My Dumb 99' XJ Low Rider

[ibjeepin95]

So in November of 2011 I sold my 97' TJ because I was a wimp and was scared to beat on it. I still owed a little on it (bought it in high school), had way too much money dumped in it, and it wasn't my daily driver at the time. It sat most of the time and I wrenched on it so it could be an awesome lawn ornament. Here she is, right before I finished the tube fenders...



At that time, I had had 2 XJ's previously to my TJ, and I knew I wanted to go back. So after selling the TJ, I was on the hunt for a 97+ XJ that was in running shape and had an AW4. My plan was to buy a fairly beat one that ran good, but I wouldn't be scared to thrash. Well, things never go as planned. I came across an ad on Craigslist that I was sure was a scam, but took the bait anyways. Basically, I ended up with this:


1999 XJ with 130k miles, clean, almost perfectly straight body, and the poor college girl said she was selling it because she couldn't afford to fix it. Apparently, she thought it needed a radiator. I gave her $1600 cash, drove it home, put a radiator CAP on it, leak fixed. :mrgreen:

Interior was gross, but cleaned up well....



Well, I knew what I wanted to do. Plan was to keep my suspension height at around 3" over stock on 35" tires. So I pieced together some 3" springs, an add a leaf, some junk RC shocks, and a Clayton track bar w/ a Clayton bracket...



Annnnnnnndddd done....



Wheeled it all gay like and burned the tires off on the ice in GWNF....



So then I started getting it ready for 35's....





At some point ( maybe after the 35's?) I swapped in an 8.25 29 spline...

[ibjeepin95]

I found a good deal on some 15x8 steel wheels ($25 a piece from Rough Country scratch n' dent) and bought some 35" Pro Comp M/T's. They weren't my first choice at the time, but it was really the only decent tire available at the time...



I then set up some bump stops, bought an ORS stubby winch bumper, welded on a hoop to the bumper, threw a Lock Right in the Dana 30, and got it ready for it's maiden voyage at Big Boys Playground in Harrisonburg....





Yes, the rear ones are close, but factoring in compression, they work great....



And then wheeled it....

[ibjeepin95]

Didn't flex bad...





Made high clearance lower shock mounts mounted the shocks via hoops through the floor so I could run longer shocks. I eventually welded another section of pipe to the hoops to tie them up...





Hell right I burned a hole in the seat!



Poser

[ibjeepin95]

Had some fun at Dick Meyer's Jeep Jam with it...







Wheeled it at Crozet a lot over the summer...





Blew up a 30 shaft...







Bent up my stock steering so I did the IRO crossover over the knuckle steering. Admire my slightly sh!tty steering geometry...



My rockers started to get a little ding in each of them...





So I welded in some 2x6 3/16"





Added a JCR gas tank skid I got from a buddy...

[ibjeepin95]

Thought I was cool cause I was running a red at Crozet...



My bud driving...





Reason why you should tie new rockers into the "frame", I learned the hard way.



Trimmed the front fenders more...



Stupid vid of me wheeling like a girl. In my defense, it was really wet that day....



One of my favorite trails at Crozet, the entrance....


Beat my rockers/sliders back into place with a sledge, welded in some HD Offroad frame stiffeners, and braced the rockers in with 2x2. Yes, I had to go through the floor with the "legs"...



INSTAGRAMZZZ!



Vid of me being dumb at my house. It's loud because it had no exhaust from the down pipe back. I was in the middle of welding up a new system...



old cat/glass pack/new tail pipe.... Later on I crushed y down pipe and then got a new one of those...



FLECKS!



Attempted sky driving....

[ibjeepin95]

Bent my x-member a little...



So I built a new one. A flat one that included a trans skid and transfer case skid. Also did an SYE and made a new linkage...





Had to cut the old one up to access the bolts...







from the side...





Destickered it some. Started to look sort of trashy (Can't fix that, it's still a Jeep!)....



New t-case linkage....



Dumb tree flex....



And FINALLY I'm caught up. Bought some 10" 5100's off a bud last week and also a set of HD Offroad shackle relocations. Next week on spring break I should get this stuff on. BUT, I'm wheeling Sunday because I haven't been since December. Time to fix that problem.

[ibjeepin95]

I also must mention that at some point I welded up the 8.25 and added these hood vents from Hyline Offroad....

[Goodspeed]

Awesome build and fab work (and dog) - that looks like tons 'o fun. I would probably go to jail for flexing on stuff all over town :lol:

[Mike]

wow. thanks. nice work!

[ibjeepin95]

Awesome build and fab work (and dog) - that looks like tons 'o fun. I would probably go to jail for flexing on stuff all over town :lol:

Thanks man! It's a lot of fun. Wasn't sure how my XJ would fit in here. Everyone here has nice ones. Mine is, well, dented,scratched, and doesn't get a bath too often. :lol:

[ibjeepin95]

wow. thanks. nice work!

Thanks!

[ibjeepin95]

Wheeled it today. Nothing too exciting, but had a lot of fun and really didn't get any pics. Just this boring video of me being stupid....

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Oh, and I slid into a tree on a climb, exploded my tail light, and dented the hatch

[Jeff]

Man this thing is sexy. Love the fab work.

[ibjeepin95]

Man this thing is sexy. Love the fab work.

Thanks Jeff. It's taken a lot of work to get it this far, but I'm really close to having it where I want it.

[V1GiLaNtE]

I <3 this build. Thanks for sharing with MM!

[ibjeepin95]

I <3 this build. Thanks for sharing with MM!

No problem man! I get tired of Jeepforum now days. I still hang out there a lot, but it seems the newbs have completely taken over. No tech in the tech section at all! I post some, and it gets little response. :dunno:

[ibjeepin95]

Oh, and picked up a tail light tonight! It will be legal (well, mostly) for some snow fun!

[Jeff]

If you need any Mopar/dealer only parts let me know. I can help a brotha out.

[V1GiLaNtE]

I <3 this build. Thanks for sharing with MM!

No problem man! I get tired of Jeepforum now days. I still hang out there a lot, but it seems the newbs have completely taken over. No tech in the tech section at all! I post some, and it gets little response. :dunno:

Yea I get nothing.. Nobody wants to see a boring DD on 3" and 31's.. I just surf and drool.. Thinking *one day...one day*..We need to coordinate a spring run.. Seeing as we've been talking about it since what? LAST YEAR...

Are you still debating a 3-link? What are your plans for up front now?

[JustinG]

No tech in the tech section at all! I post some, and it gets little response. :dunno:

I mean the thing is 30 yrs old.....how much more "Tech" is there to be discovered :mrgreen: