Justin's Garage

[JustinS]

Current mod list

Suspension
Rocky road spacer lift
Bilstein 5100 adjustable struts: set at .75"
Bilstein 5125 rear shocks

Wheels and Tires
Goodyear Wrangler MT/R 255/75/17
Spidertrax 1.5" spacers
Pinch-weld mod



I figured I would start my garage now that I'm modding my XK. I bought in Oct 2011 and have been daily driving it, I love having an suv over the cars I've had. It's been pretty stock since I've bought it except I took off the nasty pinstripe, chrome trik on the flares, and chrome grill....I really hate chrome.

Its a 4.7L QTII.

Lets start with some before pictures:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/FEC896C466E94591BC3A8B3C4223FF6019333000-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/D1A101CB8FDE48F98EB8A9CCE5B9300C19333000-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/154BFFAE30C44A91AE3F004331CDACA419333000-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/5741B10F80EC4C34989E0A896134BC0919333000-1.jpg
Got tired of doing this
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/2FCD35B2FE2B485497B6406F9C25C48519333000-1.jpg
So I bought this harborfreight trailer, its awesome
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2012/10/50F8C5B7EC064BDBB8333C82B641EC9117955000-1.jpg

So thats where it sits right now, but I have some mods ready to go on:

255/75/17 MTR'S
RR spacer lift
Royal Purple 75w140 diff fluid
Wagner brake pads
Serp belt and tensioner

Let the fun begin!

[criket]

Nice!!! That's a good looking XK. It will look even better with the mods you have planned. I'll be watching.

[JustinS]

Thanks man, I've also got 1.5" spider trax spacers that need to go on too

[JustinS]

Filled and drained my diff fluid (front and rear) with Royal Purple 75w140 synthetic today. Bungee corded two bottles at a time to my waste oil bucket so they wouldn't tip over. Note to self: the harborfreight fluid transfer pump is a giant pos, dont buy another one.

Here's my contraption: lol
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/20130323_171739_zps37874a15-1.jpg

[JustinS]

Tires just got delivered, can't wait to get home to check em out!

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/20130327_182104_zps0c3090c8-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/03/20130327_182141_zpsfaadf5cf-1.jpg

Don't mind the stove, we are doing some home remodeling lol.

[pjmjr508]

nice tires

[07JeepXK]

Nice! Another member with MT/R's! You'll love them. What size did you get?

[JustinS]

Thanks guys.

255/75, didn't want 285's at the moment and DTD had them at 235 each minus 50 instant savings minus 80 mail in rebate from Goodyear. Couldn't pass the deal up for $810 out the door!

[07JeepXK]

Damn that's not bad at all. My 285/70 MT/Rs were like $1200

[Matt]

Those are gonna be sweet!

You guys are all making me feel tire inadequate lol

[JustinS]

Don't feel too bad, you've got QDII to hang over my head!

[Matt]

Yeah but those mtrs look awesome:cool:

[Core XK]

Nice looking XK man! Dont feel bad about QT its performs quite well on the trails


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[07JeepXK]

It's sure does. Add some lockers and you'll be set

[JustinS]

Lockers are on the list for the future but I need to get armor and want to do a hidden winch first. My XK didn't come with any skids from the factory:(

[07JeepXK]

Yeah my XK didn't come with anything from the factory. Just a 4.7 liter lol first thing I did to it was front tow hooks, rear hitch and skids.

[Matt]

x2, all mine had was a rear hitch. I had to put on all my skids and recovery points.

[JustinS]

I'll never understand why skids and tow recovery points aren't standard equipment on all Jeeps.

[Matt]

I'll never understand why skids and tow recovery points aren't standard equipment on all Jeeps.

$$$$$$

Companies spend a lot of time trying to chop just a few cents off components. Eliminating skids as standard items doesnt hurt sales, saves a few hundred per unit, and lets them make more $$$ for "add ons". From a business standpoint it makes complete sense.

[JustinS]

Yeah I understand the financial aspect....just think that as a company with a long history of offroading you think they would set that aside.

[JustinS]

Decided to be lazy and farm out the lift install, appointment set next Friday at 8am. I'll be going from there to get an alignment and the tires installed.

:cool:

[JustinS]

I'm finally lifted!

Before Lift:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/04/20130412_104819_zps6d7ba116-1.jpg

Picture of the RR spacer:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/04/20130412_114723_zps439b45e3-1.jpg

After Lift:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/04/20130412_161024_zps0f871735-1.jpg

After lift and tires:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/04/20130413_154947_zps20cf4e45-1.jpg

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/04/20130413_154957_zps3208cfa5-1.jpg

[Ross]

Lookin' good! Those M/tr's really complete the lift.

[1USMC]

Lift and the tires Look Great !!!

Nice job

( I'm also partial to the color !).

[stites-xk]

Looks great! Love those mtr's!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[JustinS]

Lift and the tires Look Great !!!

Nice job

( I'm also partial to the color !).

Black XK's rock!

[pjmjr508]

looking great

[JustinS]

Since it's been nice out, the girlfriend and I have been doing some landscaping work since the previous owners of our house neglected it for 15 years! Jeep got some stump pulling time in today ;)

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/05/914139_10100221758446809_1621209236_o_zp-1.jpg

[Matt]

I see some patches of grass that need fixin!! (Lol I've done the same thing)

[JustinS]

This is what happens when the girlfriend leaves me alone with my dad lol

Gotta throw some grass seed down in the morning to get it fixed up.

[JustinS]

Doing some much needed maintenance and upgrades this afternoon.

Spacers
New pads and rotors
Fix leaking trans lines
New serpentine belt and tensioner
Air filter
Oil change
Possibly plasti dip my wheels

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/05/20130524_144212_zps4a7b8e5c-1.jpg

[JustinS]

See that hose and clamp set in the above picture? Yeah, finally got around to doing that tonight. Will be nice to not have leaking transmission lines!

[JustinS]

Placed an order for these tonight!

Bilstein 33-104652 Bilstein 5125 Series Shock Absorber x2
Bilstein 24-225793 46mm Monotube Shock Absorber x2

I chose the 5125's based off of the spreadsheet Matt put together and hope they work out well! I also chose to go with the 5100 adjustables for the front as the RR spacer lift doesn't quite sit level with the front being lower than the rear. The one thing I will have to measure is if I need to set them to the .75" setting or the 1.5" lift setting.

Also, after 7,000 miles I can definitely say that I made the correct choice in choosing the Goodyear MT/R's. These tires have performed flawlessly in wet/dry/snow/ and icy conditions, I couldn't ask for a better tire!

[06JeepXKHEMI]

Congrats on your purchases, looking forward to seeing your rig progress like your 5.9, that was you right?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

[Matt]

Awesome man... that'll definitely be an improvement over the stock dampers.

Id recommend getting some 7/16" washers for the rear shocks. They'll work better than 1/2" washers for clamping the bushing sleeves.

[JustinS]

Congrats on your purchases, looking forward to seeing your rig progress like your 5.9, that was you right?

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk
Thanms man, but nope, the XK is my first jeep.

Awesome man... that'll definitely be an improvement over the stock dampers.

Id recommend getting some 7/16" washers for the rear shocks. They'll work better than 1/2" washers for clamping the bushing sleeves.
Yeah I think they'll help out a lot. The XK has seemed really top heavy and tippy lately...think the stock dampers are completely blown lol.

[06JeepXKHEMI]

Got ya well still in for seeing these new adjustables up front, not sure how the rears are like the Fox shocks I had but it took 3 washers total each side

[JustinS]

Thanks man, now update that sig pic!

[07JeepXK]

Thanks man, now update that sig pic!

Haha he needs to update his entire sig

[06JeepXKHEMI]

Never!!! I miss that XK more than any car Ive ever owned, but I dont miss the car payment! Maybe once I get this off road I will grab a good pic but til then the XK reigns!!

[JustinS]

Well if you won't update your sig you should at least start a garage. I want more pics of that XJ!

[06JeepXKHEMI]

Well if you won't update your sig you should at least start a garage. I want more pics of that XJ!

Ive got a garage! Im going to clean it up during lunch, so Ill post some pics up in my garage so I dont thread jack your garage hahaha

[JustinS]

****, Quadratec says the 5100 adjustables are on backorder.

[Matt]

Give 4wp a call...

I sure as hell hoped i got my order in in time!

[Matt]

Email kolak, he said he ordered a few sets before they ran out

[JustinS]

Kolak?

[JustinS]

4wheel parts is on backorder too.

[stites-xk]

Try crawloffroad.net

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

[JustinS]

Sent them an email.

[Matt]

Kolak?

He's the vendor on jeepforum. [email protected]

[JustinS]

He's the vendor on jeepforum. [email protected]

Emailed. Crawl offroad didn't have any in stock either. National backorder.

[JustinS]

Kolak came through. ... cheaper than every where else too!

[Matt]

Awesome dude. Glad that worked out!

[JustinS]

Thanks for the tip Matt. This site rocks!

[JustinS]

Goodies finally came in:cool:
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/12/IMG_20131227_170444_zpslibqhqm7-1.jpg
https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2013/12/IMG_20131227_170035_zpsi4oy4joo-1.jpg

[pjmjr508]

Nice

[JustinS]

Took some time this morning and swapped out the rear shocks. For future users of the 33-104652 Bilstein rear shocks; you'll need 4 qty 7/16 washers for the top and 2 qty 7/16 washers for the bottom. I also had to wrap the bottom bolt in one turn of duct tape to take up some slack around the bolt and bushing.

Gained some height as my original 97k mile shocks were completely blown lol.

[Matt]

Those are some nice shocks, you'll have to let us know how you like them long term!

I recommend ordering these to use as shock bolts: http://www.mcmaster.com/#95327a701/=q1a3ms
They have cut threads instead of rolled threads, so the shoulder diameter matches the shock sleeve diameter much better and they're overall stronger.

[JustinS]

I've got the driver all apart and ready to start reassembly. The pinch bolt on the strut fork took me an hour and a half to get out....monkey who did my lift kit must have used a super impact because it was in there good and wouldn't budge even with a six foot cheater bar!

[JustinS]

First impressions from the new 5100 adjustable front struts and 5125 rear shocks:

Road manners have significantly improved, the jeep now feels less top heavy and rebounds to bumps in the road 100% better. Aside from upgrading from stock springs, I think this combo is one of the best things you can do to a WK/XK.

I am now sitting at:

FR FL
37.5 37.5

RR RL
36.75 37.0

The front has dropped down a lot since I first dropped it off of the jack stands (the front was originally at 39" in the front :eek: lol). This is ok for now because I anticipate getting a steel front bumper/winch combo and that will more than likely level it out for me.

[paroxysym]

First impressions from the new 5100 adjustable front struts and 5125 rear shocks:

Road manners have significantly improved, the jeep now feels less top heavy and rebounds to bumps in the road 100% better. Aside from upgrading from stock springs, I think this combo is one of the best things you can do to a WK/XK.

I am now sitting at:

FR FL
37.5 37.5

RR RL
36.75 37.0

The front has dropped down a lot since I first dropped it off of the jack stands (the front was originally at 39" in the front :eek: lol). This is ok for now because I anticipate getting a steel front bumper/winch combo and that will more than likely level it out for me.

so did you remove the front BB spacer and just set the 5100s to 2" OR did you leave the spacer in and set the 5100s to 3/4"?

[JustinS]

so did you remove the front BB spacer and just set the 5100s to 2" OR did you leave the spacer in and set the 5100s to 3/4"?

Left the RR spacer in and set the struts to .75". I needed more lift and the highest setting wouldn't have been enough without an additional spacer anyway.

[JustinS]

Finally getting it aligned today. It was pretty bad!

[JustinS]

Jeep has been on the back burner this year it seems. Still driving it daily, up to 112k now. It's about to get all new ball joints and control arm bushings to get rid of some squeaks and rattles. Still looks good though ;)

https://theultimatejeep.com/images/imported/2014/11/20140815_194036_zpsiwvyc5ys-1.jpg

[JustinS]

I miss this thing