Project Purple Dragon

[rubican!]

Well Tinker bell is pretty well straightened out now and i have this XJ that i jsut cant stand that drags its butt everywhere it goes with saggy springs. Well the other day i was rolling around danville of all places and there it was a 2000 xj with jk rubicon wheels and it looked pretty cool. So then i got to thinking well man i have these!!!!
http://projectwiseowl.com/images/tire.jpg

So looks like half the battle is done. So now i need a 4.5 lift and a set of spider traxx wheel adapters and she is good as gold. And with so many people letting the jk 32' bfgs on rims go for so cheap ($300 for a set of 5 on rims) It seems like a really cool way to get an old XJ some new life.

Im on a super low budget and this is jsut for fun so help me out here. Its either going to be the Rough Country 4.5 or the Rustys 4.5. I have to spend $200 on the wheel spacers which are on back order but no biggie. I want to do the work myslef as well i want the experiance and the fun. So a more complete kit is where i need to go. Here is the dragon now!

http://projectwiseowl.com/images/purpledragon1.JPG

[Big Red 95]

Looks like a good start. i use to have a 01 Xj. I miss that thing all the time. I have always loved that purple too. Can't wait to see it through the paces.

[RUparrothead]

I've always liked that purple too...I've had 2...

[FitchVA]

here are those pics i told you i'd post. i figured this would be a good place to *plop* them.

the wheels were the stock eccos with the stock tires on. the spacers are 1.5" wide. i never ran this setup - only took these pictures for mockups. they pushed my MOABs out a little too far for my taste.

rear POV w/out spacers:

http://fitchva.com/jeep/gallery1/albums/album125/IMG_0550.jpg

rear POV w/ spacers:

http://fitchva.com/jeep/gallery1/albums/album125/IMG_0552.jpg

front POV w/out spacers:

http://fitchva.com/jeep/gallery1/albums/album125/IMG_0551.jpg

front POV w/ spacers:

http://fitchva.com/jeep/gallery1/albums/album125/IMG_0557.jpg

[rubican!]

thanks for posting them up man. How do you guys feel about wheel spacers? wonder if it woul dbe better for me to jsut get some black steel wheels. They are around the same price as the spacers. I guess ill lose gas milage thoguh wont it? hmm.

[FitchVA]

IMO, wheel spacers - when used and maintained properly, are just fine to use. i'm using them on my rear 8.8 axle to bring it out to stockish width. you just have to make sure you keep the torqued.

i doubt your wheel choice would have an effect on gas mileage. your tire size will though, but not wheel choice.

[Big Red 95]

Those black steelies are heavey as he77. I had some massive problems with death wobble when i switch to the soft 8s. even though it is rotating mass it probably would effect the mileage but not enough to really notice. when you do go up on tire size you can notice a difference in mileage there.

[rubican!]

Well i thought i would chime in. Got the radiator, clutch fan, water pump and all new hoses put in the dragon and she runs so great now. temps are steady at 210 with the AC on full blast. And the heat actually works well now as well. I sprayed out the heater core and it was mud the hoses had baked brown stuff attached to them. Its a totally different jeep now. I have even noticed a MPG gain on the highway. My stock XJ nets 22 MPG now. It just awesome.

Unfortunately to pass inspection the passenger window has to roll up and down. So any ideas where i can pick up the whole package. I think the motor is good but the rest will need replaced. After i fix the window. This jeep will be 100%. No problems at all. I serviced and changed just about everything it. Only thing left is the suspension. Stay tuned!

ALSO: Ive had to change rads and water pumps in ford escorts, Mitsubishi's and all sorts of POS cars and never has it been so simple and dare i say fun to work on. I am a wrangler owner i have a JK but i have to say the XJ has to be the best ever made. For all around. Go figure jeep gets it right and cancels it. If they brought it back i would be first in line for a 2010 :)

[rubican!]

double post oops

[xjtrailrider]

ALSO: Ive had to change rads and water pumps in ford escorts, Mitsubishi's and all sorts of POS cars and never has it been so simple and dare i say fun to work on. I am a wrangler owner i have a JK but i have to say the XJ has to be the best ever made. For all around. Go figure jeep gets it right and cancels it. If they brought it back i would be first in line for a 2010 :)

I would buy a couple!! If Jeep wanted to really do it right they would give you lock-out hubs and a SYE from the factory, also all XJ's would have D-44's f/r and 4.10 gearing and it would be "The Perfect Jeep". Keep the AW4/NV3550 trannies and add the 241OR t-case for even more kudo's. Then they could go wild with a "Rubicon Cherokee" for a top of the line no holds barred factory wheeler.

As for your power window, go to the dealer and get raped for a new one, its the only way to fix it right. I bought one for the '00 and it was $225 and only takes 30 min. to put it in and its over with forever.

[vanillathril]

I'd say take it to another shop, personally, for inspection. I've never had any place check to see if my windows went up and down. Most of the shops I've gone to make sure the lights and horn works and that's all.

[xjtrailrider]

Hey Matt, you could try this product (http://www.steigerperformance.com/), I tried it on my sons XJ and it worked for a month before it broke again. They did refund my money and it is a easy fix if you have the same issue we did. They are good people to deal with and a bunch of folks on NAXJA have had good luck with this repair kit. Go to; products/97-01 XJ window reg kit

If your gonna own a XJ, you need to spend more time on NAXJA, the answer to every question is there. JeepForum sucks and so does CherokeeForum IMHO.

[rubican!]

yeah im just going to buy it. At least then i wont have to worry about it. This has happened to me before thats why when i bought my Rubi i asked for crank windows :harhar:

[rubican!]

Well here is an update. Its been a while so i thought id share the massive parts list to the point of breaking my pockets into the ground lol.

All new cooling system. Thats everything but the heater core.
I replaced the Power window motor so now everythign works.

I put 2 inch pucks in the front and i added a leaf in the rear. I basicly used Fitch's write up to the T except I didnt do a basterd pack. I picked up a set of Rubicon Take off's on ebay from a dealership down south. They said someone bought a rubi and had them install a lift on it and all the shocks had on them were "lot miles" under 100. So i paid $75 for them shipped. I think thats a great deal considering i got the add a leaf and Pucks for 80 shipped. so i have $160 in the suspension. And im really happy with it. I wish i could complain about the ride but man if you rode in it before you would think anything you did to it made it feel like a Cadillac.

I put 30 x 9.50's on got a great deal on a set of hankooks from discount tire online. I Love how aggresive the are and they have gottem really great reviews online so ill let you know how they do.

Before
http://projectwiseowl.com/images/purpledragon1.JPG

After
http://projectwiseowl.com/images/PD2.jpg

[xjtrailrider]

Nice! Thats a good start to a trail rig!!

[rubican!]

Yeah i still need it for work for now but im going to slowly start doing things to it to get it ready. I do plan on turning it into a trail rig soon. Im sick of having to hold back so much on my JK. I feel silly sometimes with some of the things i do with it but its just so capable. If i build the XJ though i dont have to sweat it and i can jsut have fun. Ive been driving the JK for work a but the past few weeks and its not so bad as a DD. I want to put some Aluminum wheels on it and get a hard top for it. Once thats done i can really get started on the XJ. Im thinkg ing first step is to get matt to weld some stiffiners on it for me. Who makes a good set?

[hadfield4wd]

hd engineering - If you do the deal this week and he has them in stock I can save you on shipping as I'm wheeling with him this weekend. If not no big deal.

http://www.hdoffroadengineering.com/collections/frontpage/products/xj-frame-stiffener-set

I have a set of 5x5 to 5x5.5 wheel adapters.

[rubican!]

i will remember them for sure. But Ive about depleted the jeep budget for at least a month lol. Im just glad to have the XJ back. But matt i will for sure be counting on you to hook me up!! i had a friend today ask me about c gussets for his JK and i told him about you so if he says he wants to do it im gonna give him your number. Those c gussets should be a quickie.