XJ Mods VSB 14

[junglejuice]

I have the Brown Davis in mine, you'll notice it more offroad. I had my tank in before I did the airbags so I din't have your issue...

[alexbrown64]

Originally Posted by junglejuice

I have the Brown Davis in mine, you'll notice it more offroad. I had my tank in before I did the airbags so I din't have your issue...

Sounds like we have similar builds with tank and airbags..

Next project started today... fitting a winch, i didn't want to spend up big on an ARB bar, and i like my factory one, so the plan was to fit a winch through my factory bar. So far the plan is working. A few wires and 8 bolts and my ally bullbar slipped straight off. The plan is to weld the universal winch mounting plate between the vertical heavy duty bullbar mounting plates.



I took some measurements and cut my winch plate to size. I think it was 833mm long with a few notches cut out here and there. Used my 9" grinder for that. Then with a lot more thought and measuring, i cut some ally plate out of my bullbar. The idea is that i can fit and remove the winch with the bullbar on, or have the winch mounted on the plate and remove the bullbar if needed. All seemed to work well.....



I had been trial fitting the winch quite a few times, and i decided i wanted it about half way up out of the bullbar. Easy to operate, clean, check etc.. Below is a pic of what will be its final resting place. Perhaps a tad lower as i have to work on the hawse part of it.

Put the tools away for now, but when i get going again the plate will need to be positioned accurately and fully welded into position. The hawse mount will have to be chopped off and mounted about 40mm forward so it abuts the front of the bullbar. More fab work but should come up alright. Once everything is finished, it will be time to work out how i am going to mount my light bar again, and then wire everything up...

Cheers,

[alexbrown64]

Project came out quite tidy. Must of taken the bar on and off about a hundred times so that i could set the winch plate orientation. I ended up extending the hawse part of the plate forward about 40mm so that it would abut the bullbar.
I still have some wiring to do as i want to add an isolator. Also, while i had the bar off, i drilled some 40mm holes in the bullbar and plate behind it to ventilate the Derale tranny cooler.
The next step is to power it up, pull the rope in and attach the hook to a shackle.
I have also ordered some 38mm bullbar clamps to refit the light bar.

As far as VSB 14 and NCOP 11 projects go, i have completed all the work, so at some stage in the next few months i will need and engineer out to check over everything.

However, for roadworthy inspection, i am still installing the new extractors and new engine mounts, and then for cooling purposes, i will be installing the new high flow pump, tsat, radiator, tranny cooler and hoses etc..
Whew..



Cheers

[alexbrown64]

I knew this next project was going to be tough but christ.. what was Jeep thinking. It is going to take a few weeks to re-grow the skin on my hands and forearms.
I started off pulling the cooling system off, then the intake manifold and exhaust, followed by the left hand engine mount. That was a days work and left me bruised and battered.
I found a lot of problems, but they are all mostly problems that all XJ's get at some stage so i was prepared.
The water pump bearing was lumpy and hard to turn.. time to replace with the FlowKooler. The thermostat came apart in my hands and was knackered. One of the pulleys had a bad bearing which i have heard while the car has been running. A surprise was the radiator which was weeping on both sides. Not sure what brand it was as its not printed on it and i got it on Ebay years ago. The headers had a 50mm crack which i could see and hear. My Wildcat headers are at CIC getting ceramic coated and will be ready in a week.
I couldn't believe the state of the left engine mount. Completely shot. I have the new Brown Dog heavy duty rubber engine mounts to go in.
I have not inspected the welch plugs yet, but i have a new brass set to go in.
So, during the week i will start replacing the entire cooling system, headers, engine mounts, welch plugs, bearings, hoses and anything else i can find.

Cheers,

[alexbrown64]

Been a testing week on the Jeep. Nothing wanted to come out/off without giving me a tough time. Car is on gas so crimped fittings on inlet manifold are driving me crazy as i cant get the manifold out of the way. I took the head off, gave it a clean up and replaced the rear welch plug. Used permaflex #3 aviation liquid gasket as per Go Jeep.
Attacked the 5 plugs on the left side of the block and used the same technique to replace them all with brass 2" ones. I got 6 out of 7, as i am not going to tackle the one behind the bell housing... just too much work.
Next was the Brown Dog engine mounts. Very tight fit, almost an interference fit. I checked the tranny mount which was OK, as i had to slot it slightly to bring everything forward 10mm. Not sure what was going on there, but it worked and now engine/mounts etc..all sit nicely.
My light bar brackets arrived, so i mounted the bar and plugged it all in.
Also, the idler pulley bearing arrived ($5 delivered) so i will fit that soon.
Now waiting on new Felpro head and rocker gaskets and cylinder stud kit and also the headers to come back from CIC.



Cheers,

[alexbrown64]

Found a bit of time to fit the Derale transmission cooler. Got the idea from Go Jeep and also some of the cooling threads on AJOR. It fits under the radiator on the left side. Pic below of the new cooler v the OEM cooler. The Derale comes with a puller fan and in the pic is also the custom frame i made for it so it bolts straight in underneath. With this setup i bypass the radiator and old cooler.

There was a fair amount of grinding, drilling and cursing to get it to sit in nicely. Once i got it all bolted in, i used two 3/8 barbs, 6 new hose clamps and 500mm of new 3/8 transmission hose to plumb it all up. The hot fluid runs into the bottom of the Derale and the return comes out the top. Fan is wired so that it comes on when the first of my triple electric radiator fans comes on.





Cheers,

[werd]

So the oil cooler is getting its cool air through the aircon and the radiator?