downthepub

Back in 2009 I started to go along with a friend to RTV events held by the Buchan Off-Road Club in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Well and truly got the offroad bug after driving his LR Defender 90 County, it was clear that the beloved BMW E24 was to be replaced with something a tad more capable. Investigations started into what vehicle would balance reasonable on-road manners against off-road performance. The wife and I are fortunate that we don't need a car for work, but something ok for trips out to see friends and family, that type of thing. My major constraint is headroom as my garage door height is approx 70". Defenders were ruled out as they are horrible on-road and don't fit the garage. LR Discoverys won't fit either. Range Rover Classics too old/breaky. G-wagens too £££££££££££££££££. That left Japanese and Jeeps. Japanese, Jimnys too small (despite being excellent offroad) and the wife said no-way. The other Jap stuff didn't seem to be quite as good in the mud. Cherokee XJs fitted the bill perfectly, decent on and off road, reasonable space, good custom parts availability from the US and cheap to buy. The decision was made, I went looking for a facelift (galvanized!) Cherokee XJ 4.0l. Mixed reports about the 2.5TD and 2.5l petrol also available in the UK, and was coming from a 1989 BMW 635CSi, so I'm used to ruinous fuel economy. Plus I'm a sucker for straight six motors.

Did the cardinal sin of car buying. Come May 2010 bought the first one I saw. A 1997 Cherokee Limited 4.0l, 115K on the clock with years MOT for £1350 from a dealer in Edinburgh. No history, but it had been obviously been looked after mechanically and the body/underneath was all good. Toys all worked. Stunk of dog, which didn't go down well with the wife, but it's getting better. After doing a club forest drive, even as stock, on road tyres it performed well.

Then I moved to Canada (being in the oil industry, it was Calgary surprise, surprise) for a year and the whole project went on pause.

But that did give me the time to research, obsessively, for the parts to make my Cherokee "trail ready". Just before leaving in August, I phoned and bought the following. Deep breath:

Iron Rock Offroad;

• 3" lift with new rear leafs
• Bilstein 5125 shocks
• Upgraded LCA and UCA
• JKS Quicker Disconnects
• Solid Axle Industries Dana 30 Diff Cover
• Solid Axle Industries Dana 35 Diff Cover
• Front Tow Hook Mount (recovery point)
• Heavy Duty TieRod
• RHD Adjustable Trackbar (later order)
• Extended, braided, brake hoses. (later order)

And from Rusty's Offroad;

• Premium Rock sliders
• Fuel Tank Guard
• Transfer Case Guard

MontanaFab;

• AW4 Transmission lock (subsequently discovered a similar affect can be done without this gizmo)

All in all, about $2500 of parts oops. Shipped to the UK via Bundlebox, I don't think they are used to shipping quite that amount of car parts, but they got it all to my door in the UK for £600.

Returning home, returned to a sick XJ which was an MOT failure due to bad brakes (always happens when vehicles are laid up) and badly worn UJs. So, rolled up my sleeves and got her through the MOT in October (I'm not a fast worker!), and then winter/cold nights/work got in the way and nothing happened except some eBay'ing netted 5x steel wheels off a Wrangler for a princely 15 quid!

At the beginning of March I stripped off the front springs and shock absorbers, around the same sort of time a friend of mine put me in touch with a freelance mechanic (actually he does everything) who does home visits. I'd quickly realised that changing out some of these suspension components was a bit beyond my capabilities. The current state of play is that we have replaced the control arms and plan to fit the replacement spring and shocks tomorrow. When I get back from holiday in a couple of weeks time, attention will turn to the back of the Cherry for the fitment of the rear leafs. Artur has access to a full workshop, so the rock sliders and guards will be fitted then. The fuel guard is slightly problematic as I want to keep the towbar as well, but I'm sure Polish ingenuity will win through.
So, some photos as this thread is worthless without them!










Onto Part two!

downthepub

Next milestone, but at this stage like more parts where required.

After cajoling, shouting, swearing in multiple languages, angle grinding, spanner bending and perspiration the upper and lower control arms are off, and replaced with shiny IRO items. Springs and shocks are in. More parts you say DTP, well read on. Plenty of pictures, everyone loves a good picture of rusty Jeep bits.

At the very start, I removed the airbox to get about the upper shock mounting on the nearside.


And that self same shocking mounting. She's a beauty.


Right on a bit by now, the front ARB was off leaving the pressed in studs (as it's a 97) in situ. My feeble attempts merited no budging of these bolts. Eventually Artur drilled 'em out.


Trackbar woes, the start of them. There's a snapped bolt in there, which eventually came out after some heat, Plus Gas and hammering.


Comparison shots are also a crowd pleaser, old and new springs.


Old and new Control Arms. The OEM bits are a bit pathetic compared with the IRO upgrades.


Whilst waiting for Artur to become free to give a hand, swapped out the front diff cover. Not really required, but couldn't resist. :mrgreen:


Another old vs new comparison.


And on


Look ma, no front suspension at all. Not a spring, shock or control arm in sight. Although that track bar is menacing in the background.


Control arms on, just replacing these arms took two nights of graft. Glad the new buggers are on.




Huzzah, new springs and super upgrade Bilsteins in place.


Dam track bar, just isn't long enough so away to order a replacement from the IRO team in deepest darkest Minnesota. Daaaaah.

downthepub

Ordered a RHD Trackbar from IRO and extended brakelines. All fitted now!

In summary, front is all done. Back suspension all done. Problems with back brakes, so replacing brake lines, hoses and hand brake cable. The hand brake cable had worn badly on the axle and probably would have been an MOT failure. Also had problems with disintegrating bleed nipples on the wheel cylinders in the drums. Anyway, pictures.

New front trackbar compared with the old one. Reminds me, better torque up the top bolt!


New bracket in place


A half-lifted XJ! Looking like more than 3", but I guess that will settle.




Again a comparison, old knackered sagging leafs beside the new IRO packs.


Lovely new springs and shocks. Certainly cheers up the underside.


Uncovered this little gem. My mentor was absolutely disgusted that some goon in the past had secured the upper part of a rear shock with a substandard bolt and, er, badly welded the other eye. Ouch.


In the next few days, reroute the handbrake cable, re-install cleaned up handbrake adjustment mechanism, rebuild the rear brakes, install the replacement copper pipes, bleed brakes, fill diffs with oil and then gingerly take it around the block. Fit transfer case drop if DW manifests itself. Next week, alignment and mechanical health check and adjust. Then am onto fitting the rock sliders, the tank guard and diff guard. Then new tyres and then I'm done! Phewf!