blunt0bject's 96 XJ

[blunt0bject]

So i've never been a strong writer, and to be honest there's quite a few things i'd rather have written for me while i'll do the work.

But after running into another problem with my Jeep and finding the answer word for word on another forum, i believe it's my time to start paying it forward.

well I got the 96 a few months ago and have been doing my best to get it to the condition i want it in. Rear axle, u-joints were the first to get replaced thanks to John over at planet auto. Since then i have just thrown some new rear shocks in, tried to update the leafs but got ripped off (have a set of rough country 1.5" shackles to negate the sag)

My plan for this coming weekend had been to finally fix the rear end sag and throw the rest of the budget 2in rough country kit i got with the shackles. Before the cherokee i had an 89 blazer s10 and before that died i had gotten a set of leafs for it at the yard. Since that truck no longer exists and it is currently serving its purpose teaching kids that "kars" is not a word, the leaf packs got ripped apart and the 2nd next to the main is being added to hopefully regain my 1.5". Hello bastard, pack.
I plan on taking pics and giving a full writeup for that project...

Unfortunately the trucks been giving me some new startup noises since the weather got cold and i just noticed a nice green pool underneath the front end when i woke up the other day.
Figuring its the temperature change and i just have a lose hose i tightened all the clamps i could find.

Now to explain this correctly i am BAD LUCK.
when i go out fishing with my bros, no one catches a thing.
i've never won a raffle/contest in my life
historically with me if it can go wrong it does

so naturally after i tightened all the hoses it started leaking quicker.

well it looks like from what i found on cherokeeforum its the water pump. It explains why i cant really see where the leaks coming from and explains the new startup noises.

so hopefully tomorrow morning i get a chance to fix this.

then next weekend is the bastard pack experiment. which would be nice, so tired of being the "stock" guy

[HuLuD44]

Welcome to the forum. Sound like a good plan you have worked out. A new water pump is a solid thing to do when first buying an older vehicle. You have to have a solid base before you can start building on top of it. Got any pics of the Jeep?

[stan98tj]

What does your Rough Country kit come with? I have the 2.5" kit for my wrangler, which i upgraded to the 3.25" kit. Mine came with new shocks and springs as well as a t-case drop. Rough Country is great for those simple, 2" kits as they are very well priced, replace shocks and springs and they aren't too complicated and don't have too many components such as the 4" or higher kits, where one should go with a top brand name rather than RC. I've had the kit for 4 yrs and am now just starting to think of swapping it out. It has served its purpose and doesn't owe me a dime and is still good.

[blunt0bject]

Thank you, i would love to post some pics, but right now the only thing i have that takes pics is my phone. Which funny enough ended up underneath evilpersona's 33's after a long night at millers ale house. Surprisingly it still works, but pics aren't an option anymore. lol
i'll try and get some up this week.

and stan98tj i got the kit(its the rough country budget 2in lift) from the same guy i bought the leafs from, it only comes with the adjustable shackle two lift blocks and two spring spacers. Not really that functional, i just already have it and just want to not be so stock looking right now.

i did put evilpersona's 3.5 in RC lift with him, on his 97 grand. it was a solid kit, tubular control arms, front springs, hydro shocks, sway bar links. Just personally i wasn't crazy about him having to reuse the stock front springs just relocated to the back and how they have you drill out a spot for the track bar (it just looks weak). Otherwise they're a strong kit.
Sadly he got into an accident with it and some lady plowed into his wheel.
But the kit took the beating, the arms are still good, it was the brackets that gave.

[Goonies.nsd]

Hey James. Bout time you came to the party. I dont have any pics of James 96. But i will say that he had his Dana 35 go bad and we upgraded to the higher spline C 8.25 out of a 98 XJ.

Looking forward to the ongoing build. We can wait for pics LOL.