Jeep XJ 6.5" Lift and 35's - Dialing In Bump Stops & Shock Travel

In this video I am Configuring my Jeep XJ Shock Travel and Bump Stops for 35's.
Since my last wilderness trip I've had some big jobs to do on the Jeep XJ to ensure its reliability and performance. I've been ignoring this work for a while but after a failed front shock, badly installed rear shocks and poorly setup bump stops its time to get this thing sorted before I go out again.
In this video my aim is to move my rear shocks to the front and build an adapter to make the rears fit the front. I will also need to fit new shocks to the rear and adjust the shock angle so that the function correctly. After the travel is all set up I will get the bump stops dialed in for upward and downward travel.
Thanks for watching.
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Jeep Spec:
1999 Jeep Cherokee XJ 2.5TD RHD.
Summer Tire - 35x12.50r15 BFG KM3's with 15x8 3.75" backspacing (-19 offset).
Winter Tire - Cooper Discoverer ST MAXX Por Studded 35x12.50r15 BFG KM3's with 15x8 3.75" backspacing (-19 offset).
Lift Front - RC 4.5" Coils and N2 Shocks (3" Coil Spacer).
Front Shock Bar Pin Eliminator.
Dana 30 High Pinion with Artec Industries Lower Control Arm Mounts with modified upper mount and modified Track Bar mount.
Front RC Control Arm Drop Bracket.
Ruff Stuff Short Arm Single Himes.
RC Extended Sway Bar Links.
Dana 30 Rock Crusher Diff Cover.
Ruff Stuff One Ton OTK Steering.
6" Lift Drop Pitman Arm.
Ruff Stuff Front and Center Frame Stiffeners.
Rear DIY Frame Stiffener and Rear Frame Tie in Kit.
6" x 2" Box Rocker replacement with Tube Slider.
Modified Factory Bumper with Side Sliders.
Rear Tow Hitch Tire Carrier that bolts into Rear Frame Tie in Kit.
Modified upper Shock Crossmember for Rear Shocks
Rear Axle Chrysler 8.25 29 Spline with modified High Clearance Shock Mounts.
Rear Shocks 6.5" Trailmasters.
Rear Leaf Springs 5.5" Rubicon Express
Rear RC Shackle Relocation Bracket.
Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines front and back.
Warrior 9500lb Winch.
Front Bumper - Ebay Custom Made.

[@888johnmac]

it's getting there man .. don't worry about the length of the video , longer is better ( 10-05 )

[@officialWWM]

That’s what she said…

[@TLOverlander]

I dont get it when people say they dont understand British humour...funny AF lol

[@momentof-truth1526]

Sir.. You are an entertaining, honest and informative wealth of knowledge and I am entirely grateful for your videos and the time and effort that you take out of your busy life to make them. And I agree with other comments as to take as much time in your videos because we do watch the entire thing for not just the information you share but the entertainment share with us!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Really appreciate the comment and glad you enjoy the content. I honestly prefer making longer content because its just more realistic, plus I personally watch longer videos myself as its nice to wind down and watch something. Thanks for watching!

[@justcallmedetals891]

One of the best looking xj's out there

[@long-jeep]

I'm a TJ guy but I must admit that you have built yourself an awesome rig. Lockers will make a world of difference if you see fit to add them.

[@jamesa7506]

Gotta love working on the rig while out on the trail in the snow!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Lost a lot of skin in that scene lol. The cold just sucks when your working in the woods

[@countryside_guy]

Long is good. I love watching what you do and listening to you talking and talking. Best thing on the internet basically. And you have SWEDISH SNOOOOOOOW!!!!!! ⛄🌨️❄️ Best kind there is 😁

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Appreciate you watching and the comment! I prefer making longer videos, bit more realistic given most of this work drags on. Thanks again

[@unlimitedoutdoors3307]

There is no substitute for back yard engineering 👍🏼

[@sylvanbowyer341]

Looking good. There's nothing more fun and frustrating than building a vehicle :)

[@phillims1]

Great job. Length is no problem. Very informative.

[@silverstatenomad]

Awesome work.

[@GrizzlyPath]

I like the refinement and mods to utilize the stock rear shocks. I think that’s a slick move for availability and price considerations. Looking forward to the rear bumper build when that comes around!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

It should cut down some costs for me, hopefully the stock ones will last! Thanks for watching mate!

[@jakethebeersnob]

Brilliant! I live vicariously thru your skills! I must learn to weld! Lol

[@robertpompa9981]

Hey man, as always a great video with entertainment and a lot of usable information. I think the length of these videos is crucial in order to get across the information that you are providing. If your ever worried about length of the video I think a good idea would be adding time markers! That we people looking for specific info in your video can jump that that part of the video. Over all these videos are great and we really enjoy watching these videos to help and inspire us with our own builds! Keep doing your thing.

[@ChatanikaRoosting]

"Longer and Harder." 😁

[@nicklaswennergren9984]

🇸🇪 Hello thank's for a great video. All the best.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thanks for watching!

[@tinyspoonzjoffroad8038]

Kinda similar to what BleepinMatt done with the ZJ build. I personally went the easier solution and used a pair of Suzuki shock extenders on the bottom of the shocks but whatever works 👍🏼

[@cablenowadays6586]

Your XJ looks amazing and i want mine to look more like yours. I have a 3” lift and 31s and lockers front and rear and the thing goes every where here in the east coast US. i spend a lot of my time driving gravel roads and the jeeps set up to drive 60mph+ on roads and soak them up with my bypass bilstein shocks. 35s are definitely a big jump to me though and i wouldn’t feel good about it unless i run a ford 9” and a dana44 upfront

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

It would be something like an extra 12kg per tire I think if you went to a 35 from a 31. Its quite a bit of weight I guess. I will stick with the Dana 30 and 8.25 but it depends on how you drive and chromoly etc... you know all this obviously. Good luck with the build and thanks for watching. Have an awesome Christmas

[@russjowett2137]

Great video Mike. You are getting funnier with every episode lol😆. I appreciate all the testing and planning that you do. I’ve thought of doing certain things to my suspension. But get to see what does and doesn’t work on your channel. So thanks for sharing. The detail on your videos is great. Don’t worry how long they end up being. I can relate to going out and working on the Jeep. My wife will often say, where did you go out this evening in the Jeep. And I tell her. A loading dock ramp in an industrial estate to flex out the suspension. Make sure my bump stops are making contact and I’m not maxing out my shocks….. her response. Ok then…have fun with that. 🤓

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Haha that's fantastic, Megan says the same thing to me. I really want to build an RTI ramp but perhaps in the summer. There are some good rocks around here but the snow makes it hard to climb in the winter. Thanks for watching and the comments on the video!

[@tylerp9620]

Love the videos as always. Humor, on point, Jeep, looking amazing! I'm so jealous of how clean your stuff is. I have to wear garbage clothes to work on my Cherokee because it is a sure oil bath. Keep up the great work!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Its taken a while to get the jeep clean underneath. It was pretty shitty when I first got it. Megan use to say to me when I got in from working on it "how was the coal mine today" lol. Thanks for the comment and for watching

[@jared2235]

And now time to fab up some long arms and crossmember you can do it 💪

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Yeah absolutely going to do that this winter!

[@chopperchuck]

now you need lockers 😁

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Yeah I really need a rear one at least...

[@chopperchuck]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness for mine I went with a rebuilt factory limited slip in the rear and a lunch box locker in the front so far I like it

[@patrickwjv8949]

Im really excited how you work that out 🙏🏻🤩

[@Gunmetalbluejeeptjs]

🔥🔥🔥

[@mikefriesen19]

Man you do really clean work

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I try, although it doesn't stay clean for long, haha. But worth the effort 👌 thanks for watching

[@jcricket-vr5xr]

Another great video it must cost alot to get parts shipped to you I'm from the United States parts are so much cheaper here I love all the fab work you do your very talented at it I wish I could do a quarter of what you can do your fab work and welding skills are amazing

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Sadly it costs a great deal to get them over. You have so many available parts there, when I look on eBay I'm just drooling lol. I do enjoy making things though so at least there is that. Thanks for watching and for the comment.

[@051biohaz]

Great video man, not sure if the work on a rig is ever done…but that’s part of the fun, thanks for the upload..:)

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I don't think it will ever be done. Megan just laughs at me now when I say its done. I should day "done for now" lol.

[@linkkris]

liking your inner fender well protectors on the front , i got an old model and it didnt have any

[@Swishasweet2811]

at the 16:55 mark you can see a orb coming out from hes back

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Probably my bank balance

[@rickz9495]

If you want to see if the rear can droop more just pull a bottom shock mount of and test it.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I can imagine it's got more to give because the last set of shocks had more lower travel. But it's balanced I think

[@lastmanstanding1954]

JUST SAYING HI !!!!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Hey!

[@PlectrumZProduction]

Just uploaded a video in the same Jeep, just drifting… I love this car, if you’re ever selling I’m interested

[@officialWWM]

Damn, it looks cold there!

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Yeah its dropping off at the moment.

[@officialWWM]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness I’m in Tasmania, we are moving into summer but even in winter m it doesn’t get that cold here. I don’t think I could cope with that, lol.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Its definitely brutal at times. I remember when I first moved here I had no garage and I had to change a water pump in -27c. That was some cold burn. I can imagine it must be pretty nice all year round where you are?

[@officialWWM]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness wow, I can’t even imagine what -27 degrees feels like! Sometimes it drops to 10 deg C here and we all start complaining 😂 -27 sounds uninhabitable to me! It’s pretty nice here at the moment. We have a lovely, warm 32 deg here today but summer is just starting :)

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

@@officialWWM Ah nice, well enjoy the summer, it sounds like a distant dream to me right now lol.

[@cotepierre68]

Last year I begun to overland in winter. For now, I stop early December. The big thing I need to go later is a proper LT winter tyre. My summer tyre are the ST MAXX but they are not winter rated in Canada… go figure… Anyway, your video was not long. Keep them like that.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

There absolutely not a real winter tire. I've got 180 truck studs in mine and it makes a big difference obviously, but that's a legal requirement here. You could buy one of those tire re-tred tools and cut more Stipes into the lugs. I've seen guys here do that. But the rubber compound is still to hard for winter. Thanks for watching

[@cotepierre68]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness You réalises they are not real winter tires when you are on ice and pulling a trailer 🤦🏼‍♂️😁

[@chopperchuck]

so what's the cost of shipping my XJ to you from the states so can work your Magic on it ? :)😉

[@xjship]

I am in the middle of doing something like your cross member you just removed for the upper rear shocks mount. Can I ask why you are going back to the stock location for the upper shock? Did you like the extra articulation and softer ride when the shocks were at a sharper angle? I was unable to find a video where you talk about fabbing it initially and the reason for doing so.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

In my case the shock angle made it a really soft ride. I also have high clearance axle side shock mounts that are three inches higher than stock so it was just too smaller gap for any functional shock. Removing the shock Crossmember meant I could run stock shock lengths and save a load of money. It rides way better too

[@ericshaw819]

Hi mate, new to your channel , love the content. Looking at your rear wheel at full compression you have heaps of room at the front of the wheel arch. Would it be possible to move the axle a little further forward, would most likely mean getting the prop shaft shortened, no big deal though if you have someone near by to re balance etc. I just love spending other people’s money😂😂

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Thanks for watching! That crossed my mind. I have plenty of room on the prop shaft also to do this. I would only need to move it forward a small amount I guess. I will take a look tonight and see what I can do. Thanks for the idea, saves me more cutting and hammering 🔨 😀

[@ericshaw819]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness I just watched another of your vids. I see you are a connoisseur of Fine Teas. 😂 I am originally from Yorkshire, and now live in Australia. I still get my family to ship out the Yorkshire Tea. Keep up the good work. 👍👍

[@vasilispants8241]

Do you get tire contact with the wheel well if you steer with full articulation?

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Yeah there is some slight rubbing at full lock but I expect it to be worse. I can live with that as I don't often steer to that extent when it's stuffed up.

[@RedlineGodzilla]

I dont know what kind of locker you would like to put on the xj since I dont remember what axle you have on, but I was really pleased with my lunchbox locker that i put on my jl from torq-masters. It was by far the least expensive and easiest to instal really. Those new rear shocks in black will look alot less dirty from now on from being, you know, in the back 😂

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I've seen those lockers and the value for money and performance is really good. My worry is that while under drive they are locked which may cause me to loose control of the jeep on corners in the winter. What's the weather like where you are and how do you find driving it?

[@RedlineGodzilla]

@@WorkshoptoWilderness northern Quebec is pretty snowy/slushy right now, last year under the same conditions I had no issues with the switchbacks leading to our home and I 100% need 4wd to get up my driveway in the winter. This year we traded the sport version for a Rubicon and the sport was just as capable for our needs with that front locker, for our overlanding/camping anyways.

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

@@RedlineGodzilla Appreciate the information. I'm looking into it a lot at the moment so I kind of need all the info I can get.

[@nickstewart1218]

Any plans to disc brake swap the rear. I'm very happy I did

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

I would love to do that but it means a re registration of the jeep. Its not difficult but its not something I want to do again. I will swap the front with WJ knuckles and brakes.

[@nickstewart1218]

@Workshop Wilderness Adventures the WJ swap would be very good. Good braking is always a must haha

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Yeah it brakes poorly a the moment and I have to think way a head when driving.

[@rashaddlshad5349]

Really I love this swibar, its hand maied?

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Its really nice, a guy in the USA makes them called RJ Fabrications - kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y3fUkolrmc2Beac - his email is in the video description.

[@striter52]

спереди лучше поставить задний амортизатор от TLC 200

[@Jack-tx2ve]

Good job, I am in the middle of putting four new heads on my XJ 2.5 diesel. I am also moving the turbo. After working on it with the turbo in the standard position I knew I would never put it back together like that. What size tube did you use for your manifold extension pipe? Jack

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Ah nice hope it's all going well. I used a 35mm internal diameter from memory. I can be exactly sure but I'm pretty sure it was around that figure. I used stainless with mild steel flanges. Thanks for watching

[@swedenoutdoor]

svetsen låter klock rent

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

ja jag fick inställningarna rätt den gången!

[@dannybartlett4225]

Whoo goes off roading in a jeep 😂😂😂

[@WorkshoptoWilderness]

Probably your mum, while riding a black mamba screaming at the driver to head straight for a ploughed field after a morning frost.