Classic XJ and trying to keep it that way

[Rainman77]

I want to try out some full size fox's sometime.  I've liked all the small ones I've ridden on that were in snowmobiles and sxs's.

 From the 10 mins of driving on them, I really like them. I've used their air shocks on the Baja cars from school and those were super easy to work with and tune. 

Points for creative sketchy shade tree press shenanigans.

 

Sketchy jack press / shrapnel launcher is ingenious!

 

I definitely filed that one away in my book of sketch for later use.

 The sketch was not too bad as it only had one attack on my life. I think using one shock as a prybar was a bit worse... Everyone walking by on the sidewalk gave me some crazy looks 

 

[Rainman77]

I found a Wawa gift card in my wallet today which means gas money! I ventured to a nearby park that uses some conveniently sized boulders as a parking barrier/flex ramp. I wanted to make sure my bumpstops were long enough to avoid bottoming the shocks out. I got one side of the swaybar disconnected, but the other one was really stuck and I didn't feel like dealing with it.

It looks like the front are sized just about perfect. With the 2" extended bumps I have about . 5" of shock travel left. The rears are another issue. The leaf spring inverts before the shock or bumpstop bottoms out, so I doubt it'll really matter back there. Also, I had no idea if the trackbar bracket would clear or not, but it seems to have plenty of room.

Measured travel is about 7" front and 8" rear. I'm missing 2"down in the front since the swaybar would still bind up. I'm fine with how it's all measuring out right now.

 

[G Beasley]

Looks good , when are you heading out to Moab to wheel with [member=219]Rucas[/member] ?

 

[Rainman77]

Looks good , when are you heading out to Moab to wheel with [member=219]Rucas[/member] ?

 I wish..... Lack of job means plenty of time, but saving for a house is a bit of a bigger priority.

 

[G Beasley]

I wish..... Lack of job means plenty of time, but saving for a house is a bit of a bigger priority.

Cheap gas makes it plausible at least...

 

[Rainman77]

Well the new job means the XJ is running solid highway miles everyday again. Roughly a 55mile round trip with 50 miles just sitting on cruise at 65-70mph. 

Last weekend the battery fell on its face, never to have sparky juice again. I picked up a Champion 34/78 series because it was on sale for $105 and had a 30 month warranty. I also ordered a new 136a Durango alternator to swap in since mine still has leaky diodes and I don't trust it. This afternoon the new motor and transmission mounts came in too. It's not a ton of work, but with the new house I haven't had much time to get to the shop for maintenance. 

 

[green50gt]

So who you working for?  Did anyone from my joint call you?

 

[Rainman77]

So who you working for?  Did anyone from my joint call you?

 Never heard a word. The commute may have been a bit far and I don't have tons of experience. Thanks for trying though!

I started 3 weeks ago at Phase Sensitive Innovations. It's a small research company that does some crazy RF/mm wave imaging. It's way above my head, but they needed someone to design and package components into manufacturable products. 

 

[green50gt]

Never heard a word. The commute may have been a bit far and I don't have tons of experience. Thanks for trying though!

I started 3 weeks ago at Phase Sensitive Innovations. It's a small research company that does some crazy RF/mm wave imaging. It's way above my head, but they needed someone to design and package components into manufacturable products.

Sorry man, I tried.  That was a division that we recently acquired so I don't have any solid connections over there.

 

[Rainman77]

Sorry man, I tried.

 All good. I've had multiple people try to put in a good word at their company and the only one that answered offered me this job. 

 

[G Beasley]

Time for the XJ parts train to flow again...

 

[Rainman77]

I swapped in the upgrayeded alternator and the motor mounts. The alternator has the larger housing, so it does take a tad bit of grinding and patience for it to fit. Otherwise the connectors are all the same as the stock unit. The motor mounts definitely needed to be done, but I'm not sure how long these cheap ones will last. Tomorrow I get to see if the trans crossmember bolts will come loose to get to the trans mount. Also its 1000 miles past due for an oil change too.....

 

[Rainman77]

Today started with the oil change, then I headed out for errands in the morning. After lunch I decided to tackle the transmission mount. I was terrified that the crossmember bolts would be seized since I've never had them out, but apparently the trick is to soak them with Fluid Film and torch them a few minutes later. I could see the rust in the threads was soaked with the stuff and that much rust normally would have snapped a bolt. The old mount wasn't terribly squashed, but it definitely was coming apart. Now to wait until the Jeep decides it needs moar parts.....

 

[G Beasley]

Fluid films as a penetrant is new to me , but if it works it?s a good one to keep in your back pocket.

 

[Rainman77]

Fluid films as a penetrant is new to me , but if it works it?s a good one to keep in your back pocket.

 I watched it go under the bolt head and pop out between the crossmember and unibody when I was heating it. I also used it on the motor mount bolts and it moved in a similar fashion. Really weird to watch it move under heat, but it worked.

I only used it because it was all I had, but I may keep trying it out in the future. 

 

[Rainman77]

Last night on the way home from work some SUV decided to pancake a Jetta into me at a red light. They sped off right after it happened, but I didn't see them enough to ID it. The Jeep shanked the Jetta with the hitch and rolled the hood, but wasn't damaged other than a few scuffs on the bumper. Luckily no one was seriously injured and the cops are working on tracking the SUV driver. 

 

[badmonkey]

Glad everyone is ok! Appears the Jetta took a good jolt!

 

[Rainman77]

Glad everyone is ok! Appears the Jetta took a good jolt!

 Yeah, he was rattled but ok. They both wondered how mine barely had a scratch but his was pretty smooshed 

 

[jrainman13]

not cool on the accident. Glad everyone is fine though. People complain about trucks and suv's and jeep always having a hitch and it wrecking front ends. This is why. Tis but a scratch!

 

[G Beasley]

Holy cow!