B2XJ - Low and Fast

[91oneton]

when installing a sye u sometimes have to shorten the shift rod where it extends beyond the back half of the case.. to access this u need to take the tail shaft cover off. when looking from the back the shift rod comes out on the driver side. hope this helps.

 

[91oneton]

sye

here is a pic

if the shift rod hits the back cover it will not shift into all ranges

 

[loki_racer]

Installed the IPF H4 conversion. Went from 55 watts to 185 watts. There's a slight difference in the visibility now.



Tieing in the wiring harness to the headlight controls.


Mounting the relays


Relays out of the way


H4's complete








I found out that it's illegal to change your own oil or transmission fluid here. I also found out it's illegal to ship transmission fluid through USPS, but it's legal (and I kid you not) live chickens.

Still no 4x4 until I can get transmission fluid. Ordered some from Amazon last week, so maybe I'll have 4x4 by February.

 

[91oneton]

SYE

what was wrong with the sye kit.

 

[loki_racer]

Not sure, I haven't been able to open it yet. Still waiting for transmission fluid to arrive via mail. It can't be bought on the economy because it's illegal to change your own fluids. Amazon should be delivering transmission fluid soon.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Man I hope they don't have to many laws like that all of us take for granted. Sucks the case isn't acting right. I never once even considered pulling the lever while the jeep was in my hands, seems like the instal was fairly fresh when you brought it down my way. Hope you get it resolved and definately post up some pics. I've never encountered a problem with the units I have installed I'd like to learn what to look for exactly.

Got to get that thing on some European rocks and get some of that foreign rash!

 

[loki_racer]

seems like the instal was fairly fresh when you brought it down my way.

That's the understatement of the year. That night I met you guys, I drove it straight from the place that rebuilt the tcase and installed the SYE to meet you.

91oneton mentioned what the solution is. I guess some tcases have a longer......shift rod I think it's called and it strikes the back of the tail housing. My understanding is to remove the tail housing, and cut down all but 1" of that rod.

The laws here are insane. You can't paint your vehicle, you can't put non-stock tires sizes on, no extra lights (fogs lights, roof lights, running lights), no changing your own fluids, no winches allowed, I could go on for a while.

The second time I pulled on to base after picking the Jeep up, the Italian cops (they have a checkpoint outside the American checkpoint) stopped me. They didn't ask for paperwork, license, registration, or proof of insurance. They asked, and I quote, "is it fun?". They also wanted to know why I have a CB and what the onboard air oil catch was. They got in to check out the seats and sent me on my way. That's my only run in with the law so far, but I've only driven it maybe 30 miles since I got it.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

so what do you tell the po po......we'll its stockish......or speacial edition.....limited production.......or being an American has its perks and were not all assholes out to tell the world how to live (sorry I got political on that one)

 

[loki_racer]

so what do you tell the po po......we'll its stockish......or speacial edition.....limited production.......or being an American has its perks and were not all assholes out to tell the world how to live (sorry I got political on that one)

Cops are different here. They aren't here to punish people. I've never seen them writing a speeding ticket, or any ticket for that matter. They run check points a lot, but it's to check for illegal Africans. For the most part, they are very mellow. They do carry machine guns though, 1 in every 3 seems to be the rule. And they have zero, I mean zero muzzle discipline.

The locals welcomed my Jeep to the neighborhood:







Rats love some Corbeau.

 

[REDLYNER]

Dude.... were those container ship rats, or Italy rats?

 

[loki_racer]

Dude.... were those container ship rats, or Italy rats?

Straight Italian rats. Raz (my Brittney) has killed two rats the size of subway sandwiches.

Seats had less than 100 miles on them.

 

[loki_racer]

Window racks installed and expedition style mods starting up.

 

[koolaid5]

just found and read through the thread. AMAZING!!!! that is all I have to say.....

 

[loki_racer]

I finally got the XJ running again. Took me a while to figure out that the shift rod spring wasn't installed by the guy that did the tcase rebuild. So any slight acceleration would auto-shift it to 4x4. I opened the bolt at the rear of the shift rod and stuffed some doorbell wire in there to hold the shift rod in 2wd.

I chickened out on installing the lift shackles. I'm afraid it will be too much shackle to get the lift leveled out. Anyone have any recommendations for lifting the rear 5-6". I'd like to run a 3" or so shackle.

 

[91oneton]

I would recommend taking some additional leafes and cutting them just a little longer than your spring perch. Sometimes we take 1/2 flat stock and drill a center pin hole and bolt through the leaf pack. Similar to a block but with the security of a center pin holding it.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

I can't tell what you meant in your rear lift question. 5-6"???? That much more lift or you actually need _______ amount to make it level? Since you seem very oriented toward gear and expedition style building I would recommend something that allows you to remain flexible and add spring rate to compensate for load as needed. With as much gear and add ons your going to carry extreme articulation doesn't seem to fit the build. I suggest a chargable air shock. Gabriel used to make some that had a standard air fitting that you could add standard compressed air to carry greater loads. That or a air bag system. Either way you could gradually compensate for add ons. Check your shock travel, I remember you were running a very lowered bump stop already, I don't think either would hinder your available travel all that much. If you got on board air you could get spiffey and build a low buck on board moniter and on the fly adjustable system. Rancho used to make such a bolt on sytem. I have installed some in the past, they may still make it.

 

[loki_racer]

Four months since my last update. So painful. The Jeep took a backseat for a while as my training has geared up. Burning 4000 calories in a shorter ride, 3 or 4 times a week has forced me to start eating anything not bolted down. I'm about to join the rats still munching on my seats. 12 weeks to my race, so I'm in crunch time. I'm riding about 400km a week now.



I finally got the shift mode spring installed in the NP231.

Here was the problem:


Here was my temporary solution:


Missing NP231 Shift Mode Spring:


Hopefully tomorrow I can do a short shake down run. None of the Jeep owners on base seem to want to go wheeling, so I'll have to go it alone I guess.

A little training video:

 

[jeepinmatt]

Obviously I missed something. What are you training for? Looked like a fun ride.

 

[loki_racer]

Obviously I missed something. What are you training for? Looked like a fun ride.

Iron Bike 2012, a multi-day race billed as the hardest mountain bike race in the world. We're required to camp onsite and race anywhere from 20km to 180km in a day, climbing around 6000m a day, for 6 days in the Swiss/Italian Alps. Hopefully the XJ will be able to make the 6 hour drive up to the race and be my support vehicle.

 

[WARRIORWELDING]

Thats plain nuts, I mean the bicycle part! good luck.

 

[loki_racer]

A trail near Calci, Italy. Nothing major, just getting the Jeep off the pavement for the first time.







Go to 4:50 to see a normal Italian intersection (this is actually the intersection next to the Leaning Tower). Go to 7:00 for the only 4x4. She's having an issue cranking, so I was nervous to put it in 4LO, so this is 4HI. The farmer that owns the land was tired of street walkers bringing their clients off this dirt road and on to his property (which we live on), so he took his backhoe down there and built a huge berm. I ignored the berm.

 

[loki_racer]

Found the reason for the hard start. The ground wire was loose She's running like a top again. We've started stockpiling fuel coupons (complex system for buying fuel on the economy at US prices) for July as I estimate we will need something like 400 liters for the round trip. Was stopped by the police on Friday. Insurance expired 8 days prior and the rats had eaten part of my registration. They were super friendly and cut me loose with a verbal warning to get the insurance updated.

Finally got a bike mounting solution:

My backup rig will fit on the other side of the rack and hopefully our cargo bag can go between them.

If anyone sells Chris King bike hubs, Mavic or Stans wheels or Maxxis tires (bike tires, the Ikons specifically) let me know. I need to get a tubeless 29er set before mid-June.

 

[loki_racer]

Made the XJ watch while I gave some attention to my Cannondale. Installed some new Maxxis Ikon EXO 29er's and Stan's NoTubes tubeless kit. I bet I lost 5lbs. off the wheels. Now both my mules wear Maxxis. The race is next Saturday.



Installed some new hood vents

 

[kf_chris]

I'm really surprised you can't get away with more. When I lived in Sicily it was ok for people (Italians not many americans) to have modified vehicles...they went trail riding and I saw them fairly regularly on the streets with muddied up "jeeps". You can't get fluids at the auto hobby shop? or is there one even there? Nice jeep man.

 

[loki_racer]

Decided to keep her. No longer for sale.