What do you consider hardcore?

[rredalty]

Long time wheeler but been gone for about 5 years. When I was having a lot of back problems I reluctantly walked away and moved on to other things but here I am considering another build. Things can change a lot in 5 years and my priorities have changed. Money isn't as free as before and time is allocated differently but I'd like to build something to take out from time to time without having a fortune wrapped up in it. That brings me to my next build idea...how hardcore can a "full body" Cherokee be built. I'm talking d30/ 8.8, homebrew 3 link, 2-3" lift on some light 35"s. Keep the emphasis on fab work; chassis reinforcement, heavy boatsides, comp cut with flipped springs, probably dove front, possibly a flat belly... Trim as much as possible to keep it light and think outside the box. I can actually drive and feel confident I can stay within the limits of a D30 but at the same time push it pretty hard, plus that's why weight is important. Try to use a lot of what I did on a buddies one ton Jeep I built but with improving on stock vs replacing. I cant build something with tons, that will lead to hitting things harded and hurting myself again. I have a few pictures of that Jeep for some direction. Seem like a foolish idea?

 

[Ghost]

No not at all Matt. I'm currently collecting parts for a rig similar to what you are describing. I acquired an old ECORS rig from my friend Andy Carter. (He owns Ironman4x4fab.) It's going to be on 35 LTB's on 17" beadlocks, Sway a Way's all around a 44/9" combo with all cromo's. Do you remember the Yellow xj that Tim and Andrew had? It was on 35's and factory axles IIRC. It can be done. Definitely spend time and money on axle upgrades though I think. Alloy shafts up front etc but you know this. Good Luck looking forward to what you come up with.

 

[rredalty]

I ended up buying that yellow jeep but after one trip out realized how shit wrecked the chassis was and parted it. Lots of those parts went in the last Cherokee I built and the wheels/ tires went to a buddy. To do one right a I don't see any way around some significant stiffening.

 

[Ghost]

I ended up buying that yellow jeep but after one trip out realized how shit wrecked the chassis was and parted it. Lots of those parts went in the last Cherokee I built and the wheels/ tires went to a buddy. To do one right a I don't see any way around some significant stiffening.

Agreed. :cheers:

 

[rredalty]

Let's get this party started. Picked up this '91 over the weekend, thankfully it was wrecked in all the right ways. Doors, fenders, header panel, hatch... all damaged and all getting removed anyway. Not an ounce of rust, no damage to the "frame rails", completely virgin wiring harness, it's a perfect starting point. Plan is a d30/8.25 combo and hopefully I can make the existing 242 work and if not it will get a 231 swapped. 3.5" of lift on a set of radius arms and shackle brackets. Tires will be 35" Baja Claw TTCs. I'm still trying to collect parts as I rebuild the top of a buddies Jeep. Haven't bent a single piece of tube in over 5 years, just like riding a bike.

 

[Lowrange2]

I can't imagine why the chassis was beat on that yellow one.

 

[rredalty]

Doesn't look so bad...

 

[WTF]

I ended up buying that yellow jeep but after one trip out realized how shit wrecked the chassis was and parted it. Lots of those parts went in the last Cherokee I built and the wheels/ tires went to a buddy. To do one right a I don't see any way around some significant stiffening.

Sorry for necro'ing an old thread; I don't check in here much anymore.

I always wondered what became of ol' yeller; sorry it didn't work out for you. I tried my damnedest to have it as close to ready to wheel as possible before delivery; but lord knows it was never gonna win any show & shines, or be the turn key, beat it every weekend without some attention mule..

In any event I feel like we had a pretty open dialogue about what condition it was in and what I knew was not the best; so no hard feelings i hope. And If memory serves, I believe i recall that we discussed that you would have probably done ok parting it out in the event it wasn't what you were looking for...


I often contemplate how I would do it over and improve upon it;

*starting from square 0 with end to end prefab/ prebent stiffeners would be a definite.

*6 point cage from square 0 as well; with hybrid exo halo and boat sides incorporated into the cage structure

*Gutting as much unsprung weight as feasible (and will accommodate your desired level of comfort/creature features) definitely helps the chassis, and then being strategic about the materials used in rebuilding it would go a long way to preserve those gains.

* If you do the diet right, the 4.0 with appropriate case & differential gears will be sufficient, easy to fit and wrench on, and cheap.

* for me, 34's OR q78's are all the tire i want and then a trussed 30 stuffed with chromo's up front and the 44 with chromos out back, (IMO) will handle about anything you want when driven sensibly at least with east coast traction levels. (selectable lockers would be the bees knees, mechanical full case lockers being second choice.)

*Long arms up front but I always liked the stability of leaves out back.


anyhow, there's my .02

hope to see more updates on this build! :cheers: