Project: Just Another Toy 2000 XJ
 

Hey everyone, Im new to this forum so I guess Ill start with an introduction. Well first of my name is Camron and I live in northern Illinois in Belvidere right next to Rockford. I am 25 and this is my 3rd Cherokee. I have been around vehicles my whole life. The reason this projectab is called just another toy is because that is exactly what it is. haha. I also have a 2004 Cavalier drag car and as most of you are probably laughing I have turned this little eco car into a 550whp front wheel drive machine that has to its best to date made a 10.7 second pass at 138mph in the quartermile. So that is my first toy. My second is a 1993 Mustang that I have recently picked up that is gonna be my new drag toy. But anyways so that makes this jeep just another way for me to waste my money.

I bought this jeep this last august 2010 from a guy at work for a steal. The ac compressor and the altenator where seized up on it and he was sick of fixing it. It is a 2000 Cherokee Limited with a 4.0, aw4, D30, Chrysler 8.25, NP 231. Within the first few hours of owning it i fixed the two problems with it and started driving it a little back and forth to work to make sure everything else was up to snuff. Then about two weeks after that I ordered the lift, and some rims and tires. Now lets start with the pics. Sorry that there isnt alot I just never took alot of progress pics of it. I have none of it bone stock.

These first pics of while I was putting on the lift. It was pretty much done by then. These are with the stock wheels/tires.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-48-19_795.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...6-48-35_61.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-03-17_592.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-03-37_522.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-26-30_450.jpg

The lift is a Rustys Offroad 4.5" Lift with adjustable lower control arms. I also put all new brakes on it front wheel bearings balljoints and what not. Got Rustys adjustable trackbar and there steering conversion that has the draglink to get rid of the Y system and a set of JKS discos. Also put on longer bumpstops and stainless steel brake lines. Then took it to a friends house and got some flexing shots.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...6-45-57_85.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-46-13_983.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-46-42_490.jpg

Then this friend hooked me up with some tires he had lying around that would fit on the stock 16" rims. They were only on for 2 days and then my others came in.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-31-13_802.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-31-32_318.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-31-50_662.jpg

Then my new 15" soft 8's with BFG KM2 33x10.5x15's arrived.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-21-43_881.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-21-57_464.jpg

Then I trimmed the front fenders and notched and rolled the rears and took it wheeling down to the Cliffs Offroad Park and realized it needed some more work. I had a blast but it could of been better (as always). Brought it home and flexed it in my backyard to see how much more fender trimming I needed.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-06-09_591.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-06-34_646.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-06-21_501.jpg

I also ordered up some rustys flex fender flares as the mud all over the windows kinda sucked.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-02-47_204.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-02-36_901.jpg

Then I herculined it. It didnt turn out bad but this is maybe one "mod" I wish I wouldnt of done although it doesnt look bad after rubbing all the trees like the factory paint did. Sorry for the crappy pic here.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-07-07_366.jpg

So I drove it that way for a few months and then 2 weeks ago I ordered up some Powertrax No-Slip lockers for the front and rear, along with some Riddler covers and lube locker gaskets. So here are the rest of the pics so far.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-42-09_866.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-23-06_490.jpg

Well thats about all I have for now but tomorrow I will be picking up some steel to start fabbing up my own custom bumpers so Ill keep you all posted on that.

Only regrets so far as post peoples are is that I wish I would of just went with the 8" long arm lift kit and 35's like I wanted to but I settled a little smaller. Oh well live and learn. I will get it soon enough. Thanks for looking. C and C is always welcome so tell me what you think.

Looks good and welcome to the forum.

Not to take a dump on your jeep/thread, but be very weary of the Rusty's steering and trackbar. I have read multiple threads about steering breaking, wearing out, not performing. I also had the same lift kit when I first lifted mine and I broke 2 trackbar tie rods and 1 trackbar, all Rustys.

I am excited to see what you come up with for bumpers and the flenders look good.

Very nice!
Reminds me of my old XJ that I really regret selling...

Ok so today I got started on fabbing up the new winch bumper. I got this winch off of my grandfather thats why it looks kinda old. Hopefully it still works haha. It is a 8000lbs Warn winch I believe.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-07-49_691.jpg

And this is all the metal I picked up. Should be enough for a front and rear bumper.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-08-01_423.jpg

So this is what I started with as a template for the frame ties. This took the longest trying to get all the holes right.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...0-16-51_85.jpg

This is what I came up with for the frame ties. Nothing exciting seeings how everyones look the same.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...5-38-37_64.jpg

This piece will be the front of the bumper and the winch will sit behind it.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-38-18_480.jpg

This is kinda what it should look like once the winch is mounted behind it.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-21-58_559.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-22-09_936.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-22-26_288.jpg

And these next three pictures are just of my welds. Just wanted to see what all the professional welders think about them. If they are any good or any tips to make them better.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-24-03_929.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-24-16_235.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-24-27_435.jpg

Oh and it is a Miller mig with gas. It is a 220V just not sure of the model number right off hand.

And thats all I got done for today cause I ran out of wire for the welder. So hopefully a full day at it again tomorrow.

Let me know what you think or any suggestions or ideas. Thanks guys

nice set up man, im from hoffman estates, not too far from you, i just got my lift for my rig and need to install it

lookin really good.... why so much regret on the bed lined body, like the bumpers so far:thumbsup:

nice jeep! i want those tires! idk about the herculiner tho. the paint looked really nice! what made you want to do that?

Lookin' really good man, keep it up!

That things lookin good, keep up the good work!

How do you like the Rustys Flares, but thinking about buying them, but worrying about there durability. I like the rig though

Did you get the flex or the regular ones? Thanks

Hey everyone thanks for all the comments. And to answer a few questions I regret the hurculiner because I also thought it looked better before. The reason I did bedline it was because the front of the roof was getting rusty and the bottom of the rear driverside door had some good cancer in it to. I fixed the rust spots annd didn't want to take the time to get them perfectly flat as I knew this jeep was a toy and would be wheeled and get dents anyways. So I couldn't see spending a bunch of money on nice paint to just dent and scratch it up. That's why I bedlined it.

But anyways here are some more pics of the bumper. Pretty much just some pieces tacked up but its taking shape.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-59-05_179.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...18-59-24_7.jpg

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/k...-58-41_781.jpg

Oh and I do like the rustys flares. I got the flex ones. My passenger side front one is a little messed up but I had it up againt a tree pretty hard that would of destroyed/ripped off any other flare. So im pretty happy with them.

Did you paint them to match or are they as they come. Thanks and sorry for questions just wanting to get these.

With the rustys flares the flex ones you can not paint but the standards you can paint to match.