concealer404

I was shopping for another mid-sized SUV for winter beater status since i've gone too far with the MX6 to drive through winter anymore, and a built motor turbo Miata isn't going to do it.

Was looking for a 1st gen Montero or Trooper 4x4 5spd simply because i like them and for something i only need for 2-3 years, i figured i could take a chance on something maybe not as reliable.

Then this got dumped in my lap.

1998 2dr 5spd 4.0 4x4. NP231, 8.25" rear.

I'm excited. Now i don't have to worry about "Will my wife drive it?" when modifying it.

concealer404

Motor/trans mounts are totally shot, light output sucks, transmission feels awful after my Miata. (Probably a Jeep thing.)


Ordered:
Daystar poly motor mounts
Daystar poly transmission mount
Putco Heavy Duty H4 harness
Autopal H4 conversion
Amsoil MTG to drain/fill trans


Heard mixed reviews on the Daystars, particularly the transmission mount. Figured i'd give it a shot. My normal daily driver runs AWR 98a duro poly mounts front and rear, custom "Swank Force Racing" 98a duro side mounts, so a little vibration doesn't scare me much. If it's bad, i'll swap them back out and give the rubber M.O.R.E. Bombproof mounts a shot.

gpXJ

That's a good find! The 97+ 2 door with a stick are hard to find. I did brown dog poly mounts and the day star tranny mount in my last XJ.....The vibrations were ridiculous for a daily driver, 10 minutes of city driving would make a cup of coke sitting in te cup holder flat. I swapped out the tranny mount for a stock rubber one and it was much better. I liked the stiffness of the poly motor mounts...made the Jeep feel more sporty.

concealer404

Thanks!

Yeah, the transmission mount is the one i'm most worried about, due to location. I'm not worried about the truck staying Cadillac comfy, but i will be putting many thousands of miles on it over the years.

End game plan is to take this north of the Arctic Circle. I'm not big into crawling, but will be overbuilding in the name of being able to go wherever i need to.

concealer404

Ended up at 22.7mpg with more than my normal city driving. I'm confident i'll be able to break 23mpg with the way i normally drive it.


First shipment of parts came in. H4 housings should be here today, trans fluid tomorrow.

Then i have to decide if i want to use these tires over winter (slow leak on two of them, slight dry-rotting) or try to track down a deal on some decent tires already mounted on Jeep wheels. I'd prefer to not mount new tires on these current wheels, since i'd end up paying more in that scenario, and only end up with one set of wheels to sell when i move to the 33s.

The only other thing i'd really like to address before winter is getting some ZJ seats in this thing and a decent stereo. Yes, i know ZJ seats will eliminate the use of the back seat because they won't fold forward enough, but i never leave the back set up in either XJ anyways, and XJ seats aren't comfortable when working the clutch.

concealer404

I need tires to get me through until probably mid-summer. Nothing good on local CL. Considering just buying new and staying budget friendly for now.


Contenders around the $400 shipped area, size is 235/75-15.

Nexen Roadian AT II
Nexen Roadian MT (not super interested in MTs because it's winter here, but these look like a really mild MT)
Kumho KL78
Federal Couragia A/T
Kenda Klever KR28

I'm not interested in Wranglers, i had those on the blue 2000 and hated them.

Anything else i'm missing? Any input out of my choices?

timmy51193

idk what theyd cost around you but ive heard good things about general grabber at2s

concealer404

Yeah, i like Grabbers, but i'm not paying for them right now for a temporary setup.

concealer404

What's the depth of speaker i can fit in the doors?

I've never seen the same question asked so many times on a forum with so many different answers.

Looking at Sony XS-GS1720.


[edit]

Ah screw it. I ordered a pair. If they won't fit in the door, they'll fit in the back and i can just move forward with components in the doors.

concealer404

Yesterday i fixed my broken passenger window regulator. Needs some adjusting, but at least the window isn't held up with duck tape anymore.

And then found out the hard way that Daystar has the wrong poly mount listed for my XJ, so that's cool.

Then found out on the phone that they really couldn't care less.

Daystar joins the **** list of companies i will never do business with, along with Speed Daddy for their radiator debacle on the blue 2000, and Addco for continually ****ing me around on my MX6.

PSA: Daystar KJ01010BK does NOT fit a 4.0 Cherokee. It might fit 2000-2001 4.0 Cherokees, but it does not fit earlier ones. It's not even a friggin' Cherokee part. It's a TJ part that happened to bolt up to a Cherokee at some point, despite being 1" too short, dropping your trans and t-case.

The correct number for your 4.0 Cherokee is KJ01007BK, which they have listed for XJs with a 2.5 and auto trans. Ridiculous.

Good thing i don't have to drive this truck to TN tomorrow or anything, right? Great times reinstalling the completely trashed transmissions mount back in it. Guess i'm putting a new stock one in tomorrow morning before i leave, and then the CORRECT poly mount after i get back. Yay.

**** those guys.

Before i order KJ01007BK from Amazon, does anyone else make a poly trans mount? I'd like to avoid giving these guys any business if i could.

iamrudy

What's the difference between poly and rubber? Poly are stiffer but have a longer life? Rubber are softer but break down quicker?

What tires did you end up going with through the winter?

--Rudy

concealer404

You nailed it with the mounts. I have a severe aversion to driveline movement of any kind and can live with the added NVH of poly. All of our vehicles have stiff poly mounts everywhere except for the Jeeps. (Soon to just be the Blue XJ) I run a 98duro in the MX6 and it rattles like crazy and it's buzzy, but the response is awesome, and that's mainly what i care about.

For tires, i got 235/75-15 Nankang FT-7s. Honestly very impressed with them, let alone for the money.

They were $324 shipped from Discount Tire Direct during one of their $100 off $400 or more sales, came with 4 free replacement certs.

They seem to perform (and are designed) similarly to the Geolandar AT-S on the Blue XJ. I would buy them again.


Anyways, i ordered the correct Daystar trans mount paid for one day shipping, so hopefully it makes it here by noon tomorrow. Installing the poly motor mounts after work today.

iamrudy

$324 shipped? Wow! Last time i purchased a set of tires it was just shy of $1k (285/75r16 st maxx). I may need to take lessons in tire shopping 101. Those FT-7s looks like they'd be good on snow and ice.

Well I hope you have better luck with the mounts this time around! I'm kind of in the same boat. Going to try to put rear pads on again tonight. O'reilly's sold me the wrong kit last week.

concealer404

It's just the trans mount. I'm installing their motor mounts tonite and if they don't fit i'm going to mail them back to their offices with a long steaming coiler thrown in for good measure.

It's not a hard job, i can do it in about 10 minutes with hand tools now that i've done it once, but it just pisses me off that i'm likely going to have to shell out $35 for an OEM-style one and install it, then turn around and swap it out with the correct part on Monday anyways.

All because they can't be bothered to be accurate or give a **** about their reputation.



Daystar Daystar Daystar Daystar Daystar Daystar (hopefully this starts to come up in searches)

concealer404

Anyways, i got the right mount and ended up with all three installed. Felt awesome.

Then this happened this morning:

Got a text from Crystal (My wife) this morning:


Called her.

Apparently 3rd car in front of her stopped for some geese in the road. Small side road, 35mph limit.

Nissan Altima successfully stopped, Lincoln whatever that thing is stopped, and the Cherokee (not known for great braking prowess) stopped just fine. About 3 seconds later she looked up in the rearview mirror and saw the silver Caravan barrelling up behind her. No nose dive, no brakes, no nothing.

Got hit. Hard. Caravan had to have been going 50-60mph. Surprised she didn't get a ticket and/or charged with attempted manslaughter.

Pics tell the story.

Caravan that hit her. 35mph. Sure. Whatever.
download_20150818_133647 by concealer404, on Flickr

download_20150818_133639 by concealer404, on Flickr

Hit so hard it pushed the XJ into the Lincoln hard enough to annihilate it.
32852 by concealer404, on Flickr


Cherokee drives home. I get home from work to see this in the driveway, and think to myself "Wow. That doesn't look bad at all."
20150818_115025 by concealer404, on Flickr

Really not that bad.
20150818_115043 by concealer404, on Flickr

Uh oh.
20150818_115032 by concealer404, on Flickr

Oh boy.
20150818_115017 by concealer404, on Flickr

Nope.
20150818_120229 by concealer404, on Flickr

NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE
20150818_120236 by concealer404, on Flickr