Almost There: 01’ XJ Build
 

I have owned my 01’ xj since July. It has only 70,000 miles on it and I plan to keep this thing forever. Right now its my DD, so I am just looking to have a comfortable, but very capable off road vehicle for camping, exploring and hopefully trying out some moderate trails. I go to school full time and I’m in the military so it’s taken a little more time than I was hoping to get my xj up to par but it’s been a fun, although sometimes frustrating journey so far. My Cherokee came moderately built with a 3.5” RE lift, 32” tires, a sweet Chrysler 8.25 rear axle w/Detroit lockers, 4.56 gears and stronger axle-shafts, and a bunch of other items. There are mostly minor things I need to do to get it to where I want it, but it's “almost there”. Here are some pictures from the time I bought it to now. Specs and to do-list to follow.



What it looked like when I first bought it...needed some love:
http://fnmo1g.blu.livefilestore.com/...buy.JPG?psid=1

All waxed and cleaned and faded plastic trim removed:

http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...185.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...192.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...191.jpg?psid=1

Wheeling a couple weeks ago:
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...915.JPG?psid=1

Water-crossing at the great sand dunes national park this weekend: water didn't even touch the axle though:
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...273.jpg?psid=1

Picture from today, after painting the bumper caps, front suspension, and spraying undercoat.
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...275.jpg?psid=1

I have just purchased new 3.5" RE leaf springs and nice bilsten shocks to replace the worn rear suspension in there right now and a skid plate. I will be installing those soon. updated:See my later post for my plans.

One of those pictures looks like its by the Air Force Academy dorms. Am I right?

if so, i am right by you. Lets do some wheelin man!

Yup, Colorado Springs. We should definitely go sometime. I'm always looking for people to go up with. I am still learning where all the closest trails are so it would be great to go with someone with a little more experience in the area. Let me know man!

I like it so far. Whats the future plans, or you gonna leave well enough alone. always wanted to visit CO on a side note.:brows:

my plans
 

Well, there are a few things I would like to get done as soon as possible. Then a little down the road when it is not my DD, I will go a little more crazy with it and eventually maybe put a stroker in it. I tend to be pretty detailed so here is whole list.

Here is what it came with when I bought it:
-3.5" rubicon express lift w/blocks in the rear and shackles and worn shocks (replacing that soon)
-32x11.5x15 tires on american racing wheels
-8.25 rear axle w/detroit locker and 4.56 yukon gears & stronger shafts
-D30 front w/aussie locker and 4.56 yukon gears.
-basket rack (I added some crossbars)
-4 KC lights that I took off (still need to mount on the rack.)
-Cold Air intake/ TBS
-Cobra CB Radio and Loudspeaker
-Flowmaster Catback exhaust
-sub/headunit/speakers (need to replace with my alpine system from my old car)

What I have done:
-spent like 4 days cleaning the thing
-General Tuneup-belt, oil, seafoam, fluids, air filter, etc.
-improved the roof rack-added 10 crossbeams
-sprayed the bottom with undercoating and painted the front suspension parts
-painted all the bumper endcaps


Plans for the near future:
1. Install 3.5" RE leafsprings, Bilstein shocks and pin bar eliminators that I just purchased, maybe 1" front spacers
2. buy 33" BFG All terrian T/A KO tires and new spedo gear
3. Mount 4 KC lights onto the roof rack
4. Install Tomken Undercarriage Skid plate I just bought and get gas and transfer case skids and rock sliders
5. Install SYE and cv-drive shaft because jeep vibrates pretty bad
6. Either get an Electronic, Arb locker, or spool for the front because the Aussie locker is loud.
7. Mount spare tire on roof rack
9. Line inside with a dynamat equivalent sound dampener
9. Replace current sound system with my alpine sound system I have from my old car
10. Leather Seats from a Grand Cherokee
11. Steel Bumpers front and rear
12. Portable winch on 1" receiver plate that will plug into front bumper
13. Rear Disc brake conversion
14. Electric fan and Neon Fuel injectors to get a little better than 17mpg


Way down the road:
-Long Arm lift kit
-35's or 37's w/beadlocks
-d44 and d60
-Maybe cut the back off, I really like the chop-top look
-stroker maybe
-???

I will post up some updates with pictures as I get some stuff finished. Let me know if you are ever in the Colorado area and want to go wheelin.

hey when u removed the trim pieces was there any holes or anything behind it. double sided tape?

Nope it was just full of dirt and the tape was kind of a pain to get off. I would probably use something like a blowdryer to heat up the tape if I did it again. I also used some stuff similar to goof off, but be careful to not strip the clearcoat off the paint if you use too strong of a solvent or too much heat.

How did you paint all your bumper caps? I want to paint mine to make them look better but i don't want all the paint to fall off within a month.

I got some of this stuff at an auto shop specifically for painting trim I think it was called "plastic trim paint". I would sand it with some light 1200 grit wet sandpaper, then put on about 3 or more coats. Here are some pics from when I did it. Its only been about a week for me and it has held up fine, but I guess time will tell. They also sell this stuff called plastic primer that might also be help out. Here are a few pictures from when I did it:

http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...264.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...266.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...267.jpg?psid=1

That turned out nice. I'll run to pep boys tomorrow and see if they got that stuff there.

Looks good! Love (nearly) free mods, Future reference use an adhesion promoter before you spray. (even tho it will be tore up none the less on trails) :D

Yea I might regret not buying that stuff down the road, we will see. on a side note here are some other mods I have done so far.

Roof rack modification: Rather than buying a new rack I bought some metal bar window coverings and put those on the rack which made my rack 100 times more useful and pretty dang sturdy. here are some pictures:
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...250.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...251.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...254.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...255.jpg?psid=1
Looks pretty good mounted up there too.http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...261.jpg?psid=1

I also sanded down and painted the bottom with undercoat, and everything else with some "rollbar paint". Also turned out pretty good and the cabin is noticeably quieter. I feel like I might throw on about 2 more layers of that stuff.
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...285.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...278.jpg?psid=1
http://public.blu.livefilestore.com/...280.jpg?psid=1

And Finally, I am getting new tires tomorrow(33x12.5x15 BFG AT KO's) and installing my new rear springs and shocks this weekends so if anyone has any pointers on installing new springs let me know!

Rack looks good, when I first seen it I was sure hoping you took off the little design. LOL

Was there nothing on the bottom of the rack before?

Well it started with 3 lengthwise 2 inch wide and about 1/4 inch thick crossbeams, but they were useless and sat on the roof. So anything I put up there would basically sit on my roof haha. This was the best option I could find at home depot for the money.

It looks good! And yeah I'm guessing with the old ones on the roof the rattling was annoying.