So when the family won't cooperate......

[Dredwolf]

So you can have wrench time on the XJ......:mad:

:smiley-angry021: ....since its just a "toy"....

And idea evolves....and you sell some projects sitting around, in the way on the farm.....

:D

And you drive home tonight in a 2003 WJ with the 4.0, an NV-242 transfer case, and 147K on the odometer...to make THAT your DD.

So even when I can't work on the XJ, I am going to work IN the WJ!

[4.3LXJ]

There you go. A little luxury for your four wheeling

[Dredwolf]

There you go. A little luxury for your four wheeling

It was 60 mile trip home from buying it...it needs a windshield, a blend door repair, and some TLC, but it ran 70 mph down the interstate just fine, the 4.0 had plenty of pedal left, and was snappy.

So a spacer lift, decent AT tires, recovery points, and skid plates, (and a good going over) and this WJ could be the next vehicle we take to Colorado/Utah.

Nice to have some hope.

[4.3LXJ]

It will be better for that than the Ford

[XJ Wheeler]

Sweet! Great way to beat them at their own game. But I can't help but feeling somethings missing...

Oh yeah, pics! :D

Sent via messenger pigeon. I talk, he types.

[Dredwolf]

Borrowing a buddy's ZJ for work for the last few weeks, that's it peeking out from the WJ.

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b605/dredwolf1/2003%20WJ/20160625_173512_zpsnb4rvddf.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b605/dredwolf1/2003%20WJ/20160625_173526_zpsmwyodzyx.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b605/dredwolf1/2003%20WJ/20160625_173559_zps9wrbiixn.jpg

http://i1294.photobucket.com/albums/b605/dredwolf1/2003%20WJ/20160625_173543_zpszkldp7t1.jpg

[Dredwolf]

It will be better for that than the Ford

The wife even agrees with you on that....that third generation Ford Explorer is more capable than I ever thought it would be, (having a real 4LO helped) and we had fun on that trip taking it more places than we ever though we could....but its not an XJ, ZJ, WJ or even a WK.

[4.3LXJ]

Jeep has always had a more aggressive off road bent

[Dredwolf]

Jeep has always had a more aggressive off road bent

She drove it around the farm a bit today, and when I asked what she though, she said "Yep, THAT we can do the Alpine Loop in!" :D

So the trick now is to build lightly, and keep it a DD.

So either spacer lift, or Old Man Emu coils, skids, recovery points, and a good going over. Here's hoping....and maybe this will encourage the family in letting me have wrench time on the XJ.

[4.3LXJ]

The bug has bitten .......

[Dredwolf]

The bug has bitten .......

That happened during her first trip to Flagstaff and Sedona, then the trip to Moab did her in.

The second trip to Moab ran us through Colorado, and there was a lot we did not get to see. We made it to Animas Forks, Ouray, Telluride, and Silverton, but the Alpine Loop beckons...

http://www.lakecityswitchbacks.com/alpine-loop-national-back-country-byway.html

[4.3LXJ]

Always more to see. I haven't even scratched all the local trails

[Dredwolf]

I wish there was more left in the south, but so much has closed.....

Never made it to the couple of private parks that opened and closed.

And with rock bouncing all the rage, many of the private parks are catering to the "42 TSL's and 800HP" guys that apparently can still afford a Diesel truck to haul toy to and from the park...

Moog has a great tool for figuring out springs....looks like I can swap the front and rear coils for the coils from a v-8 Overland model of the same year and gain roughly 1" lift in the front, and maybe .75" in the rear, and go for the 245/70-16 tires, which are roughly 30" tires.

neat tool...
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/universal_coil_springs.asp

[Dredwolf]

I keep finding handy links to help me understand this WJ I bought....

I was able to print out a build sheet for the WJ! It's my understanding this will not work for anything pre-1998, but its still pretty cool.

https://jeep.custhelp.com/app/jeep/eqlisting_detail/session/L3RpbWUvMTM5MzY0MzI4OC9zaWQvWGxOMmc2T2w%3D

[4.3LXJ]

The WJ started in 99. That is why it doesn't work. I have a wrecked one here. Do you have the 4.7 or 4.0?

[Dredwolf]

The WJ started in 99. That is why it doesn't work. I have a wrecked one here. Do you have the 4.7 or 4.0?

I deliberately looked for the 4.0....oil changes are critical for any engine, but it seems the majority of the 4.7 original owners thought changing the oil was a suggestion in this part of the country.

This particular 4.0 is snappy and smooth, so I am changing the oil today and doing a full brake job, with the hope of driving it next week.

I have the Moog part numbers figured out for the upcountry springs, so that is one lift option.

The rest are little things, like door panel clips, windshield washer reservoir, front fender liners, close approximation of a factory tow package, blend door fix, etc. This WJ was wrecked in the front driver side, so the bumper cover is from a WJ with fogs, but I don't have the factory switch. No big deal, I like LED anyway.

And a transmission cooler and temp gauge.

So yes, I am looking for parts.

[Dredwolf]

I went ahead and made a build thread in the GC section for my WJ....lets' see if I get to do half of what I hope I can do to it.:pray:

http://www.xjtalk.com/showthread.php?t=21694