p@55w0rd's XK Build

[p@55w0rd]

Some History
When I purchased my Commander back in 2008 I put a lift and tires on it and enjoyed some tame offroading. On my 40th birthday my wife surprised me and told me to go get a trail rig and stop beating up the Commander. So I took the XK back to stock and purchased a 1979 Wagoneer. Spent the first year making it drivable and the last two wheeling it. Well last month someone made me an offer to purchase and after some deep thought I accepted the offer.

Well I now find myself with a fat wallet and a desire to make the XK my primary wheeling rig. On the first go around I coveted the OME lift and now I have the means to get it and a lot of other stuff. I need some assistance with choosing components to help convert the XK into a rig that suits my needs. I primarily wheel in Ohio at Southington Off Road Park, but I have gone to the Badlands in Indiana, and Flagpole in Virginia, and frequent the Outbanks in North Carolina. I would like to try to get out west to meet up with the Camp Commander's that are usually in Colorado.

XK Specs:
2008 Rock Mountain Edition
4.7
Tow package
Quadra Trac

What I would like to do:

Front winch bumper w/ winch
Rear tire carrier bumper
OME lift
Front sway disconnects
Rear sway disconnects
32" or better tires (275/70R17?) - really need input here!
FlashPAQ to fix trans shifting points and get a few more torques
New front skid to complement the bumper
Trans/Catalytic skid
Rear diff skid
Rear diff cover
Rear locker (possibly air locker depending on install cost)
Lockpick with rear monitor
Cat-back
CAI or dare I say - snorkel (not sure on the look of this though)
Brake upgrades - slotted rotors? better calipers?
HD UCA's

What I already have:
Rock Road Super Sliders
Full complement of OEM skids
4XGuard belly skid

The challenges I see are:
Will 275/70's fit with out a rear AC/Heat delete?
Cost of the install on the air locker may be outside of budget. In this case I can install a "luchbox locker" myself.
Bumper choices! Holy crap there are a lot more then there was 3 years ago. Looks like more options then the Get Lost 4x4 bumper (funny thing after he gave up on Commanders he bought a Wagoneer!).
Extending brake line brackets? Buy longer stainless steel lines?
Just moved to a place out in the boonies and my 750' long driveway is gravel. Jacks and backs do not like gravel!
Time! I have some major remodeling on the house I am doing myself at the moment.

I just spent the last week reviewing thread after thread on new options and have even contacted suppliers to get some input (Thanks 49er!). If you have any suggestions or for see issues I have not addressed please let me know!

[07JeepXK]

I got your PM. I'll give you a call tomorrow if your available

[p@55w0rd]

I got your PM. I'll give you a call tomorrow if your available
Sounds great!

[Matt]

Hey man welcome back to the club!

Looking forward to seeing this build. :cool:

[1USMC]

Looking forward to seeing this build. :cool:



^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I agree ^^^^^^^^^^^^

[p@55w0rd]

Matt,

I noticed in your garage thread you are running 275/65R18's (32" x 11") I am planning on running 275/70R17's - about the same size. You are still running the OME right? What type of mods did you need to do to make them fit outside of the lift? Pinch weld? More backspacing?

[Matt]

Yeah I'm running the OME with an additional 1/4" strut spacer up front which provides about 1/2" more lift. Pinch weld mod is an absolute mod and you have to be very careful with your wheel selection.

Were you planning on running stock wheel with spacers?

[p@55w0rd]

Yeah I'm running the OME with an additional 1/4" strut spacer up front which provides about 1/2" more lift. Pinch weld mod is an absolute mod and you have to be very careful with your wheel selection.

Were you planning on running stock wheel with spacers?

Stock with spacers.

[Matt]

That'll help then. 1.5" spacers should be good. Make sure that pinch weld is folded over nice and flat, use a self tapping screw on each one to pull the liner back, and check your clearances.

[p@55w0rd]

That'll help then. 1.5" spacers should be good. Make sure that pinch weld is folded over nice and flat, use a self tapping screw on each one to pull the liner back, and check your clearances.

OK then spaces it is! BTW was wheeling in a JK Rubi last year and experienced a spacer failure first hand! Always heard they could fail but never experienced one. Cyco7 was there also but was not in the JK when it happened.

[Matt]

There's a sale on the XK Pintlers now if you wanted to run new wheels. They'll sit in a bit further than my wheels which will help you clear the rear HVAC lines. The JK Pintlers are equivalent to what i'm running if you wanted to go that route.

It's hard to find aftermarket wheels for these vehicles that allow the use of bigger tires. With an 8.5" wide wheel you don't want to go any more than 5.2" backspace, with 9" wide you'll need 5.7" backspace (thats what I have) to clear the pinch weld area when you turn the tire.

8.5" wide with 5.2" backspace is ideal IMO, but there's very few wheels out there built with those specs.

[07JeepXK]

You will not have any issues with wheel spacers that are installed correctly and torqued properly (both the spacer to the wheel bearing/hub assembly and wheel to spacer). Also don't go with a cheap brand just to save money.

When you say it failed what exactly do you mean? Did it happen while off road?

[p@55w0rd]

You will not have any issues with wheel spacers that are installed correctly and torqued properly (both the spacer to the wheel bearing/hub assembly and wheel to spacer). Also don't go with a cheap brand just to save money.

When you say it failed what exactly do you mean? Did it happen while off road?

Yes happened at the end of a difficult technical trail. The studs in the wheel hub actually pulled out! So technically you could say the hub failed... Overall it sucked and cut the day short for Cico7 and I because we helped out the guy by taking him (and his guest) to Autozone to get parts for a trail repair.

[p@55w0rd]

Pintlers would be awesome but I would tear them up the first time out. I have several sets of stock rims that I can trash and not feel guilty about.

[06JeepXKHEMI]

That's actually something I've read a lot on with the JK hubs like that with spacers.. Maybe over torqued the spacer? Either way I've been wheeling with spacer without a problem yet, just check their torque when rotating tires...

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

[07JeepXK]

Yeah it sounds like the spacer was over torqued on the wheel bearing/hub assembly. I had spidertrax wheel spacers installed for years with no issues and gave them hell

[p@55w0rd]

So I am having some second thoughts on the OME lift... Steel Armadillo has such a great price on the Superlift 4" kit it really has me thinking! I wonder if this price includes the ECM module? I received a quote of $600 for the install at 4 wheel parts. I could then run some 34's!

[lekmedm]

Steel Armadillo has such a great price on the Superlift 4" kit it really has me thinking!

How much??? It's not on the site. I've been waiting for a quote from Jon for a week now...

JON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Matt]

Do it. If you have the chance.... just do it. Everyday I wish I went with the superlift

[jjt250]

So I am having some second thoughts on the OME lift... Steel Armadillo has such a great price on the Superlift 4" kit it really has me thinking! I wonder if this price includes the ECM module? I received a quote of $600 for the install at 4 wheel parts. I could then run some 34's!

I don't think it includes the EGR module..believe that'll cost you another $300.


How much??? It's not on the site. I've been waiting for a quote from Jon for a week now...

JON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's under Affiliate Marketing: http://thesteelarmadillo.com/AEV-4-Suspension-System-by-Superlift-SA-SUPK829.htm

[p@55w0rd]

http://www.thesteelarmadillo.com/AEV-4-Suspension-System-by-Superlift-SA-SUPK829.htm

$1445

[lekmedm]

http://www.thesteelarmadillo.com/AEV-4-Suspension-System-by-Superlift-SA-SUPK829.htm

$1445

Holy cow... I completely missed that...:p

So, this kit does not include new rear shocks, correct?

Anyone know how long it takes for an order to be delivered?

[p@55w0rd]

Holy cow... I completely missed that...:p

So, this kit does not include new rear shocks, correct?

Anyone know how long it takes for an order to be delivered?

I checked the parts list in the instructions on Superlift's web site and rear shocks are listed. According to the instructions you reuse your front struts. Jon will have to confirm this but I do not think this kit comes with the ECM module. Jon?

[07JeepXK]

Front struts are reused with the superlift.

[stites-xk]

Superlift rear shocks are junk.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[07JeepXK]

Superlift rear shocks are junk.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Yeah that too! Lol

[cabledog25]

Then you could get Fox Shocks :)

[lekmedm]

Superlift rear shocks are junk.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

Well, OK. I'll take your word for it. However, if they are included with the lift, it will at least be a starting point. I can always upgrade.

Are the Superlift external reservoir shocks also junk?

[stites-xk]

Are the Superlift external reservoir shocks also junk?

That i don't know man i just got the standard shocks that with the lift.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[07JeepXK]

Well, OK. I'll take your word for it. However, if they are included with the lift, it will at least be a starting point. I can always upgrade.

Are the Superlift external reservoir shocks also junk?

Im sure they are 100 times better than the cheap shocks superlift provides.

[p@55w0rd]

OK so some of you know I just finished a three year ongoing build of a 1979 Jeep Wagoneer. I received an offer to sell the wagon and accepted. Initially after the sale I was all gun-ho to build up the Commander. But then reality kicked in... My Commander is my daily driver and I have always had personal issues wheeling my DD. In the back of my head I would always see myself breaking something that would cost me some type of hardship. SO after much soul searching I decided to go a different route then build up the Commander. Last week I happened across this 2000 Grand Cherokee that has a lot going for it. 5" lift, 33's new crate motor, rebuilt transmission, new brakes all around, and well cared for. So I jumped on it and picked it up today. I think ultimately with the solid front and rear axles (D30 and D44) and the same motor and transfer case it may be better in the short run. I think I would really like to swap out the 8 1/4's in the XK and replace with some stout D44's front and rear. But this is a pipe dream and it will take a lot of planning. But anyway here are some pic's!

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

https://theultimatejeep.com/notfound.png

[LWM]

In a word... NICE!

[1USMC]

In two words >> Very Nice !! <<