2001 Jeep Cherokee - Budget/Quality Weekend Overlander

[virginia_jeeper]

Tummy tuck on the bumper. Think it looks better. Also changed out my sway bar bushings, broke one bolt had to tap out weld nut and drop a new bolt in. That's what I get for saying, "man, this is the easiest thing I've ever done."

 

[Shoeman]

Very nice. I have a similar rig. 2000 with 85K on it, but up here they rot out before they wear out. At 200k+, it's probably already been done, but check your cylinder head to make sure it's not a disaster waiting to happen. If you already know about the 0331 heads on the 2000 and 2001's disregard. Other than that, they are fantastic rigs.

 

[virginia_jeeper]

Hey all.

No real updates. More brewery stickers, bought a GoPro Hero and a Smith & Wesson M&P Shield in 9mm. Just been driving it. I still have the coil springs and leaf springs to go in the rear but no time do it. Seems to want to run a little warm may have to do a cooling system over haul at some point.

 

[virginia_jeeper]

Hey all.
Ordered FBG's .75" shackles to pair up with my OME 2.5" Medium Load Leaf Springs, Blue Ridge Overland Gears Trip Planner Bag, and a couple morale patches.

As I write this I am supposed to be sitting on a chair on the beach under my ARB with a cold beverage but instead got pulled in for a 12 of straight OT. I just want to get out there....

Planning a trip to Flagpole Knob in the middle of September. The mountains are calling and I must go.

 

[virginia_jeeper]

-Fat Bob's Garage .75" lift shakes
-Ram X Mount for Samsung Galaxy S5 w/ Backcountry Pro APP
-Gopro Hero
-Delorme Virginia Gazetteer (not shown)
-Blue Ridge Overland Gear Trip Planner Bag

 

[virginia_jeeper]

Scored a Coleman Table for 28 bucks today on amazon. Ordered U-Bolts for the leaf springs. Hoping to get all those suspension parts thrown in between now and my trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains next week. Let me tell you about the Blue Ridge Mountain Overland Gear Trip Planner Bag; MADE IN AMERICA! Bombproof materials and useful as all get out!

 

[virginia_jeeper]

Ordered gutter mounted cross rails that were mentioned in one of my Awning threads.. This will get rid of the movement and flutter associated with a roof rack and awning mounted on my stock rails. This will also free up my fourtreks mounting hardware for the awning to use else where on the rack; rotopax, tool storage, highlift mount? Any suggestions?

 

[virginia_jeeper]

Well got started on the front coil springs tonight. Only had a little bit of light. Broke 1 shock bolt and the retaining bolt for the coil spring. Im afraid im going to break to sway bar connecting rod bolt as well. May have to buy new ones of those. This might take longer than I thought.... Enjoy,

 

[Mitch502]

Always takes longer than you think! But always worth it in the end to know you did it yourself, and you know it's done right and learn your Jeep along the way.

 

[virginia_jeeper]

got the passenger side spring on... had to cut off the sway bar link. I still need to drill out the spring retainer clip bolt and replace bolt. then on to the driver side.

 

[Mitch502]

Sounds like you're running into a lot of issues. Sounds like when I did my transfer case swap, lol.

 

[besthaticouldo]

Coming along nicely man!

 

[virginia_jeeper]

Thank you sir, it'll be a nice departure for a full fresh set of coils at 3" and the bilsteins feel like they have some life left. New sway bar links should help with the ride a tad. Not to worried about doing quicker disconnects just because I don't feel ill be trying to tackle any terrain that would require that. Anyone have any idea the sizes of the rear leaf springs bolts. Fat Bobs sent me a ".75"" extended shackle for the jeep and a GMC shackle came in... Don't know if they just use that product to do the same thing. But with the new OME leafs it is a tight fit, had to bash at least one so far to get it on there and the eye still hits the inside of the shackle... might have to grind some material off the inside of the shackle.

 

[Mitch502]

Do you have a picture of the shackle? I would think OME leafs would be direct fit, so the shackle must be wrong?

 

[virginia_jeeper]

By tight fit I meant shackle to leaf... I'll see if I can get a picture tonight. I got one shackle on the leaf spring and I think im going to have to take it off to grind away some of the material... I cant send them back to FBG now anyways.