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2001 Cherokee Sport ?s

1freaky1

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Thornon, CO
A friend of mine has one that she wants to start wheeling mild trails and it is in no way even close to wheeling. There is no protection on this thing at all and street tires to boot.

I am going to be helping her get it going for next summer and she has a very limited budget, So I am researching as much as possible since I really know nothing about these.

Would it be less pricie to build her the necessary skid plates ie; gas tank, transfer case, and so on or can they be picked fairly reasonable?

Next is there anything in particular I need to watch out for with helping set this rig up like weak parts, links and so forth?

The game plan is to get the basic skid plates, a set of decent used tires one or two sizes bigger and some tow hooks front and rear. I know the rear tow hooks will take some work due to the unibody structure to strengthen it up.

Any help is REALLY appreciated since this will be a LEARN as I go!

Sean
 
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Skid plates can be had cheap, but a fuel tank skid is the only super important one on the 97+ models due to the tank being plastic and not metal. Rerar tow point is a easy as going to the junkyard and snagging a hitch for it off another XJ. There are a couple of different front tow hook options out there ranging from simple tow hook attachments to complete front bumpers.

If its only going to be going up to 31's then a simple budget boost is all it'll need. If thats the case there really isn't much in the way of weak points on it. Once you start going bigger than steering upgrades are probably the most important.

I would say to frame frame stiffeners on it regardless, it really helps stiffen up the entire chassis on these things.
 
2" budget boost lift - 2" front coil spacers and rear shackles. Generally a good idea to get new shocks to go with it like Monroe's - stock size will still work, but can limit downward droop of the suspension so longer shocks for 2-3" lifts is best.

Keep an eye out at the Pull-N-Pay junk yards for '97-'01 Cherokees. You can get lucky and find one with the factory skid plate package and tow hooks. Gas tank skids are the hardest to come by as the jerks at the yards generally poke holes in them to drain the tanks, then put the stands under the jeep using the tank skid to hold 'em up.

For aftermarket skids, look at Tomken Machine up in Buena Vista, they make fairly priced skids and hooks. Also look at one of our local vendors Serious Offroad for anything aftermarket. Frank Z is the owner and can make suggestions/offer help finding the stuff you need. I think you'll find it's better to buy than build unless you've got the skills, tools and access to the materials.

Rear tow point - easiest is to just go with a tow hitch. Jeep made rear tow hook brackets too, again, just keep an eye out at the yards or e-bay.

Weak parts:
-D35 rear axle: Her '01 will likely have a 29 spline 8.25 Chrysler rear axle (which is a good axle for your purposes).... unless it's got ABS, then it'll be the D35.

-Front steering components: Stock steering linkage will generally survive light wheeling but just ensure the parts are in good shape.

-Cooling system: Her '01 is VERY susceptable to cooling issues. The cylinder head casting has a known flaw and is prone to cracking causing coolant leaking into the engine. A major contributor to this problem is contaminated water being added to the radiator. Calcium deposits and aluminum corrosion will clog/block the cores in the radiato which will cause the engine to run hot and that's when bad things happen. Money spent on a new radiator, water pump, thermostat and flush, then add the pre-mixed 50/50 coolant will be to your jeep's longevity benefit.

Our Cherokee's do well with budget boosts and 31" tires and some minor trimming. They do very well off road with this set up for mild trails. :thumbup:
 
Ya can't go telling folks to NOT get something and not qualify it with a reason...... :twak:

Nothing wrong with a Tomken gas skid.... particularly for the budget minded MILD trail 'wheeler (as the OP stated the build would be). My '97 has one and I've installed others. Very decent skid for the money. Yes, there are others out there built heavier/better but a Tomken is comparable to an OEM skid..... but MUCH easier to install. :thumbup:
 
I have a SkidRow gas tank skid on mine that I got for cheap used. I like it, although its freaking heavy as all hell.

You can get a t-case skid easily enough out of the junk yards, they came on XJ's stock if they had the Overland package. I've personaly never needed one, but with a plan of only 2" lift and only 31's the added protection would be nice to have.

I've never seen a need for the front engine skid, and have heard amny complain that it gets you hung up a lot.
 
Yeah, I guess that Tomken gas tank skid I've run for the last 10 years or so doesn't work. :)
 
Skids and Sliders.
Sway bar disconnects.
A little more Spring.

Bigger tires will kill what fuel economy she has. 235s will get her through a lot of beginner trails, without tanking that fuel mileage so much.
 
Hey Sean. What was posted above is good info. I would second the budget boost, sway bar discos, gas skid, The sliders you can fab up easy enough. At a JY you can get a solid tie rod from a V8 ZJ that would make a huge improvement over stock for $20.
 
Not sure if this will fit but, I have a tank skid from an 88 that had the factory tow package. Its straight and unblemished. If you want to pay shipping from Sheridan, WY to your location and toss me a beer should we ever meet, its yours.
 
'88 skid will not fit over the '01 gas tank.
 
Hey Sean. What was posted above is good info. I would second the budget boost, sway bar discos, gas skid, The sliders you can fab up easy enough. At a JY you can get a solid tie rod from a V8 ZJ that would make a huge improvement over stock for $20.

Don't forget the grab the factory gas tank skid while you are under that ZJ, with very few mods it will fit too! But your going to need the tow hitch of the XJ next to it at the yard and don't forget the nut strips. Steering, Gas skid and recovery all in one stop....
 
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