never build a ZJ......

[JackstandJohnny]

never build a ZJ,  it is costly, a pain in the butt and still barely capable and they break, have crap trannies and D35 rear ends. 
why bother?

cause i like em.

this is the new build.  it will be fairly tame.  33s, 4" lift, winch and rear 8.8, NP 242 swap,  some armour etc.  i want to keep it very streetable.  anyways, pics!

bone stock on 27s......



fixed some cancer;  this is just a patch fix until i cut the rockers out and put in sliders



Rough Country Winch plate.  this thing is cool. it bolts into the stock tow hook spot and into the rad support.  for 225$ it looks pretty cool!
basically this bolts into the 'frame' and you cut the stock bumper to sit around it.  i will add towhooks tonight.










The lift is a rough country Xflex. It came with 6 adjustable arms.  Install in the rear was a snap.  Front was a bitch.  Mostly cause short arms suck and the coils were really long.  The arms are beefy but the joints have some sort of rubber bushing and I doubt they’ll last long.  However I think they will be compatible with johnnyjoints, so they will be replaced.   I also put in an RE front adjustable trackbar, some extended YJ brake lines in the front, and ordered up some adjustable uppers from Jay.  I added a .75” spacer up front to compensate for the winch but I might add one in the rear too. I will also be making swaybar discos.

Overall, the lift is ok; its not long arms and does ride a little harsh.  I’m sure good shocks would help.  Bilsteins eventually maybe.

Tires are 265x75r16 Goodyear silent Armours, grabbed them off kijiji.  These will work for the road.  I will also grab some 33s as soon as some funds are cleared up.  They don’t rub on the street. i will add some action pics whenever i get out on the trail; these will do for now. I’ll be cutting some fender out for that, stay tuned

[NUXJR]

Lookin' good Johnny!!!  Jay will have some of the IRO ZJ rockrails coming soon.  I asked him to bring them in for my ZJ but since the Rango is still not sold you might as well have em.  Besides, I wanna do something to fix up my rockers before I put on the rails.  Thinking I'm gunna be doing the RC winch mount too!!  Would rather do an ARB but durn they expensive and I seem to be stuck with a shiny Champion that won't fit in an ARB .

[TL-Iguana]

i want to keep it very streetable. 

Thats definately relieving, cuz we are all comfortable with you web-wheeling, and not out on the trail

[RUBICON13]

Do the Coors Lights come stock with that bumper?

Do they have one that comes with Crown Royal? If so, I want one!

[raf2379]

Looks good, get them 33's on her.

[JackstandJohnny]

Do the Coors Lights come stock with that bumper?

Do they have one that comes with Crown Royal? If so, I want one!

no crown, just coors

33s soon Raf, just need to sell some stuff and get some cashola

[Knox]

hey Johnny, you mentioned you were putting in a 8.8 rear, what's in the front currently? you sticking with that?

[Uboatcmdr]

Not sure if you got an 8.8 already but,
Got one sitting in the garage for sale.
3.55 gears, New disks and pads as of 2009(just before i hydro locked the explorer it was in )

Pm me if your interested

[cLAY]

Nice Build. Thats along the lines of how I want to build my 5.9 project. Totally streetable.

I hear you on the costly/pain in the but thing. Everything costs more than an XJ and not as many used parts floating around. Also even with long arms my ZJ isn't as stable as my with rear leafs was. Some days I seriously consider putting leaf packs in the back of the ZJ.

[NUXJR]

Nice Build. Thats along the lines of how I want to build my 5.9 project. Totally streetable.

I hear you on the costly/pain in the but thing. Everything costs more than an XJ and not as many used parts floating around. Also even with long arms my ZJ isn't as stable as my with rear leafs was. Some days I seriously consider putting leaf packs in the back of the ZJ.

Using the bigger swaybar in the rear is supposed to help alot...Addico or something like that I think.  Would be nice if there were quick disconnects for rear too or would that make things too unstable on the trails?

[JackstandJohnny]

yep i hear ya clay.  ZJ = pain in the butt!


rob i'd run a rear swaybar of some sort; they are really unstable without one!

steve, the 8.8 i will eventually grab off jamey. its 3.73 gears so i should be able to swap it in.  i'll order up an IRO bracket kit and then goto town.  the front i'm just staying with a D30 for now.  only goin with 33s so it should be fine.


today i'm starting on my np 231 swap

[cLAY]

I run with no sway bars in my lifted '93, the ram assist steering in the front is in the way of the sway bar links and everytime I got really flexed out I snapped the rear one.

Its pretty unstable with LA, 8" of lift, no limiting straps and no sway bars. In fact I just picked up an ADDACO sway bar today from Jay. Its actually for a TJ but the stock one was too wide, REALLY close to the inner sideswalls on my 36X13.5 tires. Even with the 65" wide rear D60.

The TJ Addaco sway bar is way thicker than the ZJ one and much narrower. So I'm hoping it will be just what I need.

I would say that for wheeling a ZJ you should have the rear hooked up, the stock one is pretty thin so it shouldn't limit things too much.

[Sean778]

It looks deadly buddy, maybe it just takes four or five ZJs to get one right!      

[JackstandJohnny]

It looks deadly buddy, maybe it just takes four or five ZJs to get one right!      

this won't be done right either cmon lol.

so update, tomorrow i'm gonna wap the 231 in; i swapped inputs already from a donor 249, it was easy as pie.  i still need some ujoint axle shafts to get rid of the crap CVs up front

however, don't know when i'll be able to get 33s on her or start on the rear 8.8 swap. currently unemployed   probably not the greatest thing to be spending money on right now.........

[cLAY]

Thats always the way. When you are working you don't have time, when you are not working you don't have the money.