Whoo! I'm finally an XJ owner!


99 Cherokee Classic, 254K, 4x4, $200 at the auction.

I wasn't planning on buying it. I was just headed to the auction to check it out, and see what it would sell for. I've been looking for an XJ for about six months, since I started working at a 4x4 place. This one is a rusted piece of rusty rust, but it started right up from cold.

Bidding started at $1500, no takers (of course.)
$1000. $750. $500. No bids. They were pulling it off the block...

"$200" - I say. Boom! I'm an XJ Owner. Now to begin the long process of getting this thing ready for wheeling!

 

$200? Thats in the ball park of scrap price! How is the engine?
You just might of got the xj lottery ticket.
Rust, nothing a couple gallons of bondo and new rocker panels won't fix.

 

Took a few new photos today. I bought some more lights. (Lights for photo/video work, not for the Jeep.)

It starts right up and runs fine. But everything else is really rough. I'm starting a build thread so I can document my immediate concern: the steering. There's a lot of slop - someone is suggesting I check out the intermediate shaft. I may hit the local pick and pull for one with 100k fewer miles on it.

 

"Rusted piece of rusty rust" Lol, sweet.

Steering slop, few quick checklist items to look at;

Tie rod ends
Trackbar and bracket
Steering box
Control arm bushings

$200 that is awesome. Even if you end up deciding the rust damage is beyond what you wanna deal with... pick up a clean 2WD 4cyl for cheap, swap everything over, part out the shell. Prolly end up with a sweet 4X4 and a profit!

 

yeah, and wheels look ok! and not a 331 head

 

For the steering - yes, I'm going to go down the list. It'll prolly all need to be replaced. But the immediate concern is that the steering wheel will turn a good 1/4 turn to the left or right before it sortof "catches" and starts to turn. I guess there's a plastic insert within the steering shaft joint that wears away and causes the slop. I'll pull the rubber boot off today and take a look.

And I did not intend on buying this thing. So this'll be like my practice XJ. If it proves to hold up to my abuse - I can keep it. If not, I'll stick all the goodies onto another XJ. No big deal.

 

The 99's did not have the head issue and was the best yr. for the XJ's.


The rust is another story and can be a real killer of one, it's what you don't see from just looking at it. You need to get under it and check the uni-body and floor pans for rusted out panels and frame rails. Best way to do that is start poking with a small screwdriver in all rusted areas and see if it goes all the way through (bad) but repairable in most areas.


Post detailed photos of the under carriage from front to rear in good light so someone can help advise you on it if it is a problem.


But at that price you still will make money on it parting it out and scraping the rest.


Welcome to CF!!

 

Detailed photographs of the underside: Boom!

Rocker panels are shredded, all around, but the inner rockers (or whatever it's called) are solid. Half of the driver floor pan is gone, and the insulation is hanging down. Everywhere else is pretty solid. Frame is solid, suspension mounting points are solid.

Maybe I'll repair the floor pan, then replace the rockers with 2x6.
First, I gotta fix that sloppy steering so I can park my daily and drive this thing.

 

Holy crap that's a lot of rust. But $200 is not a bad deal. Good luck and please post some progress pics.

 

That is a lot of rust. You are going to have tons of fun. Do you have a swear jar?

 

Bull! Nobody makes a replacement steering shaft for the 99 XJ? My parts search is coming up empty. Do I have to get a used one from a pull-a-part? Or weld it, like one guy suggested? Hmm...

 

By steering shaft, do you mean the rod connecting the steering gearbox to the steering wheel assembly inside the cab?
Could be the gearbox just has some worn slop in it and might be able to be adjusted away or if bad enough replaced.

 

Yes, I mean the shaft connecting the steering wheel to the gearbox. Though, I haven't actually diagnosed the problem yet. Just getting my ducks in a row.

I'll snag one of my coworkers to assist me today. I'll have him work the steering wheel while I figure out where the slop is.