Cherokee_Laredo

I have all the outer dash parts and the gauge cluster and was going to go to the JY later on and get the core dash mount. I am going to customize it so I don't have the remove the steering wheel since the newer Cherokees dash you had to remove the steering wheel. Now before I go any farther. I have the 97+ gauge cluster full like mine is and not dumb lights. I cut the 2 plugs that plug into the back of the cluster and want to try and get it together. Now I seen lots of dash swaps in XJs and MJs but most people had a complete 97+ donor Cherokee and did the dash swap and even put in the 4.0 engine. For the gauge cluster to work can I combine the cables with the current ones in it or would the 97+ wire harness with computer work? I don't want to do an entire engine swap because then it would be just easier and cheaper to buy another later Cherokee.

wizardpc

97+ gauges read off the CCD bus. Your 91 does not have that. You'll need a 97+ PCM and all the new sensors at a minimum.

Or you can use your old gauges.

Cherokee_Laredo

I'll try to get the complete 97+ wire harness for the engine bay and inside dash and the computer. I have 2 junk 96 wire harnesses with computer.


Is their any difference in the 91 4.0L HO and 97+ 4.0 engines?
I am even taking a day off just go to the JY and get the complete interior of dark seats and back, dark carpet with the metal strips for the new seats. The trim inside. I am going to try and do the complete 2001 conversion.


My cluster is the electric and not spin old ones. http://www.naxja.org/html/techarticl...e/IMG_9287.jpg but I'll get the entire wire harness, I think their is only 4 XJ left in my JY around me.


https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f46/19...49861/index19/

Cherokee_Laredo

Well after doing some tests and found I maybe able to use the original cluster without even doing any wire swaps. That is take the front clear cover and black front cover of the 97+ cluster and put on the front of the older one. I will have to make a new bezel cover for the older one since it has a small curve of its behind clear cover "The grey surrounding the gauges" . The side indicator box will get cut off and can mount it under the dash probably since it is on a separate wire. In the image I have a 97+ gauge cluster and I took the cover off and put it in front of my current one and came out to the size in the image posted. I will be getting another early 90s cluster to not ruin my current one. So if this works out I will let you know and will make a easier 97+ dash swap for older Cherokee owners wanting to go the easiest route as I am.

Cherokee_Laredo

I just ordered the donor cluster now. So my next thing of needing is some plastic. I need flat plastic that will match the same as the 97+ look. I will have the colored turn signal and high beams back laminators from this cluster already. Here is a image of the flat removed grey curved bezel cover.


From what I can see on the 97+ cluster is it has a black back plastic and the front is a clear piece of plastic glued together. So I will need to find the same material for the gauge surround.

Ad-HocXJ

Subbed. Would love to see this come out clean

wizardpc

Have you checked the Comanche forums? I think this is a well-documented swap for them.

Cherokee_Laredo

For what? The 97+ gauge with just using the wire harness and computer or the older Cherokee gauge mod I am going doing?

Cherokee_Laredo

Worked on the cluster tonight. Took about 2 hours. Their will require a hack saw or something similar, razor blade knife, needle nose pliers and a Philips screwdriver. And then some Armor all dash cleaner and a fiber cloth rag to clean the cluster once finished. I centered the outer 97+ cover on the older cluster and cut to fit the outer frame in. You can see the edge gauges are close to the edge but still very visible. It even snaps into the old cluster and hold together on top and the bottom flaps should hold in the cluster in the dash once in.


I will be modding the dash core once I get it to fit the cluster into it since it is a little bigger.


The only problem I ran into is the Trip reset is off but you can ignore it if you want or go and add a toggle wire to it by having it go down the back up to where the 97+ one is.

Cherokee_Laredo

Heres what it will look like with the dash bezel on it. The unused slot on the bezel might be where I can install the indicator lights in. For the Trip reset I can probably flip the leaver over and line it up where the other one is.

Cherokee_Laredo

After looking at the size the bezel for the indicator lights, I will only be able to fit a row in. So I am going to just mount this indicator light box right next to the fuse box so it is in a maint area still easy to access. I could mod it to fit that bezel but would not be able to stack the lights on top of each other since all the lights are ran on a ribbon cable and cannot really move them.

Cherokee_Laredo

Image where to cut of the inner bezel for the gauges.

Jeep Driver

I'm really curious as to what your objective is here?

Cherokee_Laredo

It is to upgrade to the 97+ dash without having to go through all of the new wiring harness/computer and having to change maybe even the engine just to get the new updated interior. All Dash swaps I seen, they all did a complete swap from a newer XJ engine and all and I do not want to swap all that.

Jeep Driver

Fill the '97 cluster with aftermarket gauges, they fit, but not cheap.

Interesting how everyone thinks the '97+ is some kind of an upgrade.