How to chop the back of your XJ....
12-11-2009, 05:54 AM
#46
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
12-11-2009, 08:01 AM
#47
MJ>XJ
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Griffin, G.A.
Posts: 17,836
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 1990
Model: Comanche
Engine: 4.0 I6
shoot i didnt care about mine really... jig saw with a metal blade across the middle... sawzall on the sides of the roof and C pillars (cause its to thick for a jigsaw)... a 4 foot level... and bam... done it myself in like 15 minutes... lol
12-11-2009, 02:09 PM
#48
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 87
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
I got my XJ all ready chopped by PO. He did it in a very booty fab way, and it looks way hack on a bunch of stuff. I strongly recommend adding stiffners and a cage if anyone does this mod.
I am beating on my rig till it splits in half... then I will find another one and do it a lot nicer. adding a third seat and a family style cage. Pics can be found in my webshots page posted in my sig.
I am beating on my rig till it splits in half... then I will find another one and do it a lot nicer. adding a third seat and a family style cage. Pics can be found in my webshots page posted in my sig.
12-11-2009, 02:16 PM
#49
CF Veteran
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Britt, MN
Posts: 2,199
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
A club member from the Northern MN Jeepers knows this guy personally. Extremely talented with body work and customizing. He did all the work himself to my knowledge.
12-12-2009, 02:55 AM
#50
Putting a cage in.
So I understand that the Cherokee has unibody construction. Putting a cage in is pretty much essential if you are going to have a vehicle that is safe for the road and trail.
My questions then is where do you anchor the cage to the body in order to achieve maximum stability? I am assuming that it would be to the frame at some point but the frame is also going to have some flex to it. If you mount it to the body I can see it ripping the sheet metal of the body right through in a rollover.
Anyone put a frame in? Have the drawings? Care to share them?
My questions then is where do you anchor the cage to the body in order to achieve maximum stability? I am assuming that it would be to the frame at some point but the frame is also going to have some flex to it. If you mount it to the body I can see it ripping the sheet metal of the body right through in a rollover.
Anyone put a frame in? Have the drawings? Care to share them?
12-12-2009, 11:08 AM
#51
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 747
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Year: 1996 XJ Sport 2007 KJ Rubicon
Engine: 242 4.0 Ho, 226 3.7 V6
I'd say drop the xj onto a extended wheelbase wrangler 2 door. (they're called "unlimited" I believe). The wrangler has a 2 inch longer wheelbase. So its not exact, but its the closest match I've found. Fab body mounts to the unibody rails of the xj and viola! You have a body lift to boot.
12-12-2009, 11:13 AM
#52
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'd say drop the xj onto a extended wheelbase wrangler 2 door. (they're called "unlimited" I believe). The wrangler has a 2 inch longer wheelbase. So its not exact, but its the closest match I've found. Fab body mounts to the unibody rails of the xj and viola! You have a body lift to boot.
12-12-2009, 05:50 PM
#53
Resident Pirate
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Orlando-Chickamauga
Posts: 3,877
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
about putting an xj on a frame-
people have done that and imo it really doesnt look that good and ive heard it said by someone who did it "you shoulda punched me in my face when i mentioned doin this to ya!" ...i laughed when he said it.
people have done that and imo it really doesnt look that good and ive heard it said by someone who did it "you shoulda punched me in my face when i mentioned doin this to ya!" ...i laughed when he said it.
Last edited by taythegibs; 12-12-2009 at 09:59 PM.
12-12-2009, 07:49 PM
#55
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
It all depends. I honestly think that if done right a 2dr cherokee looks better and is more functional that way. I'm going to do mine so I can retain a back seat closed in and luggage area if I ever need it. 4doors need to either be chopped behind the b pillar or not at all IMO. making a 4door Truggy is just pointless, you lose the closed in luggage area/back seat and don't gain much of anything.
12-12-2009, 09:59 PM
#56
Resident Pirate
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Orlando-Chickamauga
Posts: 3,877
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
It all depends. I honestly think that if done right a 2dr cherokee looks better and is more functional that way. I'm going to do mine so I can retain a back seat closed in and luggage area if I ever need it. 4doors need to either be chopped behind the b pillar or not at all IMO. making a 4door Truggy is just pointless, you lose the closed in luggage area/back seat and don't gain much of anything.
12-13-2009, 03:58 AM
#57
CF Veteran
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,145
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yeah, the frame is a pain in the rear. for mine I'm going to run a piece of 2x4 .188 wall DOM to tie the two fram rails together in the rear and to use as a tie-in for the cage I'm gonna build, I don't want the cage to take up "bed" space so I'm gonna run it through the side of the body and tie it to the 2x4 crossmember. First I gotta buy a welder and make a tube bender. Thankfully I know a guy who has been working on cars for 30+ years and can weld just about anything that'll be mentoring me on it.
12-13-2009, 07:54 AM
#58
Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Model: Cherokee
This is by far the best job of this type of modification I have seen done. It makes me want to chop my 2 door down.
