My Slow XJ Build
10-23-2010, 08:35 AM
#1
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Location: wilkes barre PA.
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Year: 96
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 6 cylinder
My Slow XJ Build
Well, I bought my 96 XJ classic for $3000 in February 2010. It was stock on 31x10.5x15. The PO bought a 3" Skyjacker but never installed it. About a week after I bought it I put the lift on.
About a week later I started having problems with the jeep. First the bolts for the motor mount snapped of inside the block. Then the alternator and starter went. Two days after that 3 out of 4 u-joints on the drive shafts and both front axle u-joints blew apart all with in a half hour of each other. The PO dropped in a 97 engine,but instead of keeping the open cooling system he put in the renix closed system. Needless to say I started having overheating issues. I changed my water pump, t-stat and switched back to the opened system. Soon after I had to change both hub assemblies, and my fuel pump. Now after all of that I finally have her running pretty good.
The first thing I bought for my jeep was a set of Hi-Country Offroad Shackle Mounts for front recovery.
And a Class 2 hitch from U-Haul with a d-ring shackle for the rear.
For my birthday my wife bought me a set of Crager d window wrapped with GT Radial Adventurous M/T
While on a Sunday wheeling trip with a few buddies I ripped off two fenders on some trees, so I went to the jy and pulled a set of black flares and a black grill. I also went out and bought a set of Hella 500 FF
My xj sat unaltered for about a month then I went and bout another set of hella's, because alot of the wheeling we do goes well into the night. I also cut up my hood to put hood vents in to keep under hood temps down a bit. I got the vents from a 94 Pontiac Grand Prix at the jy
Next was my rotted floor. I bought a a 4x8 sheet of 16g. I did all patch work in the front,but the cargo area got completely redone.
Then I built a false floor. Props to Brian (A.K.A 96_XJ). And I Herculined the floor and false floor
The last few things I have done to my xj were installing a uniden pc78ltw with a 4' firestik
and made a switch panel for my hella's and for my efan that I wired to a toggle.
I took out my stationary wing windows and put in the vent/ wing windows I found on a xj at the jy
and last but not least I gave her a new two tone paint job.
Now I am in the process of making disconnects for the wires running into the doors and cutting the hinges to go doorless next spring.
About a week later I started having problems with the jeep. First the bolts for the motor mount snapped of inside the block. Then the alternator and starter went. Two days after that 3 out of 4 u-joints on the drive shafts and both front axle u-joints blew apart all with in a half hour of each other. The PO dropped in a 97 engine,but instead of keeping the open cooling system he put in the renix closed system. Needless to say I started having overheating issues. I changed my water pump, t-stat and switched back to the opened system. Soon after I had to change both hub assemblies, and my fuel pump. Now after all of that I finally have her running pretty good.
The first thing I bought for my jeep was a set of Hi-Country Offroad Shackle Mounts for front recovery.
And a Class 2 hitch from U-Haul with a d-ring shackle for the rear.
For my birthday my wife bought me a set of Crager d window wrapped with GT Radial Adventurous M/T
While on a Sunday wheeling trip with a few buddies I ripped off two fenders on some trees, so I went to the jy and pulled a set of black flares and a black grill. I also went out and bought a set of Hella 500 FF
My xj sat unaltered for about a month then I went and bout another set of hella's, because alot of the wheeling we do goes well into the night. I also cut up my hood to put hood vents in to keep under hood temps down a bit. I got the vents from a 94 Pontiac Grand Prix at the jy
Next was my rotted floor. I bought a a 4x8 sheet of 16g. I did all patch work in the front,but the cargo area got completely redone.
Then I built a false floor. Props to Brian (A.K.A 96_XJ). And I Herculined the floor and false floor
The last few things I have done to my xj were installing a uniden pc78ltw with a 4' firestik
and made a switch panel for my hella's and for my efan that I wired to a toggle.
I took out my stationary wing windows and put in the vent/ wing windows I found on a xj at the jy
and last but not least I gave her a new two tone paint job.
Now I am in the process of making disconnects for the wires running into the doors and cutting the hinges to go doorless next spring.
10-23-2010, 09:17 AM
#4
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Year: 96
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 6 cylinder
Hey Dan, got bored so decided to post it here also.
My future plans are
1.)60" high lift mounted on rear bumper (wife getting me that for x-mas)
2.)Homebrew sliders as soon as my neighbor gets the metal for me from his work.
3.)homebrew winch bumper
4.)4 1/2-6 1/2 long arm unsure what kind
5.)Tom woods SYE and Shaft. after lift.
6.)lockers for front and rear.
7.)Chop top with rear part of s10 cab to seal cab area of xj (undecided )
Unfortunately I have fallen into hard times like millions of other good Americans and trying to find new work is not easy now a days. But once I find something this build will get on the way full force. And another thing holding me back is it is the families only vehicle right now because the wife's Exploder took a crap.
My future plans are
1.)60" high lift mounted on rear bumper (wife getting me that for x-mas)
2.)Homebrew sliders as soon as my neighbor gets the metal for me from his work.
3.)homebrew winch bumper
4.)4 1/2-6 1/2 long arm unsure what kind
5.)Tom woods SYE and Shaft. after lift.
6.)lockers for front and rear.
7.)Chop top with rear part of s10 cab to seal cab area of xj (undecided )
Unfortunately I have fallen into hard times like millions of other good Americans and trying to find new work is not easy now a days. But once I find something this build will get on the way full force. And another thing holding me back is it is the families only vehicle right now because the wife's Exploder took a crap.
10-23-2010, 10:55 AM
#6
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Location: long island
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Year: 1997
Model: Grand Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
just curious are you a smoker...i ask because most people who smoke love butterfly window other than that the jeep looks good
10-23-2010, 11:56 AM
#7
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Year: 96
Model: Cherokee
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Yes I am a smoker, but that has nothing to do with the vent window. I put them in because when I drive I have to have my window down it doesn't matter if its 10 degrees out. Now when it rains, instead of rolling my window down and getting soaked I open the wing window and only a few drops of water get in.
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10-28-2010, 02:51 PM
#10
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Year: 96
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 6 cylinder
Well on Tuesday I got the hinges cut on my driver door. On Sunday I will be cutting the rest of the hinges. Now I can't wait until spring time to take the doors off.
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