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'95XJ...DD/Kid Hauler/Wheeler
I didn't want to buy a new truck. I hate car payments! My '98 Ranger got 23 mpg, drove great, and I could haul stuff with it. BUt it would only fit one car seat. With baby #2 on the way I had to do something. You see, I pick up the kid at daycare after work. Thats the reason I'm even driving my truck. If not I would be on my KLR everyday.
Anyways, a buddy says he's selling his '95 Cherokee, 170,000 miles, AW4, NP231, 30/35. $600!!! So it's mine now! Don't get me wrong though, it needed some TLC: Suspension (shocks and springs front and rear), a couple floor panels patched, electrical gremlins fixed, paint, etc.,etc. I figured I would do what I needed to get it reliable and worry about the rest as time goes by. That was about 6 weeks ago. Here it is stock: http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/f0142a22.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/5d51bbda.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/aea87724.jpg Those are Goodyear Wranglers 235/75/15. They measure 28" and there is exactly 1.5" between bottom of rear fender flare and top of tire. Sagging springs anyone? |
So the other day I ordered a Rustys 3" lift with new leafs. It came in the mail last week and I started on it Thursday evening. What a PITA!!!
I had ~15 hours in the leaf springs alone!! Now, if the stock bolts had just slid right out, it would've been less then an hour probably. I am so glad that is over with. Other then that I didn't have to many problems. I broke one rear upper shock bolt so that slowed me down a little. I also had to get a pitman arm puller to get the original steering stabilizer stud out with. The rest of the front only took about 4-5 hours. Oh yeah, that required a spring compressor also. Here is the "finished" product. http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/551b4e00.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/8c03a9af.jpg Don't pay attention to the dang wiener kid running in front of the camera :oops: http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/adc0d2fc.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/5fc4922a.jpg |
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nice build so far
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Heres some stuff from the lift install.
The front was pretty straight forward. Only problems were I broke both sway bar links removing them and then I had to buy a spring compressor to get the new springs in. Also it was a major PITA to get the existing stabilizer stud out, had to buy a pitman arm puller to get it out. Popped right out with the puller. The rear, on the other hand, WOW! ~15 hours on the springs alone! I hope I never have to do that again. Only had to cut one bolt off but I spent 3 hours or so on it before I decided to cut it. FWIW if you ever plan on rebuilding your shackles, make sure they aren't egged first. Mine were and it was impossible to get the new bushings in. And nearly impossible to get the old out. I had five hours invested in ONE shackle and ended up having to "make" it work until I can get new shackles. I only broke one upper shock bolt but it really slowed me down. I tryed using a broken bolt extractor and my drill didn't have enough power to pull it out. Then I just drilled the broken bolt out and tryed tapping it. Broke the tap...DOH! :oops:I ended up being able to drill a 1/4" hole directly below the broken tap. Then I used a grade 8 1/4" bolt and was able to fish a nut up into body. I also started on the Tcase lowering kit but broke the first bolt on the crossmember so I'm putting that off for now. Heres some pics: http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/3914f809.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/fcf84252.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/e62215b4.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/b8eb1320.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/062ad1a5.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/39052fc1.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/db059e12.jpg http://i537.photobucket.com/albums/f...8/6620aefc.jpg |
Nice build, it looks almost just like my xj.
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Looking good, I dig the roof rack........:gunsmilie:
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