XJ Stock to Mild Wheeler ASAP

R Q

R Q

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Charlotte
'91 xj, 4.0, AT, stock. Shooting to get it on the trails fairly quick and on the cheap!
Got some 4.5" lift coils for front, will probably do the S10 bastard pack in rear for now.
Need tow points front and rear.
Pretty soon will be putting bumper and winch on front.
Frame and steering box stiffeners soon... Ruffstuff?
It runs at about 210+ sitting in driveway idling, may need a lower thermostat?
Going to install an additional trans cooler.

Give me your ideas and experiences of what works and how you did it. What else do we need to do?
 
Add/edit:
Will be adding axles, lockers, etc., so mild may not be the right category, only for right now with room for improvement in the near future.
 
210 seems high. If its running that high idling then its a guarantee it'll overheat on the trail. Check and make sure fans work and make sure fan shroud in 100% intact.

Other than that, add a heat sink cooler inline in your low pressure side of the PS system.
 
Get it mechanically sound and make sure all of the cooling system is 100%, then go wheel it. You'll be surprised where a stock XJ can go if you can drive well. Do upgrades a little along as you start to find things you don't like or want to improve.
 
I'm on my 3rd XJ. In the dead of summer I always rode around with the hood popped. Latest one has hood vents on it. Amazing how much heat escapes thru them. The fan is also wired to a switch, but still works automatically. I just hit it early while wheeling.
Absolutely want to plate where the Steering box bolts to the frame, a good bumper does this for you.
Rock sliders if you want to save you doors and rockers. Amzing what an XJ on 31s open/open will do when driven right with some good rock sliders.
 
210 is actually normal at idle for XJs in warmer climates especially...with good functioning cooling system and 195 stock thermostat, 210 is normal ad idle and usually right at 195/200 while driving. put a 180 thermostat in it if that temp bothers you but as long as your electric fan works properly, sounds normal at idle. flush it out really really good which is cheap and water pump/thermostat as cheap as they are is a good preventative maintenance to do for any xj...along with crank sensor and tps which are the two common problematic sensors to leave you with a headache on the trail. Trans cooler and power steering cooler are great add-ons and so is the switch for the electric fan since they won't cut on until 220(dual stock electric fans is even better and gain a few hp while at it too). happy Jeepin!!
 
Whats the best way to wire the electric fan so we can turn it on early?
Today we flushed cooling system, replaced a couple hoses and the thermostat. All fans are functioning buit would like to be able to turn on the electric one as needed.
 
Oh another question, I'm adding some leaves to the rear packs and wanted to take the stock ones completely out so I can get my measurements right. The front bolt that holds the spring pack to the frame is ridiculously stuck. I can get them to move some but it seems that maybe there's a captured nut within the frame?
 
R Q said:
Whats the best way to wire the electric fan so we can turn it on early?
Today we flushed cooling system, replaced a couple hoses and the thermostat. All fans are functioning buit would like to be able to turn on the electric one as needed.
Click to expand...
I straight wired it to come on with the ignition, lazy yes but if you never try to cross deep water I don't see the problem
 
R Q said:
Whats the best way to wire the electric fan so we can turn it on early?
Today we flushed cooling system, replaced a couple hoses and the thermostat. All fans are functioning buit would like to be able to turn on the electric one as needed.
Click to expand...
leave the factory plug connected and just splice in to the hot wire and go to a switch you mount on the dash...that way if you ever "forget" to turn it on, the computer will do it for you at 220. this works great and you only have to run one wire from switch to fan and back.
R Q said:
I can get them to move some but it seems that maybe there's a captured nut within the frame?
Click to expand...
ohhhhhhh boy oh boy...have fun lol. they are ALWAYS tight so use breaker bar and just hope it comes...i've had many many that seem to strip coming out or even think they turn with the sleeve but they come out and "they will come out hard ALL the way". best if you can put a real strong air gun on em and hit the crap out of it...oil the gun real good, and keep hitting it with short socket and no extension to get most torque out of the gun...worse case is the bolt turns with the sleeve in the middle which then you have to cut the bolt out and that sucks pretty bad...reach in through frame rail holes that are past and before that nut and spray the hell out of it with PB blaster in the whole frame rail before continuing...the nut is welded to the frame and spray it good then hit it with air gun..
 
Rear leaf is a capture nut(gas tank in the way) just PB Blast both ends and the sleeve a week before wrenching.
I used Econoline Van leaf springs (HD for carpet hanging out the back) the eye holes match up to the XJ and will pop the rear about 3 inches...I went with 1.5 TerFlex shackles also.
 
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