I was in Waterford on Wednesday. What are you looking to do with your XJ?

 

Nothing too major at the moment. Right now I'm just thinking about adding a couple lights. I've already changed out the OEM sealed beams for 55/60watt halogen Autopals, but it obviously could be better still for night driving - and I'd like to keep the lights road legal. I plan to add a brush guard or that Bumper Brow light bar. I've done a lot of reading here, but it's still hard to know what would work for me - and after 20+ years of building and rebuilding and redesigning jet skis (which is part of the reason I generally have 7 or 8 skis all the time), I know the value of only modding something once , so I want to get it right the first time. I think if I could get a good close up look at a handfull of other Cherokees and/or talk to someone who has gone through all the various levels of mods, I could make better-informed choices.

I should probably join one of the local off-road clubs I've read about here, but I already have an AWA Charter Club (jet ski club) that I run - we do freerides where 80-100 riders attend - plus some racing, plus kids/family, plus I have this job thing that sucks up much of my time, so you get the idea . I'll gladly stick some time and cash into my Jeep, but it can't be "experimental".


I guess I have some maintenance concerns as well, now that I'll be driving my Cherokee more. The guy I bought it from was meticulous, and was frequently changing all the diff and gearcase fluids with Royal Purple. I'm wondering how often I really need to do that kind of stuff. It was leaking motor oil from several spots last year, so I already did a full bottom end gasket/seal replacement - rear main, front main, oil pan, oil filter seals - and she's tight as a drum now.

Thinking a bit on tires too. I've got the OEM alloys, but the tires were just about shot, and I came across a set of nearly-new take-off Wrangler GS-As mounted on steel Wrangler wheels last week. So I threw them on for the winter. I'm considering new tires for my alloys that will work well on the sand/beaches I drive on, yet still be realistic for the highway - as my Cherokee gets driven a couple hundred miles at 75mph towing 3 jet skis, then driven on to a beach to launch them.


Sorry for all the typing, but you asked . So, if you want to build a killer stand-up jet ski for racing, freeriding, or a mix of both, and you have a zillion questions about what carbs to buy, what impeller to run, what length handlepole is best, what footholds to install, what tubbies/sponsons would be best, etc etc etc, I can help. Heck, I can put you on half a dozen skis to try, so you can decide exactly what mods work for you. I could use a Cherokee guru that can do that for me. Make sense?

 

The center spotlights are definitely not street legal, the big square fogs seen to be ok with cops that see them. They are brighter than my stock high beams

 

When I was researching auxiliary lights I could find no reference to light output limitations in WI law. The requirements were that you could only run two auxiliary lights maximum, they had to be below the center line of the head lamps, and could not be used with on-coming traffic (just like hi-beams). Off-road anything goes, but those were the requirements for on-road. I have some info on how I set mine up in my build thread if you browse through it.

 

My KC fog lights were sold through mopar to dealers mostly. to be dealer installed. I have never been bothered by anyone for using them, as long as they are aimed right they don't cast light anywhere near windshield level. I will check with some officers I know to see what they say.
I never use my daylighters on roads though. 130Watts are blinding even from the edge of the beam.

 

Fog lights are fine, but the driving lights are what I was referring to. The daylighters would be legal to use on the road, but as I mentioned you can't use them with on-coming traffic. But then again, you can't use ANY auxiliary driving lights with on-coming traffic so the brightness is irrelevant. You could use either pair of aux lights you have on the bumper, but not both at the same time; they're mounted correctly. I would research yourself the laws on the DMV website; local cops don't always know the law, or the whole law with things like that. When I lived in Michigan I had/have a dirt bike that I converted to be street legal. Got pulled over one time and the cop tried to insist I needed turn signals when they are NOT required by law (you can use hand signals).

I wired my driving lights through the hi-beam circuit so they can only be turned on when the hi-beams are on, but that allows me to turn them off automatically when I switch from hi's to low's. They work just like the hi-beams, but I have a switch to keep them off all the time if I want.

On another topic, anyone got any snow wheeling trips planned for this winter? I've got chains and now have a winch too.

 

I would be up for some winter wheeling. I took my junk out today.

 

Me too!

 

If anyone wants to buy my gas I will gladly go with! Trying to save gas money for other activities

 

Big what's up from Oak Creek! New to the site.

Gonna be doing a BB/JY lift in my '91 2 Door Laredo. If anyones near and can make this easier let me know!

 

Welcome from Eau Claire!

 

We have a place up in Mountain, Wi.

Anyone ever been to the "Pipeline" in that area or around Suring?

My neighbor wheels around there and I was curious if it was a known spot.

 

I'm from Kenosha county, you guys ever get together or have anywhere to wheel in Southern Wisconsin?

 

I live in Shawano and the pipeline is a very popular spot. It is an okay spot to wheel I only go there since it is less than an hour drive.

 

Cool. Sounds like a nice spot to test out my rig.