My XJ Build The "Riverkee"
#1
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
My XJ Build The "Riverkee"
Recently purchased '94 XJ 2 Door. This will be my build thread. Any mods or big repairs I do I will post here. Currently in the repair phase, lol. Looking pretty cheesy here.
Day I bought my XJ
Aside from carpets and seats, interior is in great condition.
Day I bought my XJ
Aside from carpets and seats, interior is in great condition.
#2
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Driver's section already cut out. Edges need to be smoothed up.
A bunch of rust...
Not too major.
A little frame work here it looks like
Rusted out all the way around this hump here.
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
So I won't be doing the welding at this point. Met a guy who does it for a living and just found out his fiance has breast cancer. I'm going to be fixing the braking system on his truck and give him some cash on top of it to finish my floor pans. Hopefully will begin the process the beginning of next week. We'll be replacing about 95%.
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Me and the guys go to the river a lot throughout the year, especially summer. We named a pal of mine's Jeep the Cherocreek down there when one night we were camping and trailing he accidentally made a wrong turn and hit a big bog hole (alcohol was involved), but we somehow came out after a few times of rocking her. It's kind of like a tribute to what we do.
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
That's what I'm hoping. We're going to repair and reinforce the frame around where the fuel filler hoses come in, and probably go ahead and do my rocker tubes while we've got the welder running.
Do any of you have some recommendations on suspension? I want to run probably a 4" lift max, but want a good long travel setup. I won't be doing a lot if any crawling around here, but a lot of trail and dirt road riding.
My order of operation is braking, suspension and frame reinforcement (probably stiffiners), and then power/drivetrain with interior cosmetics inbetween it all. I'm going to buy a spare 4.0 off the local shop and want to stroke it out in the future, but for now it's just an idea.
Do any of you have some recommendations on suspension? I want to run probably a 4" lift max, but want a good long travel setup. I won't be doing a lot if any crawling around here, but a lot of trail and dirt road riding.
My order of operation is braking, suspension and frame reinforcement (probably stiffiners), and then power/drivetrain with interior cosmetics inbetween it all. I'm going to buy a spare 4.0 off the local shop and want to stroke it out in the future, but for now it's just an idea.
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Year: 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
That's what I'm hoping. We're going to repair and reinforce the frame around where the fuel filler hoses come in, and probably go ahead and do my rocker tubes while we've got the welder running.
Do any of you have some recommendations on suspension? I want to run probably a 4" lift max, but want a good long travel setup. I won't be doing a lot if any crawling around here, but a lot of trail and dirt road riding.
My order of operation is braking, suspension and frame reinforcement (probably stiffiners), and then power/drivetrain with interior cosmetics inbetween it all. I'm going to buy a spare 4.0 off the local shop and want to stroke it out in the future, but for now it's just an idea.
Do any of you have some recommendations on suspension? I want to run probably a 4" lift max, but want a good long travel setup. I won't be doing a lot if any crawling around here, but a lot of trail and dirt road riding.
My order of operation is braking, suspension and frame reinforcement (probably stiffiners), and then power/drivetrain with interior cosmetics inbetween it all. I'm going to buy a spare 4.0 off the local shop and want to stroke it out in the future, but for now it's just an idea.
#12
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Looks like a good project. For trail riding a 3-4" lift on 31s will be very budget friendly and capable. Looking forward to seeing how this goes. If you want any ideas don't hesitate to check out my build, I'm currently on 4"s of lift with 33s and plenty of flex.
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Thanks guys! Now would you do a full roll cage and frame stiffiners? Or should a properlly built cage be enough to not need them on these uni's?
Yeah I was looking at Rough Country's 4-6" lift w/long arm travel kit. It's $1400. I don't want to cheap out, but I don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg either. When I had my Z71 383 stroker build (RIP) one thing I learned was never use the cheapest things and only buy what you can afford to replace in reasonable time.
What brand are you running Unidentifiedbom? I checked your build it it looks awesome!
Yeah I was looking at Rough Country's 4-6" lift w/long arm travel kit. It's $1400. I don't want to cheap out, but I don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg either. When I had my Z71 383 stroker build (RIP) one thing I learned was never use the cheapest things and only buy what you can afford to replace in reasonable time.
What brand are you running Unidentifiedbom? I checked your build it it looks awesome!
#14
CF Veteran
Thanks guys! Now would you do a full roll cage and frame stiffiners? Or should a properlly built cage be enough to not need them on these uni's?
Yeah I was looking at Rough Country's 4-6" lift w/long arm travel kit. It's $1400. I don't want to cheap out, but I don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg either. When I had my Z71 383 stroker build (RIP) one thing I learned was never use the cheapest things and only buy what you can afford to replace in reasonable time.
What brand are you running Unidentifiedbom? I checked your build it it looks awesome!
Yeah I was looking at Rough Country's 4-6" lift w/long arm travel kit. It's $1400. I don't want to cheap out, but I don't want to have to spend an arm and a leg either. When I had my Z71 383 stroker build (RIP) one thing I learned was never use the cheapest things and only buy what you can afford to replace in reasonable time.
What brand are you running Unidentifiedbom? I checked your build it it looks awesome!
#15
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Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Looks like that's the route I'll be taking!
Well everyone it's coming along quite nicely. Slow, but nicely. Finally have the whole back floor section cut out minus the small drive shaft tunnel where the rear seats bolt. Going to finish grinding the spot welds up front, smooth up some cut edges, and start stripping surface rust/paint along the sides for welding prep. Sand and coat the frame, and then next week, hopefully, should be welding her in.
I have a few spots I need to weld the frame where I accidentally cut too far into the old floor, but it's just some nicks that I don't want to cause stress cracks in future time. And then there is one issue I need to bring up. The spot in the frame where the filler hoses come through, how can I strengthen this up? It looks like the hole is "bored" out a little lol. Would plating it on each side with a mini cross-member on the inside be fine? Don't really want to chop it off and add a new one if I do not have too. It's just the hole looks a little oversized.
Well everyone it's coming along quite nicely. Slow, but nicely. Finally have the whole back floor section cut out minus the small drive shaft tunnel where the rear seats bolt. Going to finish grinding the spot welds up front, smooth up some cut edges, and start stripping surface rust/paint along the sides for welding prep. Sand and coat the frame, and then next week, hopefully, should be welding her in.
I have a few spots I need to weld the frame where I accidentally cut too far into the old floor, but it's just some nicks that I don't want to cause stress cracks in future time. And then there is one issue I need to bring up. The spot in the frame where the filler hoses come through, how can I strengthen this up? It looks like the hole is "bored" out a little lol. Would plating it on each side with a mini cross-member on the inside be fine? Don't really want to chop it off and add a new one if I do not have too. It's just the hole looks a little oversized.