Jumpin In: Project Adalida
10-15-2012, 12:08 PM
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Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
Jumpin In: Project Adalida
Howdy guys, I'm pretty new to the xj world. With very little mechanic experience, I knew this would be a learn as I go kinda thing. I'm jumpin in to this thing head first. Let me apologize up from for any knot headed comments and questions I might have. I figured I'd start a build thread to receive advice as much as to show my progress. Let's get started...
The day after I got her:
She is a '93 4.0 4x4 with 162xxx on her. First song on the radio when i got in her was Adalida by George Strait and it stuck. Did a few of the normal mantenances of a new car (new fluids, new air filter, seafoam ect.)
At this point the functionality of the xj is the most important for me. Since it is primarily a beach fishing vehicle, the roof rack was the first thing I was in need of. B. Lee hooked me up with a sweet Trail Rack that I am really impressed with! This thing is stout. Attached some KC hilights to it (yet to be wired
) and added a few Jerry Cans and we have a beach rig! Also added some cheap fog lights to the front.
We were gettin all geared up for the big coast trip this past weekend and everything was coming into place. Then, the morning before we were set to leave I got the call that one of my best friends lost his mother unexpectedly. Plans changed fast. Went to see him with my other buddies that were also going on the trip. Glad we were able to be there for him, and we also got to do a little wheelin'/fossil huntin' in the North Sulphur River.
I was really impressed with the ability of the stocker as a 4x4. Can't wait to add a few more mods and really see what she can do. That list most likely goes as follows not in any order:
1. 4.5" lift with full leaf pack
2. New wheels and tires (most likely Black Rock d-windows w/ 33x12.5x15)
3. Wire those lights, how'd ya'll do it? (like where did you bring your wires through to the interior)
4. New exhaust. Its got a pretty bad leak.
5. Fix my RUST! And Rhinoline the bottom panels
6. My brakes are kinda sketchy, so do something about that.
Any suggestions/constructive criticisms will be appreciated. Thanks for all the help I've gotten from here so far.
K.C.
The day after I got her:
She is a '93 4.0 4x4 with 162xxx on her. First song on the radio when i got in her was Adalida by George Strait and it stuck. Did a few of the normal mantenances of a new car (new fluids, new air filter, seafoam ect.)
At this point the functionality of the xj is the most important for me. Since it is primarily a beach fishing vehicle, the roof rack was the first thing I was in need of. B. Lee hooked me up with a sweet Trail Rack that I am really impressed with! This thing is stout. Attached some KC hilights to it (yet to be wired
) and added a few Jerry Cans and we have a beach rig! Also added some cheap fog lights to the front.
We were gettin all geared up for the big coast trip this past weekend and everything was coming into place. Then, the morning before we were set to leave I got the call that one of my best friends lost his mother unexpectedly. Plans changed fast. Went to see him with my other buddies that were also going on the trip. Glad we were able to be there for him, and we also got to do a little wheelin'/fossil huntin' in the North Sulphur River.
I was really impressed with the ability of the stocker as a 4x4. Can't wait to add a few more mods and really see what she can do. That list most likely goes as follows not in any order:
1. 4.5" lift with full leaf pack
2. New wheels and tires (most likely Black Rock d-windows w/ 33x12.5x15)
3. Wire those lights, how'd ya'll do it? (like where did you bring your wires through to the interior)
4. New exhaust. Its got a pretty bad leak.
5. Fix my RUST! And Rhinoline the bottom panels
6. My brakes are kinda sketchy, so do something about that.
Any suggestions/constructive criticisms will be appreciated. Thanks for all the help I've gotten from here so far.
K.C.
11-28-2012, 06:46 PM
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Year: 1993
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Well finally got a few consecutive days off over the holiday to put this lift on. I ended up going with a RC 4.5" x-series lift. Between duck huntin in the mornings and workin on the xj the other daylight ours, it was pushing it to call it a holiday.
Here she is stock for one last time
This is what both fenders measured before any mods
And here is what partially kept me distracted for the first few hours each day
OK enough messin around. Well from what I read it sounded like you should start on the back first, so we commenced to do so, but I had to run to Walmart and pick up some jackstands first.
Everything all laid out nice a purdy
Me starting on the rear
Keep in mind that that I'm no mechanic...
The rear leaves didn't really give us as much of an issue as some people have stated, but the stupid bolts did. A wore out old socket is no match for a 20 year old bolt.
First one came out with a lot of 'convincing' with about a 6' cheater bar. The driver's side however, would be no where near as easy. After about 2 full turns and popping all the way, we heard one big pop and the bolt fell right out... with no threads attached!
Talk about a "shoot me now" moment. At this point I put the tools down and went inside for a bowl of stew.
Emerging with revitalized strength, my dad and I proceeded to try and cut out that hard sucker! It stuck out just far enough to catch the bushing and not allow it to slip out. Darn the luck.
Got the leaf out and slept.
The next morning I went to Tractor Supply to get a drillbit and started at it. After about 20 min of drilling I had made it about 1/16 of an inch, and had anoth hang you head in disgust moments. This was going no where fast.
Stupid Bolt
Luckily for me the neighbor noticed we were workin on somethin and came over to shoot the bull. This neighbor just happened to be a welder. Cutting torch to the rescue! He melted the bolt right out. Sorry no pics of that even though it was probably the coolest part. Melted the threads too though. I just drilled all the way through and got a longer bolt.
This guy also happened to have a used set of BFG A/t 31"x10.5" layin aroung he let me take for $50. Not my favorite tires, but cant beat it for that price and the look legit on the stock rims.
It was a bogger gettin the leafs mounted to the axel however.
Ended up having to customize the nut that sticks up off the leaf.
Got the back all put together and forgot to take that obligitory lifter rear pic. When I pulled her out to turn it around, the U-joint was hitting pretty bad and the T-case was jumping like crazy.
Got started on the front the next day. It seem to go a lot smoother, just kinda take the old stuff off and put the new stuff on. After I figured out to use a coin compresser it wasn't to bad.
The most suprising thing I noticed was the difference in the stock Control Arms and the RC ones. Pretty stought.
Almost done, just gotta put the T-case drop on. These are the new (to me) tires on here now as well.
Here is the final product:
Before
After
Sorry its a little cut off, but thats going from 30.5 to 37.5.
It has since settled out about an inch or so.
Pretty proud of how she turned out.
Got her all finished up just in time to head back home to work the next day. 15 miles from home I hit a bump and proceeded to really understand what death wobble means. It means crap in your pants when your on a narrow bridge and it starts. Welp, apparently we forgot to put the pin back in the nut on the track bar and to tighten it. The bolt was sheared off. Had to wait till the morning and luckly O'reilly's had the thread in part of my adj. track bar. On my way I went. 4hr test drive. She did real well minus the gas mileage and wear on one of my front tires. Need to get her aligned.
Had to go play just a little when I got home. Rounded up the buddies and flexed a little at the movie theatre.
Quick Discos are cool!
Big thanks to my family for all the help this past weekend. Thanks to my dad and granddad for the knowledge, my grandmaw for the homecooked meals, and my mom for being the photographer most of the time. Everything turned out great y'all. Also thanks to Buddy for the cuttin torch and new set of treads and Jason at Rough Country for the kit and advice. And thank y'all here on the forum, without CF I'd have been lost from the get go.
I'll keep updating. Next??? Exaust, bumpers, maybe gears and a locker for the rear?! Also, fender flairs. Where to cut them on the front or should I just go ahead and pull'em?
Here she is stock for one last time
This is what both fenders measured before any mods
And here is what partially kept me distracted for the first few hours each day
OK enough messin around. Well from what I read it sounded like you should start on the back first, so we commenced to do so, but I had to run to Walmart and pick up some jackstands first.
Everything all laid out nice a purdy
Me starting on the rear
Keep in mind that that I'm no mechanic...
The rear leaves didn't really give us as much of an issue as some people have stated, but the stupid bolts did. A wore out old socket is no match for a 20 year old bolt.
First one came out with a lot of 'convincing' with about a 6' cheater bar. The driver's side however, would be no where near as easy. After about 2 full turns and popping all the way, we heard one big pop and the bolt fell right out... with no threads attached!
Talk about a "shoot me now" moment. At this point I put the tools down and went inside for a bowl of stew.
Emerging with revitalized strength, my dad and I proceeded to try and cut out that hard sucker! It stuck out just far enough to catch the bushing and not allow it to slip out. Darn the luck.
Got the leaf out and slept.
The next morning I went to Tractor Supply to get a drillbit and started at it. After about 20 min of drilling I had made it about 1/16 of an inch, and had anoth hang you head in disgust moments. This was going no where fast.
Stupid Bolt
Luckily for me the neighbor noticed we were workin on somethin and came over to shoot the bull. This neighbor just happened to be a welder. Cutting torch to the rescue! He melted the bolt right out. Sorry no pics of that even though it was probably the coolest part. Melted the threads too though. I just drilled all the way through and got a longer bolt.
This guy also happened to have a used set of BFG A/t 31"x10.5" layin aroung he let me take for $50. Not my favorite tires, but cant beat it for that price and the look legit on the stock rims.
It was a bogger gettin the leafs mounted to the axel however.
Ended up having to customize the nut that sticks up off the leaf.
Got the back all put together and forgot to take that obligitory lifter rear pic. When I pulled her out to turn it around, the U-joint was hitting pretty bad and the T-case was jumping like crazy.
Got started on the front the next day. It seem to go a lot smoother, just kinda take the old stuff off and put the new stuff on. After I figured out to use a coin compresser it wasn't to bad.
The most suprising thing I noticed was the difference in the stock Control Arms and the RC ones. Pretty stought.
Almost done, just gotta put the T-case drop on. These are the new (to me) tires on here now as well.
Here is the final product:
Before
After
Sorry its a little cut off, but thats going from 30.5 to 37.5.
It has since settled out about an inch or so. Pretty proud of how she turned out.
Got her all finished up just in time to head back home to work the next day. 15 miles from home I hit a bump and proceeded to really understand what death wobble means. It means crap in your pants when your on a narrow bridge and it starts. Welp, apparently we forgot to put the pin back in the nut on the track bar and to tighten it. The bolt was sheared off. Had to wait till the morning and luckly O'reilly's had the thread in part of my adj. track bar. On my way I went. 4hr test drive. She did real well minus the gas mileage and wear on one of my front tires. Need to get her aligned.
Had to go play just a little when I got home. Rounded up the buddies and flexed a little at the movie theatre.
Quick Discos are cool!
Big thanks to my family for all the help this past weekend. Thanks to my dad and granddad for the knowledge, my grandmaw for the homecooked meals, and my mom for being the photographer most of the time. Everything turned out great y'all. Also thanks to Buddy for the cuttin torch and new set of treads and Jason at Rough Country for the kit and advice. And thank y'all here on the forum, without CF I'd have been lost from the get go.
I'll keep updating. Next??? Exaust, bumpers, maybe gears and a locker for the rear?! Also, fender flairs. Where to cut them on the front or should I just go ahead and pull'em?
12-07-2012, 04:23 PM
#5
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Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee
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I've been wondering how to make the Jerry cans tie in better, so I got some black and red paint...
The shovel.
The rear diff.
Please ignore that one shock. I just picked up a new upper shock bolt for that side. I'm about to put in tonight.
The shovel.
The rear diff.
Please ignore that one shock. I just picked up a new upper shock bolt for that side. I'm about to put in tonight.
12-23-2012, 03:52 PM
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Year: 1993
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Rock and roll man, thanks. Just pm me your number if you don't mind. You can show me around BV offroad.
Decided to get rid of those ugly light covers for my birthday. Also painted my cowl flat black, got her aligned, and installed the extended brake lines with some help. Now I have real brakes too!
Here are my new covers:
Much better! The yellow just didnt fit. She is dusty! Stinkin windstorm.
Decided to get rid of those ugly light covers for my birthday. Also painted my cowl flat black, got her aligned, and installed the extended brake lines with some help. Now I have real brakes too!
Here are my new covers:
Much better! The yellow just didnt fit. She is dusty! Stinkin windstorm.
Last edited by Chumbucket; 12-23-2012 at 03:54 PM.
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01-24-2013, 10:16 PM
#10
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Year: 1993
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Welp after A LOT of research on here I decided to go ahead and pick up a grinder and go to hackin away. I think it turned out really well for never seeing it done and it being my first time. Went slow and precise and it payed off. The 35s look really good on there I think. Next up, gotta put some one ton steering under there and most likely 4.88s. Looking at the Serious steering.
01-24-2013, 10:19 PM
#11
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Year: 1993
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I can't find the black door trim at Lowes, can anyone tell me what the proper name of it is so I can find it somewhere?
01-30-2013, 03:04 PM
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Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Cool, she's coming along very nicely! Glad you like the rack, it looks really good on there.
Should have opt'd for the Hi-Lift mounts though!
Should have opt'd for the Hi-Lift mounts though!
