RegularGuy

well, i guess ill actually make this thread now.
First off, this thread is going to be boring. Currently i have little cash to set aside for my Jeep, but i have solid ideas of what i want to end up with.

Im going for an expedition-type rig, i guess. At home on both the road and off, with a focus more on gravel/dirt/logging roads and fields as opposed to rock crawling and the like. As its my DD as well it needs to keep on-road habits.

Basically i want the thing to take me anywhere i need to go, especially if S ever meets Mr. Fan.

She's pretty stock right now. new brakes, radiator, water pump... no ticks or knocks or anything. Not using oil, though she is due for her second change under me.

She needs exhaust work and tires foremost, then the passenger door needs fixed. The former two will give me a choice as to the direction i want to take it in, and it both worries and excites me.

As things occur I will post. Hopefully this goes well without any catastrophic happenings.

McCaffrey

Nice looking rig. What year is it? I think that's a fantastic idea. There are a few expedition rigs on here already.

RegularGuy

Thanks.
Sorry, She's a '96. bought her for 850 bucks. Not really a whole lot of rust, either. I'll post my build sheet sometime.

RegularGuy

Ah, found it.

Vehicle Description: JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT UTILITY 4-DR
Model Year: 1996
Body Model: XJ J L 74

Sales Code Description

J5 Cloth/Vinyl High-Back Bucket Seats
AHGP Spring Special Group
APAS Monotone Paint
ARWP Sport Decor Group
AWH Power Equipment Group
BAUS 117 Amp Alternator
BCDS 500 Amp Maintenance Free Battery
BGAS Power Front Disc/Rear Drum Brakes
CADP High Back Bucket Seats
CDBP Reclining Front Seats
CFMS Rear Fold w/Removable Cushion Seat
CGTS Driver Air Bag Only
CKAS Carpets - Floor and Cargo Area
CKNS Cargo Compartment Carpet
CKTS Cargo Tie Down Loops
CKXS Plastic Liftgate Trim Panel
CLEP Front & Rear Floor Mats
CSAP Spare Tire Cover
CSC Cargo Compartment Cover
CSRS Passenger Assist Handles
CUFP Full Length Floor Console
DGB All 4-Speed Automatic Transmissions
DGSS 4-Speed Automatic AW4 Transmission
DHAS Lock-Up Torque Converter
DHNS Command-Trac Part Time 4WD System
DHSS Floor Mount Automatic Shift Lever
DJHS Dana M30/181MM Front Axle
DMDS 3.55 Rear Axle Ratio
DRAS Corporate 8.25 Rear Axle
EAAC All Engines
ERH 4.0L I6 Power Tech Engine
GAL Deep Tint Sunscreen Glass
GBBS Tinted Windshield Glass
GCBS Front Door Tinted Glass
GEHS Fixed Door Vent Glass
GFA Rear Window Defroster
GRZP Left Remote Mirror
GSZP Right Remote Control Mirror
GTZ Power Mirrors, Fold-Away
GVAC All Vehicles W/O Power Mirrors
GXMP Remote Keyless Entry
HAAP Air Conditioning
HGDP Deluxe Insulation Group
JAYP Instrument Cluster w/Tach
JBFS Instrument Panel Black Bezel
JCAS 85 MPH Primary Speedometer
JHAS Var Intermittent Windshield Wipers
JHBP Rear Window Wiper/Washer
JJAS Cigar Lighter
JJBS Dual Note Electric Horns
JPAP Power Windows
JPBP Power Locks
LAJS Headlamps On Warning Chimes
LBCS Glove Box Lamp
LDBP Cargo Compartment Lamp
LMAS Halogen Headlamps
LPSS CHMSL Lamp
MB1S Black Front Bumper
MB5S Black Rear Bumper
MCAP Front Bumper Guards
MDAP Front License Plate Bracket
MFKP Body Color Grille
MHAS Black Windshield Moldings
MMCS Rear Qtr Solid Window Insert
MMGS Belt Moldings
MMKS Body Color Drip Trough Molding
MNAS Black Door Handles
MUKS Silver/Chrome Badging
MWGP Roof Rack
NAA Federal Emissions
NBKS EVAP Control System
NFAS 20 Gallon Fuel Tank
NHM Speed Control
PW1 Stone White Clear Coat
QW1S Stone White C/C
RAAC All Radio Equipped Vehicles
RAF AM/FM Cassette Radio
RCDP 4 Speakers
RDDS Fixed Long Mast Antenna
SBAS Power Steering
SCGP Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
SDAS Normal Duty Suspension
SHAS Front Stabilizer Bar
SHCS Rear Stabilizer Bar
SUAP Tilt Steering Column
TBCS Compact Spare Tire
TBLS Inside Mounted Spare Tire
TRNP P225/75R15 OWL Wrangler AT Tires
TZAP Goodyear Brand Tires
WJ3P 15X7.0 Aluminum Wheels
XCYS Delete Remote Start System
YAAS Build To U.S. Mkt. Specifications



At the moment, im thinking a 1-2" lift, tow hooks up front, a hitch receiver or hooks in the back, skid plates, and fog lights. Interior would get some MOLLE visor panels, a CD player, and a few other gadgets here and there. I need to make a trip to some local junk yards and hope i find an Upcountry to scav, especially for the skids.

There are 215/75/15s on it now, and it needs new tires pretty bad. Im thinking of going for 235/75/15, but my friend also wants me to try his 245/75/16s on wheels from his Ranger, so idk.

RegularGuy

bit of an update
I woke up this morning and noticed both tires on the driver side were flat. i had just aired them up not 1 hours ago the night before. I had planned on getting some used tires this weekend (pay day) but clearly they weren't going to make it.

So i managed to get them aired up with a manual pump enough to get to my neighbor's house, and swapped on his set of Ranger wheels with 245/75/16s.

after the troubles of getting the dang lugs off (friggn shops and their friggn air wrenches, i belt up TWO tire irons and rounded off one lug) they went on right before the rain started.

they dont seem to rub too bad, i turned it lock to lock and it didnt really rub that i felt/heard. the back only did once when going on a really bumpy back road and there was a big dip in the road.

Anyway, they should do nicely until this weekend when i hopefully pick up some 235/75/15s cheap.

BigSquirrly89

Clean rig to start with

RegularGuy

Thanks Squirrly, im fond of it already.
Hopefully by the end of the summer she will look different than she does now.

Next big challenge is to fix the door.. i dont enjoy thinking about how to get the passenger door panel off when it wont open..

RegularGuy

Took it into the shop today to see about noise from the rear passenger brake. As I suspected, the drum wasn't turned right and there was a big flat spot in it.

They weren't buying that it made the noise before i put the Ranger wheels on, and tried to blame it on them. In any case they fixed the drum for free and now my jeep makes no nose. Also doesn't vibrate when i slow down, either.

BigSquirrly89

Same here man trying to get it looking good and fix the quirks lol

RegularGuy

So i went to town today on the lookout for used tires.
No place had any. Well, not four. One place had two each of 235/75s, 225/75s, 225/70s, and 215/75s. Another place had four 235s, but two are A/T and two are road tires and he said he wouldnt put them together on a 4x4.

I can't afford four new tires at once right now. I'll call a few places back tomorrow but it looks like i might be rolling with these 245/75/16s for a while longer.

RegularGuy

Well ive given up on finding used tires at the right place at the right time.

So i think this coming pay i will just get four new tires from Wally World...
They have 235/75/15 Wrangler Radials for 75 bucks.... I hear mixed things about them, but even if they last a couple dozen thousand miles until i can get something nicer.

Also, i talked to a guy in a grocery store the other day. He had a '96 Classic as well, only black. I noticed a tank skid and hitch receiver, so i walked over and talked to him. turns out he has another '96 Classic at home that knocks and wont run. I said i could stop by sometime and listen, and that i might like to buy parts off of it.

there is also an older XJ at my neighbor's house im still trying to get the VIN to run, would me nice if it had goodies like an LSD...

RegularGuy

The other day i took a second and some electrical tape to see something. The electrical tape let me do a reversible preview.

I think i might like it better with the fins blacked out. Not 100% sure, but I think do.

On another note, i think ive resigned myself to the Wrangler Radials. I can afford a full set next pay, and i figure they aught to be good at least until tax time, when i might grab a set of something nice like Grabber ATs, ect.
I think ill go with 235/75s, unless there is a pressing reason i should get them in 215 or 225.

One more thing, I stopped by a house today which had a couple ZJs out front, and asked about parts. I guess one of them has a few bad spots in the unibody ("the frame's broke", they say), the other supposedly has nothing wrong with it. The one which is supposed to "be able to drive away today in" is a Limited, and looks pretty neat inside, with the leather and such. Granted they are both kinda rough overall and have been sitting, but i think the guy said he would take 400 for it, so..

I was also wondering how those Limited ZJ wheels would look on my XJ...

RegularGuy

Finally! an Update!

This weekend was eventful. However because of that, I'm pretty broke now.

I found a matching set of 235/75/15 Wrangler Radials for 214 mounted balanced and installed. I was excited to finally get those 16's off there, and the smaller tires definitely don't rub anywhere. I missed my amazing turning radius!

On Saturday, I went down to my Neighbor's and took him up on his offer of making a cargo liner from an old F-150 bed liner he had laying around. After taking care of some snakes and learning to use some power tools I've never used before, I had a decent floor liner for free. I went back the next day and cut out holes so I could still use my cargo tie-down loops. Now I just need a longer bungee cord...

I think I need new shocks in the back though, and still need to fix the passenger door. However i think the next thing on my "Fix-It" list is the exhaust. Im debating how i want to do it, either buy a muffler and some hangars and have aforementioned neighbor help me change it myself, or just have the shop in town do it, and ad in a high-flow cat while I'm at it. I'm just afraid of how much that would run me.

RegularGuy

Well, I think I found an OEM hitch last night at my other neighbor's. I'm going to go over sometime in the daylight to see how badly its rusted and if it even looks like I can get it off there- I'm having my doubts because the entire floor up front is eaten up by rust.

So I'm guessing the nut strips are going to be a loss as well, but if I can get the hitch for next to nothing or free, then that's a start.

Then hopefully I'll find a factory fuel tank skid, and install them all at once.

RegularGuy

Soaked the hitch bolts with PB Blaster tonight. It looks pretty rusted up but i think i can get it off, get it cleaned up and painted. I will probably need new nut strips though, those ones look pretty nasty.

What would be a good paint to use on this hitch after i wire brush and sand it down?