Yea yea i know...."built not bought" blah blah blah. Found this bad boy on Craigslist, bought it for $6800 and sold my current cherokee for $4500.

Stats when I bought it:
....1998 Cherokee 4.0 with 200k on the body and transfercase, 150k on engine and 90k on transmission
....Front HP ford dana 60 Kingpin chromo 35 spline outer shafts, warn hubs, 5.35 gears, spool, spicer ujoints, solid diff cover
....Rear C&C 14 bolt with 5.38 gears, detroit locker, disk brakes, ruff stuff diff cover, pinion skid
....Main Frame stiffeners, rock sliders, front and rear bumper
....3 link with 2.5 DOM with 1.25 heims lower links
....1.25 DOM tie rod and drag link with high steer arms
....Included was a steering box already tapped for hydro assist
....Adjustable shackle box
...Steering box brace


Future Mods
....Hydro Assist
....Front and rear frame stiffeners
....zerk fitting skids for the dana 60
....5.5 RE coil springs/3.5 RE leaf springs
....new shocks
....either 2 inch wheel spacers for the rear or rims with more backspacing, haven't decided yet
....transfercase skid plate
....transmission skid plate
....rear quarter panel cutting
....doorless mod

Sadly the new Jeep in is California and won't be working on it till July when I move back so it will be awhile till any updates. This Cherokee will be driven to and from the trail. From all the other 40s builds I have seen they are trailered but I like fact of being able to drive it to and from the trail. Possibly in a couple years it will be trailered but for now it will be driven.


Went from this to this





















I was able to take it to a local OHV park, Prairie City, where it had it's maiden voyage with me. Overall I was very impressed and I did take it easy but I still have a lot of ideas for it until I am happy with it.

 

Replaced the left side kingpin bushings

 

Nice trade. Funny that he left the original tire carrier mount in the quarter panel.

 

Is that a square tube rear driveshaft? Bet that is fun above 50 mph.

 

no, I believe it is a stock front drive shaft with 1310 to i believe 1350 u joint

 

yea....suprisingly it does not rub there though....more to come when i chop up the rear fenders more

 

Sweet looks like you got a good rig! Excited to see more progress

 

Bought my first piece of steel ever today. 3/16 plate for the start of my front and rear frame stiffeners. I need to redo my rear cutouts because at first I was compensating for the rear seatbelt tie in to the frame. I am going to cut part of it out so it can be a lot more solid when I weld the plate to the frame. No 100% sure if i will plate the bottom part of the frame yet for the front and rear. If anything that will be done after I finish the sides of the frame.

 

nice! I remember seeing that thing for sale in my area. good to see it was sold for a decent price.
and don't let the 40's on the freeway scare you man. my build is very similar (almost identical), just on 37's, and it's very freeway friendly. trailers are for lame ***es, you might as well build a real buggy if you're gonna trailer queen a rig
looking forward to watching progress on this build. glad to see another street driven 1 ton rig

 

After watching numerous JKs and more on 40s and driving to the trail (Wayoflife, Ultimate Adventure) there is no way in hell I'd let someone tell me I couldn't drive my rig to and from the trail as well. After buying it there was a shake on the freeway at 50mph+. Once i got it home and after an allignment, getting the axle alligned and tightening up lose bolts there is only a minor shake at highway speeds. Keep in mind these wheels/tires are not balanced. I think it would do much better if they were, still wondering how I want to balance them...maybe balance beads....not sure yet

 

I'd set up the hydro assist the rest of the way and see how you like it. I've never bothered to balance my tires, never bothered with the BB's either but that might work too

 

wow what an upgrade.im whatching!

 

very nice!