Steves XJ

[Steve F]

I lost my build thread in a terrible forum accident a few days ago so decided I'd put up a new condensed version.

First up I got the XJ in November 2002, joined SJC in Feb 2003 (first meeting of the year) and went from there.

I'd already done some mods with a simple budget boost lift and 30x9.5 AT's. It got a dual battery setup and false floor not long after this.

Below is a pic of my first trip offroad.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Jeep-pics.jpg

It stayed like that for a while and then in 2005 some time it went to 4" of lift, it also had a tyre carrier on it by then and had done a Jambo and the Flinders Ranges

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/100_1044.jpg

Next it got some 31's it had also got a home made front bar and snorkel in there somewhere as well as homemade rock sliders.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Jeep007.jpg

Next.......

[Steve F]

Jump forward to 2008 and it got 32" tyres and had a few other mods including a bit more lift, it also had a CarPC at this stage for offroad and street mapping

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/NewLift1.jpg

Next it was time for some big changes, 2010 prior to Jambo. First up was a D44 with locker, ratios (4.56) and bushwacker flares along with other bits and pieces.

Shortly after that 35's went on and a homemade roofrack for the roof top tent

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/IMG_4170nonum.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Jeep%20on%2035s/IMG_4655.jpg

And finally the latest bigish mod has been to build some drawers and hard mount the compressor etc.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0097.jpg

And then......

[reyzor]

looks good steve..... spewing you lost the other thread.....

[Steve F]

The latest addition..... some homemade mudflaps ;)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Mudflaps/IMG_0420.jpg

The total build spec so far includes..

Suspension
5" lift, RE adjustable super flex lower arms, RE coils, Bilstein 5150 piggy back front shockes, OME rear LT shocks, Rear RE leaf pack with boomerang shackle, JKS disconnects, control arm drop brackets up front.

Exterior
Homemade winchbar (with 8500lb winch), rear bar with tyre carrier and sliders.
Homemade roofrack, Snorkel, Homemade mudflaps, raised gearbox xmember, Narva 175 lights with HID inserts, LED rock lights, rear LED work light, Bushwacker flat flares
Soft 8 15x8 wheels with Maxxis Bighorn 35x12.5 tyres.
Rear D44 diff with 4.56 ratios in Detroit Locker, front D30 with 4.56
Towbar, 120lt fuel tank
BA Falcon front disks and calipers, extended brake lines, Wooders Panhard and panhard bracket, custom steering dampner mount, RTC steering dampner.
Dual battery setup, reversing camera in rear bar, LED rear lights, aftermarket taillights.

Interior
GME UHF, CarPC with touch screen on dash, rear storage system, cargo barrier additional 12v power, all LED lighting, alarm with paging remote
12V twin head compressor, 50lt Waeco Fridge and again more.

I think that might be it all :)

Cheers
Steve

[Wolfe]

I like your mudflaps steve I was admiring them on the swingbridge trip I'll have to see how you did them to see wether it will work with mine


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-33.788321,151.087125

[stevet]

Sounds like you are in the running for monthly "Buggar" award Mr.Web Master....:p....................lol...:)......... Sorry you lost all those good build-up stories on there.:(.......:)... Do the web folk's keep a seperate log/record of our site??...........

[Steve F]

Sounds like you are in the running for monthly "Buggar" award Mr.Web Master....:p....................lol...:)......... Sorry you lost all those good build-up stories on there.:(.......:)... Do the web folk's keep a seperate log/record of our site??...........

I have a backup but its a bit tricky pullingone or two threads out of it so I'm not going to bother with the time on it :)

Cheers
Steve

[stevet]

I have a backup but its a bit tricky pullingone or two threads out of it so I'm not going to bother with the time on it :)

Cheers
Steve

Still in line for the award though..lol......:)..

[Steve F]

Mounted the awning to the roof rack today in preperation for the cape :)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Roof%20Rack/IMG_0635_nonum.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Roof%20Rack/IMG_0639.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[bogged]

Nice Growth!

[Steve F]

Finished the shelf for above the fridge, it attaches to the cargo barrier with hose clamps, it isn't going anywhere. I'll be adding a chain from the corners closest to the tailgate up to the child seat clip on the roof, I'll also add some turnbuckles to put a little tension on it to support it, it'll stop it making the cargo barrier flex at all and should be very solid. It'll be used for light but bulky stuff so I can make full ise of the available space in the back :)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0712.jpg

The cutout on the shelf is to allow the pass thru hatch in the cargo barrier to still open. I also made the shelf short enough so the fridge lid can open ;) and I can reach the controls.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0715.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0702.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Added the shelf supports, I used some turnbuckles and chain with heatshrink (the type with glue in it) over the chain so it doesn't rattle with no load on it.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0719.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0721.jpg

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0718.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Added the inverter today, it's temporarily wired in to a merit plug (25A which is about 250W-300W) and is fused accordingly, this is enough for the cape trip as all it has to do is recharge my laptop and run a 110W vacuum sealer. When I get back I'll wire it in to much thicker cable so it can support the full 120A (startup load). I mounted it under the shelf so it was nice and high, my last one was mounted under the front seat and died when I drowned the XJ and got water and mud up over the top of it.

Also stained and lacquered the small table top that sits on top of the drawer, it only covers half the drawer and is just to put things in when I take them out of the fridge etc when there is no room anywhere else :)

600W/1200W ALDI inverter $59.95 on sale :)

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0800.jpg

You can see its location under the shelf here

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0799.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[reyzor]

looks good steve

[Steve F]

Made a bracket to mount one of the fire extinguishers. It's 4mm plate and mounts to the front seat bolts, I had to noth it to fit around the seat uprights but that meant I could mount the bracket higher than the seat bolts and give the extinguisher enough room to clear the floor.

The extinguisher bracket is bolted to the mount through some tapped holes and then with some thin nuts on the back. Last thing I want is for it to come off and roll around the floor at my feet. Also wrapped the bracket in carpet as I had some left from my drawers.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc200/steveff/Storage%20System/IMG_0808.jpg

Cheers
Steve

[memfis]

Hi can you tell me what the cargo barrier is out of thanks
It all looks good

[Steve F]

Hi can you tell me what the cargo barrier is out of thanks
It all looks good

It's from a 98 Magna wagon, got it given to me and was a shame not to use it :) The commadore wagon ones fit pretty good as well I think.

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

Time for another upgrade, the eeepc car pc is being replaced (no problems with it but the lure of Android got me) with an Android tablet (Motorola Xoom) it was cheap, is on the list for Android 4.0, it has a better screen resolution, 32GB built in (adding another 32GB in the micro sd slot for movies and music). So far I have Androzic and all my Oziexplorer maps on it as well as Sygic for street mapping and Torque for the ODBII bluetooth software. Now I need to get a mount for it and do the swap.

Cheers
Steve

[Steve F]

http://www.4wdaction.com.au/articles/2011/then-and-now

Cheers
Steve

[Wolfe]

You're a superstar!!!!

[Negdriver]

Nice one Steve. Looking real nice there too.

[Steve F]

That's an article from the mag early this year (Feb I think) actuall shot last year, recycled for use online.

Cheers
Steve