My 96 Cherokee build thread. (56K BEWARE!)

Okay, i think this thread has been long over due, espicially since I have already done so much to this vehicle. However, I shall start from the begining anyways....

I purchased a 1996 Jeep Cherokee Classic, the Country Edition. When I bought it is had 147,000 Miles, or something close to that. It was bone stock, and what i felt was good condition.... Looked something like this....LOl









Shortly after I bought it, I started making a list of what I wanted to do to it. I mean after all, it is a JEEP, and jeep's scream they need to be customized. However, while I was contemplating my list of mods, I needed tunes in the worst way, so at the very top of the list, and the first thing I did, was my radio setup. Originally, the vehicle had a stock AM/FM Cassette player, that did not work very well, So I swapped it our for the Kenwood Excelon 790C CD/MP3/WMA player....






The very moment I turned this unit on, it sounded like crap. Now I have been fortunate in the past, in other vehicles I have instaleld this in, to have at least usable speakers, but these needed to go.... They were dry rotted and blown to bits so bad, i barely got vocals out of them.... Could not even salvage them as tweeters...LOL...







So I tracked down a set of Kenwood ExCelon 5-1/4" 2-ways for a steal and swapped those in.... And believe me, they sound a TOOONNNN better! LMAO





Although I have also purchased matching subwoofers and an amp, they have yet to be installed, (discussed later) and wilol therefore be featured later on in this thread.

Now, I have music, my next focus was the suspension.... of course, I mean again... JEEP....! LOL Originally, I was just going to do a small lift, like 1-1 1/2 " or so. I got talked into a 3" kit for only pennies more. But when I went to purchase it at the dealer, he had an unused 4.5" lift kit, with extras from Rough Country Suspension. He did not want this kit laying around, so he sold it to me for the same price as the RC 3" kit! What a deal right? Here is what the Kit included,





So I had to have this installed due to my own work schedule not allowing me to do it myself..... But this brought up a few issues.... like... what do I do about rims and tires? At the time, I only had three factory wheels and a spare tire on my jeep. This lift required larger tires, and I required a complete set of rims. SOOOOO, I hit up craigslist. I found me a set of VIA F-007 wheels already mounted to 31X10.5 Cooper tires. It was not my first choice, but for 400 bucks, I was not going to be picky.... lol



Once the lift was in and the tires on, I was on my way! Y'all remember these pics!



















Anyways, I believe, other then descriptions of issues, this is where my other thread left off? So what has happened since? Well, here is where the other "issues" came in.............

Okay, so here are some of the issues. The lift put stress on some parts. i blew out my power steering system. I also cracked my rear brake lines, (which were not long enough anyways)



So, now it has a new power steering system, now Box and a brace to hold it there very tightly, also, new ( and extended) brake lines and so on.... here are some pictures from today on these subjects....


Power steering Res. and Pump....







New power steering box and brace to the frame....











6" Extended rear brake line.....






Now, this week I am getting new rubber and a leveling lift in the rear, so I did some prep work for that too..... I removed the lower valance on my bumper and trimmed my fender flares to clear the new tires.... It needed done for sure, look how awful it was! LMAO









What size are the new tires? What kind are they? Well you are just going to have to check back this weekend to find out aren't you? LOL


Now, back to the interior, appearently in 1996, people did not drink in their vehicles..... So my SUV was seriously lacking cup holders. I picked this up out of one that was traded in this week and installed it. I am not sure if I am going to keep it yet since it restricts the use of my E-Brake, and covers my power mirror switch, but I wanted to give it a shot anyways...







Also, I have welded the lower control arm drop brackets to prevent wabble, but I did not get a picture of that today, I forgot. So I will get on up this weekend. In addition, it is getting a 1" block in the rear this weekend to fix the rear end sag, (for now). I will put up the before and afters on that later too. Once the new tires go on, I will get a bunch more pictures, and try to get some articulation shots as well....


This will be a slow moving project, but by spring, It will be ready for the Jeep show here in York county! At least that is the goal.

Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions? I am open to all ideas, and I will share my ideas and advances as they come.

definitly need to do something about the rear end saggin.. im hoping your getting atleast 33s. i cant wait to get out on the trails again.. ill be ready when you are.. lol

I will be ready this weeked, now will I have time? hmmmm... that is a whole nother issue.... LOL

The jeep looks great junior!!! However if $$$ allows it. You speak of flex shots and will undoubtably be hitting some trails. As far as your flex go Jeep was apparently afraid of that because the short arm suspension they had on those were terrible! Once you start flexing and getting down so trails and going off camber. You'll be longing for a long arm style suspension. RCX makes one but it's not bolt on and will require some welding. So if you feel that the flex you have isn't enough the RCX long arm will be money and time well spent!

Are those detachable sway bar end links?

That is one of the reasons I chose to use the RC drop braketry for the control arms, it will help with that, and as of right now, NO, I need a wrench to remove the end links, but quick release ones are on my list...

Looking good Junior!

THATS RIGHT, ITS UPDATE TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so today was a mile stone for this little moster! but boy, what a freakin difference!


First off, I did get a leveling kit for the rear, 1" blocks and new U-bolts. And best part was, since this was done after hours tonight, I was able to get my hands dirty again! YAY!





Before:





During:





After:




I also got some much better shots of the suspension while it was up in the air.....











The Control Arm Drop Braketry:





The Rear Brake Line:






Now before I get to the tires, and becasue there is a limit to how many pictures can appear in each post, here is a shot of the Cooper 31" that came off. I am lucky this did not present as the issue it could have! Take a look at this!





Guess I picked the perfect time to get these things off huh?!?!?!



Okay, Y'all ready for the BEST pictures? Keep Scrolling down then!










More.....















More.....

thats just wrong.. wheres the after pics.. lol

Here they are, Mean looking 33" X 10.5" X 15" BFGoodrich, Mud-Terrain KM2's!


















And look how they make the other tires look like total junk! (which they were btw, if I had not mentioned that!....LOL)









Tell me that is not sexy!



Anyways, it was dark when it was done, so Sunday I will get it all washed up, and get some good shots of it. Also, the rear sway bar has been officially removed, so that will no longer stop some flexing. But the front still needs some quick disconnects. Meanwhile, after some good "hero" shots of this thing come Sunday, I will hopefully hook up with a guy locally and find a few trails to play a little! So I should get some pics, (and video I hope) of that as well.....


So, what do Y'all think so far?

awsome man.. just simply awsome.. i guess the new job is workin out for ya.

You could say that! LOL

Yup, we definately need a bigger boat!

Congratulations Junior, looks great. Got one question though, why no covers on the shock rods?

No need. They are sealed. In addition, they are 10.99 a piece.... A waste in my opinion.

yeah the covers tent to trap whatever dirt or mud you might submerge them in anyways.. i cut apart a shock that was making a really funky grinding sound only to find it filled with dirt.. it had one of them covers and it made no difference imo.. maybe for road salt and debre but it isnt ment to keep out lakes.. lol

Must be me then. I always use rod covers and install the shock rods facing down. 'Sealed' is a relative term,

These could only be installed one direction. In the newer wranglers, the body is up and the rod is down, like in my ex's JK.....





But yeah, anyways, these one were directional due to how they mounted and how they traveled....

TOP\/ \/ \/




Verses...

BOTTOM \/\/\/






I can see the point of the boots, I really can. but personally, I really do like the look of the shocks without them myself. And until they it causes a problem NOT having them, I will probably leave them that way. I mean hey, if it was dangerous, why would the FACTORY steering stabilizer be without a boot? LOL





LOL.

im glad you took that rear sway bar out.. it could have caused a big problem if you were to flex and it rotated to far.. that or it would have snapped like mine did at RC.. lmao

Looks smoking bud!!! One thing though man... No white walls?!?! whats up with the black walls? raised white letters look so much better then the blacks.

You know, you are about the eighteenth person to tell me that today! LMAO.....


I chose not to put the white letters out because my rims are white. I wanted the rims to accent, and the tires to fill, I think the white letters would have interferred with that look. But next time I bring them in for rotation and balancing, I may have them swap the tires around and run them white letters out for a while, just to see. For now, this is just how it is....LOL.....



OKAY, y'all ready for some more pictures!



I got the Jeep, (it's name is Jack, BTW, my daughter named it last weekend....LOL) all cleaned up, cleaned out and ready to go. I cannot tell you guys how pelased I am with these tires. The have excellent grip, look mean as all heck, AND they are amazingly quiet on the concrete free-ways around here! However, my speedometer is now almost 14mph off at 65! LMAO.... thank good ness I have a GPS with a speedometer on it that is accurate....LOL....

Also, with every upgrade, or so-called improvement, I make to this Jeep, I find at least three more problems. So next month will be spent solving tmore issues. For example, I need a slip yoke eliminator now with the extra inch in the rear to cut down on DS vibration. I need a new left front axle universal joint to fix the vibration in the 4wd system. But these are minor, the big ones you will notice in the pics, I am sure.....

Okay, here we go....































She is pretty isn't she? anyways, now it is screaming for new bumpers front and in the rear, in addition, I need to get the exhuast tucked up into the frame a little better. Just looks funny hanging like it does.


Okay, now as for final verdict on clearence issues with these tires. When the front wheels move higher in the wells, AND I am turning the wheel, they do grab a little, but sitting flat, I have no issuse, driving normal, they clear perfect... here are a few pics with the wheels turned.... as you can see there is room, NOT a whole heck of a lot, but some..... LOL









Okay, now on to my final, semi-MAJOR issue. I found a little hill at this particular location, and I could not stop myself! These tires grabbed the dirt like they were racing slicks on a race car! My sway bar was still connected, but thinking the issue was up front, was wrong! Take a look!














As you can see, these tires wo NOT fit into my rear wheel wells at all! Just this little climb and they just about tore my fender flares off! Hence the only rease I did not climb further.

I am going to remedy this little issue with a set of Bushwaker, cut-out fender flares next month. With the openeing a little larger and breathing room allowed, I will have no more worries!


So like awlays, keep checking back, Project XJ is just getting started, and come this time next month, I will have even further updates!

*Knock*
*Knock*
*Knock*
Junior! Hello! This is your engine speaking; STOP NEGLECTING ME! I'm getting jealous of all the attention the suspension is getting! I need more power! Now!





Truck looks good Junior. Really has come along way. Thanks for the update.

it looks great and like i said any way i can help just lemme know.

Thats a good looking jeep. I had a 91 jeep it just had a 4" lift on 31 10 50 I know alot about theme if you ever have any questions let me know ill help the best i can... Ill get som pics of my old jeep up soon to let you take a look.

I found a website you might like to try on finding bumbers for your jeep
http://www.offroadltd.com/custom.htm