Mur's XJ build

[Mur]

Well its been a long time coming yet its finally started.

Plans are:
3" OME lift
bushwacker flat fenders
8.25 rear diff
33x12.5 tyres
ARB air lockers with 4.56 ratios
Plus all the other odds and ends to go with it.

Picked up the 8.25 from polly 4x4 awhile ago now. A hell of alot bigger than the d35!
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0006Medium.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0004Medium.jpg

Got that installed with the ZJ disks that i had on my old d35. A little bit of mucking around with the brake lines yet otherwise was a direct bolt on. Also have the proportioning valve from the ZJ. Extended the rear brake line from the body to the diff with one from a YJ at the same time.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0022Medium.jpg

Installed a SYE from dirtbound offroad. Although not normally needed at 3" of lift the longer pinion of the 8.25 means the shaft would have been at a slightly higher angle than with the d35. At only 3" of lift i wasn't keen on spacing the crossmember as i will need all the belly clearance i can get!


http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0017Medium.jpg

Next came the front suspension. Went with the long travel shocks . Still need to extend the bumpstops for the longer shocks and the tyres.
Anyone know where to buy hockey pucks for the bumpstops in Australia for a reasonable price!?

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0018Medium.jpg

Finished off the flares this weekend. They all fitted up really well. Only issue was the plastic screw insert things they supplied for the rear flares were pretty dodgy so I just used some nutserts instead.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/tyres.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0010Medium.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0026Medium.jpg

The rims are 15x8 with 4” backspacing. In hindsight I should have gone for 4.5” backspacing or 285/75R16 tyres to get them under the flares. When measured its only about 12mm on average yet looks a lot more than that

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0014Medium.jpg

I still have a lot to do. Rear springs, adjustable panhard, extended bumpstops, longer wheel studs on the rear, mud flaps, belly pan, rear bar, lockers, gears, in cab winch controls and maybe adjustable arms. Yet with the flares and tyres its now looking like I’m getting somewhere

[ozjeepster]

You have done well mate , shes a great looking truck ;)

[YankeeDave]

Looking much better now Murray

[Steve F]

The panhard should help bring the drivers side across a bit and maybe it'll be enough to get the drivers side back under the flares. Looks great though :)

Cheers
Steve

[Mur]

Thanks guys!

Dave, we will have to go for a drive when I finish it!

Yep, panhard will help as currently the front drivers side it out about 20mm while the passenger side is only out 4mm.

[sime]

looks fantastic Murray top job and top parts, I look foward to seeing this crusing arround

[Hamsteh]

Looks great mate.

As for the hockey puck maybe try a rubber mallet instead - that's what I did.
http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/5608/18563910150140862657526.jpg

Oh wow, just noticed you're a Melbournian - will definitely keep an eye out for this beast!

[Davidp]

Looks great love the flares! where did you get the flares? wonder if they make for the ZG?
Also what shocks did you get type lengths etc?
Cheers
Dave

[mika]

Looks very nice. i personally think the tyre coverage is spot on, you need a tiny bit of tyre hanging out:D
Hockey pucks are great for bumpstops, perfect size. i don't know where you can get them is aus but my dad got me some when he was in europe for about $2 each. Maybe try Rebel Sport?

[Mur]

Thanks! Yet I've got some bad news.... work is sending me to Thailand mid next week! So i wont get to finish it let alone drive it for awhile yet!

I was hoping for hockey pucks as i could add them and adjust the height without taking the spring out. Only place that had them wanted $10 each... given i need 4 maybe 6 it was just too much for something meant to be a cheap solution. Hadn't tried rebble sports. i had assumed it was too much of a niche sport in Aus for them to stock them.

Flares are made by bushwhacker. They make a different style flare for the ZJs. In some ways im happy the tyres hang out abit to protect the flares from ruts. I just didn't want to draw any unwanted attention to the tyres.....

Shocks are OME N35L and N36L. These are about an inch longer fully compressed than the standard OME shocks. As i will need to extend the bumpstops about 2" for the tyres this length shock was perfect.

[two dogs]

U can still use the mallet instead of pucks without taking the sping out, just cut the mallet into two smaller discs instead of one big one and slide them through the spring(jack the body for the right gap in the spring) , glue as you go and ur away! mine have been on for afew years now and have never moved once.

[brenttj]

if any one has spare t case spacer they work already drilled for a bolt i used 3

[Mur]

Well that work trip to thailand ended up being two trips which together came to 2 1/2 months in total!

Certainly delayed the build up abit, yet there has been some progress.
Rear suspension in, bumpstops, mud flaps, in cab winch wireing.


Had a short shake down run today. Will need about 5mm more bump stops front and rear. Will be 60mm front and rear.

Other than the bump stops, everything worked perfect. No issues at all on the freeway. The MTZs are a hell of alot quieter than the old hard MTRs. Wanders a tiny bit more yet i suspect thats the castor. Its currently 3 deg out.

Offroad the OME suspension works great. Heaps of travel and doesn't pitch hard from side to side like the stock suspension use to. On faster gravel potholes/ rocks don't unsettle the whole car like they use to. Alot of this is probably the 33s soaking up most bumps!

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0031Large.jpg

As it was only me I didn't get many pictures!

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0027Large.jpg
Checking the tyre clearance. Not at full flex, I need a bigger rock!

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0016Large.jpg

Ready to be installed this week!

Stock gearing on 33s wasn't as bad as I had expected. On road its no trouble at all. The auto hunts abit more on hills yet thats it. Off-road engine breaking is now all but gone, yet otherwise its ok. Its far from ideal, yet depending on what type of stuff you drive it could be manageability long term.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0031Medium.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0035Large.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0039Large.jpg

All ready for the lockers! The extra switch will be work light/reversing light on the rear bar/ tyre carrier.

One unrelated problem that came up today was the aircon blower stopped working. Its been cutting in and out work awhile now. Each time it stopped working, I could give the wiring under the dash a kick and it would come good again. I had checked the loom I was kicking, tyring to figure out what was the problem, yet as it was intermittent i couldn't trace it with a multi meeter. Each time i touched the wires to test it it would start again. Cleaning all the contacts made no difference.

Today it finally stopped for good and i was able to trace the problem.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk187/Mur_145/build%20up/IMG_0033Large.jpg

The connector has melted. I suspect my method of "fixing" it added to the problem It had obviously been arcing each time i kicked it.
Its one of those times where i should have tried abit harder to find the cause of the problem! I actually had this connector apart a couple of times clearing it!


I bypassed the blower past it now with suitably heavy wire/ connectors! If anyone else has similar issues, its the connector directly above the drivers foot rest.

[sime]

Jeep buildup is looking great mate good to see some new mods and please let me know where you got that ashtray switch mounting panel as I have been looking for one for months now :)

[WhiteWolf]

Hey dude, love the build up, looks like i will be following the road you have paved.

Enter the ice hockey player, the best spot to buy pucks in aus is on Ice Monster here is a link to the pucks. they are 10 for 29 bucks at the moment. if you grab 5 i will take the other 5 for when i do mine... :)
http://www.icemonster.com.au/content_common/pc-icehockeytrainingaccessories.seo

Look forward to seein the rest of your progress!

[Mur]

Thanks!

Sorry to say I made the switch panel. It was Laser cut and folded as a one off.... I looked around for awhile as well before I gave up and make my own!

[Mur]

Hey white Wolf, I did get pucks from there but at the last minute i clanged my mind and used daystar extended bumpstops instead! Got 10 sitting here if you want to buy em?

[WhiteWolf]

yeah man, ill take 5 off ya for sure. I will text my hockey buddies too, and see if any of them want a few more pucks. :) how much has your build cost you so far? not including buying the truck in the first place???

[Mur]

I be hones't I'm trying not to think about how much it all cost! Its well over $6000 by now.

[WhiteWolf]

haha, yea i bet. im going to scour as many wrecked ones that i can to try to pick up the parts cheaper. wheels and tires i should be able to get that way, and maybe winch and bullbar. im keen to hang the spare off the back too, so ill have to find one of those. im pretty much focusing on finding a clean xj to buy for around 3-4k at the moment.