• Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.

1999 2D Build

J

jbcherokee

NAXJA Forum User
Location
New Hampshire
Finally getting around to making a build thread for my baby so here she is.

Note: all of this is done off a 17 year old lifeguards meager salary so bear with me and this will probably be very spaced about between posts. Money takes awhile to trickle in but it pretty much goes out of pocket into jeep.


I started about a year back (right after I got the license) with a simple brush guard off ebay. I followed that with some lights off of harbor freight which really compliment the guard and work perfectly for what I needed (basically I got night wheeling once or twice a year and use them for super-brights)

I decided to take the plunge and get serious around 4 months ago when I finally got my first lift. I installed the RE 4.5" superflex kit by myself with zero prior knowledge of lifting (thank YOU) and put some brand new 32" bfg all terrains on some black soft 8 rims.

Thats I have had time (and more importantly money) to do so far but here is some pics of my progress




































I know its a lot of poser pics but I rarely bring a camera wheeling and I just said screw it and took some poser driveway/backyard pics.

Ill be sure to get her a bit muddier and take some real pics.


So I do have around 2000 more saved up so here's the shopping list for the next few years

1) Bushwackers. Need to get this thing more legal and quick!

2) 3/4" coil spacer to even out the front end

3) Some sliders to protect the rockers and more importantly for the ladies :gee: http://www.ajsoffroadarmor.com/XJ_SuperRails.html

4) A junkyard hitch with a shackle receiver for when (or if :looser:) I ever get stuck

5) Got some rust riding up the rockers so I plan to sand them down throw some bondo on em and cover em up with some black diamond plate sideplates
http://www.jeep4x4center.com/product-information.asp?number=WAR936PC

5) Tailbone by Detours USA for my spare

http://detoursusa.com/tailbone.php

6) Roofrack with plenty of these to light up the night
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=3029

7) New front bumper with some shackle receivers/recovery points

8) Snorkle. Love the look and love the freedom

9) New sound system. I know its gonna be out of place but I am a music lover and I want something that will kick the crap outta Bose

10) SYE + CV driveshaft

11) Longarms?

12??


Well that's my build. Feel free to critique it and give me advice/comments or whatever you feel like posting. Comments are always appreciated but I mean I'm 17 and have a ways to go before I can have the money to really get my jeep to where I want it.

-Bobo
 
Nice rig, here is my old '99..............:thumbup:

Recent.jpg
 
Looks like you're on the right track. I don't know how strict the laws are regarding fender flares in NH... but I'd put rock sliders, spare tire carrier with recovery points, and front bumper with recovery points higher on the list than Bushwackers. If you get the Detours Tailbone like you mentioned, you won't need the junkyard hitch for recovery since it comes with D-ring mounts.

I started out my build much like yours with only a RE lift, bigger tires, and rock sliders. I took it real easy on my wheeling adventures for a number of years until I saved up the money to get some proper body armor. I guess part of the excitement of wheeling involves the risk of body damage, but I'd hate to see that pretty Chili-Pepper Red XJ of yours get all bruised up before you get some proper protection on there.

When I started out....

3966.jpg


1b0b.jpg


As it sits today (about 5 years later)...

100_7723.jpg


100_7708.jpg


So much for all the body color matched factory gear. :bawl:I should have also mentioned belly and gas tank skids as part of your protection package if you're into the rock crawling thing. I'd also move the additional driving lights toward the very bottom of your list. Sure, they look cool and are relatively cheap, but they are rarely used.

Keep up the good work! It's never ending...
 
Well unfortunately although NH laws are really lenient I had to purchase the fenders today actually. Got cops called on me twice in the last two weeks (both times led to no punishment/legal action just a little stop doing that order) and they basically looked for anything to get me on. The officer gave me a week or he'd impound the car if he saw it driven so unfortunately bushwackers had to come first =/.

But I believe sliders are coming next but I don't do much crawling more exploring and mudding so i think Ill be keeping my paint pretty for a decent amount of time.
 
sweet dude thats like exactly what i wanna do to mine.... do it now before you have real bills :)
Btw.... what brush guard is that you have, thats exactly what i am looking to get for mine, but cant find it?
 
Last edited:
sworks sorry about the real delayed response but its just one off ebay... no idea who manufactures it or how to find it. This was around 6 months ago so just keep checking ebay every so often all i can say
 
Great looking Rig. Good luck with it. I am in NH as well. I have NO flares at all. I never get bothered. Of course I am in Nashua so maybe thats just because our Police force has to many other important things to do. You sound like you are on the right track with your build. I would save the money for additional lights and use them toward a locker.
 
Looking at those last couple pics a snorkel might be a good idea soon :) got one on mine and your right, its nice not having to worry about your engine in deep water. You've got a nice looking jeep. Heres a pic of mine.
newshoe2.jpg
 
There is a lot more than putting a snorkel on that allows you to go deep and not worry. Cherokees are very electrical and computer ran.

Ive seen people hydrolock. then take the time and pull the plugs and try to crank over the block and spit the water out. Then the motor started back up.

A guy on Floridajeepers.net built a xj. he did a very good write up on how he literally "waterproofed" his jeep. If you happen to look into in. His s/n is flexdout.

But very nice build. I just finished my mut of a lift. 99 4dr re 5.5 coils and clayton long arms. The long arms should deff. be high on your list.
 
Ahhh, you guys with 97+ 2 doors suck I can't find one anywhere! :(
 
Here is an update of where I am at as of 12/17/09

1) Bushwackers are on the beast. This wasn't really an option as my the local police gave me a do-or-impound deadline and I had to put them on.

2) 3/4" coil spacer is on. No pics but I wanted this to lessen the rake of the jeep until my rear springs settle down a bit.

3) Still need to get me some sliders. These are pretty much the top of the list now.

4) Got a hitch installed by the local uhaul. Got an amazing deal (100 bucks including labor and hitch). Its just nice to know I don't need to hook up my chain to my axle or something dangerous like that and I can actually have a safe recovery point

5) I still want the sideplates... the rust is still growing. But my money has more important places to go as of now.

6) Well this is getting tabled until the summer when I have more money because I can just throw my spare on my roof rack (see step 7) and I already have recovery at the back (See step 4)

7) Well santa (mom and dad) ordered me some KC daylighters for christmas (the also left out the order confirmation which is how I discovered this) so I will be building a roofrack shortly. My dad owns a pretty big company and right across the street there is a powdercoating facility and hes friends with the guy who owns it. So he said he can get me some square tubing from his work and get the entire thing powdercoated for free for me! So basically I get to design a roofrack for free (I have plans on autocad i might post later). I am going to have the daylighters up front and plenty of room for a spare or a jerry can. As this is more or less free this is also moving up on the list.

8) Snorkle. Well not a name brand but an erics-xj version one is in the books for ASAP. I have all the necessary parts on my christmas list and I am hoping to get the parts under the tree and get moving on this within a month.

9) New sound system. Ehh not important right now. No money to waste on something as frivilious as speakers

10) SYE + CV driveshaft I still want them but I really don't need it that badly as of now. I don't have ANY driveline vibes so I will keep my bandaid (lowering kit) on for the time being.

11) This is what I truely want the most... but unfortunately I have no income (basketball season no time to work) and only 500 bucks in the bank. I think I am going to ask for a TnT longarm setup for my graduation present from the folks and raise the entire setup to 6.5 inches on 35s.



So here is the new updated plan

1) Sliders
2) Snorkel (via erics-xj)
3) Sideplates or at least something to cover up my rocker panel rust (spraypaint time?)
4) LONGARMS--> I want to go up to 6.5 inches via the TnT longarm kit, new coils, and a boomerang shackle/blocks/ possibly a new leaf pack. BUT I would then deffinately need an SYE which will total out around 1500-2000 bucks which I am nowhere near right now. Who knows. Maybe ill run into a pot of gold out on the trail....
5) Other stuff on above list I have yet to complete.... front bumper, rear bumper, sound system etc


Yeah that is where I am at and where I want to go.
 
I forgot one small new upgrade --> rainex latitude wiper blades. Only reason for this post is I 100% recommend them. They are just amazing. These things were such a massive improvement over my old blades I just can't believe it. No problems, no streaks, and just a crystal clear windshield no matter the weather.

+1 for rainex!
 
Pics of the current version of the roof rack. Gonna be secured with gutter mounts and the mesh is going to be expanded steel. Rack is based of the Gobi roof racks dimensions and should more or less cover the entire roof. Any thoughts on it?

MKVIIA.jpg


MKVIIB.jpg


MKVIIC.jpg


MKVIID.jpg

haha got to love the 5 minute cartoon XJ... but hey its to basic specs of a stock cherokee so It at least hints to how it shall look

MKVII.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Leaf Spring Options
Replies
2
Views
223
nrparrott
N
X
Making the frame purdy
2 3
Replies
54
Views
2K
Xjin85
X
W
Newbie with an XJ, Update
2
Replies
23
Views
640
Da XJ nut
Da XJ nut
C
UCA/LCA Measurements
Replies
5
Views
249
CBJeeper
C
T
Wheelbase adjustment issue
2
Replies
24
Views
803
RCP Phx
R
Back
Top