XR8DXJ's 1997 Cherokee SE Build...

[xr8dxj]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/XR8D.gifThis will be the official build thread for our XJ.

I've enjoyed reading the build threads of others so much that I decided to share with everyone the labor of love, hate and broken bleeding knuckles I have endured for over twelve years in dealing with my XJ.

My first wife and I purchased the XJ brand new right off the lot in Anchorage, Alaska in August 1997. We had a growing family and were at max capacity with two car seats crammed into the back of our family car... the 1990 YJ. So being the Jeep folk that we were, we quickly decided on a Cherokee. What sold us on the Cherokee wasn't the few added cubic feet of cargo area, but the test drive the dealer took us on. It was awesome...

We were still pretty young and dumb so we quickly signed up for the first deal they slapped in front of us. Something like 15% APR for 72 months. They got us good, but it didn't matter because we were still Jeep owners.

I've got a few years of catching up to do so bear with me! Unfortunately, over the years I've lost more build pics than I've managed to keep. As the build gets caught up I will attempt to lean forward with the build.

Anyhoo, here are a couple pics to get this thread underway:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build2.jpg
(Above) The oldest photo of the XJ in existence (it still has the dealer sticker in the window!)
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build0.jpg
(Above) The most recent pic, as of 20091224 [38° 48.528'N 104° 33.721'W]

[xr8dxj]

The first "mods" we did to the XJ were purely cosmetic. As I recall I took the bulky CB we had in the YJ and bolted to my wife's side of the center console. We didn't have a decent place to mount the antenna so I hung it upright behind the back seat from a moulding screw with a section of 550# cord. It worked sorta.

I ordered a set of Fox Weatherboots (http://www.foxweatherboots.com/) floor mats since I had a pair in the YJ and loved them. And pretty soon thereafter mounted today's Thule Excursion ES Roof Box equivalent to the roof. We could pack so much into that thing!

I also swapped tires/wheels between the YJ & XJ. That put stock YJ wheels and Cooper Discoverer STT 31x105r15's on the Jeep. The Discoverer STT at the time was the poor man's BFG MT with a strikingly similar tread design and harder rubber compound. As in crap on the road and not that great off-road either.

I think that was about it for mods for a year or so until we lifted it. We drove the Jeep all over Alaska. We never took it up to the Pipeline Haul Road, but we explored the Kenai Peninsula, shot down to Valdez, punched out to Denali, Tok and even Whitehorse a few times that year. We also drove it to Haines and took an Alaska Marine Highway ferry down to Ketchikan for a new job. We had just moved FROM Ketchikan six months earlier!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build3.jpg
(Above) Don't hate me for the retro 90's cell phone, the air freshner, or the fact I actually used the tape deck!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build5.jpg
(Above) The Jeep shod with 31's and capped with a Thule cargo box [55° 24.776'N 131° 41.767'W]
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build6.jpg
(Above) The first of MANY camping trips with the Jeep... and the family too [61° 33.420'N 149° 49.332'W]

Now remember I don't even think NAXJA was around so there wasn't a lot of Cherokee resources out there. Had Al Gore even invented the internet yet in '97? We eventually bought a WebTV to surf the internet, but where did anyone on the internet go in the mid-late 90's? That's right... chat rooms and web sites of ill repute. So I had to wait at the grocery store every month for the new issue of 4 Wheel Drive & Sport Utility to come out. It took two years for the '97 XJ to even make it into the magazine. Tomken were the only folks building XJ lifts (6"+).

The week we rolled over 30,000 miles on the XJ, we ordered Tomken's 6" lift, rear bumper, and tire swing out. I was such a newb wrencher that I took 30-hrs to install a lift that the instructions stated could be done in 8-hrs. Literally, I didn't leave the garage for 30-hrs. My wife actually called Tomken and asked if their instructions had a typo in order to get me out of the garage. I guess the basic hand tools in the instructions didn't mean an "as seen on TV" Metwrench tool set, Highlift, come-a-long and pry bars I attacked the task with. I do not know how I escaped death.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build7.jpg
(Above) Welcome to the Thunderdome...

Along with the lift I ordered a Rubicon Express Hack&Tap SYE and extended drive line. I had to use butter flavored Pam as a metal cutting lube when drilling and tapping the T-case shaft because I had used all of the WD40 for loosening them dang forward leave pack bolts. My wife implored a buddy of mine to come over and help, for which I was (eventually) very grateful. This was my first real exposure to "the right tool for the job" and I saw the light. The first set of tires I threw under the XJ were BFG MT 33x9.5R15's. I picked up a set of SIX from a buddy for $300! They looked like pizza cutter underneath the XJ, but did pretty good clawing their way around logging roads and black rock beaches of SE Alaska.

About this time the XJ-List, Cherokee America, Jeepin.com and other sites were up and running and the XJ information super highway opened up. And thank goodness too! That Death-Wobble thing... I never experienced it due to a little homework.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build8.jpg
(Above) JKS BPEs, extended brake line, Tomken coils & bent LCA
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build9.jpg
(Above) New speedo gear for the $265 speeding ticket; RE SYE & driveline
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build10.jpg
(Above) Homemade swaybar quick-disco's (Remember those?!)
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build11.jpg
(Above) Tomken's front swaybay drop-down bracket & tow-hook mount
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build4.jpg
(Above) "Custom" HD CB antenna mount on Tomken rear tire swing-out

[xr8dxj]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build13.jpg
(Above) Tomken 6" lift, BFG MT 33x9.5R15s, YJ wheels, & no fender trimming [58° 31.824'N 134° 47.020'W]
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build14.jpg
(Above) Exploring the Yukon... somewhere near Whitehorse
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build15.jpg
(Above) Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska [58° 25.040'N 134° 35.368'W]

After a couple years my job took me to Juneau and eventually back to the South Central Alaska. Wheeling in SE Alaska is limited to beaches and logging roads... that is it. Old growth forests and glacier gouges mountains have a way of restricting movement. But mainland Alaska offers more variety in wheeling and backwoods exploration. But in order to do so your vehicle must adapt to the environment. This translates into more tire (for clearance), more lift (for more articulation), armor, recovery points, and maybe even a snorkel. So quickly and out of necessity the Jeep underwent some more mods.

After hydro-locking my YJ's engine in a commonly traversed river in Hatcher Pass my second wife suggested we get a snorkel. Why didn't I think of that?! We ordered our snorkel from the folks at Northern 4x4 Suppliers (http://www.northern4x4.com/) and received it a few weeks later. Installation was more difficult than I was expecting (what else is new?), but after I rented an industrial drill to punch through the fender in a couple spots the rest was pretty straight forward. You'll need to relocate the wiper fluid reservoir, but that's about it. Mine hasn't moved in 10 years and the wiper still quirt wiper fluid onto the windshield on demand.

I haven't noticed a performance increase with the snorkel although some claim to experience increased felt horsepower. But it does save ya when you're dropping above the hood-line into a glacier fed river! A great investment, although I have yet to honestly need it in the Lower-48.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build19.jpg
(Above) ARB Safari Snorkel bits & pieces
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build18.jpg
(Above) Snorkel fender template... now where is that hole saw?

It must have been about mid-2000 or so the Thule cargo box decided to give up the ghost while I driving down the highway. I heard this loud noise in the roof, saw a shadow in the passing lane and watched the cargo box come smashing onto the highway in my rear view mirror. While I was picking up the pieces I decided it was high time that I purchase a roof rack.

The big companies making roof racks were CON-FER, Garvin, and Wilderness. KargoMaster had just released their roof rack line that spring So I had one shipped up from Outside (as in "outside" of Alaska). I was impressed with the quality of the rack and especially the looks. The installation was a cinch. my wife and kids helped me assemble it and get it bolted to the Jeep's gutter. This is where I had an issue. As I tightened the roof rack on it "popped" my gutter off the roof in a section as wide as the roof rack's feet. it did this on both front gutters. I JB Welded and they're held all these years, but I was pretty pissed. And after only having the roof rack a couple months I was on top of the Jeep positioning camping stuff when I accidentally stepped in the roof rack . I stepped onto the center of the rear support beam and it quickly buckled under my "immense" 170# weigh. This really bugged me, because immediately after that the roof rack rattled on the roof for years. If I had to recommend the roof rack I would warn against ever setting foot in it... but who wants that sort of caveat associated with their roof rack?
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build20.jpg
(Above) KargoMaster roof rack
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build21.jpg
(Above) KargoMaster roof rack, Safari snorkel, and mild fender trimming; Salamatof Beach near Kenai, Alaska [60° 32.931'N 151° 16.797'W]

[xr8dxj]

XXXpedition... does this look familiar?! FWIW, Cherokee's tend to start floating about the time the water reaches 1/3 of the way up the door... not cool. I chopped the bottom out of rear quarter panels to help water get in the Jeep so it sinks to the bottom a bit better. Yes... this will ruin your carpet and possibly subject you to killer-mold unless it is removed. Glacier water is cold; and both men & women alike scream like girls once it hits your groin area. And it will fry CBs and any other electrical "low hanging fruit."
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build22.jpg
(Above) Putting the snorkel to use in the Knik River
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build23.jpg
(Above) Trying to get the suspension to flex m-o-r-e!

The day the switch got flipped in my head that I was either gonna let the Jeep sit at 6" of lift and smash/bash my way through trails or get serious occurred during a Memorial Day 2001 run to Ruby Lake (http://home.gci.net/~lf4w/trip%20reports/2001/RubyLake2May2001.htm). We thought we had a pretty reliable XJ. Never caused us problems, seemed to always finesse our way through trails etc. Well this day it did and then some. Mostly because it just wasn't "a big Jeep yet." You can read the write-up on the LF4W site. Bottom-line both my wife-at-the-time and I decided it was time for more lift, more tire, more armor, lockers... and a new bumper wouldn't hurt either!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build24.jpg
(Above) Tomken tow hook mounts fail & rip bumper out of the frame rail
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build25.jpg
(Above) Not enough clearance and rock awareness "smilies" tie rod
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build26.jpg
(Above) Tomken gas tank skid... the best thing Tomken makes!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build28.jpg
Lift solution: Skyjacker 8" TJ coils, 3" block in rear (don't laugh, I was poor!), Goodyear MTR 35x12.5R15's, and fender trimming
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build30.jpg
4.56:1 gears w F/R ARBs and TJ fenderflares

[JeepN95YJ]

So far I'm counting 3 wives....:sombrero:

Nice Jeep.

[xr8dxj]

So far I'm counting 3 wives....:sombrero:
Nice Jeep.
And she tells me that I am staying at three wives. At least she's gonna let me get Dana 60's this summer.:wings:

[SWbySWesty]

sweet build!

[Root Moose]

Great posts! I love seeing machines (and people!) progress like this.


Literally, I didn't leave the garage for 30-hrs. My wife actually called Tomken and asked if their instructions had a typo in order to get me out of the garage.

LOL! Too fricken' funny.

[Backwoods Rambler]

Very amusing captions to go with the pics also. COOL :costumed-smiley-007

[OverlandZJ]

Michael, thanks for the laughs. Looking forward to your updates.

:smiley_drive:

[BIGdaddy]

man, thats a BIG cherokee.

very cool.

[xr8dxj]

Thank you for all of the comments. I hope that by sharing some of my experiences someone may be able to learn from my mistakes.

I trust everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I was out of town on business last year and was very happy to be home with my wife (and our damn cats) for this one. One of the presents underneath the tree this year was Microsoft 2010 Streets & Trips, so I spent most of the morning playing with that!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/StreetsTrips.jpg
(Above) Let the learning begin...

[xr8dxj]

In 2004 my work took us to Colorado. By that time I had the 4.0L stroked to 4.7L by an engine shop in North Carolina. The upgrade came on the heels of blowing the engine around 80K. Which is great since pushing 35’s and now 37’s works it a bit. One day… a Hemi.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build31.jpg
(Above) Exploring Colorado’s Front Range; at the time I still ran RE UCA/LCA drop-down brackets [38° 54.829'N 104° 57.032'W]
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build32.jpg
(Above) 36x13.6R16 IROKs on aluminum XD-Series wheels… they sucked. Can’t remember the model, but the “camo bead-lock” was crappy plastic and started breaking off the very first wheeling trip. [38° 44.222'N 104° 59.113'W]

During the same trip to the shop I had them install 4.56:1 gears & ARBs in the 8.25 and Dana 30. I went with 4.56 gears instead of 4.88s in order to keep the rear end’s ring gear a tad thicker. Prior to the gear sway my tranny was always overheating even a quick drive to Denver. So far so good… knock on wood. I don't know if any of you have experienced this before, but when my tranny overheated it would leak afew drops of fluid every mile or so. Those few drops would land on the exhaust cross-over and smoke everyone out behind me. I believe this is what Q used for all of James Bond's vehicles. It is quite ingenious actually...not only do you smoke out your pursuers, you cover their windshield (and your rear window) with a ever-so-thin layer of ATF fluid. This cannot be washed of easily and would require a pit stop at a gas station to clean. The smell of vaporized ATF actually nauseates you as well, making getting even a deli hot-dog an unpleasant prospect. Very clever MI-6 folks, very clever indeed.

I take wicked pleasure in wheeling stock diffs with 37's. I've heard all of the chatter about needing bigger diffs, but I find that being easy on the skinny pedal goes a long way. Stock diffs force me to pick more suitable lines and pay attention to the rig's needs more.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build33.jpg
(Above) On top of Radical Hill above Breckenridge [39° 31.767'N 105° 51.664'W]
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build34.jpg
(Above) Near Webster Pass and headed up Radical Hill [39° 32.156'N 105° 50.611'W]
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build35.jpg
(Above) Your standard short-side Dana 30 trail-side fix; never leave the spares at home, never. I pick up my complete spares at FN Jeep here in Colorado Springs for $60 (short-side), $70 long-side and $40/hub [39° 45.636'N 105° 37.595'W]

If you wheel in Colorado you will quickly become familiar with that deliciously sickening sound of steel on stone. The kind of sound you can feel in your spine and ear hairs. It sucks hearing polyethylene gas tanks on stone, or quarter panel on stone so you adapt some more. True to the Just Empty Every Pocket mantra, wheelers in Colorado eventually armor their rigs to fend off some of the abuse. I think there is more pulverized rock on diffs and skid plates in Colorado than anywhere else in the US. In 2006, I had decided it was high time for rock sliders. I wanted them so I could slide/pivot on boulders and make tighter turns. I also hated getting to something in the front of the roof while not having anywhere to stand. I eventually got pretty darned good at balancing my weight on the front and rear door handles, but I have slipped too many times and nearly broken a rib from doing do. Plus I hated getting mud on my hands when I get back into the Jeep. Bottom line... the sliders look pretty sick too.

I ran Spring Creek with a gent who had T&T Customs Rock Sliders (when they still spelled sliders with a "z"). It was love at first sight. It took me a while to order them and even longer to find the time to get them on. But I am convinced they are the best long arm kit available for the XJ. If only they were around in '97...

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build36.jpg
(Above) T&T Customs Y-Link long arms & Rock Sliders

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build37.jpg
(Above) T&T Customs Rock Sliders

I found a guy on Colorado4x4 who was selling used/custom 10” Alcan spring packs for an XJ. I really wanted to get rid of the lift block in the rear and this seemed like a low-cost option. So for $300 the XJ had a 10” rear lift. Except the used springs had sagged since they rolled out of the shop a couple years earlier. They sat a 9" of lift. That lift was mainly because the springs bottom out on the back of the unibody frame. You can't imagine the horrible sound as your shackle smacks the frame rail with every irregularity in the road. Over time the shackle and frame rail came to an understanding as they "clearanced" themselves. Worst mod e-v-e-r... my next mod, rear springs. I'll order them early February.

Funny story about my switch to Goodyear MTRs. This guy with a TJ say me driving around town and followed me for miles until I stopped. apparently he had really wanted the exact IROK / wheel combo I was running (I have no idea why other than looks) and asked if I would be willing to trade. Both of our tires had 90% tread on them, so I agreed. He had to clear it with his wife first, but the next day we did the swap at my place (the tires, not the wife). I had sorta missed MTRs and wanted to get back to a 15" steel wheel with decent backspacing. I was glad to oblige and happier when he threw in a second spare for free.

The Tomken tire swing-out (don't buy it!) had been rattling and squeaking for the last 59,995 miles of the 60,000 miles it was on the bumper. The tire way too low to wheel with it on. I was always getting hung up go going and and departing obstacles... even wheeling in Texas! So I finally trashed it. And that was cool because now I was able to devote my concentration on the sound of my rear shackles destroying the unibody.

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build38.jpg
(Above) Alcan Spring Pack; back to Goodyear MTRs, but in the 37x12.5R15 flavor
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build39.jpg
(Above) Back to exploring [38° 56.679'N 105° 23.550'W]

A buddy of mine with a Disco-II paid a local Land Rover specialty store a ga’gillion bucks to have a matte black decal added to his Disco’s hood. It looked pretty sweet so I figured I would copycat him, albeit with a rattle can.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build40.jpg
(Above) Is painting the hood considered a mod? I think so… and this would be the post paint job “test drive!” [39° 4.297'N 104° 57.555'W]

[BIGdaddy]

cool.

[xr8dxj]

I had the opportunity to roll with the big dogs one day. I was looking for a group that said they were gonna run a certain local trail, but I never did find them. I was really looking forward to snow-wheeling and was disappointed they cancelled without posting on the forum prior to the scheduled link up time. On the way back from the supposed air-down site, I happened upon a group of wheelers who all worked at the same off-road shop here in town. Their group was comprised of a TJ, YJ and CJ-7 and were all on 40” IROKs, ARBs/Detroits and 5.7Ls. They said I could tag along with them since I had IROKs and F/R ARBs. These guys could wheel and when skill wasn’t enough they had the cubic inches under the hood to blast through snow banks and hard pack.

However, what they did lack was the ability to plan for contingencies. Their rigs had itsy-bitsy fuel cells, no one carried extra fuel, no one had warm clothing, survival equipment, had only a few tools, no GPS… well, not a lot of anything. It wasn’t too long after winching through three food deep snow that they started to get cold. That made them use more skinny pedal and the CJ-7 started melting driveline U-joints. And then they all noticed about the same time that they were very near the end of their fuel reserves. The CJ-7 broke his third u-joint, while he was under the Jeep the others decided that after siphoning fuel from everyone else’s rigs they would take the most built rig back with two people to head back into town and get more gas, grab some food, and warm clothing. I decided to stay behind since my “little Jeep” wasn’t going to make it out without the assistance of the “big Jeeps.” Besides, I had food, clothing, a tent, and had started a fire already. Fourteen hours later they came back, but with a different Jeep. The uber-built YJ had broken its front Dana 60 chrome-moly long-side axle as soon as they shifted it into 4WD as they headed back up the trail. They drove back into town, grabbed the shops windowless competition buggy and came back.

During that fourteen hours I stayed warm by cutting wood in order to keep the fire going. I had to keep the guy and gal that stayed behind entertained so they wouldn’t slip back into the near catatonic state of “I can’t believe this is happening to me.” I made them hot apple cider, checked their feet for cold weather injuries, made them dry out their clothes, and told them old Army stories to keep them engaged. Exhausting work… but at 10,000 feet elevation, in winter alpine conditions you didn’t have much of a choice.

What I learned from that trip: Plan! Plan for food, water, shelter, commo, self-recovery, field fixes, GAS, etc. I could have easily survived for a couple weeks. Heck I brought snowshoes and trekking poles in case I had to walk out. But I tend to use the “P for Plenty” approach because Murphy’s Law does knows no boundaries.

Had I not been there, I know the two folks stuck with me would have perished after fourteen hours. The sad thing is we were only five miles (as the crow flies) from Colorado Springs, on the backside of Mount Baldy. We might as well have been in the backside of the moon.

Every time I head into the backcountry now I bring an Iridium phone from the office just in case. I plan on purchasing a 2m radio as soon as I learn what it can do for me… I’m and super-newb at fancy commo stuff.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build41.jpg
(Above) Back to IROKs; this time 37x12.5R15… everyone else had 40’s this day [38° 45.887'N 105° 0.210'W]

In SEP09 I went wheeling with a 4-Wheel Parts sponsored ride. This is where my vehicle’s height and rear suspension nearly flipped the Jeep on its lid. I took a less than ideal line into an obstacle and followed that line until I informed the spotters that I wanted to be strapped from the rear just in case the suspension did something I was not expecting. I know I want to run 40’s eventually, but I also want to lower the overall height of the vehicle by at least four inches. I feel with the right suspension and radical rear fender trimming I can pull this off. Of course I won’t run 40’s until I’m running front and rear Dana 60’s… this is somewhere within my two year plan. LOL.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build43.jpg
(Above) Off camber & too close for comfort… where height is NOT wanted [39° 7.049'N 105° 26.998'W]

I built this hard deck into the back of the Jeep to tame my tools and equipment in the event of a roll-over. Plus it keeps most everything out of sight and out of mind. I will do a more in depth on the hard deck and compressor shortly. I’m planning on rerunning air plumbing and electrical wiring for the compressor.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build44.jpg
(Above) Hanson bumper, “custom” milk crate tool & equipment organizer, rear hard deck & Puma air compressor
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build45.jpg
(Above) Hanson Pre-Runner winch bumper sweetness
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build46.jpg
(Above) Hanson Pre-Runner winch bumper with Smittybilt XRC10 winch, TJ fender flares, Safari snorkel, T&T rock sliders & Gobi Ranger roof rack (during the post roof rack install test drive!)
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build47.jpg
(Above) Passenger side oblique
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build48.jpg
(Above) Driver side profile

[xr8dxj]

I had a really good feeling when I received these shipping cartons with the my front and rear Hanson bumpers. The care they put into the packaging alone sold me on Hanson before I even cut into the carton. And then to find that they shrink wrap each bumper and then lock them in place with expanding foam. Wow. And then they send a kid in each box to clean up the foam? That is customer service.

Now installing the bumpers was more problematic than I was expecting; as as anything I do to the Jeep. Since installing JKS' Steering Brace System a couple years prior I had forgotten the frame was now a smidge wider. Sooo... since I wield ingenuity like monkeys fling poo I used my trusty Hi-Lift jack to pry open the bumper tabs. And then I set the bumper in place and threw my body weight against it like a human battering ram. So much so that the nosy neighbor lady started yelling at me to quit for fear I would break a hip. I assured her that my hips are most likely sturdier than hers. She just assumes everyone else is breaking hips left and right. I finally got the bumper on far enough (after I bruised my hip) and then used my mother-of-all-screwdrivers to get the bolt holes aligned. Then it was just a matter of counting bolts, washer and nuts and bolting it on.

The rear bumper prover very difficult for me to get on. Because I had to remover the Tomken bumper. I won't go into the expletives I was uttering as I attempted to remove the Tomken bumper. I finally got it off the vehicle. It is amazing what some people will market. Anyway, the largest reason the bumper was difficult to remove was the fact that the dang shackles from my "stretched leave pack" had broken the uni-body nut-serts the bumper was bolted to. I had to pry/punt/cut the four of them out of the uni-body. I put the largest fender washer then normal washer to "build up" the uni-body. I finally got the bumper loosely set. I had to do the Hi-Lift jack & human battering ram trick again to get it on though. My XJ must be different than others because it was trickier than the front bumper. I was impressed with the ease with which the Hanson strip-sert lined up with the bolt holes for the frame tie-in to the bumper. This is a very sturdy design. I'll be sure to update this particular post with more detailed pics of the mounted bumpers.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/IMG_0650.jpghttp://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/IMG_0651.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/IMG_0652.jpghttp://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/IMG_0653.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/IMG_0655.jpg

Here is the thread in which I started bragging about the roofrack: http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35772
And below is the Craigslist add I responded to with a $400 offer that was accepted!

http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/1504659499.html

Gobi Rack for XJ - $450 (Westminster)
Date: 2009-12-10, 7:03PM MST

Currently I have a new gobi rack that was on my XJ for only a month until I sold it. The rack retails for well over $1000.00 but just need to get rid of it since I have no use for it. Please only serious inquiries.

Thanks Again,
Sonny

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/Gobi1.jpghttp://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/Gobi2.jpg

[Amauri]

Was it worth stroking her to 4.7?

I've been thinking of doing this but it's not cheap.

[xr8dxj]

I'm not too sure. I don't really "feel" the added hp, but then again it has been so long since I got it done so I really don't remember. It cost $4000 to do it because the engine guy didn't really want to shop up the parts to stroke it. He just wanted a wham-bam-thank-you-man turn around standard rebuild. Some of the guys in his shop really go into it. I came across the build invoice the other month when I was rearranging the garage. I'll try to find and scan it so everyone can see the actual parts that when into it.

It was sort of a weird experience though. The shop called me one day and told me that I needed a new radiator so they ordered a standard radiator replacement. I would have ordered a GDI 3-core radiator and had them install that instead. That's just one example of my PITA experiences with a backwater town engine shop. But the Jeep's engine was toasted so I was pretty much at their mercy.

[Amauri]

Hmmm.... I think I'll just wait and maybe put a diesel in her.

Thanks for the feedback. :ylsmoke:

[iMPAKS]

Nice jeep..

here is some fun info for you

I used to own usajeeps.com and had pics of your jeep with a build page up many many years ago :).. I had you as a featured Jeep one month..

blast from the past -- huh

- remember the Xj-list..
if I am correct this was your old website many years ago:
http://www.geocities.com/jeepnuts_97xj/

[xr8dxj]

Nice jeep..

here is some fun info for you

I used to own usajeeps.com and had pics of your jeep with a build page up many many years ago :).. I had you as a featured Jeep one month..

blast from the past -- huh

- remember the Xj-list..
if I am correct this was your old website many years ago:
http://www.geocities.com/jeepnuts_97xj/
I absolutely DO remember your web-site. I remember specifically you e-mailed me and asked about "that blue spot" on the Jeep. I tried surfing in there a while back to see that the site had been discontinued. in 2001-ish I dropped the "jeepnuts_97xj" thing once I grabbed up my own domain. That was sooo first wife era. Glad to see you're still around!

[OverlandZJ]

Ha.. the xj-list and xj-forum. Those were the old days... when 32's were huge.

I still have an xj-list sticker in my unused collection.

[iMPAKS]

hahaha yup that Blue spot/sticker is what caught my eye again this time :)

as for xj-list look at rear corner of my XJ..
http://www.impaks.com/images/ken/100_4187.jpg

[xr8dxj]

hahaha yup that Blue spot/sticker is what caught my eye again this time :)

as for xj-list look at rear corner of my XJ..

Oh snap... Represent! Sweet chop job! :victory:

[Waytec]

How are you finding the Tomken gas tank skid. I have one and am a little concerned with it only mounting to the fuel tank hangers. have you had any issues with it pulling at the mounts to the body. I just don't want my fuel tank to fall off because the mounts fail.

[xr8dxj]

No problems whatsoever. I've had the entire wight of the XJ come down on it ALOT. It is fastened to the back of the XJ with 4 bolts and is fastened on the front by two nuts. Is yours fastened differently? This happens to be the only thing from Tomken I would purchase again. I forgot to mention earlier that I had once purchased their t-case skid plate... it lasted nearly one whole wheeling trip.

[Root Moose]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/build36.jpg
(Above) T&T Customs Y-Link long arms & Rock Sliders


What's going on with the LCA bracket on the frame in this picture? Just never got around to removing the rest of it at that picture taking time or???

When I first looked at this image I thought there was some kind of a welded upper link attached to the lower link (wtf?)... took a while to figure out what that blob of steel was. LOL

Inquiring minds...

[xr8dxj]

I never got around to removing it... pure laziness, I know. I do want to remover, I really do. But it never limits the articulation. I think if I did even magage to smack it I would be experiencing bigger problems.

[Root Moose]

Oh man, that would bug the piss out of me. :D

Hey, just cut off the vertical dangly bit with the hand grinder. Leave the rest that is in plane with the frame horn. Think of it as a "stiffener". LOL

Actually, when I put the TNT on the MJ I'll probably do something along those lines. For the XJ I completely removed all that flush, folded metal. In retrospect it wasn't necessary.

[BIGdaddy]

Oh man, that would bug the piss out of me. :D

Hey, just cut off the vertical dangly bit with the hand grinder. Leave the rest that is in plane with the frame horn. Think of it as a "stiffener". LOL

Actually, when I put the TNT on the MJ I'll probably do something along those lines. For the XJ I completely removed all that flush, folded metal. In retrospect it wasn't necessary.

nit-picker.

hehe...:elkgrin:

[Root Moose]

That's good! The guys in the 4x4 club were telling me I was slipping last week.

:D

[colter]

hey, I've enjoyed the heck out of this thread. oh, I remember xj-forum too. back when I had my 88 and some crummy tomken parts too.

[xr8dxj]

http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/rainbow.jpg
(Above) Look what ya can at the end of the rainbow.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/PC270013.jpg
(Above) This is what the driver passenger area looks like these days. Pay no attention to the windshield cracks. They been there for over 10 year.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/PC270014.jpg
(Above) This is the slimmer Radio Shack CB and external speaker.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/PC270021.jpg
(Above) This is where I had the ARB switches installed.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/puma.jpg
(Above) Here is a close up pic of the Puma air compressor. The ARB under the hood still runs the ARBs. This is just for working air.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/PC.jpg
Microsoft Streets & Trips 2010

I'll do an actual write-up on my Puma install and Microsoft Streets & Trips 2010 experiences later. But before I do, I was pleased to discover today that the GPS receiver/dongle for Streets & Trips will work with GoogleEarth's GPS function. However, it won't work with both Streets & Trips & GoogleEarth simultaneously.

[Root Moose]

I was pleased to discover today that the GPS receiver/dongle for Streets & Trips will work with GoogleEarth's GPS function. However, it won't work with both Streets & Trips & GoogleEarth simultaneously.

There is a way to make this work...

I'm not a Windows guy so bear with me...

Something about a product called Xport (or similar?) and it "muxes" the GPS to two output streams via virtual com ports.

[xr8dxj]

I just downloaded the Xport thingy. It looks cool, but when I go to launch it, it gives me an "Error: You do not have the proper rights" message. I'm gonna Google another similar thingy. In the mean time, this is a screen capture from running Streets & Trips & GoogleEarth simultaneously; Street & Trips from the MS GPS dongle & GoogleEarth from my Garmin Vista eTrex HCx.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/printscreen.jpg

Some of the other mods in store for XJ with 45-days are as follows:
Big Off Road 6" Heavy Duty (HD) Leaf Packs
Treks Offroad 1.5" Lift U-Bolt Eliminators

Filmtools Gripper 115 In-Car Windshield Camera Mount (installed 05Jan)
RAM Mount Jeep Cherokee Dual Arm Laptop Vehicle Mount (ordered)

Kenwood TM-V71A Dual Band Radio (but I'm open to suggestions; I'm a complete newb, do not yet have a Technician license, etc)

[xr8dxj]

Here's a Microsoft Streets & Trips 2010 update:

Since Christmas I haven’t had much time to get acquainted with Microsoft Streets & Trips 2010. Since today was the first day of 2010, I figured it was as good a day as any to start. My wife and I decided to take an afternoon drive so I grabbed the laptop and headed to the Jeep.

I had already discovered that the provided GPS receiver dongle wouldn’t run both S&T and GoogleEarth simultaneously without the assistance of a virtual port. I downloaded XPort, but couldn’t figure out how to get it run. So I decided I would run S&T from the GPS receiver dongle and GoogleEarth from my Garmin eTrex Vista HCx. I split the screen so I could monitor each program, whilst driving. LOL. Both GPS’ tracked pretty well, even in the mountains. I knew the eTrex was a solid performer, so this was mostly as test for the S&T GPS dongle. In the mountains the S&T GPS dongle’s signal would wane just a tad, allowing the track to slip off of the road a few meters. At the one coffee pit-stop we took in the mountains [39° 15.259'N 105° 13.610'W], the GPS signal would wander as much as 175m; but at the Start, Waffle House stop, and End the GPS signal would only wander 30m. I measured the “GPS wander,” by using GoogleEarth’s ruler tool.

When we got home, I saved the S&T track as a map (*.est) file and exported it as a *.gpx to view the track in GoogleEarth. I have yet to discover if S&T allows you to measure/calculate a track, max/min speeds & times, etc. I then tried to import the file into MapSource. For some reason MapSource wouldn’t open the file. So I imported the track from the eTrex to calculate the 174-mi distance of our day trip. When I tried to save the track as a *.gpx in MapSource it shut the program down. I think my MapSource is jacked-up.

If you would like to view the *.est, *.kmz & *.gpx files from today’s trip, here are the links (but I can't get them to download correctly):
http://www.xr8dxj.com/20100101_Day_Trip.est
http://www.xr8dxj.com/20100101_Day_Trip.kmz
http://www.xr8dxj.com/20100101_Day_Trip.gpx

What I need to do is:
Find a suitable virtual port that will allow me to run Streets & Trips and GoogleEarth simultaneously from the S&T GPS receiver dongle
Figure out what the heck is going on with my MapSource
Figure out if it is possible to calculate track distance, average speed, etc (just like MapSource does!)

[xr8dxj]

Below is the Craigslist add for a winch I had been trying to off-load for a a couple months. I dropped the price from $900 to $700. Yesterday a guy asked if I would be willing to trade straight across for a used Warn 8274... I bit. And here's the new winch!
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/XR8DXJ8274.jpg



Warn Series-9 12V DC Electric Winch (PN: 30283) - $700
Date: 2010-01-01, 12:56AM MST
Reply to: sale-3ndps-1532558010@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]

Warn Series-9 12V DC Electric Winch (PN: 30283) | $700 OBO

Start 2010 off right! This winch has never been mounted or used. I am selling it because it is too big to fit on my winch bumper. What you get: the winch, the winch remote control and at no cost to you I will throw in the pictured painting. That's right, you'll be the proud owner of the winch AND this incredible painting. You must act fast because my wife doesn't exactly know it is part of the deal. This painting would look great about your fireplace where you will see it day after day after day when you come home from work or perhaps after a day of vehicle recovery with your new Warn Series-9 12V DC Electric Winch.

Here are some of the particulars of the winch from the Warn website [http://www.warn.com/industrial/winches/series_9dc.shtml]

The Series 9 DC features a weatherproof industrial contactor and heavy duty remote control. The disc brake is designed for extended power-out use and the motor is protected by a thermal overload switch. Its higher gear ratio of 199:1 provides fast line speed. Designed to meet SAE J706 and CE standards.

FASTEST LINE SPEED OF ALL WARN DC WINCHES
o Pulling capacity up to 9,000 lbs.
o Higher gear ratio for fastest line speed
o Weatherproof industrial contactor control pack
o Rugged 32' (10m) industrial remote control
o SAE J706-compliant disc brake designed for extended power-out use
o Thermal overload switch protects motor from overheating

9 DC SPECS/PART NUMBERS
Maximum Rated Load: 9000 lbs (4091kg)
Maximum Wire Rope Recommended: 1/2" 26600 lbs (12091 kg) minimum breaking strength
Drum Barrel Diameter: 4.0" (102mm)
Drum Flange Diameter: 8.24" (209mm)
Distance Between Flanges: 9.95" (253mm)
Contactor: Industrial contactor with 32' (10 M) heavy duty remote control
Gear Ratio: 199:1
Motor: 12 volt DC Series Wound 2.5 hp (1.87 KW), 24 volt DC Series Wound 2.5 hp (1.87 KW)
Approximate Shipping Weight: 95 lbs (43 kg)
Standard Compliance: SAE J706, NFPA 1901-73 and CE Machinery Directive 98/37/EEC

Warn sells this winch on their website for $1,966.88. I have found it for as low as $1,243.99. I Google'd the winch and took the five lowest prices to determine the average price: $1,454.41

Check my math!
Website-------------Price
quadratec.com------$1,243.99
race-mart.com------$1,384.68
towpartsnow.com---$1,495.95
truckchamp.com----$1,573.50
xtremeterrain.com---$1,573.95
AVERAGE---------$7,272.07 / 5 = $1,454.41

More math... Check out your savings!
Manufacturer--$1,966.88 - $700.00 = $1,266.88 savings
Average-------$1,454.41 - $700.00 = $754.41 savings
Lowest--------$1,243.99 - $700.00 = $543.99 savings

Please do not sully the deal by asking for further discounts, payment plans or trades.

Click to links to view larger pics:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/9seriesfront.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/9seriesclose.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/9seriestop.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/WarnSeries9Winch.jpg


The winch is operational, but I'm going to take the opportunity to rebuild it in my spare time.

[BIGdaddy]

Below is the Craigslist add for a winch I had been trying to off-load for a a couple months. I dropped the price from $900 to $700. Yesterday a guy asked if I would be willing to trade straight across for a used Warn 8274... I bit. And here's the new winch!

The winch is operational, but I'm going to take the opportunity to rebuild it in my spare time.

interesting. will that fit somehow on your hanson bumper? I thought those were forward mounting? (looks like it)

[Root Moose]

I just downloaded the Xport thingy. It looks cool, but when I go to launch it, it gives me an "Error: You do not have the proper rights" message. I'm gonna Google another similar thingy.


Maybe try this one:

http://franson.com/gpsgate/

Seems to be popular at mp3car.com forums.

[xr8dxj]

Maybe try this one: http://franson.com/gpsgate/
Seems to be popular at mp3car.com forums.

That may very well fit the bill, thanks for finding that and saving me another google search!

interesting. will that fit somehow on your hanson bumper? I thought those were forward mounting? (looks like it)
Well, I already have the Smittybilt XCR10 winch on my XJ. But as fate would have it, Hanson makes their "Hanson Offroad Fairlead Mount" specifically designed for the 8274:
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/8274Fairlead.jpg

Today when I got home my last Christmas present was waiting for me on the doorstep. I received a Filmtools Gripper 115 In-Car Windshield Camera Mount (http://www.filmtools.com/filmtools-in-car-windshield-camera-mount.html). I've always wanted one... well at least as long as I've been watching "Storm Chasers." :D I ran right back out to the garage to stick it on! And here are a couple pics modeling my wife's digital camera.
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/P1060002.jpghttp://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/P1060005.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/P1060003.jpghttp://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/P1060004.jpg

[BIGdaddy]

ahhh..i see.

very cool!

those are great winches if you can mount them solidly.(which looks to be a non-issue for you)


Do you think I could use that on my logans metal bumper? just a standard 4" x 10" mounting
pattern?

here's my bumper...

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb64/kodiak1232003/DSC07757.jpg
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb64/kodiak1232003/DSC07766.jpg

[comrad_zeelaagee]

very cool thread. thanks for sharing :safari-rig:

[xr8dxj]

Do you think I could use that on my logans metal bumper? just a standard 4" x 10" mounting pattern?


Logans actually makes their own version of a 8274 winch plate. Theirs is a less expensive and looks beefier. I came across their winch plate when I was Google'n 8274 winch plates. Check 'em out!

Here's a question for you. Do you have close up pics of your awning and how it mounts to your roof rack? I've always been interested the "how" of the mounting system.

[BIGdaddy]

Logans actually makes their own version of a 8274 winch plate. Theirs is a less expensive and looks beefier. I came across their winch plate when I was Google'n 8274 winch plates. Check 'em out!

Here's a question for you. Do you have close up pics of your awning and how it mounts to your roof rack? I've always been interested the "how" of the mounting system.


Scroll down to the bottom of the page for pics of how I mounted mine.
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27850&page=5

You basically have a channel the full length of the awning and are supplied 6 bolts (not sure of the size). I'm planning on adding a Megamule this year, and wanted to use my thule bars in the meantime. My requirements were: sturdy, light, cheap and free...haha. I've had it up there for about 5 months now. Very strong, no movement when deploying. You seem pretty resourceful, so I'd be interested pics of how you mount yours, if you got one. I've seen quite a few very slick solutions...

[xr8dxj]

Today I started the servicing/refurbishment of the Warn 8274 I picked up a week ago. I should have it all back together tomorrow and add more pics. But in the mean time here are is a link to the pics I took this afternoon: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xr8dxj/sets/72157623185867120/show/

[BIGdaddy]

nothin' says america like a condition 1 1911. God bless you. :)


Talked to jamie about the mount for my bumper. It comes in at a bit less than $100 shipped to San Diego. Not bad at all.

I had a chicago electric winch on my wranger and of the two times I used it in a year, it worked perfectly (and at $240.00, the "price is right").

I have to say, though, that IF I was able to procure a 8274 for cheap or free, even if I had to rebuild it, like you are doing, I might very well jump @ the chance.

[Backwoods Rambler]

I had a chicago electric winch on my wranger and of the two times I used it in a year, it worked perfectly (and at $240.00, the "price is right").


I have a CE and the 3 times i used it last year, it worked great! Even after i ran over the controller :Wow1:

I also have a close friend who has one; he also has never had a problem with his.

[BIGdaddy]

I have a CE and the 3 times i used it last year, it worked great! Even after i ran over the controller :Wow1:

I also have a close friend who has one; he also has never had a problem with his.

yup, anyone who's ever actually owned one that I've talked to, has had nothing but good things to say about them.

Sure, it would probably become a consumable (at least the motor) in a competative environment(camel trophy, outback challenge, etc), but with as reliable as mine was, before I had to sell it, I wouldn't hesitate to take it on an expedition.

:ylsmoke:

[xr8dxj]

The winch refurb'... it's done, or as done as I'm gonna get with it. Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xr8dxj/sets/72157623185867120/show/

And here are few pics...
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/8274-18.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/8274-19.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/8274-20.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/8274-21.jpg

[BIGdaddy]

nice! I wonder if you can get new stickers/labels off ebay or something.

that would complete the look!

[xr8dxj]

I'm headed back to Mali this weekend so the build is back on hold for a couple weeks! Here is the thread regarding my previous trip to Mali:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34669

And here is the pic gallery from my previous trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xr8dxj/sets/72157623081273242/show/
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/PB120002.jpg

[xr8dxj]

Well I'm back from Bamako, but still in Germany. Here is the link for pics from the trip: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xr8dxj/sets/72157623287850224/show/
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/tlc.jpg
Well I'm back from Bamako after a cooling off for a few days in Germany. I had a blast and can't wait to go back. I want to get my money's worth out of my 5-yr, multi-entry visa!

I exchanged $100 as soon as I got off the plane (for beer money) at a 450CFA:1USD exchange rate. The next morning I exchanged $1500 at a 455:1 rate. The next day the rate jumped to 464:1 so I grabbed another $100 worth. I'm glad I grabbed all that cash because the Maxi Car's credit/debit machine was on the fritz again so they were only accepting cash again. I managed to get the same vehicle and driver from Maxi Car at a rate of 65,000CFA / day and interpreter for 20,000CFA / day. Fuel was going for 560CFA / liter and 555CFA / liter for gas and diesel, respectively.

I ate more street vendor food than my previous trip paying 2000CFA for a beef shawarma and 1000CFA for a 1.5L of water of bottle of beer. It was significantly more expensive for dinner which ranged from 12,000CFA to 20,000CFA depending on how much I drank that night.

We had a minor vehicle collision while coming back from a pub late one night. After the guy that hit us discovered that I wasn't about the pay him and that I actually wanted money from him the cops told him to scram after "taking their report." Of course that took about three hours to resolve.

This visit I was determined to see more of the sights more so than my last visit; such as the zoo, different pubs, restaurants, etc. We were able to check out the new Chinese restaurant and got to experience first hand the difficulty of ordering Chinese food in French. If you're ever in Bamako I HIGHLY suggest you check out the the Le Savane restaurant... it's my new fave.

Additionally, I had the opportunity to meet both jdayment & fifthpro. It's always fun to enjoy a beer(s) with new friends on another continent. Sad to say, but I think I'm actually used to Castel and Flag beer now... I look forward to sharing more in the future perhaps.

Here are a few pics from the trip and the link to more pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xr8dxj/sets/72157623287850224/show/
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4305862445_8c52edc050.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4305865503_3a777346cf.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4305867227_9d2dcafa32.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4305869117_0b9780d87b.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4306606988_3bf0fd969e.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4306607884_2c587acda4.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4306608940_50bc276f51.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4306609144_0c6e88eb6e.jpg
http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l114/longtab/4306612346_947913770c.jpg

[StanBo]

Great build and thread. How did the laptop mount work out?

[xr8dxj]

Great build and thread. How did the laptop mount work out?
Ya know... I got back from Africa and it wasn't waiting for me. I'm calling the comoany for a friendly WTF.

[ezbuzzsaw]

Ya know... I got back from Africa and it wasn't waiting for me. I'm calling the comoany for a friendly WTF.

Hey,
Did you die from the African food? I have some questions about your XJ, did you do a write up on the install of the TJ flares on your XJ? I want to see some details if you have them, I have an extra set of TJ flares and want to try this for my XJ.

Thanks,

Austin from Cypress TX