I've been building this Jeep for over 10 years, and a subscriber asked me about the choices I regret and the things I would absolutely do again if I started again. I thought It was a great idea for a Q&A as I know quite a few guys on Instagram who have bought Jeep XJ's and are wondering where to start.
You'll have to forgive that I'm not my usual humours self on this video. I've been pretty unwell, and the meds are pretty heavy. The syphilis unfortunately spread to my eyes, which is pretty bad, but on another note, it did enhance my vision, allowing me to select my victims more easily. Although the Jeep XJ isn't as common as it used to be, the principles in this video can be applied to any older 4x4 vehicle. Megan and I are waiting for a new baby any day now, so I thought this was a good time to do a video like this. Thanks for watching and for all your support! Mike
Very much appreciate your wisdom that is not just XJ focused, but case use. Few years ago I started a bit of work on my girlfriends '89 XJ and it is not lifted as it suffices with the General Grabber AT2's during winter in the Cascades here in NW Washington State. While I had to sort out the partially installed Rubicon Express 3.5 lift's geometry. It will get a class III hitch installed on the front to strengthen as well as provide possible recovery use, while the rear has a hitch as well. I hope to get stiffeners eventually. Next tires will be LT235/85R16's on the ZJ wheels, but won't be adding weight from aftermarket bumpers front and rear. Which leaves this '87 very stiff due to the short arms, but mostly from the spring rate which were designed that most would be installing those bumpers. I did refurbish the headliner, but also removed the carpeting thus used Herculiner with Kilmat and Siless on the floor and cargo area. Noise levels reduced with having installed Kilmat and Siless on the ceiling as well as the doors and rear quarters. I do get out to camp and hit forestry roads, and have no interest in submarine activities as I don't know how well my low mounted alternator would like swimming. I forgot to mention that it currently has standard load 245/75R16's which were supposed to be "temps" while I sorted out geometry, but will see how they do in this years snow. Sadly they tend to gate off many area's when the snow gets to deep for the safety of those not prepared to spend the night or more while stuck. I fortune to have been prepared though it was only to be a "day drive". Thank You. On this side of the pond, I think we have what is used "back east" is Fluid Film.
Brother, I love this channel. Your honesty and transparency is what we need. Exactly as you said, social media has trashed things. I watch your stuff with vigor because it's very REAL and you show everything.
Living in the desert of california, I just use weld through black paint. I'm glad I don't have to use that undercoat. I really appreciate your attention to detail!
Great rules for any vehicle, I live in Nova scotia and 100% agree about all the anticorrosion, the carpets in vehicles seem to be designed to rot out these vehicles. Great channel - love seeming all the fabrication, great Cherokee build.
This is a great channel, I bought my XJ about 4 yrs ago. I bought it with a lift but replaced that because I want to put a double swing out on the back. Unfortunately I can’t do the work myself and have been having trouble finding places that do quality work. I’ve had to have engine work that keeps needing to be redone. Transmission rebuilt but was told with 32” tires and 3:55 gears I was going to wreck it. I don’t know if that’s true. I’m sorry about the rant. Congratulations on the new member and I hope you feel better.
Wow what a turn of events our lives have taken, you got me into bushcrafting many many many years ago probably over a decade ago at this point. I learned so much from you there, very thankful for those videos and helping me have good times in the outdoors. And now all these years later I just imported my first truck into the USA (a japanese toyota hilux) and your "new" channel will be a perfect companion along my journey with it! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and adventures it is invaluable to us! Looking forward to growing with this channel as well!
Haha, the natural progression! Years of sleeping in the dirt and now the comfort of a vehicle. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway. Having a vehicle that can get you out there and be tailored to your needs has been one of the most enjoyable interests for me so far. I'm glad the new channel can provide some interesting content for you! Also, congratulations on the Toyota. They are fantastic vehicles!
just join your channel, loving it ! Thanks for all your clear explanations that will be put to good use in few weeks. Wishing you some good family time with the newborn !
Mike I used to follow your old channel and it is really good to see the genesis of your Jeep. Great advice for Jeep owners. Unfortunately I am a Land Rover owner but there is lots of commonality.
It doesn't matter what brand of 4x4 you have. Its all the same principles underneath. The era of vehicle is the main thing and they all seem to suffer the same fait if not looked after. Thanks for watching for all these years!
Just got a Cherokee for a family camper and off-road explorer. This is great advice and your build is inspiring man! Cheers from Wyoming, keep up the fantastic content!
Congratulations and good luck for the new Baby. This is a great video. I was inspired by your channel to get myself a Disco 2 , slowly restoring it for an adventure wagon . All the best mate
Thank you! Hopefully he decides to come out soon 😆 I'm glad the videos can be of some use with the project. I sometimes wish I had a Disco 2 as a second truck. I always liked that vehicle.
✨️👍 well done mate loved the down time montage coffe chat with Mike vid plus the "Blue berry" is lookin great 👍 my xj is down for a complete overhaul wish i had it up as we just had a big hurican in central florida but all is well.. im lookin forward to ur 4.0 build and congratts again on another little one from "Rooster" cheers !
I am from the UK. I have owned Cherokees because they are the do all vehicles from the factory. my first black 1996 Cherokee 4.0 cost £900 and served me for 7 years. It was a reliable family vehicle, used for towing, a bit of off roading and burnouts. It ended up being completely rotten, backing down launching ramps with boats did not help. My advice, and something I did with my second Cherokee, was to import from Japan. I bought a 58000 mile black limited with no rust for £3200. I have owned that vehicle for 4 years and quite frankly I cannot be without it. I have towed a 50 ft trailer with two 20ft boats with this vehicle. It's has been so loyal. For me the mk 1 xj is the only one to own (sorry mike) By the way good luck with the little one, having kids is the most fantastic gift. Good luck my man.
Thanks mate, being a dad has been one of the most wonderful things I've experienced to date. Especially now he's with me in the workshop bless him. The 2nd should be here any day. Anyway, thanks for the stories of your jeeps. It's always great to hear!
Just wanted to say I've been building a discovery 2 overland build and your videos have been a big inspiration. Despite being different vehicles I take alot of inspiration and knowledge from these videos and follow alot of your advice and products in regards to rust protection and coatings. Love your your content here in dunoon on the West Coast of Scotland 👍
They are all the same, really, aren't they. I don't think it matters what brand you have. That era of vehicles all share the same problems. I'm glad the videos can provide something and appreciate you watching. I've always loved discovery's. I almost bought one when I originally looked at the XJ.
im about to get a 2 door xj and all i want to do is camp and little road trips, but i dont want to go overkill. this video helped me put a lot about what im thinking to do with it
Interested in your sleeping setup inside the Diesel. Also in the US fluid film and PB blaster surface shield are my go-tos for undercoating. Both are lanolin based.
I will make a video on the sleep system. It's pretty cool, but the ventilation is the next battle. Those products I know, and they work very well! Thanks for watching
The order for me on my XJ 1. Lifted 3.5 inch, 33 inch tyres 2. Winch bumper and rear bumper 3. Big android din system with backup camera and digital rear view mirror 4. Front floor pans and rear quarters 5. Snorkel with cold air intake 6. Light bar and roof rack, new relay harness for headlights 7. Box rock sliders (to be welded) Will need to rip out everything to weld the box rockers without burning up the carpet. But yeah. It spiralled, so will have to essentially take the entire thing apart and do it right från frame up. Steering is clearly a needed upgrade. I drive this car two days per year at the moment and have zero time for this thing. My wife is understandably quite unimpressed.
Mine followed a similar path although I think I did most of the corrosion work in the first three years due to the climate and some kind of OCD. It sounds like a pretty built rig though! Some nice work and with the rockers it will be much better. I can appreciate the difficulties with time. I went self employed several years ago which greatly changed my life with regards to time. Obviously its not all roses because whatever path we choose has its challenges. But time is certainly a benefit. I hope as things move on you can find the time again and thanks for watching.
Man, you should definitely do 38s. you’re definitely the right person to do it. I’ve been watching your videos since day one. Love your videos!! Long time watcher.
I want to eventually. I would need to swap the front axle. I have a set of axles off of an old Chevi Square body truck. I would need to use them both if I swapped them to have the same width, but they would easily run a 38. It's just a whole load of work, and I might wait a while!
Great bumper story. I had a large deer jump in front of me and I hit it at 35 mph (56kph) and killed it straight out. Between the lift on the XJ dead centering the deer and the bumper, zero damage.
Ah that's wild. I've not hit an animal.....yet. A moose ran out in front of the jeep just a few weeks back. Luckily it was at an angle so I had time to slow down. I don't think my bumper would have liked that one. Good to hear of more survival stores though and thanks for watching
Very similar story. Hit one dead center going 40mph on a backroad. Smaller deer and it did not go so well for the deer. Jeep was great just lost some paint on the bumper.
Hey Mike, new subscriber here. I went to Lycksele with my family just over the day and saw your car at the dollar store. I told them holy hell thats a dream car right there. Ive been fly Fishing for 20+ years and having a car like that must be awesome addition.
Hey, thanks for checking out the channel and subscribing! I was just there by request of my son for goodies and a toy, haha. My wife's in the hospital with our 2nd son, so I'm back and forth from Åsele at the moment. The jeep certainly helps with getting out there and enjoying nature. I didn't get much fly fishing this summer, sadly, although im not that experienced at it. Thanks for watching!
@@WorkshoptoWilderness if your ever around the Vilhelmina area to do some fishing, just hit me up if you need sum help. And i might pick your brain about a decent offroad car. I know a few things about fishing but nothing when it comes to cars 🤣.
@Lakebranch-n5k that sounds good to me. I'm a novice when it comes to fly fishing. Lure fishing I do mostly just to put fish in the freezer. I can certainly help with vehicle based advice! I'm not too far away from you, so if for whatever reason you find yourself in Åsele (probably no reason at all), then you're always welcome for a coffee.
After 13 years with my XJ, I wholeheartedly agree with and appreciate how much you emphasized moisture mitigation and stress distribution. The body on these rigs is honestly shit and really needs quite a bit of attention to last through years of abuse.
I'm about to spend 5k on tires, CV joints, shocks, steering rack and pinion (?) thingie fingfang. On a 2003 Subi Forester. 232k miles. But what I wont have is a car payment. Wish I could do this stuff, shocks I probably could, but easier to pay someone. And less Tourettes outbreaks for me. Iv replaced the starter, radiator, cooling fans and I change my oil and filters. That's enough for me. Anywho, I know this has nothing to do with an XJ... maybe I should look for rust under Subi's carpet? ..... ahhh nope. LOL Thanks for sharing Mike!
The Subi Forester is a nice choice of vehicle. I've seen some really nice Subi builds from German tourists here in the summer. Sometimes it is better to pay for the work depending on your budget and time. Don't lift the carpet, don't do it! I'm sure its fine though. Thanks for watching.
love the content and the relevance, ive owned my xj for 14 years. im now expecting my first kid and trying desperately to get my "original" (98xj) 4x4 back on the road and ready to explore my own country. i have a wj and a tj to fill the void but its just not the same... at all... life,love, and all the boring shit got in the way and stopped me from building the dream. your xj is a true inspiration to what i inspired mine to be cheers, from the southern half of the world
Finding the time around family and life in general can be very challenging. If I wasn't self employed and able to put some time aside on the channel, it would be difficult for me to get into the XJ so often. Previously when I was full time and we had our first child I would put aside Sunday afternoons on the Jeep. It wasn't much but its good therapy. My son now helps me out in the garage from time to time. Mostly small jobs but it all becomes more frequent again when they get older. Congratulations on your first child and I hope it all goes well! Also thanks for watching!
Hey Mike, is there a particular reason you've stopped hunting? Is it just legal stuff, getting new licences etc, joining a hunting club maybe? I'm not really for or against, I just know that hunting is a big thing here in the nordic countries. Maybe a bit different than UK, but there's still bird hunting to do, especially up in north. Anyway, glad to hear about the jeep again, I've always been a fan of it. Got to admire your persistence, I'd probably gone through about 16 different, half arsed attempts at a similar rig in that time 😅 Hope the syphilis eases up a bit and you can enjoy the joys of fatherhood again at full capacity. All the best to Megan and Max and of course... Madeleine? Mathilda? Malin?... 🤔 Anyway, all the best!! 👏
I stopped when I left the UK. Well, actually, I did hunt a bit in Sweden when I arrived under my UK licence. But Brexit changed the regulations, and I could no longer loan out a shotgun in Sweden with my uk licence. I retired my UK licence this year and gave my gun away to a friend. I do miss it a bit, but I've also been doing it in one form or another since I was a boy. So I can take it or leave it at the moment. I may hunt again, but there is no rush as far as I'm concerned. The only thing I would do it again for is for meat. We're not sure about a name yet, but apparently, it's another boy! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Hey Mike! First of I really love these kind of videos of talking about different 4x4 vehicle topics and advice. I often have similar "conversations" in my head hahah. I also run a massive steel (EU legal) front bumper on my G Wagon. I live in an area with lots of deer and wild boars, i just gives me a sense of security driving in the night or early morning. I think it will definetly save the car, having a serious front end collision with another heavy vehicle though i think it would be possible to bend or crack the frame. Essentially totaling the vehicle. Good thing its slow as heck! Thank you for sharing your advice, mistakes and Knowledge, it has helped me immensly! All the best for your wife and children!
The boar can be dense. We use to get them coming into the camp in the Forest of Dean. I'm sure the bumper would save the G Wagon from a Boar or Deer. Another vehicle is always a risk like you say as it could end up making more of a mess of your own. Best to drive slow and aim for the ditch if you can. I don't make these kinds of videos very often although much like you I have these conversations with myself! Thanks for watching.
Hey Mike, First of all big congratulations on soon coming baby 😊 Secondly it was really good video and before I saw it I had exactly the same thoughts going through my head. My diesel xj just packed in engine cracked and overheated badly so just took it out yesterday and since I'm land rover mechanic I'm getting td5 and going to do a swap and then finish it the way want so hopefully that will go fine.... but as always very helpfu, can't wait for more 😊
Thank you. Hopefully, the little man comes soon. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Ah, that's a shame on the engine, but also not because you can put the td5 in there and make more in line with what you know and like. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
P.s. i know ur always talkin about sasquach and i ran into this funny vid series called "Jarrad's Multiverse part 1.. i thought u would get a laugh .. cheers and safe travels mate✨️👍
Most impressive thing with this build is how you’ve managed to keep it going with a child and another on the way. 😂 Work on my projects stopped dead the day our baby arrived. Not been in my garage in 11 months.
I think what helped free up time is being self-employed. It's not always easy, but I have a much better work-life balance now. The channel is somewhat a part of that also, so I do put time towards it each week. If I were full-time employed like I was previously, then time would be very limited. Thanks for watching
Hi! It would be interesting to hear your take on winter tyres. Most of US dont seem to use dedicated winter tyres like hakapelita, blizzaks etc on their offroad trucks. People in US seem to look at 3 peak icon on the tyre and think that it is ok. I live in cold climate (Kazakhstan), lots of snow , ice and temps under -20C, and I’m a strong believer that for winter you must run dedicated winter tyres. ATs just dont do well here, they get hard and are dangerous on ice. AT/MT etc i think are only for summer. You seem to run studded AT in the winter, wonder how these tyres are doing in ICE, and cold tems. Offroad on low pressure they warm up pretty good, and no problems there, but general driving on public roads is the thing that I’d like to hear. Thank you!
There is no comparison to a proper winter tire, as we both know. Everyone here in Northern Sweden runs a dedicated winter tire made from a softer compound, with studs. If I had a different front axle and the money 💰 I would run a nokian hakkapeliitta for winter and an AT summer. I use a cooper MT for winter, but I have grooved the tire to add lots of siping and popped studs in them. Their not a good tire for winter, but it works with the changes I've made. The compound is hard, though, and this is most noticeable after fresh snow has fallen on ice. I will run these for one more year and see how they perform, but ideally, they will not be used next year.
@@WorkshoptoWildernessthank you for the answer. I have lots of friends here, who run AT/MT tyres in the winter. Generally they do alright under normal driving, right until the point when you have to make emergency stop, this is when they fail big time. A friend of mine crashed his Patrol this way, I put my Mt tyres for one weekend to joint competition here, and guess what, the day after I hit someone’s car at like 5km/h. Just could not stop, there was some Ice and snow on top, and the car just would not stop. Great content man, enjoy watching you stuff a lot! Just an idea from future video, to make a comparison video on tyres in the snow. Chans vs no chais, chains in the back vs front in the deep snow. Nate from Dirtlifestyle made some good videos like that, very informative and fun to watch, but he has yet made video about chains, and you have lots of experience using it in snowy conditions. So I think you are the man to make it 😁
iv been building mine for 16 & two weeks ago someone ran a red light and totaled it, besides the stress and the junk heaps the only nice ones people want 10k plus for them. its crazy and hope to have some luck getting another one.
Ah, mate, my heart goes out to you. It's the biggest fear, and it could happen to anyone. I expect it to happen to me one day, given the harsh winters and increased risk when driving. It was one of the reasons I got a 2nd one, just in case the unimaginable happens. I really hope you can find another, even if it's not in the best condition, it might make a viable project.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness just a heads up I just picked up a clean 2001 silver with a manual transmission, completely stock clean title and a smidge under 200k miles similar to wrecked one, only thing out of my pocket is going to be the registration and title transfer and then the wreck money is just straight up paying for it. But it feels very weird not being lifted 6 1/2 in on long arms but at least it has a nicer interior, I didn't see any rust or rot anywhere, but looks like a droopy headliner and a few leaks.
4 months owing an XJ and loving it, thing is a warrior. That said, i would like to protect it as much as possible so I can enjoy her for many years. Could you elaborate on the carpet removal? Do you spray the panels with a bed liner?
Congratulations on the XJ! I've linked a couple of videos to the process I used. The top link is more recent and probably better. The 2nd is sound deadening. You will want to remove the plastic trim inside the jeep first. Things around where the carpet ends at the edges. Once it's out you can vacuum up and dirt, use thinners or brake clean to clean down the metal floor pans. You could then spray the exposed floor with an etch primer or lightly sand it all, depending on what the condition is. After that I would without a doubt spray Upol Raptor Liner over it all, 2 coats plus one light duts off coat. Leave that for at least 5 days before exposing it to moisture or using the jeep. On top of this you can choose a sound dampening mat that you like. I went with Silent Coat. It takes the acoustic out of the panel. You can choose the black Silent Coat so it looks better, or something like Kill Mat. The transmission tunnel and anything that isn't a low spot can be layered with sound deadening foam, and fabric before reinstalling the plastic trim. The low spots on the floor pans and rear cargo are should always be removable in my opinion. Depending on your climate of course. If you see wet and snow then it means you can pull the mats out and allow the water to evaporate. When I return home from camp trips in the winter I pull all the mats and leave the doors open in the garage to dry out the vehicle. th-cam.com/video/XRTu0cw9dn4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-uuxpYBn0jPO655i th-cam.com/video/uAtYb2eTKt8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ItQgp7ena524AS51
Thanks for watching! Ah, that's a pain that the box has died twice. What's dying on it? You could get a steering box support that holds the output shaft with a bearing. barnes4wd.com/products/xj-steering-box-brace That will take all of the stress out of the box itself and support the output shaft. My daily driver will eventually be the 4.0, but for now, it's an embarrassingly shit Nissan Note. We live in a small town and don't need to drive, so mostly I use my XJ if I leave town.
Im building 98XJ TD in Finland for overlanding. First im doing is swapping m57 on it. Then what im thinking is lifting. So far my toughts have been 4.5inch (us) which is ours 4" lift. 33" in it. Long arm kit. But so far my plan is m57, then remove that carpet and checking car from all the rusts. I do have invested chrysler 8.25, and planning to replace dana35 to 8.25. big plans and slowly starting. Allready have m57 almost rebuild, so soon it will be time to swap it.
Sounds like a nice build in the making. The M57 will certainly make it good fun. I would just count the splines on that 8.25 and make sure its 29. If its 27 it wont be much stronger than the 35 with the shafts, but your probabaly know that. Thanks for watching!
There are lots of videos on the channel with that content, but nothing is complete in one video, unfortunately. Perhaps next time I do a full service, I can make a video covering everything.
@WorkshoptoWilderness best way I can describe it is about 2 or 3 years ago they landscaped the crossing. I changed my TH-cam picture to it now so you can get the idea.
Hi mate, just found your channel and love your content mate, very informative and to the point❤ just wondering we have the same front bumper, how did you do the frame stiffeners on the front end so that the bumper still fits as with the extra thickness of frame stiffeners up front the bumper wouldn’t fit over that would it? Thanks in advance :)
Hi, Thanks for checking out the channel! I got the bumper in the UK and had to cut off the mounting plates each side and reweld them to make it fit with frame stiffeners. I did have add some additional reinforcements to the setup. I hope this helps!
Great video! I just got an front aries brushguard for my 01 xj - do you think I would need to offset the weight in the front with a tire rack or something in the back?
I wouldn't have thought so. The front will be heavier. You will just have to see how it sits and rides. A tire carrier would balance it of course. Thanks for watching
Would you put frame stifners on the xj of you would only put 31” tires and a 3” lift in the car? And use is for “overlading” op as you Saïd car camping :)
I think I would just for the reduction in road noise in the frame. After I installed them it was the first thing I noticed. The box rocker thing could wait, or never happen. Welding on the stiffeners would be a good upgrade on an overlander that sees a lot of vibration and shock load from dirt roads and pot holes. Its a lot of work though so starting in the center is a good place to begin. You could go from there and add the fronts next and the rear last.
Im just starting out my first xj build but I want to point out the front end frame stiffeners seem like a must IF you get a steel bumper. Which most people do. The oem mounting locations are very thin.
Thanks for the response! I might just start looking into in. The thing I’m unsure about is how much weight it might add to the car. I would like to keep the jeep as light as possible especially with the 4.0 being thirsty as it is 🙃
I don't think Stiffeners would make a huge difference to the fuel economy. If you started doing bumpers, winches, and stuff, then it gets very heavy fast. Front and center are the most important
Interesting you mention having a head on collision, same thing happened to me earlier this year, I was hit head on by a 3.0 Toyota Landcruiser, I had a steel winch bumper on my XJ and I literally destroyed the front of the Landcruiser, his vehicle was taken away on a flatbed, I drove away with minimal damage.
Holy shit. Seriously! I honestly would have thought the XJ wouldn't have survived against a land cruiser. Those things are pretty solid. He must have been devastated 💔
@@WorkshoptoWilderness He was, it was his pride and joy, I’ve got the photos to prove it too, in the end he had the Landcruiser repaired, €8500 total repair cost. My header panel took a beating as did my drivers side wing, I had a Rough Country winch bumper on my Jeep, the bumper was actually pushed over about an inch, the tie in rail to the frame is 5mm I think. I was very fortunate, no structural damage to the unibody. Only other damage was a broken indicator light, a cracked fan shroud, and a bulge in the sidewall of my tyre.
Wow, that's wild. Poor guy, that's not a cheap repair, but at least he could repair it. The damage you took sounds minimal, basically. It's the biggest fear of any owner, isn't it.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Certainly is mate. Anyway thanks for your channel, very informative and the subtle humour!. Looking forward to many more videos. All the best to your family and the new baby..
I'm sure the petrol would beat my diesel up top. It's apples and oranges. It's just that I've tuned up the diesel a lot, and it's nothing like it used to be. Basically, more fuel and more air alongside timing. It still needs to be put on the dyno, but it's not slow. I put on a bigger 11mm fuel pump, mechanical one that's tunable. Other adjustments can be made with a ve pump like the boost compensator, timing, and Max fuel screw. This gives the engine lots more fuel and also more fuel across the rpm ranges. I've put in a different GT series turbo, so it spools up early, and at the current settings, I've got it topping out at 25psi at 2300rpm. This keeps the egts at acceptable levels on full load. The diesel is gutless stock, but you can make it a hog, and it will make lots of torque and good HP. My advice would be to stick with a 4.0 thought as it requires no messing around.
Awesome, get a few inches of stiffness. Good, got that. I'll work on it. One thing I'd add to your vehicle is of course on the snorkel a fluffy pink bunny, for the rest it seems a functioning ride, maybe some dickpic decals.
Stiffness is the key, unless your under attack then go limp. It makes it harder for them to load you in the van. Fluffy pink bunny snorkel sock and dick pic decal merch coming soon. You should be my business manager. Thanks for watching!
Does the silent coat pannels prevent heat from the engine/trans/exhaust from coming into the cab? Ive got a 97 with the 4.0 that we put a doubler in it, which pushed the trans up making the cab almost uncomfortably warm.
Yes, absolutely! I would also use some insulation or foam over silent coat for the trans tunnel. I have silent coat, foam, and insulation fabric over the trans tunnel to stop the heat, and it really helped.
They are from a company called Loyo. If you use WWA23 you can get 10% off if you want these specific ones. You might find them cheaper else where though. Its a nice light but in blizzards it ices over. Thanks for watching.
Great video mate! Its been my experience that ifyou decide to do the dikpik decals make sure to really enlarge them at least 150-250% or else no one will be able to see them. Go big or go home, or so I was told...👍
I like what your saying. So basically a massive bellend on the hood? Maybe I could put the balls on the windscreen so i'm looking through the right nut?
Mother in law gave me her 2000 xj freedom edition.... I wanted nothing to do with it 😅.... Decided to give it a chance..... And now she's my favorite vehicle but my younger self did not take care of her... She almost had no rust... Here in Hawaii because she was shipped from Arizona. Well I ran her hard and never gave her the love she deserved and now the body is on its way out .... Her motor???? Still a TANK .. I replaced the head , she's sitting at 240k miles... Sat for 4 years I decided to try get her going and one TPS sensor later she fired up and still sounds new. 😭😭😭 Long uncoordinated rant over
Your mother in law is a gem! What a legend. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but hey, now you have a project to work on. Nice that the engine is solid, the body is fairly forgiving so hopefully you can restore her to her former glory. Thanks for watching
Hi, loving these videos. I am a new-ish Jeep Cherokee 98 owner living in the Scottish highlands. i bought the Jeep with a 3-inch lift kit, and I've just completed a round trip from Scotland to Norway in the summer in it, and it was awesome. i have plenty of ideas of what i want to do to it to kit it out a bit better. although i am currently having an issue with my exhaust as it is sitting against part of the lift kit and creates and awful racket when starting up, have you got any suggestions on how to fix this? Or did you have a similar issue when you lifted yours?
I ended up side exiting the exhaust on mine although I don't think you would need to do that. What part of the suspension is it touching? I generally buy 2.5" stainless pipe and make up my own exhaust. You can use flexi pipe or other materials to plan the bends and things then buy pipe in the right shape. That sounds like a great trip! A jeep on 3" is a nice setup though, a good allrounder. Thanks for watching.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness that sounds like a good idea, cheers. I'm not very mechanically minded, so I can't give you the exact name, but it's sitting up against the bracket where the leaf spring is mounted to the lift kit; the end of the exhaust has been pushed over slightly towards the centre of the car. I'm not sure how to put that any better.
I know what you mean. The leaf spring bracket I guess. Unless you can bed it back by sliding a pipe up it and levering it down (possibly a shit idea but something I would do), you could cut it off further back and measure the external diameter. Then buy more stainless pipe and sleeve it with an exhaust bracket. It might not look good underneath but it depends on how much you like the exhaust.
Starting working on a 3.1 TD Grand Cherokee. For now im more focused on the engine. Any tips about engine maintenance and improving reliability? I live im Portugal so the summer is hot.
The 3.1 can produce a lot of power but the VM's do need some work before you can get some good performance and reliability. Next time you pull out your water pump, check the impeller diameter. There are two models, a 76mm and a 71mm. Also check the internal diameter of the pump housing and see if that matches the impeller. If its all 71mm consider upgrading the pump and housing to a 76mm pump if you can find one. The other things I'm sure you know and have done. Good coolant like HOAT for mixed metals, clean cooling system, new radiator or at least a clean one. If you want to start increasing power with more fuel and air then I think you might run into issues with heat given the ambient temps of where you are. Is the engine stock?
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I bought it last winter. Yes, the engine is original, has 80,000 km and is pulling very well. I have already cleaned the cooling system and changed the injector pump. I also use Engine Restorer, which I saw in one of your videos. But in the summer on hotter days the O/D light comes on, I'm trying to figure out how to fix this. For now, I just want to make sure that I have a mechanically reliable car.
It sounds like it's in good running condition then. Low mileage also. You've done most things then to make it in good order. It's just the hot summers that need some help by the sounds of it. There are other methods of cooling, but they can get expensive. Like injecting water and meth into the intake.
There meant to be better now. The one I had ten years ago was terrible but I think the point was they were just meant to make the Jeep look good. I don't know if the rebuildable joints are reliable but perhaps a more basic system with poly bushings or something would last much longer. If your going with rebuildable joints or flex joints then choose a more reputable lift setup that uses Jonny joints or chromoly heims. The RC kits are nor really that cheap and for not much more, or the same, you could get this - www.claytonoffroad.com/product/jeep-cherokee-front-long-arm-upgrade-kit-1984-2001-xj That's bolt on, just needs paint.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Thank you for the answer, I was looking for leafpacks, coils and shock absorbers, I saw their 3inch lift kit also with lower control arms and swaybar relocator, do you suggest to change the tracbar for 3 inches?
Ah I see what you want. That link I sent you still needs a lot of stuff. How high do you want to go ad what country do you live in? Also how much do you want to spend? Are you going to take it offroad?
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I think 3 inches are ok for now, I live in Italy, the shittyest country for car mods, I have my 97 Cherokee 2.5vm second gen for 1 year and made 9000km, done many small things like brakes, alternator, radiator, and now I need new suspension so I thought why not a lift, it has a major problem with oil pressure at mininum rpms with the engine in temperature: 90°, I use 10w40, could it be wrong oil/oil pump o bushings?
Hi, I have owned a 2.5td for about a year now. It has done me well so far. I drove to sweden and norway(6000km) with no issues. But I‘ve noticed a bit of a leak underneath the transmission and the transfer case. Is there a good gasket kit or a place to purchase these seals and gaskets? I would be super greatful for some advice. Thank you and awesome videos man👍🏼
Hi, where exactly is the leak coming from? If it's between the transmission and the engine, it will be the camshaft O ring. Of its transmission and the transfer case, then it will be the output seal on the transmission or the input seal on the transfer case. You can buy the gaskets from the Renegade Station in Germany.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Thanks for the reply! I already replaced the crankshaft seal when I replaced the clutch. So chamshaft seal would make sense. The transfercase is leaking from both external seals. Thanks for the recomendation. I will order and replace some gaskets.
@lolerLp ah okay, it sounds like more than one place then. That's unfortunate, but in any case, you will have to remove everything, so you might as well change as much as you can! It's not the most fun job. Good luck and thanks for watching
that dickpic comment 🤣🤣 your over the top statements always come out of nowhere 😂 super video like always! keep doing what you do. stiffening the frame, how do you start tackling that problem on a truck where you cannot buy ready to install frame stiffeners for? such as a K5 Blazer. as you said, you don't want to transfer the weakness. start to box in the C frame?
Thanks for watching and i'm glad you enjoy the content! I know some people use a 90 degree length of steel and weld it to the outside of the frame all along the outer edge. You basically cut slits in it so it bends. You can then use bottle jacks and hammers to make it contour the frame. Lots of people do this on the XJ, I'm sure other vehicles too. Extra crossmembers seem to be popular also. I guess once stiffened its good to tie both sides together as much as possible.
have you made the front bumper by your self ? can i buy the stiffener in sweden ? you have a great thing on the back where you have an xtra wheel is that made by you or can you buy it
The rear bumper tire carrier is made by me, well most of it. The front bumper I bought in the UK when I lived there although the maker has unfortunaily stopped making them. There are many other similar ones out there though. I can try and find some links. You can get stifferners in Sweden ordered from the UK or USA. This one below is from the UK but the shipping is very cheap. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126396947134?chn=ps&_ul=GB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1fXF-fFqSQPulNeunGFkGyQ46&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-169684-019962-0&mkcid=2&itemid=126396947134&targetid=325425753764&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9067767&poi=&campaignid=20637590555&mkgroupid=156071835804&rlsatarget=pla-325425753764&abcId=&merchantid=6995734&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw05i4BhDiARIsAB_2wfDIWMQuQodr-Y0V6svAuBJgJQ_x1bCUvNtfYNX7O-WpsO0c5s8cfdAaAlQaEALw_wcB This is from the USA, a much more robust kit but its reflected in the price. The shipping is also very expensive. You may not need this kind of kit unless you offroad the Jeep or run big tires and suspension. www.ironrockoffroad.com/product/xj-unibody-frame-stiffeners-full-set.html
So you can get them from the UK on eBay, BUT they are only 3mm thick and they only go on the side of the frame. Link below. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126396947134?chn=ps&_ul=GB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1fXF-fFqSQPulNeunGFkGyQ46&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-169684-019962-0&mkcid=2&itemid=126396947134&targetid=325425753764&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9067767&poi=&campaignid=20637590555&mkgroupid=156071835804&rlsatarget=pla-325425753764&abcId=&merchantid=6995734&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw05i4BhDiARIsAB_2wfBnZ3VHzHu6BWRWBuIVI48R6ZgjW1C2XhI6mjHBKV84fZ5HuVosYqUaAmbUEALw_wcB Iron Rock Offroad ship all over the world and sell a full set. - www.ironrockoffroad.com/product/xj-unibody-frame-stiffeners-full-set.html But its more expensive, 6mm thick, and shipping will be near 300EUR
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I can only compare stock diesel (straight pipe, blocked EGR) to a petrol with a performance header (thats how I bought it) and theres is nothing to compare really. This diesel feels extremely underpowered, feels a hill before I can see it, 4.0 was rather quick and the sound was awesome. The only worse engine in XJ is 2.1 Renault diesel, test drove it once and I couldn't get it up for 2 weeks after that, cried myself to sleep every night.
The stock TD is really underwhelming to be honest. I suppose much like the XJ itself it can be greatly improved, but at the cost of money and time, also failure and setbacks. I will dyno mine after Christmas for actual results but fuel/air/timing mods can make it very responsive on the highway or offroad. There is no reason why you cant get 180hp from it safely, torquing up from 1200rpm to 3000rpm maintaining hill climbs in 5th at 100kph with stable egts and coolant temps. You could get much more with some help from a water/meth injection kit. Its just a shit old tractor engine, give it more bang then choke it out up top so it doesn't blow up and it will be fun, but it will drink. 4.0 is a better engine though by design, no argument from me there. I just love diesels I guess.
Come on man. I'm pretty sure Mike has been incredibly clear about the purpose of this channel. I bet one of the reasons he created a new channel to do this, was to minimize the amount of people leaving comments like this - and yet here you are. With that being said, the content on this channel is immensely interesting and entertaining. Incredibly happy to see the progress of the vehicles and the odd outdoors video here and there. Great balance.
I've been building this Jeep for over 10 years, and a subscriber asked me about the choices I regret and the things I would absolutely do again if I started again. I thought It was a great idea for a Q&A as I know quite a few guys on Instagram who have bought Jeep XJ's and are wondering where to start.
You'll have to forgive that I'm not my usual humours self on this video. I've been pretty unwell, and the meds are pretty heavy. The syphilis unfortunately spread to my eyes, which is pretty bad, but on another note, it did enhance my vision, allowing me to select my victims more easily.
Although the Jeep XJ isn't as common as it used to be, the principles in this video can be applied to any older 4x4 vehicle.
Megan and I are waiting for a new baby any day now, so I thought this was a good time to do a video like this.
Thanks for watching and for all your support!
Mike
Very much appreciate your wisdom that is not just XJ focused, but case use. Few years ago I started a bit of work on my girlfriends '89 XJ and it is not lifted as it suffices with the General Grabber AT2's during winter in the Cascades here in NW Washington State. While I had to sort out the partially installed Rubicon Express 3.5 lift's geometry. It will get a class III hitch installed on the front to strengthen as well as provide possible recovery use, while the rear has a hitch as well. I hope to get stiffeners eventually. Next tires will be LT235/85R16's on the ZJ wheels, but won't be adding weight from aftermarket bumpers front and rear. Which leaves this '87 very stiff due to the short arms, but mostly from the spring rate which were designed that most would be installing those bumpers. I did refurbish the headliner, but also removed the carpeting thus used Herculiner with Kilmat and Siless on the floor and cargo area. Noise levels reduced with having installed Kilmat and Siless on the ceiling as well as the doors and rear quarters. I do get out to camp and hit forestry roads, and have no interest in submarine activities as I don't know how well my low mounted alternator would like swimming. I forgot to mention that it currently has standard load 245/75R16's which were supposed to be "temps" while I sorted out geometry, but will see how they do in this years snow. Sadly they tend to gate off many area's when the snow gets to deep for the safety of those not prepared to spend the night or more while stuck. I fortune to have been prepared though it was only to be a "day drive". Thank You. On this side of the pond, I think we have what is used "back east" is Fluid Film.
There is nothing wrong with your weird and twisted sense of humour, Mike, it's the main reason I watch the channel!
@duncanjmurray thanks mate! Appreciate you watching
Been watching you since your bushcraft days, always entertaining and chock-full of useful info/advice, thank you.
That frame stiffening advice is invaluable for these builds
Literally saves them from door misalignment.
Thanks for watching
Brother, I love this channel. Your honesty and transparency is what we need. Exactly as you said, social media has trashed things. I watch your stuff with vigor because it's very REAL and you show everything.
Thanks mate, I appreciate it. Social media is wild there days. There is too much ego out there and not enough humility.
Thanks again for watching!
Congrats on the new family member!
Thank you!
Living in the desert of california, I just use weld through black paint. I'm glad I don't have to use that undercoat. I really appreciate your attention to detail!
Much less hassle in that environment I'm sure. Thanks for watching!
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I watch all your videos. Your sense of humor is so funny it's so sneaky
Haha, glad you enjoy it!
Don't fart popcorns 😅😅😅
Great rules for any vehicle, I live in Nova scotia and 100% agree about all the anticorrosion, the carpets in vehicles seem to be designed to rot out these vehicles. Great channel - love seeming all the fabrication, great Cherokee build.
It certainly seems to keep them alive! Thanks for watching!
This is a great channel, I bought my XJ about 4 yrs ago. I bought it with a lift but replaced that because I want to put a double swing out on the back. Unfortunately I can’t do the work myself and have been having trouble finding places that do quality work. I’ve had to have engine work that keeps needing to be redone. Transmission rebuilt but was told with 32” tires and 3:55 gears I was going to wreck it. I don’t know if that’s true. I’m sorry about the rant. Congratulations on the new member and I hope you feel better.
Wow what a turn of events our lives have taken, you got me into bushcrafting many many many years ago probably over a decade ago at this point. I learned so much from you there, very thankful for those videos and helping me have good times in the outdoors.
And now all these years later I just imported my first truck into the USA (a japanese toyota hilux) and your "new" channel will be a perfect companion along my journey with it! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge and adventures it is invaluable to us! Looking forward to growing with this channel as well!
Haha, the natural progression! Years of sleeping in the dirt and now the comfort of a vehicle. Well, that's what I tell myself anyway. Having a vehicle that can get you out there and be tailored to your needs has been one of the most enjoyable interests for me so far.
I'm glad the new channel can provide some interesting content for you! Also, congratulations on the Toyota. They are fantastic vehicles!
just join your channel, loving it ! Thanks for all your clear explanations that will be put to good use in few weeks. Wishing you some good family time with the newborn !
Mike I used to follow your old channel and it is really good to see the genesis of your Jeep. Great advice for Jeep owners. Unfortunately I am a Land Rover owner but there is lots of commonality.
It doesn't matter what brand of 4x4 you have. Its all the same principles underneath. The era of vehicle is the main thing and they all seem to suffer the same fait if not looked after.
Thanks for watching for all these years!
Just got a Cherokee for a family camper and off-road explorer. This is great advice and your build is inspiring man! Cheers from Wyoming, keep up the fantastic content!
Ah, nice, a perfect vehicle! Outfitting a cherokee for such a thing is always great fun I found. Thanks for watching
Thanks heaps! for sharing and compile all the knowledge journey into the XJ community.
Thanks for watching!
You're telling me MCQ had an auto channel I'm just now finding? Dang. I know what i am binge watching.
Congratulations and good luck for the new Baby.
This is a great video.
I was inspired by your channel to get myself a Disco 2 , slowly restoring it for an adventure wagon .
All the best mate
Thank you! Hopefully he decides to come out soon 😆
I'm glad the videos can be of some use with the project. I sometimes wish I had a Disco 2 as a second truck. I always liked that vehicle.
✨️👍 well done mate loved the down time montage coffe chat with Mike vid plus the "Blue berry" is lookin great 👍 my xj is down for a complete overhaul wish i had it up as we just had a big hurican in central florida but all is well.. im lookin forward to ur 4.0 build and congratts again on another little one from "Rooster" cheers !
I am from the UK. I have owned Cherokees because they are the do all vehicles from the factory. my first black 1996 Cherokee 4.0 cost £900 and served me for 7 years. It was a reliable family vehicle, used for towing, a bit of off roading and burnouts. It ended up being completely rotten, backing down launching ramps with boats did not help.
My advice, and something I did with my second Cherokee, was to import from Japan. I bought a 58000 mile black limited with no rust for £3200. I have owned that vehicle for 4 years and quite frankly I cannot be without it. I have towed a 50 ft trailer with two 20ft boats with this vehicle. It's has been so loyal. For me the mk 1 xj is the only one to own (sorry mike)
By the way good luck with the little one, having kids is the most fantastic gift. Good luck my man.
Thanks mate, being a dad has been one of the most wonderful things I've experienced to date. Especially now he's with me in the workshop bless him. The 2nd should be here any day. Anyway, thanks for the stories of your jeeps. It's always great to hear!
Just wanted to say I've been building a discovery 2 overland build and your videos have been a big inspiration. Despite being different vehicles I take alot of inspiration and knowledge from these videos and follow alot of your advice and products in regards to rust protection and coatings. Love your your content here in dunoon on the West Coast of Scotland 👍
They are all the same, really, aren't they. I don't think it matters what brand you have. That era of vehicles all share the same problems. I'm glad the videos can provide something and appreciate you watching. I've always loved discovery's. I almost bought one when I originally looked at the XJ.
All good advice. So good to see you again. What an evolution through the years. That thing's a beast!
Thanks for watching!
im about to get a 2 door xj and all i want to do is camp and little road trips, but i dont want to go overkill.
this video helped me put a lot about what im thinking to do with it
Great video with some real world advice, thanks Mike. A lot of the things you've spoken about are just as applicable to my LR Disco 1
There all the same in principle aren't they. Just a slightly different platform at the end of the day. Thanks for watching!
Interested in your sleeping setup inside the Diesel. Also in the US fluid film and PB blaster surface shield are my go-tos for undercoating. Both are lanolin based.
I will make a video on the sleep system. It's pretty cool, but the ventilation is the next battle. Those products I know, and they work very well! Thanks for watching
Great video, should be a must watch for any future xj build/builder. I’ve also built a xj and I relate to so much of this stuff. Lessons learned.
Thanks for watching. There's a certain comradery with us all for what we have to do on these vehicles. It's kind of nice because everyone understands.
The order for me on my XJ
1. Lifted 3.5 inch, 33 inch tyres
2. Winch bumper and rear bumper
3. Big android din system with backup camera and digital rear view mirror
4. Front floor pans and rear quarters
5. Snorkel with cold air intake
6. Light bar and roof rack, new relay harness for headlights
7. Box rock sliders (to be welded)
Will need to rip out everything to weld the box rockers without burning up the carpet. But yeah. It spiralled, so will have to essentially take the entire thing apart and do it right från frame up. Steering is clearly a needed upgrade.
I drive this car two days per year at the moment and have zero time for this thing. My wife is understandably quite unimpressed.
Mine followed a similar path although I think I did most of the corrosion work in the first three years due to the climate and some kind of OCD.
It sounds like a pretty built rig though! Some nice work and with the rockers it will be much better.
I can appreciate the difficulties with time. I went self employed several years ago which greatly changed my life with regards to time. Obviously its not all roses because whatever path we choose has its challenges. But time is certainly a benefit.
I hope as things move on you can find the time again and thanks for watching.
Man, you should definitely do 38s. you’re definitely the right person to do it. I’ve been watching your videos since day one. Love your videos!! Long time watcher.
I want to eventually. I would need to swap the front axle. I have a set of axles off of an old Chevi Square body truck. I would need to use them both if I swapped them to have the same width, but they would easily run a 38. It's just a whole load of work, and I might wait a while!
Great bumper story. I had a large deer jump in front of me and I hit it at 35 mph (56kph) and killed it straight out. Between the lift on the XJ dead centering the deer and the bumper, zero damage.
It can be a good meal
Ah that's wild. I've not hit an animal.....yet. A moose ran out in front of the jeep just a few weeks back. Luckily it was at an angle so I had time to slow down. I don't think my bumper would have liked that one. Good to hear of more survival stores though and thanks for watching
Very similar story. Hit one dead center going 40mph on a backroad. Smaller deer and it did not go so well for the deer. Jeep was great just lost some paint on the bumper.
These Jeep survival stories are making me feel hopeful
Hey Mike, new subscriber here. I went to Lycksele with my family just over the day and saw your car at the dollar store. I told them holy hell thats a dream car right there. Ive been fly Fishing for 20+ years and having a car like that must be awesome addition.
Hey, thanks for checking out the channel and subscribing! I was just there by request of my son for goodies and a toy, haha.
My wife's in the hospital with our 2nd son, so I'm back and forth from Åsele at the moment.
The jeep certainly helps with getting out there and enjoying nature. I didn't get much fly fishing this summer, sadly, although im not that experienced at it. Thanks for watching!
@@WorkshoptoWilderness if your ever around the Vilhelmina area to do some fishing, just hit me up if you need sum help. And i might pick your brain about a decent offroad car. I know a few things about fishing but nothing when it comes to cars 🤣.
@Lakebranch-n5k that sounds good to me. I'm a novice when it comes to fly fishing. Lure fishing I do mostly just to put fish in the freezer.
I can certainly help with vehicle based advice!
I'm not too far away from you, so if for whatever reason you find yourself in Åsele (probably no reason at all), then you're always welcome for a coffee.
I generally use Fluid Film or Surface Shield in place of Dinitrol 3125
Those are solid products 👌 job done!
10 years and your nearly finished 😂 take it this is one of your jokes 👍🏻🏴
Haha, probably total rubbish. It will never be finished, hahah 😆
After 13 years with my XJ, I wholeheartedly agree with and appreciate how much you emphasized moisture mitigation and stress distribution. The body on these rigs is honestly shit and really needs quite a bit of attention to last through years of abuse.
Congrats on #2.. Baby... and Jeep... 😁 Max must be chuffed! Best wishes to Meg!
Thank you!! Max is pretty excited 😊
I really appreciate what you’re doing. - Jim (Fayetteville, NC, USA)
Great video Mike, I've love to see more of these videos as I'm learning a lot
I'm about to spend 5k on tires, CV joints, shocks, steering rack and pinion (?) thingie fingfang. On a 2003 Subi Forester. 232k miles. But what I wont have is a car payment. Wish I could do this stuff, shocks I probably could, but easier to pay someone. And less Tourettes outbreaks for me. Iv replaced the starter, radiator, cooling fans and I change my oil and filters. That's enough for me. Anywho, I know this has nothing to do with an XJ... maybe I should look for rust under Subi's carpet? ..... ahhh nope. LOL Thanks for sharing Mike!
The Subi Forester is a nice choice of vehicle. I've seen some really nice Subi builds from German tourists here in the summer. Sometimes it is better to pay for the work depending on your budget and time. Don't lift the carpet, don't do it! I'm sure its fine though.
Thanks for watching.
I enjoy all of your videos! Keep them coming!!!!
Thanks for watching!
love the content and the relevance, ive owned my xj for 14 years. im now expecting my first kid and trying desperately to get my "original" (98xj) 4x4 back on the road and ready to explore my own country. i have a wj and a tj to fill the void but its just not the same... at all... life,love, and all the boring shit got in the way and stopped me from building the dream. your xj is a true inspiration to what i inspired mine to be
cheers, from the southern half of the world
Finding the time around family and life in general can be very challenging. If I wasn't self employed and able to put some time aside on the channel, it would be difficult for me to get into the XJ so often. Previously when I was full time and we had our first child I would put aside Sunday afternoons on the Jeep. It wasn't much but its good therapy.
My son now helps me out in the garage from time to time. Mostly small jobs but it all becomes more frequent again when they get older.
Congratulations on your first child and I hope it all goes well! Also thanks for watching!
Wishing you and your family all the best, God Bless!!!
Thank you so much!
😂😂 love the humour and the jeeps pretty nice too
Thanks for watching!
Nice rig! I’ve been following your channel, lots of great info.
Thanks for watching!
Awesome info for people who are getting into stuff like this.
Just love your XJ's... As I do mine !
Appreciate the comment and thanks for watching!
Great video man, super helpful tips and your Jeep is proof they work…thanks for the upload..:)
Appreciate you watching and glad you enjoy it!
Hey Mike, is there a particular reason you've stopped hunting? Is it just legal stuff, getting new licences etc, joining a hunting club maybe?
I'm not really for or against, I just know that hunting is a big thing here in the nordic countries. Maybe a bit different than UK, but there's still bird hunting to do, especially up in north.
Anyway, glad to hear about the jeep again, I've always been a fan of it. Got to admire your persistence, I'd probably gone through about 16 different, half arsed attempts at a similar rig in that time 😅
Hope the syphilis eases up a bit and you can enjoy the joys of fatherhood again at full capacity. All the best to Megan and Max and of course... Madeleine? Mathilda? Malin?... 🤔
Anyway, all the best!! 👏
I stopped when I left the UK. Well, actually, I did hunt a bit in Sweden when I arrived under my UK licence. But Brexit changed the regulations, and I could no longer loan out a shotgun in Sweden with my uk licence.
I retired my UK licence this year and gave my gun away to a friend. I do miss it a bit, but I've also been doing it in one form or another since I was a boy. So I can take it or leave it at the moment.
I may hunt again, but there is no rush as far as I'm concerned. The only thing I would do it again for is for meat.
We're not sure about a name yet, but apparently, it's another boy! Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Nice video, a lot of what you talk about can be applied to a lot of different vehicles and 4wd’s.
Hey Mike! First of I really love these kind of videos of talking about different 4x4 vehicle topics and advice. I often have similar "conversations" in my head hahah. I also run a massive steel (EU legal) front bumper on my G Wagon. I live in an area with lots of deer and wild boars, i just gives me a sense of security driving in the night or early morning. I think it will definetly save the car, having a serious front end collision with another heavy vehicle though i think it would be possible to bend or crack the frame. Essentially totaling the vehicle. Good thing its slow as heck!
Thank you for sharing your advice, mistakes and Knowledge, it has helped me immensly! All the best for your wife and children!
The boar can be dense. We use to get them coming into the camp in the Forest of Dean. I'm sure the bumper would save the G Wagon from a Boar or Deer. Another vehicle is always a risk like you say as it could end up making more of a mess of your own. Best to drive slow and aim for the ditch if you can.
I don't make these kinds of videos very often although much like you I have these conversations with myself!
Thanks for watching.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Yeah definetly the ditch it is then. Id rather roll it and have to do a body swap, much cheaper than a new frame haha!
Only mild experience, but Eastwood rust converter and other stuff seems to be holding up for me waaay better than other things I've tried.
I think Eastwood makes very reputable products from what I've seen.
Thanks for watching
Man I love videos like this. This was great. Wouldn’t mind if these were regular!
Thanks for watching
@@WorkshoptoWilderness an in depth video on how you did stiffeners would be nice 😏
If I get some for the 4.0 I will do that 100%.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness love it. Got an old gal that needs help getting stiff. You get it
Hey Mike,
First of all big congratulations on soon coming baby 😊
Secondly it was really good video and before I saw it I had exactly the same thoughts going through my head. My diesel xj just packed in engine cracked and overheated badly so just took it out yesterday and since I'm land rover mechanic I'm getting td5 and going to do a swap and then finish it the way want so hopefully that will go fine.... but as always very helpfu, can't wait for more 😊
Thank you. Hopefully, the little man comes soon. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Ah, that's a shame on the engine, but also not because you can put the td5 in there and make more in line with what you know and like. Thanks for watching and for the comment!
Awesome video again Mike! Really hope you get back into hunting!
Thanks for watching
P.s. i know ur always talkin about sasquach and i ran into this funny vid series called "Jarrad's Multiverse part 1.. i thought u would get a laugh .. cheers and safe travels mate✨️👍
Most impressive thing with this build is how you’ve managed to keep it going with a child and another on the way. 😂 Work on my projects stopped dead the day our baby arrived. Not been in my garage in 11 months.
I think what helped free up time is being self-employed. It's not always easy, but I have a much better work-life balance now.
The channel is somewhat a part of that also, so I do put time towards it each week.
If I were full-time employed like I was previously, then time would be very limited.
Thanks for watching
Hi! It would be interesting to hear your take on winter tyres. Most of US dont seem to use dedicated winter tyres like hakapelita, blizzaks etc on their offroad trucks. People in US seem to look at 3 peak icon on the tyre and think that it is ok. I live in cold climate (Kazakhstan), lots of snow , ice and temps under -20C, and I’m a strong believer that for winter you must run dedicated winter tyres. ATs just dont do well here, they get hard and are dangerous on ice. AT/MT etc i think are only for summer. You seem to run studded AT in the winter, wonder how these tyres are doing in ICE, and cold tems. Offroad on low pressure they warm up pretty good, and no problems there, but general driving on public roads is the thing that I’d like to hear. Thank you!
There is no comparison to a proper winter tire, as we both know. Everyone here in Northern Sweden runs a dedicated winter tire made from a softer compound, with studs.
If I had a different front axle and the money 💰 I would run a nokian hakkapeliitta for winter and an AT summer.
I use a cooper MT for winter, but I have grooved the tire to add lots of siping and popped studs in them. Their not a good tire for winter, but it works with the changes I've made. The compound is hard, though, and this is most noticeable after fresh snow has fallen on ice.
I will run these for one more year and see how they perform, but ideally, they will not be used next year.
@@WorkshoptoWildernessthank you for the answer. I have lots of friends here, who run AT/MT tyres in the winter. Generally they do alright under normal driving, right until the point when you have to make emergency stop, this is when they fail big time. A friend of mine crashed his Patrol this way, I put my Mt tyres for one weekend to joint competition here, and guess what, the day after I hit someone’s car at like 5km/h. Just could not stop, there was some Ice and snow on top, and the car just would not stop. Great content man, enjoy watching you stuff a lot!
Just an idea from future video, to make a comparison video on tyres in the snow. Chans vs no chais, chains in the back vs front in the deep snow. Nate from Dirtlifestyle made some good videos like that, very informative and fun to watch, but he has yet made video about chains, and you have lots of experience using it in snowy conditions. So I think you are the man to make it 😁
iv been building mine for 16 & two weeks ago someone ran a red light and totaled it, besides the stress and the junk heaps the only nice ones people want 10k plus for them. its crazy and hope to have some luck getting another one.
Ah, mate, my heart goes out to you. It's the biggest fear, and it could happen to anyone. I expect it to happen to me one day, given the harsh winters and increased risk when driving.
It was one of the reasons I got a 2nd one, just in case the unimaginable happens. I really hope you can find another, even if it's not in the best condition, it might make a viable project.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness just a heads up I just picked up a clean 2001 silver with a manual transmission, completely stock clean title and a smidge under 200k miles similar to wrecked one, only thing out of my pocket is going to be the registration and title transfer and then the wreck money is just straight up paying for it. But it feels very weird not being lifted 6 1/2 in on long arms but at least it has a nicer interior, I didn't see any rust or rot anywhere, but looks like a droopy headliner and a few leaks.
Ah man, I'm really happy for you! That sounds like you found a clean one to fill the hole in your heart. Well, maybe in time anyway!
4 months owing an XJ and loving it, thing is a warrior. That said, i would like to protect it as much as possible so I can enjoy her for many years. Could you elaborate on the carpet removal? Do you spray the panels with a bed liner?
Congratulations on the XJ! I've linked a couple of videos to the process I used. The top link is more recent and probably better. The 2nd is sound deadening.
You will want to remove the plastic trim inside the jeep first. Things around where the carpet ends at the edges. Once it's out you can vacuum up and dirt, use thinners or brake clean to clean down the metal floor pans. You could then spray the exposed floor with an etch primer or lightly sand it all, depending on what the condition is. After that I would without a doubt spray Upol Raptor Liner over it all, 2 coats plus one light duts off coat. Leave that for at least 5 days before exposing it to moisture or using the jeep.
On top of this you can choose a sound dampening mat that you like. I went with Silent Coat. It takes the acoustic out of the panel. You can choose the black Silent Coat so it looks better, or something like Kill Mat.
The transmission tunnel and anything that isn't a low spot can be layered with sound deadening foam, and fabric before reinstalling the plastic trim. The low spots on the floor pans and rear cargo are should always be removable in my opinion. Depending on your climate of course. If you see wet and snow then it means you can pull the mats out and allow the water to evaporate. When I return home from camp trips in the winter I pull all the mats and leave the doors open in the garage to dry out the vehicle.
th-cam.com/video/XRTu0cw9dn4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=-uuxpYBn0jPO655i
th-cam.com/video/uAtYb2eTKt8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ItQgp7ena524AS51
Admit it, you just love Mike saying "frame stiffening", right... stiffener...
Hush 😂
Just saying it made me feel stiffer!
I wonder if Cosmoline will also work for undercoating..
DINITROL® 3125 HS is available on Amazon - 4 pack.
DINITROL® 3125 HS
That was very useful Mike. Good info about corrosion but most importantly about how to take out a twat in a Nova. 😂
🤣
I love this video. What do you do for like the steer box mine broke two times already and what is your daily driver?
Thanks for watching! Ah, that's a pain that the box has died twice. What's dying on it? You could get a steering box support that holds the output shaft with a bearing.
barnes4wd.com/products/xj-steering-box-brace
That will take all of the stress out of the box itself and support the output shaft.
My daily driver will eventually be the 4.0, but for now, it's an embarrassingly shit Nissan Note. We live in a small town and don't need to drive, so mostly I use my XJ if I leave town.
Im building 98XJ TD in Finland for overlanding. First im doing is swapping m57 on it. Then what im thinking is lifting. So far my toughts have been 4.5inch (us) which is ours 4" lift. 33" in it. Long arm kit. But so far my plan is m57, then remove that carpet and checking car from all the rusts. I do have invested chrysler 8.25, and planning to replace dana35 to 8.25. big plans and slowly starting. Allready have m57 almost rebuild, so soon it will be time to swap it.
Sounds like a nice build in the making. The M57 will certainly make it good fun.
I would just count the splines on that 8.25 and make sure its 29. If its 27 it wont be much stronger than the 35 with the shafts, but your probabaly know that.
Thanks for watching!
Can't wait to see the rr on your XJ.
Its almost on. I started recording the progress. I have to say its awesome and so easy to install. The fitment is perfect too!
Dear Mike do you have a video for the pure maintaince on a car like that especially under the hood?
There are lots of videos on the channel with that content, but nothing is complete in one video, unfortunately.
Perhaps next time I do a full service, I can make a video covering everything.
Congrats on the newborn, just picked up my 17th xj 😂
My god! Well you certainly aren't short of parts then!
Was that river crossing footage from the fosse way? That section had totally changed now but def looked like it.
Yeah, that's the place. It was about 10 years ago, maybe more. What's it like now?
@WorkshoptoWilderness best way I can describe it is about 2 or 3 years ago they landscaped the crossing. I changed my TH-cam picture to it now so you can get the idea.
Wow, that's completely different! I suppose it was very deep before so they have made it more accessible
Good and interesting video!
Thanks for watching
Very informative 👏.
Thanks for watching
Hi mate, just found your channel and love your content mate, very informative and to the point❤ just wondering we have the same front bumper, how did you do the frame stiffeners on the front end so that the bumper still fits as with the extra thickness of frame stiffeners up front the bumper wouldn’t fit over that would it? Thanks in advance :)
Hi, Thanks for checking out the channel! I got the bumper in the UK and had to cut off the mounting plates each side and reweld them to make it fit with frame stiffeners. I did have add some additional reinforcements to the setup.
I hope this helps!
Great video
Thanks for watching.
Was just checking YT to see if your new video was up ❤
Thanks for tuning in!
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I really need you to get you sleep system done so I can copy it before it snows here in NY 😂😂
I will show it in the next video so you can see what its like 😅
Great video! I just got an front aries brushguard for my 01 xj - do you think I would need to offset the weight in the front with a tire rack or something in the back?
I wouldn't have thought so. The front will be heavier. You will just have to see how it sits and rides. A tire carrier would balance it of course. Thanks for watching
Thank you!
I use something called linolja to spray in doors, frames, thresholds. 👍👍👍👍
That stuffs really good from the reviews! Good stuff!
Thanks for watching.
Would you put frame stifners on the xj of you would only put 31” tires and a 3” lift in the car? And use is for “overlading” op as you Saïd car camping :)
I think I would just for the reduction in road noise in the frame. After I installed them it was the first thing I noticed. The box rocker thing could wait, or never happen. Welding on the stiffeners would be a good upgrade on an overlander that sees a lot of vibration and shock load from dirt roads and pot holes.
Its a lot of work though so starting in the center is a good place to begin. You could go from there and add the fronts next and the rear last.
Im just starting out my first xj build but I want to point out the front end frame stiffeners seem like a must IF you get a steel bumper. Which most people do. The oem mounting locations are very thin.
Very good point!
Thanks for the response! I might just start looking into in. The thing I’m unsure about is how much weight it might add to the car. I would like to keep the jeep as light as possible especially with the 4.0 being thirsty as it is 🙃
I don't think Stiffeners would make a huge difference to the fuel economy. If you started doing bumpers, winches, and stuff, then it gets very heavy fast. Front and center are the most important
Best first upgrades for most 'car camping' is better tires, tire inflator and a shovel
Certainly, as far as equipment goes. Although this video is more on the build, restoration, and hardware. Thanks for watching
@@WorkshoptoWildernessyour recommendations were spot-on and exactly what I did with my XJ build, right off the bat. I forgot the dickpics, though? 😆
Interesting you mention having a head on collision, same thing happened to me earlier this year, I was hit head on by a 3.0 Toyota Landcruiser, I had a steel winch bumper on my XJ and I literally destroyed the front of the Landcruiser, his vehicle was taken away on a flatbed, I drove away with minimal damage.
Holy shit. Seriously! I honestly would have thought the XJ wouldn't have survived against a land cruiser. Those things are pretty solid. He must have been devastated 💔
@@WorkshoptoWilderness He was, it was his pride and joy, I’ve got the photos to prove it too, in the end he had the Landcruiser repaired, €8500 total repair cost. My header panel took a beating as did my drivers side wing, I had a Rough Country winch bumper on my Jeep, the bumper was actually pushed over about an inch, the tie in rail to the frame is 5mm I think. I was very fortunate, no structural damage to the unibody. Only other damage was a broken indicator light, a cracked fan shroud, and a bulge in the sidewall of my tyre.
Wow, that's wild. Poor guy, that's not a cheap repair, but at least he could repair it. The damage you took sounds minimal, basically. It's the biggest fear of any owner, isn't it.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Certainly is mate. Anyway thanks for your channel, very informative and the subtle humour!. Looking forward to many more videos. All the best to your family and the new baby..
Cheers mate 👍
your funny Mike the only way to finish working on a jeep is to run out of money or sell it
Thanks for watching
great advice!
Thanks for watching!
Hey mate currently looking at either a 4.0 or diesel Cherokee. Howd you manage to get the diesel faster than the petrol? Cheers
I'm sure the petrol would beat my diesel up top. It's apples and oranges. It's just that I've tuned up the diesel a lot, and it's nothing like it used to be. Basically, more fuel and more air alongside timing.
It still needs to be put on the dyno, but it's not slow.
I put on a bigger 11mm fuel pump, mechanical one that's tunable. Other adjustments can be made with a ve pump like the boost compensator, timing, and Max fuel screw.
This gives the engine lots more fuel and also more fuel across the rpm ranges. I've put in a different GT series turbo, so it spools up early, and at the current settings, I've got it topping out at 25psi at 2300rpm. This keeps the egts at acceptable levels on full load.
The diesel is gutless stock, but you can make it a hog, and it will make lots of torque and good HP. My advice would be to stick with a 4.0 thought as it requires no messing around.
Awesome, get a few inches of stiffness. Good, got that. I'll work on it. One thing I'd add to your vehicle is of course on the snorkel a fluffy pink bunny, for the rest it seems a functioning ride, maybe some dickpic decals.
Stiffness is the key, unless your under attack then go limp. It makes it harder for them to load you in the van.
Fluffy pink bunny snorkel sock and dick pic decal merch coming soon. You should be my business manager.
Thanks for watching!
Does the silent coat pannels prevent heat from the engine/trans/exhaust from coming into the cab? Ive got a 97 with the 4.0 that we put a doubler in it, which pushed the trans up making the cab almost uncomfortably warm.
Yes, absolutely! I would also use some insulation or foam over silent coat for the trans tunnel. I have silent coat, foam, and insulation fabric over the trans tunnel to stop the heat, and it really helped.
What car headlights are you using now? I'm looking to buy some, but it seems like many of them have the same shape, yet the quality feels different
They are from a company called Loyo. If you use WWA23 you can get 10% off if you want these specific ones. You might find them cheaper else where though. Its a nice light but in blizzards it ices over.
Thanks for watching.
Great video mate! Its been my experience that ifyou decide to do the dikpik decals make sure to really enlarge them at least 150-250% or else no one will be able to see them. Go big or go home, or so I was told...👍
I like what your saying. So basically a massive bellend on the hood? Maybe I could put the balls on the windscreen so i'm looking through the right nut?
@@WorkshoptoWildernessa real bird's eye view of the ol coin purse.
Mother in law gave me her 2000 xj freedom edition.... I wanted nothing to do with it 😅.... Decided to give it a chance..... And now she's my favorite vehicle but my younger self did not take care of her... She almost had no rust... Here in Hawaii because she was shipped from Arizona. Well I ran her hard and never gave her the love she deserved and now the body is on its way out .... Her motor???? Still a TANK .. I replaced the head , she's sitting at 240k miles... Sat for 4 years I decided to try get her going and one TPS sensor later she fired up and still sounds new. 😭😭😭 Long uncoordinated rant over
Your mother in law is a gem! What a legend. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but hey, now you have a project to work on. Nice that the engine is solid, the body is fairly forgiving so hopefully you can restore her to her former glory.
Thanks for watching
@@WorkshoptoWilderness yessir!!!! That woman is gold...... My jeep is back to bringing home coolers of fish and I couldn't be happier
@@WorkshoptoWilderness i took her threw a tidal area.... That's where all the problems started 🤦. Sand and salt water ..... 😭😭😭
Hi, loving these videos. I am a new-ish Jeep Cherokee 98 owner living in the Scottish highlands. i bought the Jeep with a 3-inch lift kit, and I've just completed a round trip from Scotland to Norway in the summer in it, and it was awesome. i have plenty of ideas of what i want to do to it to kit it out a bit better. although i am currently having an issue with my exhaust as it is sitting against part of the lift kit and creates and awful racket when starting up, have you got any suggestions on how to fix this? Or did you have a similar issue when you lifted yours?
I ended up side exiting the exhaust on mine although I don't think you would need to do that. What part of the suspension is it touching? I generally buy 2.5" stainless pipe and make up my own exhaust. You can use flexi pipe or other materials to plan the bends and things then buy pipe in the right shape.
That sounds like a great trip! A jeep on 3" is a nice setup though, a good allrounder.
Thanks for watching.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness that sounds like a good idea, cheers. I'm not very mechanically minded, so I can't give you the exact name, but it's sitting up against the bracket where the leaf spring is mounted to the lift kit; the end of the exhaust has been pushed over slightly towards the centre of the car. I'm not sure how to put that any better.
I know what you mean. The leaf spring bracket I guess. Unless you can bed it back by sliding a pipe up it and levering it down (possibly a shit idea but something I would do), you could cut it off further back and measure the external diameter. Then buy more stainless pipe and sleeve it with an exhaust bracket.
It might not look good underneath but it depends on how much you like the exhaust.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Cheers for the advice, thats very helpful!
Keep making awesome videos, love the content
Starting working on a 3.1 TD Grand Cherokee. For now im more focused on the engine. Any tips about engine maintenance and improving reliability? I live im Portugal so the summer is hot.
The 3.1 can produce a lot of power but the VM's do need some work before you can get some good performance and reliability. Next time you pull out your water pump, check the impeller diameter. There are two models, a 76mm and a 71mm. Also check the internal diameter of the pump housing and see if that matches the impeller. If its all 71mm consider upgrading the pump and housing to a 76mm pump if you can find one.
The other things I'm sure you know and have done. Good coolant like HOAT for mixed metals, clean cooling system, new radiator or at least a clean one.
If you want to start increasing power with more fuel and air then I think you might run into issues with heat given the ambient temps of where you are.
Is the engine stock?
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I bought it last winter. Yes, the engine is original, has 80,000 km and is pulling very well. I have already cleaned the cooling system and changed the injector pump. I also use Engine Restorer, which I saw in one of your videos. But in the summer on hotter days the O/D light comes on, I'm trying to figure out how to fix this. For now, I just want to make sure that I have a mechanically reliable car.
It sounds like it's in good running condition then. Low mileage also. You've done most things then to make it in good order. It's just the hot summers that need some help by the sounds of it.
There are other methods of cooling, but they can get expensive. Like injecting water and meth into the intake.
Hi Mike, do you think new RC lift kits are good?
There meant to be better now. The one I had ten years ago was terrible but I think the point was they were just meant to make the Jeep look good.
I don't know if the rebuildable joints are reliable but perhaps a more basic system with poly bushings or something would last much longer. If your going with rebuildable joints or flex joints then choose a more reputable lift setup that uses Jonny joints or chromoly heims. The RC kits are nor really that cheap and for not much more, or the same, you could get this - www.claytonoffroad.com/product/jeep-cherokee-front-long-arm-upgrade-kit-1984-2001-xj
That's bolt on, just needs paint.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Thank you for the answer, I was looking for leafpacks, coils and shock absorbers, I saw their 3inch lift kit also with lower control arms and swaybar relocator, do you suggest to change the tracbar for 3 inches?
Ah I see what you want. That link I sent you still needs a lot of stuff. How high do you want to go ad what country do you live in? Also how much do you want to spend? Are you going to take it offroad?
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I think 3 inches are ok for now, I live in Italy, the shittyest country for car mods, I have my 97 Cherokee 2.5vm second gen for 1 year and made 9000km, done many small things like brakes, alternator, radiator, and now I need new suspension so I thought why not a lift, it has a major problem with oil pressure at mininum rpms with the engine in temperature: 90°, I use 10w40, could it be wrong oil/oil pump o bushings?
@@WorkshoptoWilderness also yes my base idea is a versatile car for doing camping, adventures and carry around equipment, also offroad
Hi, I have owned a 2.5td for about a year now. It has done me well so far. I drove to sweden and norway(6000km) with no issues. But I‘ve noticed a bit of a leak underneath the transmission and the transfer case. Is there a good gasket kit or a place to purchase these seals and gaskets? I would be super greatful for some advice. Thank you and awesome videos man👍🏼
Hi, where exactly is the leak coming from? If it's between the transmission and the engine, it will be the camshaft O ring.
Of its transmission and the transfer case, then it will be the output seal on the transmission or the input seal on the transfer case.
You can buy the gaskets from the Renegade Station in Germany.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness Thanks for the reply! I already replaced the crankshaft seal when I replaced the clutch. So chamshaft seal would make sense. The transfercase is leaking from both external seals. Thanks for the recomendation. I will order and replace some gaskets.
@lolerLp ah okay, it sounds like more than one place then. That's unfortunate, but in any case, you will have to remove everything, so you might as well change as much as you can! It's not the most fun job. Good luck and thanks for watching
that dickpic comment 🤣🤣 your over the top statements always come out of nowhere 😂 super video like always! keep doing what you do. stiffening the frame, how do you start tackling that problem on a truck where you cannot buy ready to install frame stiffeners for? such as a K5 Blazer. as you said, you don't want to transfer the weakness. start to box in the C frame?
Thanks for watching and i'm glad you enjoy the content! I know some people use a 90 degree length of steel and weld it to the outside of the frame all along the outer edge. You basically cut slits in it so it bends. You can then use bottle jacks and hammers to make it contour the frame.
Lots of people do this on the XJ, I'm sure other vehicles too. Extra crossmembers seem to be popular also. I guess once stiffened its good to tie both sides together as much as possible.
have you made the front bumper by your self ? can i buy the stiffener in sweden ? you have a great thing on the back where you have an xtra wheel is that made by you or can you buy it
The rear bumper tire carrier is made by me, well most of it. The front bumper I bought in the UK when I lived there although the maker has unfortunaily stopped making them. There are many other similar ones out there though. I can try and find some links.
You can get stifferners in Sweden ordered from the UK or USA.
This one below is from the UK but the shipping is very cheap.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126396947134?chn=ps&_ul=GB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1fXF-fFqSQPulNeunGFkGyQ46&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-169684-019962-0&mkcid=2&itemid=126396947134&targetid=325425753764&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9067767&poi=&campaignid=20637590555&mkgroupid=156071835804&rlsatarget=pla-325425753764&abcId=&merchantid=6995734&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw05i4BhDiARIsAB_2wfDIWMQuQodr-Y0V6svAuBJgJQ_x1bCUvNtfYNX7O-WpsO0c5s8cfdAaAlQaEALw_wcB
This is from the USA, a much more robust kit but its reflected in the price. The shipping is also very expensive. You may not need this kind of kit unless you offroad the Jeep or run big tires and suspension.
www.ironrockoffroad.com/product/xj-unibody-frame-stiffeners-full-set.html
@@WorkshoptoWilderness thank you very much
As someone in the US with a 4.0, you can take your 25mpg and shove it 😂
Does anyone have a good source for frame stiffeners and bumpers etc. in Europe? I am in Finland - 1989 Cherokee
So you can get them from the UK on eBay, BUT they are only 3mm thick and they only go on the side of the frame. Link below.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/126396947134?chn=ps&_ul=GB&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1fXF-fFqSQPulNeunGFkGyQ46&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-169684-019962-0&mkcid=2&itemid=126396947134&targetid=325425753764&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9067767&poi=&campaignid=20637590555&mkgroupid=156071835804&rlsatarget=pla-325425753764&abcId=&merchantid=6995734&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw05i4BhDiARIsAB_2wfBnZ3VHzHu6BWRWBuIVI48R6ZgjW1C2XhI6mjHBKV84fZ5HuVosYqUaAmbUEALw_wcB
Iron Rock Offroad ship all over the world and sell a full set. - www.ironrockoffroad.com/product/xj-unibody-frame-stiffeners-full-set.html
But its more expensive, 6mm thick, and shipping will be near 300EUR
Thanks
i thought it was heavier than 2.1 tons
It probably is, to be fair. From memory, it was 2.2 something with the tent on.
Popcorn farts 😅😅😅😅
There real!!
2m & 45sec into new owners guide, get a welder 😂
As an ex-owner of 4.0l petrol XJ and current owner of the 2.5 diesel XJ I would like to add one thing. Do not buy a diesel XJ 😅
I think you would have a shock if you drove my diesel. It makes my 4.0 feel underpowered.
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I can only compare stock diesel (straight pipe, blocked EGR) to a petrol with a performance header (thats how I bought it) and theres is nothing to compare really. This diesel feels extremely underpowered, feels a hill before I can see it, 4.0 was rather quick and the sound was awesome. The only worse engine in XJ is 2.1 Renault diesel, test drove it once and I couldn't get it up for 2 weeks after that, cried myself to sleep every night.
@@WorkshoptoWildernesswould still love to see a dyno run of your 2.5 with all the upgrades you’ve done, love your videos
@@WorkshoptoWilderness BUT if we ever meet I am happy to give it a go 👌
The stock TD is really underwhelming to be honest. I suppose much like the XJ itself it can be greatly improved, but at the cost of money and time, also failure and setbacks.
I will dyno mine after Christmas for actual results but fuel/air/timing mods can make it very responsive on the highway or offroad. There is no reason why you cant get 180hp from it safely, torquing up from 1200rpm to 3000rpm maintaining hill climbs in 5th at 100kph with stable egts and coolant temps. You could get much more with some help from a water/meth injection kit.
Its just a shit old tractor engine, give it more bang then choke it out up top so it doesn't blow up and it will be fun, but it will drink.
4.0 is a better engine though by design, no argument from me there. I just love diesels I guess.
Dunno, was hoping for another adventure of mcq, hunting outdoors, no music, just shooting some pheasants or something...
That’s a bit of an unrealistic expectation imo. He has a busy life and he has explained that
@@FreeRangeLemon I'm not interested in car upgrade video's, unsubscribed.
@bastiaan7777777 for the best 👌
@@WorkshoptoWilderness I did really enjoy the McQ bushcraft videos. Honestly.
Come on man. I'm pretty sure Mike has been incredibly clear about the purpose of this channel. I bet one of the reasons he created a new channel to do this, was to minimize the amount of people leaving comments like this - and yet here you are. With that being said, the content on this channel is immensely interesting and entertaining. Incredibly happy to see the progress of the vehicles and the odd outdoors video here and there. Great balance.