Project XJ Crawler

[XJCrawler]

Time to start a build for people to view and myself to look back on.

Updates:

Finish date: Close, drive-able soon.

The Parts List (17/07/2014)
Ford 8.8 31 Spline Complete Diff from 1998 Ford Explorer
Yukon Ultimate 88 Kit for the rear to upgrade to chromoly axle shafts with the C-Clips eliminated
Iron Rock Offroad SYE Hack n Tap
Iron Rock Offroad 8" Long Arm Lift Kit
JKS Swaybar disconnects
Doetsch Tech 8000 Shocks (Don't get these, they don't work with the kit)
Iron Rock Offroad Ford 8.8 Truss Brace Kit
G2 Ring & Pinion 4.88 Gears (Front & Rear Diffs)
G2 Front Dana 30 Chromoly Shaft Axle replacement
OX Locker, Cable & Shifter Assesmbly for Dana 30 (incl. diff cover)
Yukon Grizzly Locker for Ford 8.8
Masterbuild Kits for both Dana 30 and Ford 8.8
SOLID Ford 8.8 Diff Cover
Extended Bump Stops Front & Rear
Iron Rock Offroad RHD Track Bar & Bracket
Iron Rock Offroad RHD Over the Knuckle Steering
Roo Systems 12000lb 7hp Winch
Baintech Dual Battery Kit
Work Flood Light (reverse light)
Alloy USA Axle Tube Seals
Motor Mount Kit (pair)
WJ Front Hub Carrier/Steering Knuckle Conversion
aFe 51-11552 MagnumForce Stage 2 Air Intake System with Pro Dry S
BBK 1724 Power Plus 62mm Throttle Body
13" H.O LED Light Bar
2x 4" Round LED Spot Lights
B&M 70268 SuperCooler Automatic Transmission Cooler
XJ Front Drive Shaft for a Rear Drive Shaft, converted to make an identical swap (one type same size to run as either a front or rear)
17x9 Stainless Steel Beadlock Rims (36-Bolt) Powder Coated Matte Black with Silver Metallic Beadlock x4 and 1x 17x9 Stainless Steel Matte Black Non-Beadlock rim
Tyres 33" Hercules Trail Digger MTs x4 (Recreational Set)


Remaining:
updated 17/07/2014
Custom front winch bar
Custom rock sliders
Custom tire carrier and rear bar
Guard Cut/Chop Rework, Flare Out
Exo Cage

[lax2wlg]

Sweet, is the Ford 8.8 from an Explorer? Tough diff those.

[XJCrawler]

Sweet, is the Ford 8.8 from an Explorer? Tough diff those.

Yeah it is. There is a couple things to modify, like welding the tubes/sleeves to the diff housing, and the stock carrier is weak, but that will be replaced with a locker.

[XJCrawler]

Hackntap SYE by IRO

[XJCrawler]

Shipment #1 has arrived - stoked as! (Still need to do a parts check)

[coop]

With that gearing I'm guessing you'll be running 35s? Hows the D30 going to handle that you reckon?
Bloody hell customs are a rip off aren't they. I have a roof rack set up I want to buy from Australia for my Wrangler but customs and shipping, just aren't worth it. Its going to cost just as much to get it to my door than the purchase price.
Post pics of your progress, cheers.

[yeti]

30 b sweet with the shit hes putting in it .....

[XJCrawler]

Yeah it should handle 35's with chromoly axle shafts + ox carrier running 4 spider gears. (I nearly went with a 30 spline upgrade, but didn't think it would be worth doing in case one did actually break I wouldn't have local access to a spare). Also don't really want to run any bigger wheels than that anyway, and the more I read about 37+ wheels the more money to spend on getting hands on a dana 44 or dana 60. My main concern with the drive train was the factory dana 35 rear diff (self destructing heap of s**t).

[XJCrawler]

Stripping down the ford 8.8 diff and cleaning it up ready for my welder to weld the new brackets on and get the sleeves welded up this weekend. Not sure when I'll have it back, but I'll make sure I take some before and after photos. Following that I can chip away at piecing the kit together on the truck in my spare time. (Change of plans 01/03/14)

[yeti]

running same shit in my 30....ox lockers are sweet......gotta a spare 44 down here complete ......35 b ok just gotta learn when to right boot it ...

[lax2wlg]

IMO With those mods the front will actually be stronger than a stock D44 by a decent margin. Great powertrain setup, XJs can go jaw droppingly well. Lucky Jeep guys have the biggest aftermarket in the world for their trucks

[XJCrawler]

Guess it helps being auto somewhat too, most of the energy should slip out through the torque converter in theory? But in saying that I just want it to crawl

[XJCrawler]

No welding for diff till next year.

[Ralfie]

No welding for diff till next year.

Ok I will take the bait ............ what's happened??

[XJCrawler]

No welding for diff till next year.

Ok I will take the bait ............ what's happened??

Oh he's just tied up with work till the new year. He's the only one I know with access to an oven too. On the bright side it's given me heaps of time to work on the Safari + got to finish painting the house to get it on the market.
Will be straight on the Jeep after that getting the hack n tap on, pre-mounting and aligning the ford diff in so it's ready for the mounts to be tacked on and then mess round with getting the long arms installed on the front etc. Next shipment should be here by mid December at the latest.

Too much on the go!

[XJCrawler]

And $959.00 later, the personalized plate is under construction!

[Smurf]

And $959.00 later, the personalized plate is under construction!

Fark, are they that expensive now!!
Awesome plate though

[XJCrawler]

And $959.00 later, the personalized plate is under construction!

Fark, are they that expensive now!!
Awesome plate though

Cheers man, yeah ridiculous how much they cost now. It was around $150 extra to have it with red writing and a message.
I justified it to how much I'll be spending on this Jeep, whether that's mad or not haha. Stoked it hadn't been taken.

[XJCrawler]

Plates arrived!

[XJCrawler]

Next goodies arrived!

G2 Chromoly Axle Shafts
G2 4.88 Ring & Pinion Gears (Ford & Dana)
Yukon Grizzly Locker
Ox Locker
Diff Rebuild Kits

[catalystracing]

Santa must think you have been a good boy...

[yeti]

Next goodies arrived!

G2 Chromoly Axle Shafts
G2 4.88 Ring & Pinion Gears (Ford & Dana)
Yukon Grizzly Locker
Ox Locker
Diff Rebuild Kits

you go cable or air with the ox ...........

not sounding gay, but that's a nice package ya got there...

[Coljag]

Wish I could convince my wife that stuff like that would make a great xmas present! Hmmm maybe if I withhold sex???

[Jeeper]

Hiya, how'd u ship the axles ie what courier and rates??

[xj]

flash axles + front wheel spin stopping suddenly = destroyed R&P. Bigger R&P numbers = more teeth = smaller teeth = disappearing teeth..... Had the conversations, seen it happen, then seen old timers put the stock axles back in. Easier and cheaper to slip in another $50.00 axle on the side of the trail. (takes about what 40mins)

good luck though man. fun looking build.

[yeti]

flash axles + front wheel spin stopping suddenly = destroyed R&P. Bigger R&P numbers = more teeth = smaller teeth = disappearing teeth..... Had the conversations, seen it happen, then seen old timers put the stock axles back in. Easier and cheaper to slip in another $50.00 axle on the side of the trail. (takes about what 40mins)

good luck though man. fun looking build.

mine still together .....but again I drive like a nana....(hows things mark in the the land of landys )

[XJCrawler]

It's a cable on the ox locker.

I guess the "crawler" number plate isn't going take effect just yet, but the idea of this build is to crawl not plant boot and break axles and so fourth. It's just a recreational build not a challenge truck.

I still haven't broken a single piece of drivetrain after nearly 10 years offroading. I don't plan on doing it with the Jeep. Axle upgrade was just to beef it up to handle bigger tyres as from what I've read the factory axles aren't too flash when you start running bigger tyres. I'll be going 35 inch MTs max on this build.

[XJCrawler]

Hiya, how'd u ship the axles ie what courier and rates??

Hey I used EIF International, shipping rates are bit hard to work out, but that recent shipment was $500. It's the custom charges that hurt more.

[4x4part]

im not shore u will get a cert with the iron rock off road long arm kit as im the NZ dealer i don't recommend getting that kit if you are looking to get a cert for on road use. i recommend this http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merchant ... y_Code=XLK you can go to 6.5 inch with this kit that's what i have dun.

[XJCrawler]

im not shore u will get a cert with the iron rock off road long arm kit as im the NZ dealer i don't recommend getting that kit if you are looking to get a cert for on road use. i recommend this http://www.ironrockoffroad.com/Merchant ... y_Code=XLK you can go to 6.5 inch with this kit that's what i have dun.

don't see why not it's all bolt on. spoke to Don and he didn't see it being a problem. it's welding to the unibody that is a no no apparently.