Ultimate Tech Jeep XJ
 

Hey everyone. I just signed up here but have been using the site for years to get help on projects. I have silently been doing some pretty sweet things to my Jeep and have been getting lots of questions and write ups from fellow local Jeepers so I figure maybe I can help someone here.

The main goal to my build was to keep my Jeep as stock looking as possible. Not because I dont like the look of built jeeps but i park at a public park and ride everyday which has a ton of cars stolen. I dont want it to look too appealing (its really silly logic I know but its worked so far).

So lets get started!
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...p/102792-a.jpg

So to get the mechanical stuff out of the way here are some of the upgrades:
-4" Old Man Emu lift
-31x10.5x15 BFG All Terrains
-Detours Backbone winch mount.
-T-Max 6000lb winch (with internal winch controls, more on that later)
-HD rear axles and ABS removal

Thats pretty much it. The exterior and mechanical is pretty close to stock. Its the interior electronics that I have been focusing on first.

To start here are some of the things I did to the dash

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ok-good-me.jpg

I grudgingly had to get rid of the stock radio after it broke for the last time and the used ones on ebay were way too expensive. I researched and looked into the best head unit that had the most features that I would actually use. I ended up with this pioneer which had no cd player and had bluetooth and usb hookups. It comes with a mic on a wire which I mounted down on the console above the 4x4 shifter.

The white vent switches (which are marked for a Jeep TJ only but fits the XJ just fine) power two 80 amp relays under the hood. One powers up the 750watt inverter under the seat and the other powers the winch. The cellphone holder and mag light are the only thing really out of place but look good to me.

That looks sweet man, nice job

Looks good, you just gave me an idea with the vent switches and I like the winch mount

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...-perfectly.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ap-removed.jpg

the round plug are usb and aux hookups which are connected to the back of the head unit. The switch on the right came off of an 80's Porsche and reels my winch in and out. I hunted forever to find the perfect switch for this and this one matches perfectly!

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...e-so-speak.jpg

i had to build a custom bracket to hold the cell holder so it wouldnt wobble. I made it out of Kydex and velcrod it to the console so it is easily removable. You can also see the white LEDs which i converted the whole cabin over due to the old sickly looking dim yellow lights before. Night and day difference so to speak.

Next I wanted to build a central power panel in the back to mount all the connections I might need. This is what I had before i redid it:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...d-location.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...d-location.jpg

This is after:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...een-button.jpg

I started by laying out the locations of things i wanted on a sheet of Kydex.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ting-panel.jpg

Then I cut the holes

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...very-piece.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...side-panel.jpg

Then I mounted everything

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...es-oh-well.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...back-panel.jpg

I tried to cut the new hole in a way to hide the old hole:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...e-old-ones.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...le-cut-out.jpg

Then I wired everything up

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...everything.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...-something.jpg

I wired it up so there are 2 separate circuits. One comes straight from the battery with a 12 awg wire and 20amp fuse. This powers the 12v outlet, USB chargers, overhead LEDs and digital volt meter. I used a 40amp relay which is controlled by the top red switch. This then gives power to the rest of the stuff in the panel including the yellow switch which turns on the overhead LED spots. The digital volt meter is connected to the green momentary button which will display the battery voltage only while the button is pressed. There is even a pulsing light embedded high up on the D pillar which I can see from the drivers seat to let me know I left the panel on. Everything is fail safe so I cant drain the battery if Im out in the woods camping and haven't started the Jeep in a few days.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...overs-open.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...een-button.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...volt-meter.jpg

The two yellow circles on the outer part of the panneling are the overhead LEDs that i wired.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...rhead-leds.jpg

These are powered by that yellow switch (which cant be turned on unless the red switch is on). The point of these are to have working light while camping or tailgating. It sucked running the wires for them but well worth it!

Next I built a box for the back to hold all my emergency gear:

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...need-there.jpg

This is the shape I went with. I used beefy 100lb rails for the drawers. The back part is sloped to match the back seat angle so it left me with a bit of a void. I used that area as a large long hidden drawer.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...den-drawer.jpg


Here is another view. I used a 2x6 in the center not only for support but for the locking mechanism

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...more-later.jpg


Here you can see the lock inserted and the pin holding it solid

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ding-solid.jpg


This is what the handle and locking pin look like. The handle slides into the 2x6 and the pin slides down perpendicular to it and locks itself into the groove.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...nto-groove.jpg


another view of the handle. This is simply two solid pieces of steel. I drilled a hole in the larger one and pressed the smaller one into it so there are no bolts or glue to worry about.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...orry-about.jpg


I covered it in a nice tough carpeting made for this kind of thing. It matches the Jeeps carpet almost completely!

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...completely.jpg


all the doors open. The insides of the drawers are coated in rubberized bedliner to be tough and quite.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ough-quite.jpg


close up of the rails and drawers

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ls-drawers.jpg


the secret compartment doesn't have any handles but a slight overhang you can grip

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...u-can-grip.jpg


i put eye bolts on the 4 corners to mount to the 4 tie downs in the Jeep then synched them down with those synch thingies.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...h-thingies.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...other-view.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...bad-photos.jpg

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...need-there.jpg

works perfect! i cant hear anything rattle around and anything i need is in there

I just finished installing a camera system! The screen is built into the mirror which also has a digital compass and outside temperature.

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ep-reverse.jpg

here is the rear camera. i built it into a receiver cover which slides and locks into the reveiver
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...o-reveiver.jpg


here is the front camera. I had to find a special one which doesnt mirror the image. the resolution sucks though. the rear resolution is pretty good actually!
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...cks-though.jpg


Here is the mirror with the screen off
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...screen-off.jpg


The rear camera turns on automatically when the jeep is shifted into reverse and displays distance lines
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...ep-reverse.jpg


This shows the front camera and the hidden onscreen buttons
https://www.cherokeeforum.com/member...en-buttons.jpg

Awesome Tech stuff!Love the camera's

This is such a bad *** thread, keep it up man! Haha