XJ: Fraz's Budget Build with JK Diffs
 

After getting some work done to the XJ today, I figured it was time I started documenting this build up.

A lot of the younger guys at work have started picking up old solid-axle vehicles for VERY cheap. Before I bought the XJ, there was an '88 GQ Patrol with 400K+ on the clock, an '84 60 series cruiser getting rebuilt, an '86 leaf/leaf hilux and an old MQ Shorty patrol. Everyone kept pestering me to get something oldschool that I could go to town on, but do so without breaking the bank.

After talking to a number of overseas and local distributors, I settled on an XJ Cherokee. The main reason was the 5-link front end, which offers heaps more flex from standard than any of the above vehicles. I just had to find the right one at the right price.

Anyway, a very clean '96 Sport came up on Gumtree for $1400 with auto issues. I haggled the seller down to $900 without rego, and the deal was done. Picked the car up the next night and towed it home. Put 6 months rego on it the day after that and she was good to go. Having driven it around for the past couple of weeks, there are a couple of issues I'd noticed:
-Wouldn't start when hot, and will randomly stall when changing gears after driving around town;
-Had to change gears manually, meaning a loss of 2nd gear.
These have since been rectified, which I'll cover later.

The whole point of this build is to create the most capable off-roader for under $10k. So far I've spent $2100 including rego, insurance, servicing and initial purchase, so I'm off to a fairly good start. I'll be building as much as I can myself for this (rear bar, sliders, etc.) and have a feeling I'll be calling on this forum a LOT for handy hints and tips. Pretty sure I've got the best start though, that 5-link front flexes extremely well. :cool:

Anyway, that's enough for now, I'll get started on the build :D

Alright, first issue: Inconsistent starting habits.

After testing the injectors, fuel pump and relay, dizzy and everything else I could think of, it was left down to the Crank Angle Sensor. Sure enough, it was malfunctioning. New one was ordered through work and fitted today, and has done the trick. Starts up within the first couple of cranks now. :D

Next problem: Non-auto auto.

I had to manually shift through the gears as the auto box would simply try and take off from a stand-still in 4th if left in D. This was alright for a while, but the TC wouldn't lock-up on the highway either, which was seriously killing the fuel economy. I know these things aren't great on fuel, but 15L/100km on the highway was a bit crap.

Anyway, after testing the NSS and checking all fuses and relays for the TCU, the only thing left was to pull it apart. Found a thread on here from a member with identical issues, and his fix was to replace the solenoids. Rather than just do the two shift units, I replaced all three (TCC, Shift 1, Shift 2) as I didn't want to have to pull the pan off again to replace another further down the track.

2.5hrs on the hoist, and it was all done. Had a little issue with the clearance between the pan, exhaust and crossmember, but got there in the end. Put a filter kit and new oil in at the same time as the original ones were completely cactus. The cork was hard and brittle, and the oil was dark brown. :-? New gear all fitted up with fresh new oil, and it was running like a dream. Oil level is a little above the full marker, but not enough to worry about.

I'll be doing a full service on the rest of the engine tomorrow, so will hopefully get her purring like a kitten again. 8) After that will be a full new stereo system, as I got a decent Pioneer head-unit from a few friends for my birthday. :D Just have to get the amp and speakers now.

Man you sound like someone who knows a thing or 2....Please post pics of your work, that would be great.

Cheers :) Gotta say the forum helped a lot with diagnosing the fault though, so I can't take all the credit.

Will start posting pics up once mods start happening. UHF should be going in this weekend, along with finishing off the service from last week. Just need an antenna for it, although may hold off until I've got a front bar.

Have also started looking into suspension as I'm getting some 31's on TJ Wrangler 15" Alloys and will need the extra clearance. At the moment looking at a 2" kit from lovells to get me out of trouble for now, and then upgrading to a 4.5" long-arm kit as funds allow. The other option is to go the 4.5" short-arm, as it's a lot cheaper and allows more money for other mods.

Anyone have any experiences with both short- and long-arm kits? Have been looking at the Rubicon Express and Rough Country kits, but any other input would be more than welcome.

Fraz, if your busget is $10k all up, stick to short arm.

You will get a good quality short arm kit off one of the vendors on here for approx $3k including adjustable/replacement front arms.... or just springs and shocks should run to less than $2k. Keep the lift to 3" or less, and you wont need to replace the front panhard, and should get away without a SWE and short rear shaft kit to save $$. Dont get add-a -leafs for the rear, waste of money, get full replacement leaves, or shackles and blocks if you want to go cheap.

Some under guard trimming and the 31's should fit.

Install a lunchbox locker in the front (lock-rite etc) and it should walk around those cruisers and patrols offroad.

Thanks for that, have been tossing up what to do all day. :lol:

Have been looking at a Lokka for the front, and it already has a factory locker in the rear (I'm guessing detroit). Dual locked for under $600 sounds good to me. :D

Springs I can get cheap, shocks I can build at work to whatever lengths I want. Am not set on any height in particular, was more looking for clearance to run larger tyres. Ideally I'd like to get 32x10.5R15's under the guards, and am not afraid to do a little trimming if need be.

SYE and double-cardan rear shaft have been on the cards as more of a safeguard than anything else, but can be put on the back-burner if need be. Will be doing a hack-n-tap SYE as it's the cheapest and easiest option.

Rear-quarter chop with custom bar is also going to happen, I'll weld it up myself using pre-bent sections for simplicity during the build. The more clearance, the better. 8)

4.5 inch lift and ya will run 35s with guard chop easy as pie

im running 35s on a 3 inch lift and a massive guard chop


i would also stick to short arms, it still flexes just as good as long arms

ive been qouted from usa around the 1500 mark delivered for short arm kit

just the arms and brackets, need to add front n rear springs, and good quallity shockers to that


invest in lockers before 35 inch tyres too, xjs are very capable on 33s with their smaller diffs then nugget gqs.

twin locked on agressive 33s and ya will go very far, invest in a good winch too so there is no worry about trying harder obstaclkes ya just winch out!

feel free to shoot me a pm with any questions getting pretty knowledgable with xj set ups and ran 31 then 33s and now 35s with varying lifts, ill be moving up to 6 inch lift shortly and evuntly long arms and selling my short arms off