KjWildman's XJ Build "The DEERSLAYER" ;-D

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Sep 05, 2013 5:53 am

mmmmmmmm
think I mentioned that or did I just think it and never told ya ?
:wink:

KJWildman · **Posted:** Thu Sep 05, 2013 10:53 am

You and 5 others! :roll:

But come on! Do I ever listen?

Nooooooooooooo, Not Me! :mrgreen:

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KJWildman · **Posted:** Sun Sep 15, 2013 4:19 pm

Finally got around to changing the headlight switch in the dash yesterday. Took all the bottom part of the dash off only to find out you cant get to it that way! :banghead:

Took part of the top half of the dash apart trying to get to it only to find out all you have to take out is the dash cluster and reach through from the top!! :furious:

Got it changed out and got the dash reassembled and now my stero doesn't work! gotta take it apart again! Musta unplugged or torn apart a connection in the process!!!! :banghead:

Oh well, that can wait. I don't even listen to it most of the time, just listen the hum of the tires!
Then when I finished with the dash I drilled some holes in the spare tire carrier and mounted some LED lights to it for back up lights. Don't have them wired yet .... but they're mounted! :jester:

KJWildman · **Posted:** Wed Oct 02, 2013 6:39 pm

I was asked to elaborate on the install of the LED headlights so .......

For background/memory jogger .... the lights are a 4x6 D.O.T. approved headlight. The XJ headlight bucket is 6x8, so some modifications had to be made. I removed the stock headlight and trim ring and laid the trim ring on an old plastic For Sale sign and traced that out. then I laid the new headlamp on and squared it up and traced that and cut it all out. I ended up with an "adapter/reducing ring". Then, using this template, I cut this out of some sheetmetal and ended up with this.

Because of inaccuracies with my tracing/cutting, a small amount of hand filing was necessary to make it fit just right. Here it is installed in the trim ring. I threw some hammered black on the adapter and the chrome ring

I had to file and fit the headlamp in to the trim ring also. Here it is installed.

When I (we, Tom helped!) went to install it, I discovered that not only is it smaller, it is also thinner. Even with the heat sink fins on the back. After messing with it a while and almost stopping for the night, we noticed some tabs at the back of the headlight bucket itself! :BINGO:

I asked for some channelocks and grabbed the tabs and bent them inward. Voila! problem solved! Here is a pic of the tabs we bent.

At that point it was a simple plug 'n play operation

So, there is the detailed install instruction for the XJ

MoD · **Joined:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:53 am **Posts:** 1343

I know who asked...I guess i get to try this soon...

dieselenthusiast · **Posted:** Wed Oct 02, 2013 10:40 pm

MoD wrote:

I know who asked...I guess i get to try this soon...

Or, you can buy OE replacement LEDs from Truck-Lite. http://www.quadratec.com/products/97009_8002.htm

You can find them a lot cheaper than quadratec, but at least you can see what they look like.

MoD · **Joined:** Sat Mar 17, 2012 12:53 am **Posts:** 1343

a buddy of mine just ordered these lights...already has one at his place, another on its way. so I bed i will have an xj in my driveway and two brown boxes

KJWildman · **Posted:** Thu Oct 17, 2013 9:00 pm

Received the new transfer case linkage from Froehlich Suspension Technology today. Now just have to find time to install it between work and getting my house in Toledo ready for new tenants by the first of the month.
The new linkage is adjustable for the drop crossmember with new brackets and rod ends instead of just plastic bushings.

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KJWildman · **Posted:** Sat Dec 07, 2013 3:20 am

It's just a HF/Badlands brand. I was surfing on black Friday and had to take a second look. They had it listed right next to the 8k winch at the same price of $279! :shock:

It was an impulse buy! I went back to the website a couple hours later and the price was back up to $349. I thought someone screwed up on the price on the website and I would get an email telling me "sorry, we can't sell it at that price", but sure enough it went through and was delivered Fed Ex Thursday. It is listed today at $299 with an online coupon, so I still saved $20. :juggle:

Going to be at Tom's tomorrow I think and install the Froehlich transfer case linkage, wire my LED back-up lights and maybe the Rusty's 32" stinger I bought a while back. If there's enough time we might mount up the winch. Have to see how the day goes as far as time. Have to work today/tonight so couldn't do it today.

profdlp · **Posted:** Sat Dec 07, 2013 3:37 am

Whoa - Christmas came early!

John3:17 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:14 pm

Can we get a write up on that winch once you test it out?

profdlp · **Posted:** Sat Dec 07, 2013 7:18 pm

John3:17 wrote:

Can we get a write up on that winch once you test it out?

Bonus points for explaining how you got stuck to begin with. :lol:

KJWildman · **Posted:** Mon Dec 09, 2013 1:02 am

Drove the XJ over to Tommudd's today and worked on it finally. Been working 6-7 days a week and finally made time to take care of a few things. Finally got the Froehlich Suspension Technologies transfer case linkage installed and adjusted! What a PIA! :banghead:

It replaces everything from the stock shift lever down to the transfer case. Had to remove the entire console and remove the shift lever from the floor, replace the stock piece that goes through the floor at the shift lever with the one from FST, remove all the stock linkage that attaches to the body and transfer case. Then attach the new shift lever at the xfer case and adjust the linkage. That was the hardest part. I think just that part (adjusting it ) took about 4 hours to get it just right, but now the linkage only attaches at the shift lever and the xfer case. With the stock linkage, the rods attach at the body with a lever and 2 separate rods and was binding since I installed the drop cross member and long arm kit. It seems to go in and out of 4wd nice now, no binding at all! :BANANA:

Also finally wired up those LED back-up lights. I CAN SEE!!

Then we tackled the new winch! The bolt pattern on my DnD front bumper winch plate was off by about 1/4"! :evil:

Just enough so we had to enlarge the holes with a unibit. The way the winch plate is attached to the bumper it was a royal pain to get the rear bolts on. Before we got that far tho' , the winch is big enough that it wouldn't get close to the bolt holes because the front hoop was in the way! :furious:

So we cut it off! I love Metabo cut-off wheels!! :jester:

I have a 32" stinger from Rusty's to replace it anyway!! Well, guess that's for another day.

Tom took a couple pics of the winch, maybe he'll post 'em up for me!

tommudd · **Posted:** Fri Dec 13, 2013 3:54 am

Waited 5 days,..... so that plan backfired Oh well
Here's Larrys new winch we mounted last Sunday

XJ with 4 inches of lift/33s against my KJ :wink:

OH showing Larry's winch of course

KJWildman · **Posted:** Fri Dec 13, 2013 3:05 pm

Sorry Tom, lost the internet at the house so just have access thru tapatalk. Also..... sorry I ran off without cleaning up my mess!! :cry:

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KjWildman's XJ Build "The DEERSLAYER" ;-D

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