My first XJ, Big Red

[xjtrailrider]

This is the one that sparked my passion for XJ's, I bought it in 03 and have been in love ever since.

This thing has gone from mild to wild and back to mild so i'll just throw some pics up and then at the end explain whats on it now. This is my 15 year old sons first car now.

It started life as a 96 4.0/AW4/NP231 and was a rental car in the Triad area of NC.

This is the first pic I can find of it, this is with 2" lift.


My first time wheeling with it.


This pic was taken after installing the OME 3" lift and lockers. I put frame stiffeners on it as well and 4.10 gearing.


More to come!

[xjtrailrider]

Some "driveway poser" shots!




With the Detours Backbone, its starting to look a little more "BA" now!




More to come!

[xjtrailrider]

Chassis stiffeners

[xjtrailrider]

Skid plates

[xjtrailrider]

Home made sliders that had to be adapted to the stiffeners

[xjtrailrider]

Wheelin with Big Red

[xjtrailrider]

I used it for towing too!

[xjtrailrider]

After swapping the axles and T-case out to put in my trail rig it now has;
D-30/D-35 3.55
NP242
4.0
AW4
JeepSpeed chassis stiffeners
Factory skids
C4x4 diff skids
Crager soft 8"s
Home built sliders
Custom home built bump stops
31x10.5-15 Firestone Destination A/T's
OME 3" lift

Here is how it sits now

[xjtrailrider]

I swapped rear axles on Big Red today, for 3 reasons;

1) I had to put some 4* shims in to turn the pinion down some to compensate for the "single cardan" drive shaft

2) I was able to get the D-35 back that was under my dads XJ. I had given the axle to a co-worker 2 years ago and he never swapped the axle out for his and I thought it was long gone but he brought it by my house the other day and asked me if I wanted it back before he hauled it to the dump. I was more than pleased to have it back! Now my son will have part of his Granddad's Jeep on his. Luckily he had stored it inside and it was in great shape.

3) this axle has less mileage on it(135k vs 185k) and doesn't leak like the one that was in there did!

I still have to swap out the diff guard from the old axle and I'm also going to take the yoke, both shafts, spiders, and carrier out for spares and trash what is left.

The new axle is getting all new shoes, wheel cylinders, springs/hardware and some freshly turned drums tomorrow.


The shims


The old axle


My dad's old axle

[xjtrailrider]

The new/old axle is in and all new rear brakes are on. The rear axle got;

new shoes
new wheel cylinders
new brake hardware
new fluid
turned the drums
The seals were good.

I have to rebuild the front axle now, it needs;

axle u-joints, I have some 760x joints for it
pinion seal, Advance gave me the wrong seal so i have to get another tomorrow
axle seals
possibly needs ball joints
The brakes are all new including the calipers/rotors/pads

I should have it on the road in a few days