Fairly easy job, moves the start of the flexi line down around 3″ and forward 2″. I coudn’t get the tap to take on the frame rail so fixed the bracket with a stainless rivet. Red line shows original position.

Just spent a few hours working out the config of the seat runners to get some WJ leather seats into my Cherokee. Seems a straight forward swap, just need to drill a couple of holes and modify the seat runner to move the adjuster back.

There seems to be 2 ways to do the drivers seat, use the original seat frame and motors off the XJ and put them onto the WJ seat (you have to do this with the passenger seat) or modify the WJ runners to fit the XJ (gives you an extra inch of headroom). I chose to modify the WJ runners for the drivers seat.

First off you use the runners from the WJ seats BUT then need drilling to move the adjuster block rearwards so you can get the seats far enough back. Use the pin in the floor of the XJ as a reference point for mounting the seats, you then need to drill the other 3 holes, one through the floor at the rear (used a 10mm bolt straight through the floor as it is reinforced) and 2 through the floor crossmember for the 2 front mount holes (used original bolts).
The WJ runners will need to be bent on the front mount point to match the shape of the front crossmember (see pictures).
For wiring the electric motors I had the plug from the donor car that plugs into the seat (much easier to wire the WJ plugto the -ve & +ve wires from the XJ loom, then the seat just plugs into the loom) power for the seats is the red/blue wire for 12v and I used both black -ve wires.

Soak all the bolts for a day or so with some penitrating fluid

Order to remove is:
Power steering pump (remove bottom bolt first!)
Throttle body
sensor wires & pipes
fuel rail
inlet manifold
exhaust manifold

doing up the bottom bolts on the inlet manifold is a real pain in the arse, you need to fit #4 cylinder bolt first (on my manifold at least) before you fit the manifold on then tighten it up, otherwise you dont have the room to fit the bolt in afterwards (ratchet ring spanner required)

I have got it all back together apart from the fuel rail now as i need to fit new O rings to the injectors, hopefully have some tomorrow

I took ages deciding on what to do with the suspension on the XJ, after 85k miles the rears were really saggy.

As I do alot of miles I didn’t want to ruin the ride so I settled for a Pro-Comp 2.5 in lift kit, this included uprated parabolic rear springs, uprated front coils, nylon bushes and ES9000 gas dampers.

A day before you start, go around all the suspension bolts with WD40 to loosen the rust and crap that collects, I did and I still got a bolt to shear. I started with the rear as I thought it would be the easiest to complete, it took 2 of us (cheers Russ) 4 hours to do, if you have access to a pit or lift it will take alot less time. NOTE, free off all the nuts before you remove the wheels, they are done up really tight.

It is fairly straight forward, remove the shock (and dont break the bar pin bolts they are a bitch to drill and tap, I know!) remove the 4 nuts on the axle U-bolts and lower the axle away from the spring. Remove the rear chassis/spring bolt leaving the shackle on the spring then take off the front spring bolt (doing the front first means you have to support the front of the spring as when it swings down you cant get at the rear shackle, I know ;o)

Fitting is the reverse of the removal, be carfull not to trap any brake lines in the u-bolt and make sure you have a large vise to press in the new nylon bushes (try and get them fitted to the spring b4 you buy them).

And now the fronts, If you have a coil spring compressor this is actually quite simple, it took me about 45minutes per side (where were you Russ?) First off remove the ARB link bar, then fit a spring compressor while the jeep is still on its wheels, when you jack up the body of the jeep you just need to remove 2 bolts that hold the bottom of the coil spring to the axle and lift out the spring, dead easy!

With a 2.5in lift the new springs just drop in, a bigger lift will require a spring compressor to fit them or for you to remove one of the axle control arms (big hassle). Fitting the dampers is quite easy, the only problem being the lack of access for the 2 spanners you will need to remove the top nut.

Refit the front shocks and thats it!

With 2 people and a warm garage it can be done within a day easily. The handling on road is much improved and off road there are a lot less bangs from underneath, just got to get some disconnects now :o)