Goldmember338

Hey guys,

New to the forum as an official member but have been "lurking" for quite a while. I've owned several Jeep Cherokee's in passed lives and I've always respected their reliability and longevity. I got my first XJ in high school and it had almost 300,000 miles when I gave it to my sister when I went into the Army. She wrecked it three times before selling it. Well my needs have changed once again in life and I began looking at small compact SUV's that I could drive on a daily basis but still load up and get out of town and bug out for the weekend. Mostly I needed something I could transport a baby in. My 1970 Ford pickup which is in good shape but doesn't have seat belts isn't quite legal to transport a baby carrier. I have a fairly high stress job and the ability to take the family out for an afternoon regardless of the weather and know were not likely to have any vehicle related issues is a nice luxury.

I needed a bug out vehicle in the sense of getting out of dodge for the weekend. Not necessarily an end of the world, Zombie apocalypse, 2012 scenario. Although I have been in a natural disaster before and this XJ would serve as a bug out vehicle should the needs arise and because I do live in an area of high seismic activity and high likelihood of flooding along with minimal logistical support should a natural disaster come about. Because of this, I will focus one those contingencies and ensuring my XJ will serve the purpose I would need in those circumstances.

So my goals for the Jeep from the beginning are as follows:
1. Reliability is an absolute must!
2. Relatively good fuel economy.
3. The ability to travel long distances without having to stop for fuel. (Large fuel capacity with either larger gas tank or extra fuel cans.)
4. The ability to traverse fairly rough terrain.
5. Low center of gravity.
6. Large cargo capacity to include the ability to tow.
7. The mobility to move around in tight areas.
8. Subdued earth tone color. (preference)
9. Something ultimately comfortable enough for my kids to take lone trips with me in.
10. Anything I put onto or add to it needs to be easily replaceable due to limited logistics of where I live and the whole incredibly unlikely disaster scenario. If something goes wrong with it and the world as we know it ends, I can pull replacement parts off a stock Cherokee I find.

So I naturally gravitated toward a later model Cherokee because of the luck I have had with them and because I am familiar with working on them. The market was pretty dry here in Norther Idaho as people like XJ's around here are are rarely willing to part with them for a reasonable price. But after searching I found a good deal on a 99 in Gold (which is close enough to my earth tone goal. I thinks its more tan than gold) that seemed to be exactly what I was looking for. Unmolested by the previous owner and aside from needing new shocks ran well...

This is what I brought home...

Goldmember338

After all my friends saw it they immediately dubbed it Goldmember. The Jeep has hence forth carried that name.

Unfortunately, this is where things started to go down hill. It seems the previous owner was either great at band-aiding things but never fixing anything or he was great at covering things up just long enough for me to test drive it, hand him some cash and drive home because things began to go bad within a week.

- The jeep started to overheat every time I went up a little bit of a hill.
- The A/C stopped working
- The cruise control could not keep up.
- The first time I went down a dirt road, I realized how poorly the head panel was holding and the light console between the driver and front passenger heads rattled so bad I could barely hear anything.
- I was only getting sound out of the passenger side front speaker.
- It would not play disks. (There is little radio reception here so it was static or pretty much nothing)
- The inside smelled like cigarettes once the air freshener wore out.
- I started to feel a harmonic vibration between 30-40 and above 60.
- The right side axle shaft U-joint is rusted so bad it pops every time I turn in 4WD which I do spend a lot of time in.
- The rear springs were worn our and sagging really bad. Especially when there is any real amount of weight in the back.
-And assorted little things like the ash trey being missing and incidentals..

I think that's about it. Needless to say. It was frustrating seeing how much was wrong with this decent looking rig and how much I was going to have to fix prior to actually improving anything. I did take solace knowing that some of the problems could be fixed as I made upgrades to the rig.

Goldmember338

So before I could make it a better vehicle, I had to fix what was wrong with it:

- Replaced the clogged up radiator which looked like someone cakes mud into it, electric radiator fan, water pump, and all hoses associated with the cooling system. Has run cool since.
- Found a vacuum line that was worn out and replaced the section which got my cruise control working reliably and got my A/C blowing hot air.
- Cleaned out the crap that was preventing the A/C compressor clutch from engaging. Now I have cold air blowing.


These were the first things I tackled which were obviously not picture worthy. Next was to fix the suspension.

Goldmember338

I figured since the rear springs were fatigued and the shocks were worn out all around it was time to just get it all done. I started looking around for a lift that would increase spring capacity but couldn't really find anything. I really wanted something that could carry a lot of weight. Eventually, I had planned to put heavier duty bumpers with a grill guard up front and a swing our tire carrier and fuel can mount on the rear. Additionally, I needed something that would haul my trailer with my Polaris RZR or a load of wood so aside from some other heavier duty upgrades, I needed stiffer springs and heavier duty shocks. SO I ordered a set of heavy duty springs from Quadretec for the front and rear. They said they would lift it a half inch to an inch and I got a shackle and spacer lift off Ebay. Nothing fancy but I figured it would lift the jeep enough and provide the spring rate that I was looking for. I just sourced a set of heavier duty shocks from the local Les Schwabs.

I also scored a set of Dean Mud Terrain 265 75R16's from a buddy in trade for a trigger for an AR 15. So I went back to Schwabs and ordered a set of 16 inch black Steel wheels. I like steel wheels for wheeling over alloy wheels.

I got it all done in one evening and a lunch break. I own my own business so I kind of make my own schedule so it made it a little easier. Here is a pic of the rear all done with the front going in.

Gee oh Dee

Looks like a fun project!

xjoutsider

I have been in the fix an upgrade build process for 5+ years now! It gets frustrating but really would not trade my 96 for anything! Good luck

Goldmember338

Here is a pick of the completed suspension upgrade.

By the way, I am aware that the lift is not exactly easy to replace should it break but I could replace what I need to and still get around with it looking like crap if I had to...

Goldmember338

I like working on my own rigs. I have a 43 year old pickup that I still have that by dad bought when I was a baby. I like the simplicity of older vehicles. And there is a certain pride in doing your own work and standing back with a beer when your done and admiring your work. But as my company business gets busier and my kids get older and want more time with me, it gets harder and harder to find the time to do my own work.

Goldmember338

SO after the lift went in there was still some pretty significant tire rub on the corner pieces of the front bumper. I knew I was going to replace it in it's entirety eventually so I just ripped off the sections that were rubbing and tossed them. Here is a pic of it after that was done while I was bombing around in the Ochoco Mountains with my Dad.

Goldmember338

Then things got worse. When I originally pulled the corners of the front bumper, I noticed that the fender flares were a little loose. There was nothing I could really do so I left it that way. Well a couple weeks ago, I was running around up the canyon from the house with some friends from southern Idaho when we stopped to check out an old train trestle when one of them noticed that my passenger side front fender flare has just fallen off. Well crap! I couldn't find it so the next day I just tore them all off as well as the clips that hold them on. While I was at it, I pulled the trim pieces on the lower doors and fenders. A little adhesive reducer and elbow grease cleaned everything up. I also took the opportunity to tear off the stupid Oakley sticker on my back window that the previous owner had.

That evening I was washing both of our Jeeps with my wife when I asked her:

Me - "Jesta, if you were driving down the road and looked at my Jeep what would go through your mind?"

Jesta - "I would think it was some teenage boy driving his project rig."

Me - "Ouch!"

Jesta - "Well you asked!"

So it made me get off my butt and start squaring this thing away. Now I have no problem with teenagers working on their rigs and driving them around while in mid project. In fact my favorite build threads are the young guys doing their own work on their own dime and with their own time. That's what I was like at that age and the initiative it tought me has got me where I am today. But what I am today is someone with the means to get this done and stop driving around a half finished vehicle and it made me realize I have no excuse to drive this Jeep around in this shape. So I got online and ordered a new grille guard (as you can see in the pictures, the original one was hit with a baseball when the previous owner had it and it was smashed in) and some new bumpers to clear the tires. The grille guard has already arrived and I installed it as soon as it showed up.

While on the spending spree I ordered the following:
- Nates Front bumper with grille guard (There are a lot of suicidal deer between here and Twin Falls where I make a monthly trip to visit the in-laws and I'm eventually going to hit one)
- Nates rear bumper with tire swing out and fuel can mounts. I also ordered it with a 2" receiver so I will be able to tow now.
- New grille guard which has already been installed
- Two surplus fuel cans and fill nozzle that will fit into the XJ's fuel spout
- And I ordered another black steel wheel and got a used full size spare
- Bushwacker Flat Fender Flares

This should round things out a bit and give the jeep a little more of a finished look.

Here is a couple pics of old Goldmember as she sits this morning.

Goldmember338

I just got word from the wife whose at home today that my Bushwhackers are in my shop. Looks like I'll be busy this weekend. My older daughter is in Southern Idaho visiting her grandparents and wife works this weekend so I'm going to have to find little spurts of time while playing daddy day care for my baby.

I need to get ready for the bumpers to get here next week. I apply a spray on finish called DuraCoat onto guns as a profession so I'm good with a spray gun but Duracoat is really expensive and I would have to buy a ton of it to coat both the bumpers. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to use for paint for these bumpers? They are coming as raw metal so I will have to blast them and get them coated myself. I'd like them to match the wheels as closely as possible. Not quite as glossy, just shade wise.

rmoore1031

I like the theme of your build. Good to see reliability is key. I'm trying a similar theme build on my XJ. When I get some more money, I'll be ordering some Nates bumpers.

redryder2006

Careful with the bushwacker flare install. I bought a 99 that had them installed and the directions have you cut past the welds in the rear. Interior was quickly saturated in snow salt and mud. Iirc someone had good results cutting and folding as normal, then mounting the flares to maintain a weather tight fender.

Which version did you get? The originals or the flat flares?

Goldmember338

Yeah depending on the intended purpose with the rig, it may or may not matter. I had an old CJ for a few years and I trailered it to where I was going to bomb around with it. I beat it up and kept it running but I sure wouldn't take trips with it. This rigs a daily driver for me and I can easily end up a long way from help if it breaks down. Not to mention traveling for work and family. This thing needs to be reliable first and foremost.

Goldmember338

I got the flat ones mainly because I don't have a lot of time and it takes less time to keep them clean without having to clean each individual crevice for the exposed bolts like the standard ones. That and I don't like silver bolts visible. I know it's stupid but hey, it's my jeep.

As for the cutting, I was worried about that too but I downloaded the instructions and took a look at them and it looks like they now tell you to cut and roll the locations where you need to make more room then the welds allow. Someone must have whined about it enough... Lol