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There are barely any decent yards around here. I'm trying to find them and explore them.
There are plenty of Pull-a-Parts around here, but I don't want to go there. I wanna go to a real junkyard, a wrecking yard. Muddy piles of cars, just waiting for me to explore.
Lol Yup, we used to spend hours out scavenging and exploring a few different yards. But that was a decade ago. It seems now even when a yard gets stuff in its gone within a week. There is still 1 real yard within 30 miles of me. Sadly, the couple jeeps there are, well, hardly even jeeps at this point lol
Years ago< I lived in Grand Junction CO. I worked for an old man who did various work. Lawn care, irrigation systems, some light construction etc. He had a fairly extensive junkyard and 99% of the time refused to purchase anything if he thought / knew there might be what he needed in the yard. My job... search the yard for whatever it was he wanted found that day. I LOVED digging around that place! Always wondered though how much money he really was losing by paying me to dig for hours to find a $20 item. But man... he had some treasures in there!!
Never been there, and don't know anything about it. Except, lots of "repairable" (salvage title) jeeps for sale, and lots and lots of parts. I don't know if I unbolt the parts myself, if there's a parts showroom, or a lot out back for me to walk, or if I'm even allowed back there.
I'll have to give them a call, see what the deal is.
I'm up in Cleveland, so it's about an hour and a half away. I'm thinking of taking a field trip down there this summer or spring. Maybe do a little write-up/article for the forum here.
Years ago< I lived in Grand Junction CO. I worked for an old man who did various work. Lawn care, irrigation systems, some light construction etc. He had a fairly extensive junkyard and 99% of the time refused to purchase anything if he thought / knew there might be what he needed in the yard. My job... search the yard for whatever it was he wanted found that day. I LOVED digging around that place! Always wondered though how much money he really was losing by paying me to dig for hours to find a $20 item. But man... he had some treasures in there!!
What a cool story, and a neat experience. Were you in your teens or 20's? That would have been a killer job for that age range. It'd be killer on my back now at 37.
What a cool story, and a neat experience. Were you in your teens or 20's? That would have been a killer job for that age range. It'd be killer on my back now at 37.
Yep... exactly 19-20 actually. A few months after my 20th birthday I left Grand Junction and back packed my way up thru Utah / Idaho to Jackson Hole WY.
I wanted to hit the local Ace Hardware and get some new hub/knuckle bolts, so I figured I'd remove one and take it up there. Well, if I'm gonna pull one bolt, lemme pull all three and unbolt the whole hub assembly...and I might as well break the axle nut loose as well.
So I stick the brake rotor back on, jam a screwdriver in there, get my big 36 on the axle nut, with my 18" breaker bar, a four-foot piece of pipe...and the weight of the pipe unscrewed the axle nut.
Seriously, I got the angle right for the breaker bar, ready for me to really crank on it. Then I slid on the steel pipe...and it just rotated, on its own, right down to the floor. Gravity undid my axle nut. So, somebody screwed up somewhere. I'm not looking up the spec right now, but I know that axle nut has to be over 100 ft/lb, yes? I should have had to put my weight on that pipe to move that nut.
Plus, there are other weirdnesses going on with this Jeep. I may have to call my Egyptologist friend and get some forensic/archeological help with this thing.
Weirdnesses:
1. Whole Jeep, WHOLE JEEP is rust...but the axle nut dust cover and cotter pin are in great shape, the cotter pin is really new.
2. Wheel lugs are in great shape, not rusty.
3. Hub bolts came out easily. Too easily? I had to give a little juice to get them going, but they came out with no problem.
4. Axle Nut came off without my help. Probably 20 ft/lbs broke it loose.
5. Wheel Hubs have small inner lip, about 1/2", which would indicate that I should have 2-piece composite rotors on my Jeep. But I have 1-piece cast rotors (regular brake rotors) on my Jeep. So, do I have the shorter lipped hub, but with longer studs installed? I don't know. The hubs actually seem fine, so I'm not replacing them at this point.
Conclusion:
These weirdnesses all lead to me thinking the hubs have been replaced, but long, long ago. There is just a hint, the barest hint of movement/play in the hubs, with no grinding. They may have been replaced 100K ago.)
I picked up Three (3) new hub to knuckle bolts at my local Ace Hardware - at $4.60 each. They only had three in stock, so I bought those, and the manager is ordering three more for me. Should be a week or so to get it. These are beefy bolts.
Hub/Knuckle Bolts Class 10.9 M12x80mm 1.75 Thread Pitch
Hub/Knuckle Bolts Same length, just without the tapered end.
Here's the driver's side wheel hub assembly. You can see the central lip is only about a half-inch or so, which would indicate that this XJ takes a 2-piece composite rotor, but the rotors I removed from the front are definitely a 1-piece cast rotor (just a regular rotor.) So something is weird. Either these wheel studs/lugs were replaced with longer ones (to accommodate the thicker mounting flange of the 1-piece rotor), or I am completely mistaken about my understanding of 1999 Cherokee XJ Hub/Rotor options. Either way, disassembly will continue...
Wheel Hub Assembly - Driver's Side Inner lip is 1/2" Tall
Wheel Hub Assembly - Driver's Side Backside View - rusty, but structurally sound.
I received my new ball joints from RT OffRoad, a division of Crown Automotive. Once I pull the hub/axle out of the passenger side, I'll remove both steering knuckles and pop the old ball joints out. I'll have to rent a ball joint press.
Crown (RT Off-Road) Ball Joints RT21003 HD Ball Joints from Crown Automotive (RT Off-Road)
Crown (RT Off-Road) Ball Joints RT21003 HD Ball Joints from Crown Automotive (RT Off-Road)
Crown (RT Off-Road) Ball Joints RT21003 HD Ball Joints from Crown Automotive (RT Off-Road)
Next?
I need to fully disassembly the passenger side. Then I can rent a ball joint press and install the new ball joints on both sides.
I will not be replacing the wheel hub/bearing assemblies at this time. They're like $100/each, and mine are ok.
I did pull the axle shaft with the hub, so maybe I'll read about u-joints and see if those need to be replaced while I'm in there.
So I need to replace the ball joints and button this thing back up. Then I can drive it and see what need to be replaced next. Prolly shocks and/or steering stuff. I know my sway bar bushing are toast.
I'm gonna start a big list of to-do's on a sheet of cardboard, like the Roadkill guys.
Last edited by MWMahoneyJr; 04-05-2017 at 01:36 PM.
Reason: Added additional awesomeness.
I have been watching your build since you started it. When you first posted pictures, I thought you got your self in to a huge mess. But after these 11 pages of progress, you are really moving along nicely and doing the right things first. Keep up the good work and get that thing back on the road!
In his most recent video, he's showing us his curtains. In the background I saw the coolest little thing - a lock for your rear liftgate struts? To lock them open...
Lift Strut Lock?
This is a cool little thing. Anyone seen them?
Bossman is talking about going to this Unlimited Offroad show in Kentucky: http://uorexpo.com/ky/
You can bring your own Jeep and play in the BF Goodrich rock garden. I'm wondering if I should get this XJ back together in the next month or so and drive it down...(down to Kentucky. I'm up in Cleveland, OH.)
I'll be shooting photos and video at the event. I'll interview manufacturer reps about their products, get some event coverage video. Interview and documentary-type stuff that I like to do.
Stuff I've Done:
DeCaro Produce - short bio video (my aunt is the owner)
My time will be limited, but If I have to leave my family for the weekend I want maximum reward. If anyone knows any 4x4 clubs or cool places to off-road in the area, let me know. I'd love to meet some people and check out some Cherokees.
Mike
Last edited by MWMahoneyJr; 04-10-2017 at 09:40 AM.
First, I bent my "screwdriver" when taking off the axle nut on the passenger side.
Bent Screwdriver "Stick a screwdriver in the rotor", they say...
Yes, I know that's not a real screwdriver, but it was within reach. And now it is in the scrap pile. I stuck one of my new drivers in there and it held up fine. Breaking that Axle Nut free was awesome. I had to use the 4 foot pipe on the breaker bar, and MOST of my weight. And it let go with a BANG!
Then I broke a son-of-a-***** bastard hub bolt on the passenger side. I'll buy a torch and heat up the other two before I try to take them out.
S.O.B. Bastard I think it'll push through when I pop the hub off...
Ok, a couple of setbacks. Lemme shift gears and switch to something else.
Let's see if my buddy Matt from BleepinJeep can help me remove the U-joint from the driver-side axle shaft.
Removing U-Joints with a Vice Mr. Matty, show me the way...
Yup!
Driver-Side Axle Shaft, Disassembled Deal with it.
For reference, here's BleepinJeep's U-Joint video:
I need a torch:
-To remove the other two passenger-side hub bolts.
-For other stuck bolts.
-To finish the Jeep off for good.
- I need large sockets for the Ball Joint nuts.
I'm not sure what size. I read different sizes on different forums. Maybe I can measure the nut with a good ruler?
Last edited by MWMahoneyJr; 04-10-2017 at 10:32 AM.
Reason: Added additional awesomeness.
Hey you've come a long ways so far and good for you not taking the junk route with this thing. It'll definitely turn out as something special.
A couple things for you to consider. When you put the front end of this thing back together make sure to use some anti seize. Like a tub of it. I put this on the back of the hubs, the hub bolts and everything. You'll thank yourself later, trust me.
Regarding your wheels, if you can finds a set of TJ Rubicon Moab wheels these will bolt right on to your XJ and they look awesome. They're getting pretty hard to find but they bolt on, you don't need the spacers, and they're a 16" wheel.
03-30-2017, 11:54 AM
But man... he had some treasures in there!!
