2001 Xj built to last ! Beast mode build!
 

Ok so I picked up this 2001 jeep Cherokee Xj it has a 4.0L engine/auto trans/np231.

I paid $1800 for it because it had a broken lower control arms and I drove it home, every time I hit the brakes the tire would ride up into the fender. So since it's a low pinion dana 30 I decided to swap it out with a high pinion dana 30. Now the chrystler 8.25 is a decent axle but I picked up a ford 8.8 from a 2000 ford explorer at the junk yard.

This jeep will be built to handle rough off road, rocks, mud, water crossing, trail rides, beach riding, and long trips.

So here is the list of thing I am starting to order:

Suspention components:
5.5" rubicon exspress coil springs/ORDERED
3.5" rubicon exspress leaf springs/ORDERED
Seriousoffroad 1 ton utk steering
Rough country adjustable trac bar/ORDERED
Bilstien shocks/ORDERED
Shackle relocation brackets/ORDERED
Ironrockoffroad long arms/ORDERED

Axle components:
Ironrockoffroad Dana 30 truss
Ironrockoffroad ford 8.8 truss/swap kit/ORDERED
4:88 gears front and rear with master rebuild kits/ORDERED
Chromoly shafts front and rear
Lock right locker for dana 30/ORDERED

Interior upgrades:
Replace headliner
Clean carpet and seats/REMOVED
Upgrade sound system/ORDERED

Exterior upgrades:
Winch bumper
8500Lb winch
Fender flares
Rock sliders

Engine/performance:
Injectors
Bored throttle body
Header
Exhaust
Intake

Tires/Rims:
35/12.50/R15 BFG KM2a
For rims I have not decided and this could easily change if I find a better deal some where else.

So like stated above I want a nice, clean, reliable jeep this time.

My 1st jeep was a 97 very clean, but was small and open diffs didn't go far.
My 2nd jeep was a 91 was ugly, beat up, but had most stuff listed above.
I have also had a few other jeeps and I found flaws with them, so this time I bought a 2001 and I will be making it into what I want.

So this is what I am starting with
Attachment 331747

So took tires off and put it on jack stands I will start removing the suspension and axles soon.
Attachment 331744





Attachment 331745
Dana 30 is wire brushed, primed, painted!
Attachment 331746

so I got bored and did this today
Attachment 331741
Attachment 331742
Not so pretty?
Attachment 331743

This is for parts as I receive new things!

35/12.50/R15 BFG KM2!
Attachment 331735
Got this stuff in today 12/18/13


Attachment 331736
Got this stuff in today 12/19/13

Attachment 331737So this is my roof rack and truss
Attachment 331738
Speakers
Attachment 331739
Chromoly shafts
Attachment 331740

One more reserved just incase

that's a big fancy parts list you've got there. plenty of fat could be trimmed out of there
for instance, no need for an 8.8 truss. save yourself $70 http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/...g/88ss-31.html

nice start to the build though. what all have you already ordered? oh and the words "built to last" should be immediately followed by frame stiffeners and bracing :thumbup1:

looks good man, im a huge fan of those rims they look much better then mine lolol

subb'd for sure

all advice is welcomed!

sub'ed we'll have to wheel one of these days :D

Yea for sure I am ordering parts all day today so should get this jeep up in the air here within next couple weeks for sure


Also does anyone know what bump stops are good for 5,5" lift and 35s

Jack up a wheel to full stuff and measure.

ok will do!!

so I tore all my interior out today cause I had nothing else to do on the jeep! pics are in beginning of thread


I also ordered the following!

Re 5.5" coil springs
Re 3.5" leaf springs
Dirt bound light bar mount
40" led light bar
Ironrockoffroad 88 swap with truss
bilstien shocks
ford 8.8 companion flange
long arms
speakers for sound bar
led bulbs for dash

Still thinking about ordering delta head lights

While the carpet is out, have Carlos install sound deadening on the floor and everywhere he can get it to fit. You'll appreciate it once the sound system is installed and you can hear the music instead the whine of the 35's

Yea we was talking about doing that not sure what to get though or how much I need.

ill move to an 8.8 before i go 35s and 4.88s :icon_cool:

one of my favorite mods is the putco h4 harness/hella e code housings/sylvania sylver star ultra h4 bulbs. i drive a lot an night so those wimpy stock head lights werent gonna hack it.

whered you get the light bar? im thinkin about pickin one up soon

I found a lot of really cheap ones on dhgate.com but ended up going with a double row 40" led spot/flood combo from amazon

I should be getting most this stuff next week so I will put what I can on, the. Drop my axle off to get gears installed

i wish i would have regeared right off the bat with the my 33s. shes so slow in the highway

Yea I am going 4:88, chromoly front shafts, and 8.8 with disc brakes right away

Can't wait to see this thing put together

I have already ordered mostly everything I listed above and more....sold the wrangler for $4,000 cash and put it all towards this heep

Got my bfg km2 today paid $800 for 5 rims and 5 tires!!!

pics are added to the begining

Where did you order your gears, master kits and shafts from

whered you score those from?

craigslist really good deal got about 90% tread

Three boxes of Stinger Roadkill at 36 Sq Feet each will take care of the roof, floor, doors, and hatch. Use scraps for the rear fender wells or a sheet or two from a fourth box. I'm going to use the leftovers from my fourth box to do the hood.

Fatmat is a lot of cheaper and people seem pretty happy with it. If I could have obtained a sample of it, I might have bought it instead of the Stinger. The Stinger product is excellent though.

Also, it took me 20 hours or so to do the install. I could have saved some time by not putting aluminum tape over the exposed edges or stuffing this crap into the insides of the doors. Basically, the detail work added a lot of time.

Wow don't really want to pay $300 for that?!?! is there any cheaper stuff?

dang had quite a bit of boxes today when I got home!

Shocks, long arms, companion flange, Re coil springs, Re leaf springs!

Pics added to beginning.

Ill have long arms eventually.

Yea they are great I like them a lot! I cant wait to start putting everything on over the weekend going to start Saturday around 12

Now I think I will focus on getting the jeep nicer while my axles get put together, I ordered my chromoly shafts today but I still need new hubs, brakes, alloy axle tube seals, and my steering.

FATMAT is about half that price. It supposedly smells for a few days after installation, but it goes away. Most people that use it seem to love it. I wish I had ordered some to try out.

Cheaper than that are roofing products, but I understand they smell pretty bad and have adhesion problems when it gets hot.

Your running the same setup as me. For bumpstops I used on the front 4 hockey pucks per side. For the rear im using dirtbound off road 4 1/4" bump stop and plate. Its still just barely too short so I need to put some rectangular tubing under it to make it a little taller.

Yea I know for a fact I will need to trim I had this same set up on my old jeep but with 33s and the tires would eat up my fenders and now I am going with 35s

For sure fender trimming is needed for 35s. Haha also my wheels have a 3.75 BS so that might be a bit differnt also. I dont know what yours are on your wheels. I could probly put one more puck on each side in the coils. I need to test it out some more once I fix the trani.

got solid diff covers and my 40" led light bar! pics are in beginning as usual!

Well got the rear installed and sutton on the 35s and everything on the front is still tore out

so today I got my speakers and yesterday I got my chromoly shafts
Attachment 331177

Attachment 331178

Also this is how the jeep sits
Attachment 331179

Here is my truss and roof rack! I will give the roof rack a couple coats of paint then mount my light bar on it.
Attachment 331180

Pic of my dana 30 hp
Attachment 331181

Man its taken me almost a year to get where you are now. Lol keep it up

Well this one is going to be done the way I want for the most part. I have had several Cherokees and this one is all of the stuff I liked plus some combined into one jeep.

might also sell my ambulance project..........

More jeep money!!

Yea I'm on my second xj and its not what I was aiming for really. Its a mixture of good deals ive found. If I were to do it again I'd probly be doing something very simulator to yours with a 99xj :)