Project Bigfoot: Daltons XJ build

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:45 pm

Sold the Libby, youve all seen it so im not going to post any pics of it.
Bought a stock 99 XJ Sport:
4.0L I6, D30 Front, D35 Rear, NP242 Trans, Trac-Loc, 3.55 Gearing, Full skids

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 1:52 pm

Plans:

Red=Completed

-New radio and speakers
-4.5" RC X series lift, with adjustable uppers and lowers
-RC CA drop brackets
-33x12.5x15 Goodyear Duratracs
-Procomp 15x8 rims, 3.75" BS
-Trimmed Fenders
-Herculine rocker panels
-Custom front and rear bumpers
-Rock Rails
-D44 or Ford 8.8 Rear axle

kskj · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 2:31 pm

Looks like a great start! That is the same lift we put on my brothers XJ last year. Except he did not get the adjustable uppers and lowers.

JeepBumm68 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 2:53 pm

great looking xj man. If your willing to do a bit of traveling, My buddy here in colorado does full install for a good price on the 8.8. Hooks it straight up with the bracket kit, fully welds the tube, and regears and everything.

Great choice getting rid of the d35. its just polishing a turd doing any work to it. What are you building the CJ for?

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:02 pm

kskj wrote:

Looks like a great start! That is the same lift we put on my brothers XJ last year. Except he did not get the adjustable uppers and lowers.

Thanks! Yeah Ive heard pretty good things about this kit, and the drop brackets are supposed to improve the ride alot.

JeepBumm68 wrote:

great looking xj man. If your willing to do a bit of traveling, My buddy here in colorado does full install for a good price on the 8.8. Hooks it straight up with the bracket kit, fully welds the tube, and regears and everything.

Great choice getting rid of the d35. its just polishing a turd doing any work to it. What are you building the CJ for?

Thank you for the offer, but when i get ready to do it I have a friend that is a mechanic and re-gears for cheap. And I like working on stuff like that, part of the fun is stripping off all the old mounts off the axle, buying new ones and rebuilding it. :mrgreen:

And yeah, Ive heard alot of bad things about the 35. Im building it to have a reliable DD, that can do tougher trails then the KJ could. Ive always loved the look of a built Xj as well. Love your KJ, have you had the chance to wheel it yet?

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:03 pm

I know from helping my dad change out his rear shocks, my rear upper shock bolts WILL break. So i made these to take them completely out of the question. Gonna weld them over the OE shock location. I will be sure to make 3-4 passes.
Sorry for the crappy looking welds, i was using flux core for the first time.

Vranes17 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 4:11 pm

lol is that gonna hold up? I work for a welding company, dont do any welding but looks like a shotty job to me. Long as it wil hold up nice job, been wanting to learn for a while. I mess around with the ARC welder here and there but it scares me, I need someone to teach mee.

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 5:34 pm

Vranes17 wrote:

lol is that gonna hold up? I work for a welding company, dont do any welding but looks like a shotty job to me. Long as it wil hold up nice job, been wanting to learn for a while. I mess around with the ARC welder here and there but it scares me, I need someone to teach mee.

It'll hold. I ran 3 passes on everything- It just looks like crap because i couldn't get the wire wheel in there to clean the welds off, and i had the voltage cranked so i could get max penetration, sooo lots of spatter. Using MIG with gas is so much easier and cleaner.

Vranes17 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 5:56 pm

did you chip off the flux? or is there none in the type you did

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 6:19 pm

I chipped it all off, let it cool, wire wheeled what i could get to then made 2 more passes.

Vranes17 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:35 pm

well arent you suppose to chip and wire brush it after every pass? or at least the end result chipped and brushed..

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 7:43 pm

I did chip and wire wheel after every pass. Just didn't feel like typing it out 3 times. The spatter in the middle i couldnt get to

Vranes17 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 8:03 pm

kk it was more of for my own knowledge than try n bash you, cheers :5SHOTS:

TAHOE · **Posted:** Sat Dec 25, 2010 10:28 pm

You wasted no time on the new mods did ya. :BANANA:

Going to be a nice little rig the rate you're going.

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Mon Dec 27, 2010 12:11 am

TAHOE wrote:

You wasted no time on the new mods did ya. :BANANA:

Going to be a nice little rig the rate you're going.

No time at all, its a great feeling to have EXTRA money and not have to go mow a few lawns to buy a part :SOMBRERO:

welding on that thin stuff, upside down :dizzy:

, and having to grind off the factory undercoating is terribleeeeeee

Here are the upper mounts welded into place. Rear is completely done, front will be done tomorrow.

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Dec 29, 2010 10:36 am

Flame Red is probably the best color from the factory on the XJ, and Solar Yellow is a close second. It’s nice to see another XJ build, hopefully this section on LOST will inspire more people to build XJ’s, LOL.

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:08 am

Got the lift on and aligned. It rides pretty good, pretty much stock with a few more noticeable bumps.

Trimmed the fenders to get ready for 33's:

And I scored a deal on some 33x12.5x15 Mickey Thompson ATZs. All 4 (3 at 60% tread, 1 at 100%) for $200. And tomorrow im going to pick up 5 black steelies with a BFG MT mounted on one, for $100 + my stock leaf springs. Not to shabby if i dont say so myself :lol:

kskj · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:13 am

Looks good, I like the way you cut your fenders.

daltonamorph · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:25 am

kskj wrote:

Looks good, I like the way you cut your fenders.

Lol I had seen people cut the little points around the spot welds and decided to try that- that lasted all of 5 cuts after i realized how long it was gonna take.

On a side note, my mom walked out into the garage while i was in the middle of cutting...what a weird conversation that was...My dad knew what i meant when i said "Trim." I guess my mom didn't realize that included cutting slits then hammering on a perfectly good Jeep. :jester:

jeep4life7 · **Posted:** Tue Jan 04, 2011 12:28 am

dang u must be pretty rich, ur lucky man build while u have money i guess thats looking awsome though

Project Bigfoot: Daltons XJ build

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