Project HUM WEE
Seasoned Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 400
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From: Browns Valley/Grass Valley, CA
Year: 1994
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 98 4.0 swap
yeah the wrx sti motors will easily go to that. and btw what is cryo treating? I assume it has to do with cooling them somehow because of name of process.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Cryo treating works like hardening steel, accept it doesn't make it as brittle. It realigns the carbon molecules instead of the metal crystals. It makes steel alloys 40% stronger. It is done by dropping the parts into liquid nitrogen.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Longfield Super Axles is one place that I have a quote from. When I get gears for my new axles, they will treat the gears and new axles. They are just down the road from Randy's Ring and Pinion in WA state. But there are a number of places in CA I understand that do it.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Well, that is a problem. When you begin modding, nothing ends up being cheap. One thing can lead to another. Sometimes I think it never ends.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 562
Likes: 1
From: Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Year: 88-ish
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 I6
Awesome. I have never seen one of those in person but knew what it was. My grandpa used to drive one when he was in the service and always talked about it.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Paul came for a few hours today and we took HUM WEE Jr. for our customary trip to town before working on it. We have been getting some parts that will keep us busy for awhile. But first, we decided to tackle that winch on the front. We have decided to remove it and use a receiver cradle instead and take some weight off the front.


So we fired up the compressor and got the air tools out and thought we would have it off in thirty minutes. Well, all I can say is the guy that built that bumper must have been a nuclear physicist or something. It appears he built it then welded everything on. After an hour here is what we had.

Thee hours after starting we finally got it off. I grabbed it to muscle it off and wow, that thing literally weighs in at around 300# The Mite just got a 1.5" front lift. Here is what we had then.

We figured with all that rectangular tubing and 3/*8" winch plate that we could hit a train and it wouldn't be hurt. Of course the rest of it would be an accordion. LOL
He wants to get his front approach angle back so we will move the front bumper back. Easier said than done. We found that we had to disassemble most of the front clip and take the skid plate off so we could get at it with a sawsall AKA weapon of mass destruction in Paul's hands.



We thought we would get a pic comparing our tow skid plates. Mine has been well used as you can see in this pic.

Here is the winch cradle we are going to use. The winch that came with it is on Paul's YJ

Here is is ready to reweld the bumper back on.

It is amazing what you can find when you remove a little metal. We found several coolant leaks we didn't know we had. If you look closely at this radiator you will see it is a fugitive from World War I. It is a brass honey comb radiator. Who knows what it came off of. The PO reworked it to be a cross flow and notched the tanks for the front bumper braces.

It took a while to get the bumper ready to weld back on and pizza is calling me so I will finish it later.


So we fired up the compressor and got the air tools out and thought we would have it off in thirty minutes. Well, all I can say is the guy that built that bumper must have been a nuclear physicist or something. It appears he built it then welded everything on. After an hour here is what we had.

Thee hours after starting we finally got it off. I grabbed it to muscle it off and wow, that thing literally weighs in at around 300# The Mite just got a 1.5" front lift. Here is what we had then.

We figured with all that rectangular tubing and 3/*8" winch plate that we could hit a train and it wouldn't be hurt. Of course the rest of it would be an accordion. LOL
He wants to get his front approach angle back so we will move the front bumper back. Easier said than done. We found that we had to disassemble most of the front clip and take the skid plate off so we could get at it with a sawsall AKA weapon of mass destruction in Paul's hands.



We thought we would get a pic comparing our tow skid plates. Mine has been well used as you can see in this pic.

Here is the winch cradle we are going to use. The winch that came with it is on Paul's YJ

Here is is ready to reweld the bumper back on.

It is amazing what you can find when you remove a little metal. We found several coolant leaks we didn't know we had. If you look closely at this radiator you will see it is a fugitive from World War I. It is a brass honey comb radiator. Who knows what it came off of. The PO reworked it to be a cross flow and notched the tanks for the front bumper braces.

It took a while to get the bumper ready to weld back on and pizza is calling me so I will finish it later.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,383
Likes: 5
Year: 1988 limited
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0 litre
look for an old suzuki swift GTI of the 90s (same frame as the Geo Metro) and pull the 1.3 16valve. Bolts straight into the sammy xcept for the distributor..
Last edited by fantic238; Feb 14, 2011 at 05:08 AM.
Thread Starter
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 6,588
Likes: 495
From: Chico, CA
Year: 1986
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.3L with headers and full 3" exhaust system
Rear differential

Rear suspension is identical to the front. This pic shows the arms and one spring in place

I will take some more later
Originally Posted by 4.3L XJ
I don't have any speific ones, but I can get some today. Here is what I have right now.
Rear differential
Rear suspension is identical to the front. This pic shows the arms and one spring in place
I will take some more later


