. those are the people we DONT wheel with!

[ibjeepin95]

Sylvia would rather take a tree to the hard top on her wrangler than a door ding from some soccer mom parked in Fairfax. I watched people cringe when the TJ slams armor to clear blues and blacks on 31s. those are the people we DONT wheel with!

We can get along then....

[V1GiLaNtE]

Well after much searching I finally found a local minty 8.25 and front DS. A fellow jeeper and I swapped out the 35 and swapped in the 8.25(brake job included) in a little under 3.5 hours! I was going to change the fluid but upon inspection the fluid looked and smelled brand new. I have 2 bottles of Royal Purple 75-140w hanging out to use. I think I'll leave the fluid in there now as part of a "break-in" period in case something happens over the next few weeks. I'll order a solid diff cover and do the fluid change then. My 35 must have been really hurting because this 8.25 is silent. No noise, no humming, nothing.

[ibjeepin95]

Time for 35's and a re-gear!