Hey all,

Just got my first Jeep and would appreciate your advice on a smart way to repair/upgrade.

It's a 93 cherokee sport with over 285k miles. It passed CA smog and seems to run ok, but there are some problems I'd like to fix right away.

Here's my goal:
Restore to excellent mechanical condition, 3" or 4" lift with 31 or 33" tires, and have a dependable daily driver + trail truck.

First order of business:
1. Minor oil leak.
2. Parking brake doesn't hold.
3. Speedometer (and odometer?) doesn't work. (spins randomly though! )
4. All over the road at speeds above 30mph. Feels like back end and front end are sliding around, not good.


Plans to fix:
1. Replace all fluids, replace gaskets at same time. (valve cover gasket, distributor gasket, oil filter adapter, oil pan gasket, rear diff cover gasket.)
2. Brake shop! I'd like to upgrade to rear disc in the future, but repair drums for now.
3. Replace speedo gear in transmission?
4. Get it on jack stands and check all 4 corners for bad movement, possibly replace all bushings, and take to alignment shop. Needs new tires, need to check gearing see if it can handle 31" or 33" tires?

 

If you want to lift I would stay under 3 inches because over that you start needing alot more parts. Good plan to start repairs.

 

I don't mind replacing parts if it makes sense. I'm pretty sure I need to replace the suspension as it is, would it make sense to do a 3" lift since it has the coils, shocks, and leafs?

Also, since I'm doing gaskets and fluids, is this a good instruction for replacing the oil pan and rear main seal gaskets?
It seems right, but he adds RTV on parts of the oil pan gasket, and under the lower rear main seal gasket. Thought I read that's not a great way to go.

 

Do the disk brakes now if you can, my parking brake was worthless before I did mine, now it's great.

 

So I should go straight to a rear end swap for disc brakes?

 

If you have a Dana 35 a 97+ Chrysler 8.25 with 29 spline shafts would be good you can easily adapt zj disk brakes to it. If you currently have a 8.25 (27 spline) I'd just keep that and swap brakes onto it since you're only planning on 33s. If you have fabrication skills and tools the options are endless, most folks like the ford 8.8 which already has disks. There are a few good write-ups on adapting zj disks onto xj axles just look them up.

 

Awesome! That's perfect info to get me started, I'll figure out what I have and how to make it work.