Project Utility Vehicle: Take II
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
Just went to look at a supposed XJ D44 some guy was selling at a shop across town. Get there and its a 8.25 out of a 97 and the guy would have none of it. Wouldn't believe me, and thought I was trying to rip him off even though I told him I dont want to buy it.
Guess im keeping my 8.25 for now. Just put my Ruffstuff cover on and shaved the bottom of the pumpkin a hair.
Guess im keeping my 8.25 for now. Just put my Ruffstuff cover on and shaved the bottom of the pumpkin a hair.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
From: Hollidaysburg, PA
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
Just went to look at a supposed XJ D44 some guy was selling at a shop across town. Get there and its a 8.25 out of a 97 and the guy would have none of it. Wouldn't believe me, and thought I was trying to rip him off even though I told him I dont want to buy it.
Guess im keeping my 8.25 for now. Just put my Ruffstuff cover on and shaved the bottom of the pumpkin a hair.
Guess im keeping my 8.25 for now. Just put my Ruffstuff cover on and shaved the bottom of the pumpkin a hair.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
Well my Jeep has been sitting lifeless in my driveway for almost 2 month's but I finally got back to working on it a few days ago. Its been drivable for a week or so now, I needed a new steering box spacer for installing my Durango steering box and it took like a month to get in the mail.
- I retrimmed my rear fenders and welded the seams back together
- I welded my rocksliders in to replace my rockers
- Made some front bumper tie-ins and some LCA mount skids.
- Sold my JCR Tire Carrier Bumper and bought one of the regular JCR Bumpers.
- Installed some 760X u-joints
Started grinding my tan paint off in preparation for the Red, thats my final decision on color, I already bought the paint, its single stage I bought from NAPA. Should be painted and ready at the end of next week, just have to finish grinding the tan off, bondo the holes from my old bushwackers, prep and paint.
Sits like this as of this morning, that amount of grinding took 2 hours with my air grinder, should be done as long as it doesn't rain by tomorrow.

I also just ordered all this stuff yesterday.
Product Quantity Price/Ea Total
Rusty's Gear Special (D30/Chrysler 8.25 Combo) Gears: 456
Fixed Front Lower Control Arm (XJ,TJ)
Superior Heavy Duty 8.25 Chrysler 29 Spline Axle Shafts
Yeah i know nobody seems to like Rusty's control arms but they are basically the same thing as the Rough Country ones I have now except they use the stock bushings so they wont wear out in 3 weeks.
And I just ordered some TNT frame stiffeners. Should be putting those on soon too.
Im looking forward to having it finally done. I'm just gonna buy some Bilstein or OME Shocks and maybe a belly skid and that should be just about it for big purchases on it. Gotta start saving my money for stuff other than Jeep parts.
- I retrimmed my rear fenders and welded the seams back together
- I welded my rocksliders in to replace my rockers
- Made some front bumper tie-ins and some LCA mount skids.
- Sold my JCR Tire Carrier Bumper and bought one of the regular JCR Bumpers.
- Installed some 760X u-joints
Started grinding my tan paint off in preparation for the Red, thats my final decision on color, I already bought the paint, its single stage I bought from NAPA. Should be painted and ready at the end of next week, just have to finish grinding the tan off, bondo the holes from my old bushwackers, prep and paint.
Sits like this as of this morning, that amount of grinding took 2 hours with my air grinder, should be done as long as it doesn't rain by tomorrow.

I also just ordered all this stuff yesterday.
Product Quantity Price/Ea Total
Rusty's Gear Special (D30/Chrysler 8.25 Combo) Gears: 456
Fixed Front Lower Control Arm (XJ,TJ)
Superior Heavy Duty 8.25 Chrysler 29 Spline Axle Shafts
Yeah i know nobody seems to like Rusty's control arms but they are basically the same thing as the Rough Country ones I have now except they use the stock bushings so they wont wear out in 3 weeks.
And I just ordered some TNT frame stiffeners. Should be putting those on soon too.
Im looking forward to having it finally done. I'm just gonna buy some Bilstein or OME Shocks and maybe a belly skid and that should be just about it for big purchases on it. Gotta start saving my money for stuff other than Jeep parts.
Last edited by Iant333; Jun 23, 2010 at 10:51 AM.
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Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,135
Likes: 16
From: Gilbert AZ/Las Cruces NM
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 upgraded
SWEET! lots of new updates!
if you take pennys and glue/tack then behind the holes. It will make it 10 times easier to bondo the holes
if you take pennys and glue/tack then behind the holes. It will make it 10 times easier to bondo the holes
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
Im gonna be honest, best idea i've ever heard. I thought about welding stuff to the back but my Sheetmetal welding skills are pretty bad.
Never crossed my mind, thanks alot.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
From: Hollidaysburg, PA
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
Well my Jeep has been sitting lifeless in my driveway for almost 2 month's but I finally got back to working on it a few days ago. Its been drivable for a week or so now, I needed a new steering box spacer for installing my Durango steering box and it took like a month to get in the mail.
- I retrimmed my rear fenders and welded the seams back together
- I welded my rocksliders in to replace my rockers
- Made some front bumper tie-ins and some LCA mount skids.
- Sold my JCR Tire Carrier Bumper and bought one of the regular JCR Bumpers.
- Installed some 760X u-joints
Started grinding my tan paint off in preparation for the Red, thats my final decision on color, I already bought the paint, its single stage I bought from NAPA. Should be painted and ready at the end of next week, just have to finish grinding the tan off, bondo the holes from my old bushwackers, prep and paint.
Sits like this as of this morning, that amount of grinding took 2 hours with my air grinder, should be done as long as it doesn't rain by tomorrow.
I also just ordered all this stuff yesterday.
Product Quantity Price/Ea Total
Rusty's Gear Special (D30/Chrysler 8.25 Combo) Gears: 456
Fixed Front Lower Control Arm (XJ,TJ)
Superior Heavy Duty 8.25 Chrysler 29 Spline Axle Shafts
Yeah i know nobody seems to like Rusty's control arms but they are basically the same thing as the Rough Country ones I have now except they use the stock bushings so they wont wear out in 3 weeks.
And I just ordered some TNT frame stiffeners. Should be putting those on soon too.
Im looking forward to having it finally done. I'm just gonna buy some Bilstein or OME Shocks and maybe a belly skid and that should be just about it for big purchases on it. Gotta start saving my money for stuff other than Jeep parts.
- I retrimmed my rear fenders and welded the seams back together
- I welded my rocksliders in to replace my rockers
- Made some front bumper tie-ins and some LCA mount skids.
- Sold my JCR Tire Carrier Bumper and bought one of the regular JCR Bumpers.
- Installed some 760X u-joints
Started grinding my tan paint off in preparation for the Red, thats my final decision on color, I already bought the paint, its single stage I bought from NAPA. Should be painted and ready at the end of next week, just have to finish grinding the tan off, bondo the holes from my old bushwackers, prep and paint.
Sits like this as of this morning, that amount of grinding took 2 hours with my air grinder, should be done as long as it doesn't rain by tomorrow.
I also just ordered all this stuff yesterday.
Product Quantity Price/Ea Total
Rusty's Gear Special (D30/Chrysler 8.25 Combo) Gears: 456
Fixed Front Lower Control Arm (XJ,TJ)
Superior Heavy Duty 8.25 Chrysler 29 Spline Axle Shafts
Yeah i know nobody seems to like Rusty's control arms but they are basically the same thing as the Rough Country ones I have now except they use the stock bushings so they wont wear out in 3 weeks.
And I just ordered some TNT frame stiffeners. Should be putting those on soon too.
Im looking forward to having it finally done. I'm just gonna buy some Bilstein or OME Shocks and maybe a belly skid and that should be just about it for big purchases on it. Gotta start saving my money for stuff other than Jeep parts.
You're not thinking of doing longarms? Why not?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,603
Likes: 0
From: Hollidaysburg, PA
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 lt. 242 cu.in.
Its not only for making your control arm angle better, it flexes a lot more. Or for even more flex you could do a custom 3 link. That would be pretty ballin'.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
From: Guilderland NY
Year: 2001
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L I6 w/ K&N and bored TB
Well I just picked up the paint I had ordered the other day. I had to settle for Porsche red instead of Ferrari red since they were out of the Ferrari color code, what a major tragedy.
And I gave up on grinding the tan paint off, about 8 hours into it all I had done was the rear hatch and a little bit of the one rear quarter panel, im not spending all week grinding that stuff off so I'm just gonna prime and paint right the hell over it. Got the masking started this morning, nice to finally see some progress.
And I gave up on grinding the tan paint off, about 8 hours into it all I had done was the rear hatch and a little bit of the one rear quarter panel, im not spending all week grinding that stuff off so I'm just gonna prime and paint right the hell over it. Got the masking started this morning, nice to finally see some progress.


