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XJ Framed

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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:25 AM
  #1  
raf2379's Avatar
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From: Calgary, Alberta
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Default XJ Framed

Great to see a cherokee specific forum, I gues i'll start out with a build thred, this is an ongoing project for about a year now, i'm trying to get it finished for this summer.

99xj
Ford HP D60
14 Bolt
Fox 16" coilovers
Front and rear triangulated 4-link
39.5" Iroks on 17" rims.
Frame.

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the last days of the XJ being off-road
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ok Lets get to it, this is After chopping the unibody rails off.
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junk
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cutting and custom fitting a 2x4x3/16" rectangular tube required.
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once the tubes were bent, and fitted I tacked it all together and did a test fit again to make sure it stil fit.
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once I was happy with the fittment It was time to weld it all up, added some fish plates for strength and threw it back under the jeep.
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The motor went back in and new motor mounts fabbed up.
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after final adjustments of where the frame needed to sit and help 1" body mounts were installed.
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Fitted the D60 to get ready for the long arm build.
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Got the lower links all tacked in. Now working on the upper links, I got the front truss/link mount tube bent up, just need to install it maybe tonight.
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and the 4-link calculator numbers
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got the upper links finished today.
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came to a clerance issue with driveshaft and upper link. I will need a 2" body lift and I will need to raise the uppers about 1" up higher than they are. I ordered some browndog motor mounts which lift the motor up 1" easier than redoing the motor mounts again.
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lots of tedious work of getting it right.

dont mind the ducktape, something had to hold my drive shaft in place
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:37 AM
  #2  
sthon's Avatar
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From: California
Year: 1992
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
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Looking good, can't wait to see how it turns out. Welcome to the forum!
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:37 AM
  #3  
Gee oh Dee's Avatar
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From: Milwaukee, WI
Year: 1987
Engine: Check
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Very nice!

Welcome to our forum!
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:51 AM
  #4  
BeaglesXJ's Avatar
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From: Walled Lake, MI
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
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Looking good man. Welcome to the forum.
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 11:59 AM
  #5  
Lowrange2's Avatar
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From: +34° 25' 35.67", -81° 21' 12.04"
Year: 1993
Engine: 4.0
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Wow, I must say I clicked on your thread to come in here and tell you how much of a complete dumbass you are for attempting to put a frame under another XJ but you're actually off to a good start.


The only thing I'd be concerned about is the lack of rigidity in the actual body now and the strength of the body mounting points without the unibody.

What do you think?
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 12:04 PM
  #6  
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what do the body mounts attatch to?
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 12:04 PM
  #7  
rob93's Avatar
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From: South Florida
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 HO
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Never thought I'd see the day where an xj really had a body lift. I thought this was going to be like the one on pirate where he put the unibody frame on top of a scout? frame... (which looked terrible) this is much cleaner looking
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 12:07 PM
  #8  
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From: +34° 25' 35.67", -81° 21' 12.04"
Year: 1993
Engine: 4.0
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Originally Posted by ktmracer419
what do the body mounts attatch to?
Curious of this myself. Seems the weight of the body being thrown around would yank the bolts out of the thin floor.
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 12:24 PM
  #9  
kickice24's Avatar
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From: Port Richey, FL
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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That's sick! I envy you guys that are at that level with fab. Love it!
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 01:48 PM
  #10  
raf2379's Avatar
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From: Calgary, Alberta
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
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body mounts are a concern if you leave the thin floor stock, it was my concern as well. right now I have 1/8" plates welded where the mounts are. I will take pictures once I get home, i'm in Kenya at the moment. also there will be a cross brace inside the cab to keep it strong and ridgid. its work in progress still, but I will definetly make the floor strong enough to witstand the forces i just need to get the running gear under the jeep first.
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 02:46 PM
  #11  
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From: +34° 25' 35.67", -81° 21' 12.04"
Year: 1993
Engine: 4.0
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They have the enterwebz in Kenya?
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 03:11 PM
  #12  
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Right on!!! You've definitely know what's going on here. Props on the build so far. I'm staying tuned for this one.


Edit.... due to lowrange pointing out the obvious; oops.

Last edited by s14unimog; Feb 16, 2012 at 03:23 PM.
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 03:19 PM
  #13  
Lowrange2's Avatar
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From: +34° 25' 35.67", -81° 21' 12.04"
Year: 1993
Engine: 4.0
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Originally Posted by s14unimog
x2, I'd like to know this too.


Originally Posted by raf2379
body mounts are a concern if you leave the thin floor stock, it was my concern as well. right now I have 1/8" plates welded where the mounts are. I will take pictures once I get home, i'm in Kenya at the moment. also there will be a cross brace inside the cab to keep it strong and ridgid. its work in progress still, but I will definetly make the floor strong enough to witstand the forces i just need to get the running gear under the jeep first.
dot dot dot
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 03:53 PM
  #14  
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Can we skip to the end, i wanna see this finished

Also another thing i noticed.. where is your steering components?
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Old Feb 16, 2012 | 04:15 PM
  #15  
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From: Arcata California
Year: 1996
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
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looks like the early stages of something great!
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