Reaper
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Dallas, Tx
For sale: 1989 Cherokee Pioneer 4.0 AW4
Why am I selling? I’m moving, and I haven’t really had to time to finish this project up and wheel it. Rather than drag this thing half way across the country I thought I’d try to find it a good home on
. As for me, well, I don’t post much but I have made extensive use of the site for years. Have done business with several members (buying and selling) in the past. I actually used to be a dues paying member before I moved and ran out of time for such things.
As for the Jeep, I would say it’s very close to being a very capable rig, but there are a few major things I was planning to do but never followed through on. Please note that this includes the long arm upgrade and frame stiffeners, which were the major things I wanted to get to in order to get it on the trail. This is not a turnkey wheeler right now but it will be very nice if someone is willing to put in some work. Everything that I did was done with the intention of keeping this rig for a long time and wheeling it extensively, so I’d like to think I did everything the right way.
Mods done by previous owner
1. 6” lift coils
2. Fixed length short arms, not sure of brand; they’re the gray ones (RE?)
3. Braided stainless brake lines - need brackets to hold them down
4. Replaced 1989 4.0 with a complete engine from a 1990 Limited, but as I understand the engines are exactly the same. Unknown mileage, but runs well.
5. All metal homebrew snorkel employing factory filter location
Mods I did
1. Completely redid rear fenderwells for clearance – inner fenderwells were sliced, reformed, and then rebuilt using new sheetmetal, welded into place, seam sealed, and then bedlined. Much more room than a cut and fold, and much cleaner.
2. Home built rear bumper, mounts with 8 bolts to factory locations and also bolts into framerail. Shackle tabs go through the whole bumper, welded both sides. Rear quarter guards extend to wheel well.
3. Mix of stock and RE(?) lift pack plus 1.5” shackles and shackle relocation bracket. I really wanted to bring the lift down but probably need shorter shackles to keep good angles.
4. (5) 33 x 12.5 MT’s (about 1/4” tread) on 15 inch soft 8s. Three (old style) MTR’s and two (old style) BFG MT’s. With the current lift and bumps you could easily run 35’s but I wanted to stay on 33s for the sake of the axles. If you’re game for it, you’ve got the space.
5. NP231 with PORC 32 spline HD SYE
6. ZJ front driveshaft in rear, axle shimmed toward TC; yoke drilled out and for bolt-style ujoint straps
7. Dana 35 swapped to 29 spline 8.25 rear axle, open 3.55 with one spare shaft
8. Disconnect style Dana 30 converted to full shaft (no disconnect) style, proper seals installed both sides of diff case
9. Both D30 shafts swapped out to newer style (ABS) shaft with larger ujoints, have spare shafts one each for pass and driver side
10. Old style (RD31) ARB locker in Dana 30 with 3.55 gears. No compressor at this time, but diff is tapped for the bulkhead
11. All interior rust prepped, welded, painted with rust encapsulator, and then bedlined with Durabak
12. Replaced gauge cluster for stock unit with a tach.
13. Exterior sanded, primed, and painted with Eastwood single stage urethane flat tan (not rattle can). It has a few drips since I was impatient while spraying it, but it seems to be very durable. The flat seemed cool but it’s kind of a dirt magnet – I guess that could be a positive.
14. Tinted rear glass (stock tint from a newer model)
15. Dual (stock) electric fans, controlled by temperature switch with override – manual on, automatic (adjustable), manual off
16. 160 amp alternator from Motor City Reman, alternator relocation to top of engine including AC delete, bracket modification, and new serpentine belt (have spare belt for length)
17. All grounds and power cables upgraded with the kit from Kelley’s Works in Progress (5-90 on
)
18. Extended E-brake system
General Maintenance
1. New Idle air control valve
2. New calipers
3. All new steering system - New power steering pump, new gearbox (4-bolt), all new lines
4. New battery
Things I wanted to do
1. Ruff Stuff chassis stiffeners (have parts)
2. Rock Krawler long arm upgrade (have parts: arms, mounts, and hardware)
3. Add rear seatbelts (have parts)
4. New (longer) shocks
5. Need limit straps (especially with long arms)
6. Rear locker
7. Compressor for the ARB locker
A few minor annoyances
1. Cracked windshield
2. Cracked dash
3. Exhaust is kind of beat up
I’m looking for $2000 OBO. Not really looking to make back everything I put into it, just find it a good home. If you’re at all interested, send me an email. eswelf <at> ncsu.edu

Why am I selling? I’m moving, and I haven’t really had to time to finish this project up and wheel it. Rather than drag this thing half way across the country I thought I’d try to find it a good home on

As for the Jeep, I would say it’s very close to being a very capable rig, but there are a few major things I was planning to do but never followed through on. Please note that this includes the long arm upgrade and frame stiffeners, which were the major things I wanted to get to in order to get it on the trail. This is not a turnkey wheeler right now but it will be very nice if someone is willing to put in some work. Everything that I did was done with the intention of keeping this rig for a long time and wheeling it extensively, so I’d like to think I did everything the right way.
Mods done by previous owner
1. 6” lift coils
2. Fixed length short arms, not sure of brand; they’re the gray ones (RE?)
3. Braided stainless brake lines - need brackets to hold them down
4. Replaced 1989 4.0 with a complete engine from a 1990 Limited, but as I understand the engines are exactly the same. Unknown mileage, but runs well.
5. All metal homebrew snorkel employing factory filter location
Mods I did
1. Completely redid rear fenderwells for clearance – inner fenderwells were sliced, reformed, and then rebuilt using new sheetmetal, welded into place, seam sealed, and then bedlined. Much more room than a cut and fold, and much cleaner.
2. Home built rear bumper, mounts with 8 bolts to factory locations and also bolts into framerail. Shackle tabs go through the whole bumper, welded both sides. Rear quarter guards extend to wheel well.
3. Mix of stock and RE(?) lift pack plus 1.5” shackles and shackle relocation bracket. I really wanted to bring the lift down but probably need shorter shackles to keep good angles.
4. (5) 33 x 12.5 MT’s (about 1/4” tread) on 15 inch soft 8s. Three (old style) MTR’s and two (old style) BFG MT’s. With the current lift and bumps you could easily run 35’s but I wanted to stay on 33s for the sake of the axles. If you’re game for it, you’ve got the space.
5. NP231 with PORC 32 spline HD SYE
6. ZJ front driveshaft in rear, axle shimmed toward TC; yoke drilled out and for bolt-style ujoint straps
7. Dana 35 swapped to 29 spline 8.25 rear axle, open 3.55 with one spare shaft
8. Disconnect style Dana 30 converted to full shaft (no disconnect) style, proper seals installed both sides of diff case
9. Both D30 shafts swapped out to newer style (ABS) shaft with larger ujoints, have spare shafts one each for pass and driver side
10. Old style (RD31) ARB locker in Dana 30 with 3.55 gears. No compressor at this time, but diff is tapped for the bulkhead
11. All interior rust prepped, welded, painted with rust encapsulator, and then bedlined with Durabak
12. Replaced gauge cluster for stock unit with a tach.
13. Exterior sanded, primed, and painted with Eastwood single stage urethane flat tan (not rattle can). It has a few drips since I was impatient while spraying it, but it seems to be very durable. The flat seemed cool but it’s kind of a dirt magnet – I guess that could be a positive.
14. Tinted rear glass (stock tint from a newer model)
15. Dual (stock) electric fans, controlled by temperature switch with override – manual on, automatic (adjustable), manual off
16. 160 amp alternator from Motor City Reman, alternator relocation to top of engine including AC delete, bracket modification, and new serpentine belt (have spare belt for length)
17. All grounds and power cables upgraded with the kit from Kelley’s Works in Progress (5-90 on

18. Extended E-brake system
General Maintenance
1. New Idle air control valve
2. New calipers
3. All new steering system - New power steering pump, new gearbox (4-bolt), all new lines
4. New battery
Things I wanted to do
1. Ruff Stuff chassis stiffeners (have parts)
2. Rock Krawler long arm upgrade (have parts: arms, mounts, and hardware)
3. Add rear seatbelts (have parts)
4. New (longer) shocks
5. Need limit straps (especially with long arms)
6. Rear locker
7. Compressor for the ARB locker
A few minor annoyances
1. Cracked windshield
2. Cracked dash
3. Exhaust is kind of beat up
I’m looking for $2000 OBO. Not really looking to make back everything I put into it, just find it a good home. If you’re at all interested, send me an email. eswelf <at> ncsu.edu




