Looking to upgrade the Cherokee.
First off is the steering links. I read that the ZJ (Grand Cherokee) steering links are a direct bolt in and much beefier. Anyone have a line on some parts?
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Looking to upgrade the Cherokee.
First off is the steering links. I read that the ZJ (Grand Cherokee) steering links are a direct bolt in and much beefier. Anyone have a line on some parts?
Installed a LockRight in the front Dana 30...
Opened up the front diff.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps696b298b.jpg
Pulled the carrier.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps14222d6f.jpg
New locker....
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps515d242e.jpg
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Removed side gears...
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps5b82d778.jpg
Locker in place.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psc821a371.jpg
Took it up to Hidden Falls two days later and it performed well....hardly spun a tire all weekend.
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Cobra 25 LTD Classic installed so it beats the crap out of the passengers knees....had this radio peaked and tuned and talk back conversion recently. 4' Firestick antenna on a spring...
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psccfbcd11.jpg
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Yesterday I installed the master/slave clutch set up. Working great! Also installed the 4" Daystar polyurethane rear bump stops. Today I mounted my Hi-lift up on the roof rack and bought a Hi lift handle isolator. Pretty cool install. I will put up some pics tomorrow.
Well, you're on your way!
Do a short arm 6" kit, SYE, and 33s. Along with sway bar disconnects.
Has the RE lift.....I think 3 1/2", and I am pretty happy with the 31's. Trying to keep from doing a gear change. SYE will come later and what is a sway bar?Quote:
Originally Posted by indirocz28
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BTW Jeff....what year model ZJ steering links do I need to be looking for at a junk yard?
Here's the Hi lift mounted...
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps614474b3.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psb1a22ff1.jpg
The only stickers on my rig at the moment....
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psdc370e01.jpg
I'm thinking these new extended bumpstops will need a spacer underneath them. Looks like the shocks will be collapsed before the axle gets on the bumpstop.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps744965eb.jpg
Here is my Cherokee on it's first trip out since I bought it. BTW.....it was purchased entirely with money I made doing art work over the last 3 years. I sold 120 ounces of silver bullion and got this rig. I do art for precious metals.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psbd7eaa4d.jpg
Looks like a sweet XJ.
Reminds me of my first one. It was a white 1998.
Changed oil and filter yesterday. Bought a NAPA platinum filter....I read it is a much better element than the paper crap. The Cherokees are notorious for showing low oil pressure at idle. It seems to have picked up a few PSI with the new filter.
Plans :
May do some type of hood vents. I saw a cool write up of a guy that modified a junk yard hood into a cowl type.....looks really cool. again....Cherokees run on the warm side, especially when crawling along on the trail. I have already installed a new radiator, cap, thermostat, hoses, and fan clutch. The fan clutch is what made the most improvement in cooling.
Get rid of the Lincoln locker in the rear axle. I don't want to have to change the carrier and do a gear set up. Mark Claus recommended a posi but, that would require a gear set up. I will probably just install a lockright in the rear. Already installed in the front. I have had good luck with the lockrights.
Rear spring shackle changes. From what I have read....the rear shackle should be at 40-45 degrees angle for the spring to work correctly. They make an adjustable shackle mount that is a pretty common upgrade.
I ordered a new inner shifter boot and it should be here this weekend. With the inner boot missing or torn, the center console gets very hot when driving with the windows down. As long as the windows are up and AC is on, cab pressure keeps the heat pushed out. I am installing new boots this weekend.
Tachometer. The factory tach is dead....not sure why. I will probably install an aftermarket small tach. Pretty sure it picks up a signal from say....an injector?
Skid plates. I am not going to get bigger than the 31's....time to build some skids.
The xj is looking good!, the tach should have a connection on the coil
Lookin good Jim! Thinking about building my little XJ up some more.
New shackle relocation brackets. Greatly improved ride and articulation.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...pseddf9d69.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps4f37224b.jpg
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New ORFAB rear bumper.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...pseea81e01.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps025ccb4c.jpg
Took the rig to Garb's recently and had a complete new exhaust system installed. New cat, Flowmaster, new downpipe. I have done business with them for years and the quality of their work can't be beat. Located here in Baytown.
Last trip out at Hidden Falls we did a night run and right when I got back into town, my lights went off and came back on a couple times. Did some research and found that a common flaw on XJ's is all the lighting voltage actually goes through the switch on the dash. There is a circuit breaker built into the switch and is a common failure.
The fix is to install a couple relays for hi/lo beams and wire the lights direct to the battery. The switch on the dash then operates the relays to provide power. I ordered the Putco 100W kit off Amazon. It comes with relays, a harness all lugged up and plug in fittings. Just run the harness right next to the factory stuff, mount the relays, hook to the battery and plug in. I also picked up a couple extra relays and a fuse holder to protect the wiring. The XJ crowd says the lights are brighter as well. Should do the install in a week or so.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps5a010964.jpg
I did this on my XJ a few months ago. The lights were noticeably brighter. If you originally had fog lights, you'll have to pull the relay to the fogs for the high beams to work right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Angel
Thanks for the input! Yeah, I have heard they are much brighter. I picked up a few extra relays to carry in case one fails. I had read that the ones that come with the Putco kit are pretty cheaply made and have been known to fail.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobey
Finished the light harness upgrade. Took about one hour and the lights are much brighter.
Steering upgrade. ZJ tie rod is much beefier and a direct bolt in on the XJ.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps23a64d03.jpg
Much beefier TRE.....
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psfacd9c66.jpg
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...ps38883bc0.jpg
Ready to wheel. Had to adjust toe in just a little.
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...psf245a8a3.jpg
What shackle relocation kit did you use?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tobey
HD Offroad Engineering.
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BTW, I order a lot of parts off of Rockauto.com and I have a 5% discount code to add to their already pretty cheap prices. Anyone wants to use it, let me know....
I've ordered a few things from rock auto, they have a good price on hard to find parts
Thanks, I ordered a set for my '99.Quote:
Originally Posted by Blue Angel
I'm just across the Hartman bridge from Baytown. We should get together sometime and compare notes. Here's a few pictures from the family vacation in Colorado a few weeks ago.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-I...815_122739.jpg
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-L...810_110401.jpg
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-X...811_125129.jpg
cool pictures! Yeah, I would like to meet up sometime. I will send a PM.