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Just thought I would post my build. I work for a towing service. My build started with a traffic crash one morning early Jan. got a call for a single car road runoff on the highway. got on scene to find a 2001 Cherokee Sport a ways off the road and on a stump in the ditch. winched it back to the road and it was bye no means drivable to say the least it was dune! towed back to our lot and put it in the impound lot a went on never gave it much thought. days later owner showed up to clean it out and found out just pl, pd. on it so turned over Title and off he went. fast forward to mid summer and cleaning out our lot had a crusher coming to remove the scrap we had built up so got to the Jeep and thought wow its really clean but moved it to the crush pile but thought about it all night so the next morning I moved it off to the side for a better look well body wise not bad but the lower right corner was hit hard to the point the right frame horn was bent around the harmonic balancer timing cover was broke and timing chain was hanging out in plain sight. but the rest was super clean the kid was from the south side of Tennessee going to school up here so I decided to bring it home and take a good look at it
Last edited by RockinRonnie; 01-13-2019 at 09:19 PM.
Got it home and got friends portable frame puller and pulled the front frame back to close to straight and then took apart front corner for inspection!
Last edited by RockinRonnie; 10-20-2018 at 09:03 PM.
The same friend I got the frame puller had a blown 4.0 in the back of a truck said I could get parts off of. So before I spent money on parts thought I would put used parts on to get rumming before I went any farther so timing cam sprocket, crank gear, Cover and harmonic balancer I was all set or so I thought. the oil pan timing cover lip was bent worse then I thought so I decided to pull the pan and it also had small dent in side from the right upper control arm contact. well to my surprise that dent in the side was just deep enough to break the oil pump off the block now I thinking WOW! but in too deep to just walk away after all it had 155000 showing and was super clean and the inside of engine was just as clean so a high volume oil pump, timing chain and gear set and gaskets ordered. well they arrived and installed. the deciding factor was here hit the key and just as fast as it rolled over it was running and sounded great so it was moving forward!
A fast facebook market look and had a part jeep. A 99 with a broken steering box and rusty floor boards the price listed was 700 went to look at it couldn't find the key so couldn't hear it run. he had posted a while ago so was open to offers so I said 300 is what I would give and I now had the body parts needed, radiator ac condenser all of it. so now 2 jeeps in the garage. A bonus the parts jeep was also black and now I'm into this about 500 and my time! Further inspection found the front axle also bent but part xj has a high pinion so that was a plus anyhow. so now the real work begins!
Got the Reaper jeep all apart and started to remove parts off the parts jeep what started out to be a winter project was moving fast. part because my truck was now setting outside while the parts jeep was inside not good. had to replace half the wheel tub and frame also the frame section across the front a lot more then I had thought but still doable.Spent a few years working at a body shop so no big deal a few spot welds removed with a spot weld drill bit a little trimming, welding.
After a good weekend the Reaper jeep was starting to look like a jeep again or at least like something that could be a jeep! Putting back together I'm sure glad I didn't have to buy all the little parts separate the cost would have made it not doable as fast. the parts jeep really paid for it self, luck in my favor all the parts needed except grill was good on parts jeep saved a ton of $.
Last edited by RockinRonnie; 10-20-2018 at 10:15 PM.
Well after a little cleanup and paint of inner parts to ward off rust body parts started to go back on the header panel had some damage on the bottom but plan was to find another or repair so installed as was. Checked and painted front axle. checked wheel brg's , Ball joints and steering comp. all good so installed now getting close to a driver!
Well after about 3 or 4 weeks I now have a very nice driving 2001 Jeep Cherokee after a few shack down drives everything is as should be trans shifts great all inside controls work power windows locks cruise even AC blows nice and cold after a recharge. The parts jeep had a factory tow package so now the Reaper has a trans cooler all the lines needed replaced so all off the parts jeep made there way on. And Now the build can start looking into a lift not sure what I wanted so looking at a lot will decide and get it lifted want a trail rig to play with when the Polaris General wont work
Well after a lot of looking and talking to a few guys decided on the Iron Rock Rock Link 6.5 lift upgraded the shocks to Bilstein and sway bar disconnects also got a set of takeoffs wheels and tires off a ranger we got at the yard tires where new and was bigger then the stockers on the jeep so will work till I decide on tire /wheels I want. Got lift and installed also the slip yolk eliminator came and got it installed so know have to decide on front bumper need to do something Have a winch so will look at winch bumpers thinking about a kit form will see!
Got a winch bumper kit and got it welded up test fitted the painted and installed starting to look like a nice off road / driver! Also got a set of napier hood vent and installed to keep heat at bay underhood.
Started to look for tires and wanted a good all around off road tire that could be driven on the road and have good manners and while looking was contacted by a friend who had got a jeep that had brand new tires and wheels on it and he already had a set of tires and wheels so they were for sale and being that I didn't want to remove the factory flares right away they were perfect for know 33x12.50x15 dick cepek Extreme country mounted on mickey side bitter II wheels so now to decide on lockers and gears!
After a few drives started to notice a noise from the rear and after looking several times finely found the rear shackles were hitting the rear bumper bolts so a shackle relocation kit was ordered and installed and took care of the noise so onto gears and lockers decided for now to just do the spartan lockers in the axles I had but new the 3:55 gears were not going to cut it so found a fellow Forum member ( didn't know it at the time) had a set of 4:10 gears or axles for sale so picked them up took the gears out and installed at the same time as the lockers will work for know. thinking about axle swap later but for know I think its set. Time to have fun and enjoy it for now!
10-20-2018, 08:50 PM
Reaper
