Cherokee Off-Road Toad build
 

Hello all,

First, want to send out a huge thank you to all on this forum. I have been lurking on here for a number of months doing research as I prepared to buy and upgrade a Jeep XJ. Lots of super-valuable information in here that i have referenced and a lot of years of research in these posts. I decided that I wanted to buy a Cherokee to tow behind my motorhome (instead of going the traditional Wrangler route). I just like the looks of the classic Cherokee when done right and I like that I can make it more secure than a Wrangler. So, I set out to find a Cherokee, preferably one that already had all the gear on it to tow behind my RV. After a few months of search, heard of one being sold that met what I needed fairly close to my house. Silver, 2001 Sport with tow bars, brake controls, and wiring for towing behind a RV (just hook up, plug in, and tow). Bonus was it only had 139,000 miles (plus an unknown number of towed miles) and no rust other than the exhaust. Purchased it for $6500 (yeah, I know that is a lot but this is California, the Jeep was clean and everything worked, and it had $2500 worth of towing gear on it). Jeep was in decent shape and almost completely stock. Only mods on it were new, upgraded shocks (2 months), new trailer hitch (5 months) and the front end parts and power steering had been replaced about 7 years back. Full list of receipts from work done were also included.

Photos of Cherokee when we got it:

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...67418b7a9c.jpg
Front- Notice removable tow bar under bumper
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...a3ae4fdf8c.jpg
Rear
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...89f7e64bfb.jpg
Other side

I planned to work on the vehicle with my father, who was a retired automotive mechanic (after 50 year) and has virtually every repair tool known to man (and I think we have used most of them).
We had short time frame set out to get this build done, so we prioritized what we wanted to do. I had a set of Wrangler wheels/tires off a 2016 Rubicon (31") that I knew I wanted to mount and use so I needed a lift for clearance. I also wanted to strengthen the frame to use on off-highway trails, replace the audio head unit, and do some other basics.

First step was to power-wash the entire car and engine bay (although it proved just about impossible to get the 20 years of accumulated grease off with just the power washer).

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...6dcf54b99d.jpg
Power Washing- lifting one side at a time.

Next, we replaced all the fluids in the Jeep. There was a error code on the number 3 cylinder which we figured was carbon build-up, so we ran Seafoam through the engine to clear up the carbon and then replaced all of the spark plugs (which weren't actually that bad). Checked over all the engine components and tightened down some bolts that were a bit loose (which actually fixed a very small oil leak out of pan). We also tried to order a bunch of stuff so that we could start building the Jeep over the next few weeks.
First order was the frame stiffening so bought a set of middle frame stiffeners from Iron Rock Offroad. Next was the lift. We wanted to go with a 3" to 4" lift (nothing extreme) and after reading suggestions on here, decided to avoid the Rough Country lift. My first choice was a Rusty's 3" lift but after talking to them, they didn't have any in stock and were not sure when they have would have more in (it turns out that this is a very common problem with Cherokee parts- lots out there but almost nothing in stock). Instead, I went with the 3.5" lift from Iron Rock with new rear leafs since the old leafs were shot. We originally were going to just use the lower stock control arms since they had been replaced 3 years before, but after getting the lift and looking at the control arms in detail, we decided to go ahead and replace them (so ordered some adjustable Freedom control arms off Amazon which are incredibly beefy). I also ordered a new head unit and bezel from Crutchfield since I wanted to 7" display with CarPlay in the vehicle. The power door locks and windows would also only work intermittently so I went ahead and ordered two new window regulators (switchdoctor) and new door checks to keep the doors open. I also ordered new LED headlights off Amazon since i couldn't stand the light yellow ones. Put some of the minor parts on then spent a Saturday sanding down the bottom frame of the Cherokee to mount the new steel reinforcements.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...7c8b9b8057.jpg
Undercoating Cleared off.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...63e83dfd26.jpg
Frame supports
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...59da6727bf.jpg
Fitment of supports

After sanding and fitting Stiffeners, it was time to break out welder and secure them. I take no credit for the welding, that was all my pops.


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...0fbed6cd59.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...54c4dba618.jpg

After welds cooled, we rattle can sprayed a thick new undercoating over all exposed parts.

Interior
 

After working on the stiffeners, took a break from working under the car and worked on seats, dash and interior. Removed the front seats and center console (where we found the console bracket was completely busted (add another part to the list). Thoroughly cleaned the carpets but otherwise left them alone (had a set of Rugged Ridge fitted floor mats ordered for whole car). Covered all seats with a set of Rough County neoprene seat covers.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...655378837b.jpg
Stock Dash
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...f2c08aaadb.jpg
Close-up of radio- stock CD/Cassette player
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Pulling radio and center console

Purchased an Alpine ILX- W650 Double-Din radio with new bezel. Also ordered a USB outlet to attach to radio. Originally planned to replace a 9v outlet with it but then decided to keep those intact. Had to make a few small cuts in the dash (after watching some videos on here and Youtube), but the radio was a half-size unit so didn't need much). Lined everything up and secured it. Ran wire to the front for a camera and a wireless receiver for a rear camera (since the radio can have both). Wiring was surprisingly easy and finished product looked great. Received new center console bracket and drilled hole to mount USB outlet (connected to radio) in front of parking brake. Reinstalled the center console and used new Bezel to finish off the dash (also found a grey Jeep steering wheel cover at Pep boys for $6 to cover the worn wheel).


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...b7fb7706a4.jpg
Radio mounted
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Radio with new USB outlet right in front of parking brake (on center console)

Project Continued:

The next weekend we tackled the suspension upgrades. First we were curious to see how the wheel adapters would work. Ordered a full set of rough country 1 1/2" spacer/adapter. Worked well on front but lugs were a little short on the rear so replaced them with with larger lugs to match the adapters.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...8123fd55a5.jpg
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https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...a3bea1d83c.jpg

We decided to test mount a wheel just to see clearance before installing the lift- pretty obvious we needed the lift:


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...2e10ecdc39.jpg
Probably not enough clearance with stock suspension

So we started on the lift. The rear leafs were super beefy and actually looked to be way too large for the lift we wanted, especially compared to the original ones (which were admittedly very flat after 20 years).


https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...d7a6046b97.jpg
Very heavy and beefy new rear leafs

We ran into a slight problem with removing the rear leafs- the recently installed hitch was blocking the shackle bolts from coming out. So we needed to remove the hitch but that also meant removing the bumper. Trying to get to the bolts on the inside of the rear bumper was a chore and after fiddling with it for a while, decided to just bend it up out of the way so I could get to the bolts (i honestly wanted a bumper to mount the spare tire on anyway since the spare takes up too much space in the cargo area so figured i might as well just get rid of the stock bumper). Ordered a Smittybilt XRC bumper with spare tire holder (actually ended up ordering 4 of them but that is another story for another time). Removed the old leafs and shocks and installed the new leafs, shackles and new, extended bump stops. Checked brake drums and adjusted while we were there. Moved to the front and removed the shocks, springs, lower control arms, track bar (bought a new adjustable one from Rusty's), along with a new bushings/bars. Installed new parts, along with new, longer bump stops in the new springs. Decided the stock front bumper wouldn't look right anymore with a new rear bumper so removed that as well. Removed the stock muffler since it had holes in it from rust (only spots of rust on the car) and ordered a new Pypes muffler to install. Worked on alignment to get it close (would take it to a shop later).

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...deeb5b2346.jpg

Ordered a new front bumper from Race Car Designs that would still allow us to use the front tow mounts (so no winch bumper but I like the sleek look of the RCD bumper). Brother in law had a friend who had a pair of rock rails that he offered to us for free so that was a bonus. Mounted the bumper and rock rails with some modifications (just about everything on the truck needed modifications to work as nothing fit "easily"


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...c89b1bc2c7.jpg
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Added front camera to front license plate and remounted the connection points for the motorhome.

Next weekend- worked to finish up build (to this point).

Installed head lights:


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...0f16991818.jpg
Headlights installed while old bumper was still on- also tightened up the grill and bezels

Installed Rear bumper (this was much harder than it should have been):


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...de5455bca1.jpg
New Bumper with side skirt pieces installed.

Ready to roll- just need to finish up some odds and ends.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...9b8ceac7d7.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...e7efef7814.jpg

Looks higher in the rear than front but it has settled down now to virtually level. Did a bunch of other small fixes:

Replaced rear wiper and wiper hose (had a hole in it).
Installed rear cargo bag in cut-out and some cargo hooks in the rear cargo area
Installed tow shackles on front and rear
Installed hitch extension on new bumper along with spare tire lock/cover
Installed Avital Alarm with remote door lock/unlock and rear hatch switch- interior lights now come on with rear hatch open and can be controlled by rear light
Installed T-Case 1" drop (came with lift kit) to help with drive angle
Rear-view camera installed on rear bumper

After a weekend trip (towing behind RV then doing a little light offloading), we are making a new list of things to do (fortunately most Cherokee parts are cheap):

1. Replace fuel injectors to assist with MPG and idle- looking for the 784 injectors (any ideas who is still making them?- most of the posts are very old)
2. Replace AC Compressor and condenser- it seems to come and go in hot weather- it will blow cold for 20-30 minutes then suddenly stop- not great in Southern California where it can hit 95+ easy in the desert.
3. Upgrade to ZG fan clutch to reduce temps at slow speeds- temp is pegged at 210 most the time but occasionally creeps above then AC shuts off. Going to also replace the belt while at it. Plan to take out in desert where the slow speeds may cause cooling problems (as we saw this last weekend in Joshua Tree).
4. Going to play with steering since I am not very happy with the play in it (even after tightening everything down). Bigger tires seem to be stressing steering box.
5. We will see what else needs to be done (open to suggestions to help make this thing more dependable as we take some long trips and hate fixing things on the road).

I need to take a few more photos of the finished interior and exterior with all the tow accessories and things on but works well as Toad and works well offroad so happy with it so far.
I have been keeping a spreadsheet of everything bought and installed on it, which I am not letting my wife see...Still cheaper than the Polaris Rzr that I used to own and a lot more usable (and comfortable).

You can still find 784 injectors on eBay - they're ideally treated the same way anyone selling them on this forum would so I wouldn't worry about buying them from eBay.

Since yours is an 01, I would also look at heat soak wrap for the fuel rail. The later year XJs seem to be more susceptible to heat soak than the earlier ones. Even if you don't think you need to, you might want to replace the thermostat while you're at it. Stick with a 190 degree one though - the factory knew what they were doing when it comes to cooling oddly enough so no reason to try and force temps down with a lower temp thermostat.

If you have the funds, just go ahead and replace the steering box. Get a solid steering box spacer too - the factory ones are junk.

With the extra weight of that rear bumper, the sliders and the larger tires, a regear would likely help your mpg more than just upgrading injectors (which don't really help other than you're swapping out old injectors for "new" ones). 4.10s would be great for those 32s! Plus, gives you an excuse to get rid of at least one open diff.

The rig looks awesome by the way! Last time I was at Joshua Tree, I was in a late 70s VW camper van and couldn't help but think how much better the experience would be if I could bomb down those dirt roads with my Jeep. One day I'll get out there again - it's easily one of my favorite places on Earth.

Real nice build, REAL clean truck! That is how an XJ should look (glad you didn't cut the fenders).

I agree with Battle, a regear would be a good idea at this point. And while you are at it, consider a new diff. If you wanted to go for a selectable locker or a Detroit Truetrac, research it based on what you think your needs will be.

4.10 gears would probably be a good choice, unless you plan to go to a bigger tire at some point, then perhaps 4.56 would be better.

I look forward to more updates.

Those wheels look pretty good on an old cherokee

Thanks for the advice! Definitely considering a regear down the road (or maybe not that far down the road lol) and I agree with the 4.10 since we will not be going bigger with tires (no need in CA). Would also help with our speedo issue that shows the Jeep going 5 mph less than it really is while driving. Newer cars you can recalibrate the speedo electronically but not many people left around here who can recalibrate the mechanical ones. As far as a locker, we talked about it but we don't really go that aggressive off-road. I left the swaybar on the car and didn't put quick releases on there. The majority of our current off-roading is trails with whoops and some rocks (we go out to Anza Borrego and Ocotillo Wells a few times a year). Very little mud to deal with because it hardly ever rains so not sure a locker would really be needed and can always add it later. We may end up replacing the driveshafts down the road or going with SYE but the vibrations have been fairly minimal with the lift and minor t-case drop. Biggest vibration i get is a weird shake and noise when making a sharper left turn at slow speeds like when turning into a parking space (checked for rubbing but don't see anything rubbing so may be in steering?).

As far as the heat soak wrap, a previous owner already did that mod but it looks pretty worn at this point so I may replace when i pull the fuel rail. The biggest issues have been dealing with mods made by previous owners (Carfax lists 4 previous owners after it was retired as a rental car in CO). One owner had upgraded the sound system (I found upgraded speakers in the door and roof and the wiring left over from an amp and sub while digging in the dash). We also had a remove an old alarm and hydraulic brake system used by someone with their diesel motorhome. The stock fender flares have been cut out on the inside (with what looks like sawzall- the cut is horrible and uneven), probably to accommodate larger tires at some point. We were able to get enough clearance to keep them (after fixing some loose screws and so forth) and not cut the body but we will have to see how they fare in off-road environments.

I have been looking at Ebay for the injectors (mostly because the engine idles rough and would like a more stable flow of fuel) but so many choices and trying to decide on new injectors (probably from China) or remanufactured ones which may or may not all function as advertised. I would hate to replace them only to have one not function and have to wait to get a replacement (which may not have the same flow). Adding a 190 thermostat to my list as well.

Any suggestions on a good AC compressor? I think the one in there now is a Santech.

Thank you for the compliments, we were surprised at how good the wheels looked on the Cherokee as well. And another thanks to all those who have posted over the years. We gave ourselves 4 weeks to do the build and get it (mostly) ready and there would have been no way to do that without leaning on a lot of the knowledge posted on here. Pouring over threads with thousands of posts (i.e. lift thread) probably gave almost too much information but I like to figure out what I need to do before doing it. I am just glad that these things are easy to work on- some cars are a total nightmare. Lots of room to get to things you need to move and now that it is lifted, it is really easy to get to the stuff underneath as well.

If your engine idles rough, I would recommend cleaning the throttle body. Has fixed 90% of rough idling on three cherokees for me. I have an 00' currently, and wrapped aluminum foil tape for air ducting onto the fuel rail and solved the heat soak problem. Sweet jeep man!

Great job on the Cherokee! Getting it done in 4 weeks is certainly impressive. The only two things I can think of are the 0331 head, which I'm sure you're aware of, and rear frame tie-in to support the added weight of the rear bumper and spare tire.

Update.

Worked on the Cherokee some more this weekend. Swapped in a ZJ fan clutch and replaced the thermostat while we were there. Went with a new stock 195 one. Old one looked like it had never been replaced. Also replaced the belt while there, though old one didn’t look too bad. Adjusted the AC pressure by reducing Freon levels (it was over 325:on the high end at idle).

we put the Jeep up on stands and ran it in 4wd to see how the front wheels were working since there was a noise coming out of the tires on turns. Heard a hard clunking everytime we turned the wheel while on the blocks- u-joint was shot on right side. Pulled the axel and joint and that side to discover u-joint almost completely locked up. Took both front off and replaced (needle bearings were completely rusted out and seems to have never been lubed on either side). Probably a lucky catch since it seemed those weren’t going to take much more abuse. Cups seem fine so may have dodged a bullet. Probably replace the u-joints in the drive shafts as well after our trip. Should have taken a photo of the u-joints but forgot. They were really badly deteriorated.

Been a few months. Have taken the Jeep out for a few trips off-road now. Some changes:

1. Iron Rock hydro shocks that came with the lift-kit were topping out on most drops (i.e. off speed bumps or pretty much everywhere). They would make a loud thud every time the suspension went full-extension. After the second trip off-road, we were hearing a loud clucking when turning which sounded like it was coming from the shocks. Went ahead and just bought a new set (4) of Bilsteins for it. While we were replacing the shocks, we discovered the true sound of the noise- the bolt holding the adjustable front lower arms had come loose and was making the noise. So the IR hydro shocks were actually ok, but since we already had the Bilsteins, we just went ahead and installed them. What a HUGE difference in ride- no more bouncing and the trucks absorbs impacts like nothing.

The second trip, we started getting a code from 3rd Cylinder- I bought a kit to replace the heat shielding on the fuel rail and injectors off Amazon and also replaced the injectors with 4 hole injectors bought off Ebay. Fortunately all the injectors seem to work well even being remanufactured.

Also decided to do a couple "vanity" projects to the jeep. Added a 50" curved lightbar to the top of the car using JCR offload brackets (of course, this took a day to complete because the light bar didn't have flat connectors on the edges but were curved with the bar so we had to add custom spacers and bend out the brackets to compensate. Ran the cable down inside the passenger rubber door trim and into the engine compartment. Found a new lower switch panel on Ebay that had a foglight switch in it (mine only had defrost/rearwiper). Removed the foglight switch and added a lightbar switch. Wired it all up and success!


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.che...b765bc0df6.jpg
Lightbar installed
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Map Pockets on front doors
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New Shocks installed
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New Light control panel


Also added some JCR map holders to the doors since the lack of pockets on the doors was really bugging me.