Project Hot Rod Apocalypse
#106
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Louisville KY
Posts: 736
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Year: 01
Model: Cherokee
Made a list of things I need to get done before May. I'm not sure where my med-student GF is matching, but I plan on towing the Civic with the Jeep.
Fix Headlights
Fix turn signals
Wire trailer lights
Fix rear wiper
Replace front brake pads, rotors if needed
Replace wheel hubs, inspect ball joints
Swap rear drums for disk brakes, fix hand brake problem
Install upper and lower RE Super Flex Control Arms
Purchase and install 4” PAC 250 lb springs
Purchase and install 4 Bilstein 5100 shocks
Purchase gutter mounts for homemade roof rack
Purchase high-grade floor and cargo mats
Purchase and install 2.5" high-flow cat and 2.5" Vibrant muffler
Right now, the rear brakes are shot AGAIN and I don't have a parking brake. Kind of sucks with you have a stick shift. Talking with Big Dave now on getting ZJ baking plates.
Fix Headlights
Fix turn signals
Wire trailer lights
Fix rear wiper
Replace front brake pads, rotors if needed
Replace wheel hubs, inspect ball joints
Swap rear drums for disk brakes, fix hand brake problem
Install upper and lower RE Super Flex Control Arms
Purchase and install 4” PAC 250 lb springs
Purchase and install 4 Bilstein 5100 shocks
Purchase gutter mounts for homemade roof rack
Purchase high-grade floor and cargo mats
Purchase and install 2.5" high-flow cat and 2.5" Vibrant muffler
Right now, the rear brakes are shot AGAIN and I don't have a parking brake. Kind of sucks with you have a stick shift. Talking with Big Dave now on getting ZJ baking plates.
My wife is in her last semester in med school as well. Match process is very stressful. We already found out where we're heading though. She's in the Air Force so she marched in December. St. Louis here we come.
I too made a pre move checklist recently. Only "wrench" in my plan is the fact I'm having a kid in 3 weeks lol. Here's to being a new dad in a new city owning my first home. At least I have a badass garage!
Good luck. Hope you guys match high on the list.
#107
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
But, I sometimes like to leave the rig idling when on the trails and the extra holding power is nice when winching. These things are so light that even with a 12k lb winch, I struggle to not get pulled into whatever I'm winching out - usually a fat Toyota.
Very cool! Agreed on the stress. I don't know how she deals with it but I'd go insane. Her match day is the 18th - top picks are Rochester Uni and Wake Forest. Either way is fine with me. There's an ORV park 45 minutes from Rochester and Wake Forest is, well, North Carolina.
Congrats on the kid and house man! Hopefully you'll get some quality wrenching time in.
My wife is in her last semester in med school as well. Match process is very stressful. We already found out where we're heading though. She's in the Air Force so she marched in December. St. Louis here we come.
I too made a pre move checklist recently. Only "wrench" in my plan is the fact I'm having a kid in 3 weeks lol. Here's to being a new dad in a new city owning my first home. At least I have a badass garage!
Good luck. Hope you guys match high on the list.
I too made a pre move checklist recently. Only "wrench" in my plan is the fact I'm having a kid in 3 weeks lol. Here's to being a new dad in a new city owning my first home. At least I have a badass garage!
Good luck. Hope you guys match high on the list.
Congrats on the kid and house man! Hopefully you'll get some quality wrenching time in.
#108
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 68
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Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Sorry, it took me awhile to find all my receipts. $24 for both rotors, $18 for both backing plates, and $28 for both calipers. I bought new brakes lines and new e-brake shoes. Fortunately the pads were brand new and the rotors are in great shape from the JY. I got all of the backing plate studs and wheels studs too. Im going to use the method of cutting off part of the e-brake springs and then wrapping the cables with a u-bolt to get those working.
#109
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
Update. Ditched the rear disc idea after I realized the locker was in the way of the c-clips. I didn't want to deal with it, nor did I have the time, so I just rebuilt the drums in the same afternoon. Turns out the first time I rebuilt them, I didn't align the self adjuster correctly, and it broke off on one drum and simply didn't work on the other.
Got new front pads too. Truck stops again and I have a working parking brake.
My dad and I also spent a day at his property in Citico and put the truck to work. We cut the beginnings of a trail, running the Jeep back and fourth to mow down trees. We pulled three downed trees, one of which had to be a couple thousand pounds. Low range rocks. My dad drove it and mentioned "I get why you like this."
Currently, I'm trying to convince him he needs another XJ.
Bought the beginnings of a new exhaust. There's nothing wrong with mine, it's just very quiet under load. I have a 2.5" Vibrant muffler on the way. Not sure what cat I want to run yet...
Got new front pads too. Truck stops again and I have a working parking brake.
My dad and I also spent a day at his property in Citico and put the truck to work. We cut the beginnings of a trail, running the Jeep back and fourth to mow down trees. We pulled three downed trees, one of which had to be a couple thousand pounds. Low range rocks. My dad drove it and mentioned "I get why you like this."
Currently, I'm trying to convince him he needs another XJ.
Bought the beginnings of a new exhaust. There's nothing wrong with mine, it's just very quiet under load. I have a 2.5" Vibrant muffler on the way. Not sure what cat I want to run yet...
#110
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
Went wheeling over the weekend. Somewhat tame ride but fun nonetheless. Our group is VERY welcoming but... that usually means we attract trucks that are not prepared. A 4 hour ride turned into a 7 hour ride.
Build wise, the truck now has a 2.5" cat back with a Vibrant universal muffler. Power delivery has improved, it's a little bit louder, and idle is WAY different. I'll get a video up soon.
My issue is my diff (er, I think). Rotational noise has gotten out of hand and my 8.25 howls at speed. This combined with the MTZS which are now very loud makes me want to move on to Phase II.
My buddy is willing to sell his dana 30, 27 splin 8.25 combo with aftermarket
4.11s and spartan lockers front and rear. I drove his truck and not only are the gears nice and punchy, but they are so quiet. All I heard was KM2S and his super 10.
So, my plan is:
His axles (I know I know, 27 spline downgrade) my brakes (his are AWFUL), the RE super flex upper and lower control arms I've had for months, Bilstien 5100s, PAC 4" 250lb front coils, and 33x10.5 KO2s.
Oh, and yesterday I bit the bullet and bought myself a gift!
That's all for now:
Build wise, the truck now has a 2.5" cat back with a Vibrant universal muffler. Power delivery has improved, it's a little bit louder, and idle is WAY different. I'll get a video up soon.
My issue is my diff (er, I think). Rotational noise has gotten out of hand and my 8.25 howls at speed. This combined with the MTZS which are now very loud makes me want to move on to Phase II.
My buddy is willing to sell his dana 30, 27 splin 8.25 combo with aftermarket
4.11s and spartan lockers front and rear. I drove his truck and not only are the gears nice and punchy, but they are so quiet. All I heard was KM2S and his super 10.
So, my plan is:
His axles (I know I know, 27 spline downgrade) my brakes (his are AWFUL), the RE super flex upper and lower control arms I've had for months, Bilstien 5100s, PAC 4" 250lb front coils, and 33x10.5 KO2s.
Oh, and yesterday I bit the bullet and bought myself a gift!
That's all for now:
Last edited by Battle; 03-28-2016 at 06:11 AM.
#111
CF Veteran
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Miami, fl
Posts: 7,378
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2 Posts
Year: 1998
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Double check your ujoints before you replace that axle...although 4.10s do give the truck a lot more pep in its step...this happened to my Comanche and I thought I had to replace my rear end after just buying it later to find out that replacing the ujoints in the driveshaft eliminated it.....
Good score on the shifter...short shifter?
Man I miss going off-road...have to plan a trip up one year
Good score on the shifter...short shifter?
Man I miss going off-road...have to plan a trip up one year
#112
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
Oh for sure. I replaced the driveshaft u-joints a couple of months ago already. These axles have been loud ever since I swapped them almost two years ago.
The shifter is a remake of the Hurst one that's now discontinued. It supposedly cuts throws by 30 percent.
Man, you need some wheeling time. Go up to Corbett!
The shifter is a remake of the Hurst one that's now discontinued. It supposedly cuts throws by 30 percent.
Man, you need some wheeling time. Go up to Corbett!
#113
CF Veteran
Thanks for sharing your pics! I am part of a group like that (they have their place), so if I go with them I just plan for that, but when I want to avoid that kind of trail run I go to more of an exclusive small group. So that your with people that are like minded.
#115
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
Yeah, I'm pretty stoked to make this happen. I'm thinking of the KO2S more and more. My GF matched to Rochester so some more snow and ice friendly tires will be nice.
Aslo, this came in today:
Aslo, this came in today:
#117
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
Thanks man! I do too!
Install wasn't too hard. The most difficult part was getting the factory shift **** off. Every since I bought the truck stock, it's shift **** was pointed the wrong direction. Easily the most confusing part of this truck's past life, even more so than the sawed-off broom handle I found holding the passenger window up, has been this:
This picture was taken clearly after I fought with the plastic cover. It took me a three screwdrivers, a knife and a hammer to get it off. Plus I cut myself twice.
This thing ROCKS! It seriously improved the truck's driveability by a substantial amount. Shifts are bang bang you're done. Zero slop.
Install wasn't too hard. The most difficult part was getting the factory shift **** off. Every since I bought the truck stock, it's shift **** was pointed the wrong direction. Easily the most confusing part of this truck's past life, even more so than the sawed-off broom handle I found holding the passenger window up, has been this:
This picture was taken clearly after I fought with the plastic cover. It took me a three screwdrivers, a knife and a hammer to get it off. Plus I cut myself twice.
This thing ROCKS! It seriously improved the truck's driveability by a substantial amount. Shifts are bang bang you're done. Zero slop.
#118
CF Veteran
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 2,570
Received 253 Likes
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170 Posts
Year: 1999
Engine: 4.0
My buddy bought his 8.8 to replace the 8.25 that I'm buying off him so the beginning of needless spending to run bigger tires is here.
These are on their way. Got a pretty killer deal on Amazon.
2 of Bilstein 24-188197 5100 Series Shock Absorber
2 of Bilstein 33-066868 5100 Series Shock Absorber
Went with the about 10" travel shocks. I'm hoping that's enough for the about 4" of lift I'll be running.
Also, these:
PAC Racing Springs JP20X4.0X250 - PAC Jeep Speed 220 Progressive Springs
That was probably stupid to run such a high spring rate with Bilsteins but I'll see what happens. Hopefully they level out my suspension rake which is pretty severe.
I'd like to get a new steering stabilizer while I'm at it. I need to probably get extended bumpstops soon too but I'm not sure which ones to get.
These are on their way. Got a pretty killer deal on Amazon.
2 of Bilstein 24-188197 5100 Series Shock Absorber
2 of Bilstein 33-066868 5100 Series Shock Absorber
Went with the about 10" travel shocks. I'm hoping that's enough for the about 4" of lift I'll be running.
Also, these:
PAC Racing Springs JP20X4.0X250 - PAC Jeep Speed 220 Progressive Springs
That was probably stupid to run such a high spring rate with Bilsteins but I'll see what happens. Hopefully they level out my suspension rake which is pretty severe.
I'd like to get a new steering stabilizer while I'm at it. I need to probably get extended bumpstops soon too but I'm not sure which ones to get.
#119
CF Veteran