New Guy, New (to me) Cherokee

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Those are pure beef covers but after you drag over or plow through a few rocks that nice drain plug will ground off smooth. Plus the bottom bolts will blend into the cover from the rash. You won't bend it or dent it, but it may be tough to get off later on.
 
I kinda figured that may be the case when I found that there were like 6 drain plug bolts in the hardware bag that came with the covers. That's ok though, I have had lots of practice with E-Z Outs.
 
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Like what you've done so far, though I am planning something bigger I intend to do alot of the same style mods...

Trans cooler is the first mod on my list for sure, currently looking at a 97 model which is the low pinion 30, so I would be looking for a HP 30 or possibly a 44 to swap in if I can get a deal. Used to be red but that was apparently ages ago, regardless man like what you have going, especially the seat brackets.
 
Like what you've done so far, though I am planning something bigger I intend to do alot of the same style mods...

Trans cooler is the first mod on my list for sure, currently looking at a 97 model which is the low pinion 30, so I would be looking for a HP 30 or possibly a 44 to swap in if I can get a deal. Used to be red but that was apparently ages ago, regardless man like what you have going, especially the seat brackets.

LP D30's didn't start in XJ's until '00:viking:
 
Like what you've done so far, though I am planning something bigger I intend to do alot of the same style mods...

regardless man like what you have going, especially the seat brackets.



Thanks for the kudo's. I am really liking this Cherokee myself. I never really wanted one until the baby came along and I needed more passenger space, but now that I own one I am loving it.

The seat brackets were simple to make and only took about two hours start to finish. Half of that time was pulling the seat out and putting it back in. That mod has made a huge difference in my comfort level while driving.

I am kinda wishing now I had went with a bigger lift and tires, but I don't have the money for gears in my budget right now anyway so that's something I may look at in the future. Either that or I may chop up the fenders, re-gear, and slap on a set of 33's and do the whole "low center of gravity" thing. I think the stuff those guys are doing in the Low COG Thread is pretty cool.

Tom Woods finally showed me some love. I got a pretty new drive shaft delivered to my front porch today along with the Lubelocker gasket for the rear diff. Now if I can ever find time to put this crap on I'll be in good shape. The wife has already started fussing about how much time I have been spending with the XJ. She made me promise, no jeep stuff this weekend. :(
 
The wife has already started fussing about how much time I have been spending with the XJ. She made me promise, no jeep stuff this weekend. :(

Dude...say it isn't so!:rattle:
 
Are you planning on coming to the M&G in Murfreesboro on April 3rd? Bring her and once she finds out how cool and nice we are, she'll be telling you to get to work on it. Seriously....it might work?
 
Are you planning on coming to the M&G in Murfreesboro on April 3rd? Bring her and once she finds out how cool and nice we are, she'll be telling you to get to work on it. Seriously....it might work?

That sounds like a good plan. Sounds like there will be plenty of wives and kids there:D
 
Are you planning on coming to the M&G in Murfreesboro on April 3rd? Bring her and once she finds out how cool and nice we are, she'll be telling you to get to work on it. Seriously....it might work?


I am gonna try to swing by there. We have friends in Smyrna so I might use a visit to them as an excuse to get down that way.
 
See. Now that is good thinking. You guys would have a good time.
 
Well, I haven't updated in a few days but I did receive and install my headlight harness this week. I can now see where I am going at night.:yelclap:

I also installed my AA SYE this evening. Everything went fairly well. It really wasn't as bad as I had anticipated. Took me about 4 hours start to finish and that was taking my time. Only one problem. When I put the transfer case half back on I inadvertently pinched the wires going to my after cat O2 sensor. Pretty much cut one wire in two, so it look like tomorrow I'll be attempting to repair that.:dunce:

It's in a really good place too, directly over the top of the case.
 
LP D30's didn't start in XJ's until '00:viking:

I didn't think so but thats what the guy insisted on so I went with it, have the jeep now, hp30 and 8.25, geared 4.56, locked in the rear, kid was retarded but jeep definatly came with problems. :/ Never again will I buy a vehicle from a guy who openly considers himself a honda guy, the condition of the jeep made me wanna :puke:, ive already buried probably 1100 bucks into getting it right for uwharrie, past the point of being worthwhile to sell it I would say.
 
So it occurred to me yesterday at the meet and greet that while I have spent a lot of time wrenching on this thing in the month and a half I have owned it, I haven't actually wheeled it yet. That had to change.

So I went up to the farm in Kentucky where we have an old road bed that runs through about 90 or so acres of woods and ends at a creek. I thought it would be a little wetter than it was but I did have the chance to get into a few mud holes, climb a few hills, and visit a couple of off camber spots along the way.

What I relearned today:

When your tires stick out past your flares, it's wise to put your windows up before barreling off into the biggest mud hole you can find.

Other things I learned today:

The Duratracs do pretty well in the mud.

My tires are gonna hit the flares up top before they stuff. Not by much, but they will. This saddens me, I was hoping to keep my flares.

I must have installed my SYE correctly because the four wheel drive is still working properly.

I have some weird popping and spring noise on the drivers side front when off road. Maybe the control arms need to be loosened and retorqued? Maybe the spring isn't in the pocket correctly? I'll have to check it out when I have time.

I have a RC 3" lift now. Should I do a spacer and shackle to take it up another inch? The shocks are supposed to be good for a 2-4" lift and I have some BPE's that I haven't installed yet that would free up a little more shock length. May have to put on longer brake lines in the front with another inch though, I don't know. What say you?

Oh, forgot to take a camera along but I got some after shots in the driveway, although it's kinda hard to tell much since my ride is the same color as dried mud anyways but here ya go.


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Good to here you got it out.Im not to sure about the poppin front mine does it a bit when pulling a hill in the woods.
 
Rear Iron Rock Off Road BPE's installed, Aussie Locker installed, Ruff Stuff rear diff cover and Lubelocker gasket installed with Mobil1 synthetic oil, and JKS 1" Boomerangs Shackles installed.

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Those are not good BPE's for the rear. They rotate the shock 90 and over stress the tube where it mounts to the eye. They can limit flex too. You can also get this BPE from removing your factory rear sway bar and use the axle mount just like this. :wave1:
 
Those are not good BPE's for the rear. They rotate the shock 90 and over stress the tube where it mounts to the eye. They can limit flex too. You can also get this BPE from removing your factory rear sway bar and use the axle mount just like this. :wave1:


Well sonofa...., I never really thought about it until you said something but that does make sense. That end of the shock would be in a bind as it isn't allowed to move in the direction it would naturally need/want to pivot in.


:sure:
 
Well sonofa...., I never really thought about it until you said something but that does make sense. That end of the shock would be in a bind as it isn't allowed to move in the direction it would naturally need/want to pivot in.


:sure:

Yeap. My BPE's are a piece of 1.5" angle with 2 holes drilled in them and rounded to clear the shocks and anywhere else that was needed to be trimmed or adjusted. I made them in a few hours with some scrap angle and and angle grinder with a cut off wheel and a grinding wheel.
 
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