96Cherokee113

My waterproof Pyle speakers just came in today, so I'll try to take pics of the install tomorrow. I'm also gonna try and make it down to the junkyard tomorrow to pick up some new leaf springs and maybe some V8 ZJ coil springs to get a couple more inches up front. I'll post again tomorrow on what I find. Hopefully there's another XJ down there that has a hitch.

tandersen45

Nice work man

96Cherokee113

Thanks. It took some time, but it had to be done.

SGT ABN XJ

Nice two door project........

96Cherokee113

Thanks man. It's got a long way to go before I call it complete, though.

Well, I put my new waterproof speakers in today. They don't sound so great when they're loud, but they sound better than the old scratchy ones that were in there. Then again, you get what you pay for and they were $15 so I wasn't expecting Bose quality. Here's a comparison between the old and the new.





They didn't quite fit in there right, but I made them work and I'm happy with them.

JerseyJeeper

Well being water proof might come in handy further down the road if you think your jeep is a boat like i did lol

96Cherokee113

Yea, during the last storm I used my Jeep as a boat multiple times and made it through everytime. Of course there was no mud or muck underneath, but that water was still deep. The first time I went through over the bottom of my doors, my alternator started spazzing out and it wasn't even charging. Then I floored it from a red light and I heard the belt slip a little and then the voltage gauge went right back up. Luckily with all the holes in my floor, the 4 inches of water inside didn't last too long.

96Cherokee113

Small update for today. When I opened my door leaving school, I heard the hinge crunch and my door almost fell off. When the PO "fixed" the door, he just goobered up some welds around the old hinge and they finally broke loose. I didn't have the time to fix it right today, so I brought it to my buddy's house to weld it back together for now. When my 1987 Mustang LX 5.0 is on the road, I'll have some time to screw with the Jeep. Then I'm going doorless and getting a new hinge, so I can fix it right.

96Cherokee113

Got rid of the waterproof speakers today. I already blew one out, so I'm gonna send in the warranty card, then get my money back. I put in some different 140 watt 3-way Pyle speakers and they sound MUCH better. On another note, I should be picking up some Craigslist tires within the next week. Then, I'm gonna pick up a new rear from a 97' and up XJ with the leaf springs still attached. My pinion bearing hums pretty loud and I don't want to replace it. So, since I need new leafs anyway and want a stronger rear with numerically higher gearing, I'm getting a 29 spline 8.25" from the JY with 3.55 gearing. I mean it would cost me $50 for the springs, then another $30-40 for new u-bolts, and then some more for the pinion bearing and seal. I think it's worth it. I'm also gonna put on longer brakelines along with disc brakes while everything is all taken apart. Don't have an ETA on the new rear, though.

Nacci

Hi there,

Will 97" rear bonnet fit 96" rear? I mean the tail lights are all different.. Will there be any metal modding and all? I'm interested with the conversion too but worried it won't be the same and difficult to do it.

Thanks

96Cherokee113

Not quite sure what you're talking about when you say "bonnet". You must be confused about when I said I want a 97' or newer rear. I meant a 97 or newer rear differential which is a bit stronger than what I currently have. But, to change the rear of a 96' style, you'd need a 97' hatch, bumper, and tail lights probably if that's what you're asking.

Nacci

Yeap, it is what i meant, so by changing bumper, tail light and the rear hatch, i can fit it in without any metal modifications?

JerseyJeeper

The 97+ is more rounded than the older one an the bottom comes down lower so yes you will need to do metal fab. Try posting this is the fab sections instead because you will get more help that way.

96Cherokee113

Don't have too much to update, but it's been a while. I recently developed a clunk coming from somewhere under my Jeep. I believe it may be a transmission mount because when I hit big bumps, there's a huge thud in the center of my Jeep and the shifter jumps a little. Also, I checked the play in the rear by moving the driveshaft back and forth and it feels like it has a little too much. The ring gear was replaced like a year ago by some shop the PO payed to do it, so if it goes out, I'm heading up to the shop with the receipt and getting it straightened out. Now for the bad news. I have decided to take the Jeep off the road for the summer time so I can drive my '87 Mustang LX 5.0L that I've been working on. It will probably be put back on in the winter. This gives me enough time to do all the work I want to do like fix the door that wants to fall off, install a catalytic converter, put on an APN header, '99 intake manifold, and bored throttle body, etc.

96Cherokee113

Well I blew a u-joint today. I already got the new part, but it was raining outside and due to complications, I didn't fix it yet. I just marked the driveshaft and removed it. Now I'm just using the four wheel drive to power the front wheels. It's actually not that bad and I was doing 50 MPH with no problem. Also, I spun BOTH tires through third gear in the rain, which is odd because it's not locked. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the u-joint done soon and I can take some pictures to post up here.