Jeep Build.....

[ChrisR1S]

I used Herculiner for the floor in my XJ after I fought the small rust patches. Its been done since August and still looks new even after winter abuse and hauling parts. To clean it, I removed the big 3" OEM plugs in the very front corner of each floorboard and replaced them with 3" pipe test plugs from Home Depot; just remove the plugs, rinse the interior down, spray with purple power, scrub with tire brush, and rinse.

 

[mjonesjr]

I planned on taking the rubber plugs out when I did the bed liner, but I was going to reuse them. Do you have any pictures of the pipe plugs you used?

 

[ChrisR1S]

Ill edit this post and post them up in about an hour

EDIT: Here you go: (excuse the "clean" floor)

 

[mjonesjr]

I ordered a Novak cable shifter kit for my transfer case today. I got tired of the 4-Lo popping out and the shifter linkage coming out of its brackets.

I got lucky when I called. They had 2 in stock. Novak said they are selling off the shelves as fast as they can get them.

http://www.novak-adapt.com/catalog/shifters/sk2xc.htm

Stock Shifter Linkage:

Novak Cable Shifter:

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

Looking good Jones!

 

[Kage]

Quick note on the Herc. Liner (as I've got the same stuff in my XJ). Make sure you've got some decent exhaust heat shields in place as it doesn't seem to take much to make the stuff start to melt. Though that could be more of the effect that every time I go out, I wind up bending the exhaust into the floor

That said, unless you plan on dunking it frequently, I'd reconsider ditching the carpet as its nice to have some heat/sound deadening there. You could also cut up some of the carpet to keep some heat off of you. Take a quick lookie loo at what I did long ago (other examples of this are over on NAXJA).. Linky to my old build on SIJA

And I feel your pain on rust repair...

 

[mjonesjr]

I don't plan on dunking it, but I don't want the mud to get ground into the carpet; not to mention the ease of cleaning the inside out.

The heat shield for the muffler is gone. I had planned on replacing it with something there before I bed line the floor for the heat reason. I think heat has a lot to do with why the floor above the muffler is rusted.


I got my Novak shifter in today. This thing looks beefy. I can't wait to get it installed as I have a trip planned for Sunday. Too bad it is going to have to wait until tomorrow after work to install it.

The Novak shifter replaces all the brackets (transmission, body, and transfer case) that the stock shifter uses and replaces the linkage with a cable.

Whole Shifter:

Transfer Case End:

Shifter End:

 

[mjonesjr]

I got the Novak shifter installed tonight. It was actually pretty easy to install, it was the adjustment to get it to shift right that was the hardest part.

It shifts amazingly well. It is VERY smooth through all the selections. I wish they made one for a Ranger so you could see how well it shifted. This would be a good replacement if you couldn't find a BW1354 shifter.

 

[4.0B2]

I wish my 1354 needed a shift linkage!

 

[mjonesjr]

Hit the trails today at Dirty Turtle Off Road park in Bedford, KY. It was a muddy mess, but it was a blast.

My brothers TJ is the blue one in the pictures.

I got a little trail damage. I hit a tree with the right front fender.

I also slid into a tree with the drivers door. The window was down which caused it to shatter inside the door. It also busted the door handle pretty good.

Pull-A-Part will get some of my money tomorrow.



Rest of the pictures.

This guy beat the crap out of this Ranger on this trail. There wasn't a straight body panel when he got back down.

Ripped a KC light off the bumper.

Trying to get into the parking lot was interesting.

 

[88_Eddie]

looks like it was fun, nice pics

 

[mjonesjr]

It was a blast.

 

[mjonesjr]

Got almost all of the trail damage repaired. I just need to find a head light bezel and I will be done.

I also cut out the fender a little different than the driver side. I cut it out to where the top of the fender flare would have been. I need to flex out the front to see if it is enough. I am on the hunt for another red driver side fender so I can cut it out the same way.

Replacing the driver door window was a ton easier than I expected. Got the new window out of the spare door and into my XJ in about an hour total.

 

[88_Eddie]

looks good mr jones.....it looks a lot better than what the PO did IMO. the other cuts were kinda wavy


i think you ought to cut that lip off the rear wheel well

 

[mjonesjr]

looks good mr jones.....it looks a lot better than what the PO did IMO. the other cuts were kinda wavy


i think you ought to cut that lip off the rear wheel well

I plan on cutting the rear out a bit more. It requires a little more work since it is a 2 piece design. The inner fender and the outer fender are spot welded together there.