No more Honda for me. Its 4X4 time.

[Mad Mike]

I'm going to turn this post into a build thread. Updates below

2/26/10
Picked this up Thursday night/Friday morning. I got home around 3:00AM after a 2 hour drive home in it. The way to get it was the coldest I've ever been 2.5 hours riding in 25* weather.

It was dark so these are the only pics I have until later on when it light outside.


I know lame pics but I'll have good ones later today.

I'm now going to pass out I've been up since 6am...



3
interiors a little jacked up.



3/17/10
Well I've had my Jeep for 2.5 weeks and here is the list of problems I've found.
#1 Transfer case is toast-Fixed
#2 Front axle is toast
#3 Sunroof leaks-Fixed clogged drain line.
#4 Drivers side rear door has a bad short in the wiring. Won't lock and the window wont move.
#5 Hatch has a short in the door lock wiring. Silinode just twitched all the time.-unplugged
#6 Battery is toast due to #5 running for 3 days.
#7 carpet is toast- don't care its coming out and roll on bed liner is going in.
#8 Fuel filter needs to be replaced. Because I found out the gas gauge is a bit off and I ran out of gas and sucked up some trash and now it sputters when I get on it hard.

As of today #1, 3, 5 are fixed. I just got the new T case in and bolted up. I have a new/used axle sitting on my floor right now and I'm going to start installing it today. Also my adjustable lower control arms came in this morning. My goal is to be able to get this truck in some trails this weekend.

No T case. Damn its dirty under there every time you hit anything it rains dirt.

Old T case.

New/used T case its dirty but I tested it before I pulled it so I know it works.

New/used axle.

Brand new adjustable lower control arms to push my axle forward so the tires wont hit my fenders



3/19/10
Front axle is out and new one about ready to go in.
I think its leaking LOL

Big hole


I've got a seized bolt yea!!! PB blaster and red hot heat and it still wont move...

This one came out ok


Ok well its 10PM and I've been working since 11AM I think its time to call it a night.
All thats left to do is fuel filter, adjust T-case linkage(2wd is at 4hi - 4hi is at N - N is at 4lo - 4lo doesn't work) and remove the spring spacers from rear springs the last owner installed. I did take it for a quick ride around the neighborhood and drove up the rock across from my house and the 4wd does work and the tires do not scrub.


3/20/10
Its alive and all 4 wheels are pulling. I know it has no doors on it. It was a nice day and we just wanted to see if it affected the Jeep any. They will be going back on tomorrow.






The testing site. This was the easiest hill there I didn't get any pics of the rock garden hill or the steep hill climbs.





3/23/10
Well I got the fuel filter changed and the sputtering seems to be gone so me and a friend decided to play on the rock across from my house.





3-24-10
Took it out for its first real off road test after replacing the T case, front axle and all the steering components. I can finally drive it above 30MPH took her up to 70+/- and it was smooth and straight. I only got one pic on the trail and didn't notice my GoPro's batterys were dead. It didn't even last 1 min before it cut off.


3-26-10
In the process of replacing the rear main seal, oil pan gasket, oil, oil filter, cap and rotor, transmission filter, transmission fluid, Transmission pan gasket, Diff oil front and rear, front and rear diff gaskets, front drive shaft U-joint and redoing all the grounds in the engine compartment. Been at it for an hour and 15min and got the oil drained, oil pan off and rear main cap off... doesn't look like I'll be hitting the trails tonight.LOL My wallet hurts I've sent $220 at autozone and still need a few things...

[87 Turbo II]

LOL @ 5K RPM redline.

[Elbow]

Why is that funny?

[SouthrnStyle]

a jeep cherokee cool

[DrewS2K]

LOL @ 5K RPM redline.

[G.C]

GrandCherokee Jeep?

[Mad Mike]

a jeep cherokee cool

damn thats it.

[87 Turbo II]

Why is that funny?

It's just a much lower redline than I am used to.

[thecrazyone]

Nice i used to have a 94 JGC 4x4 V8, grey leather, black and gold exterior.

[Mad Mike]

Its officially mine as of 15min ago. tagged and insured. I've got some work to do before i get to play with it. Oil leak and tires hitting front fenders when I turn. No big deal, I'm going to cut the fenders back a bit and replace the 2 piece rear main seal and that should fix the issues I've seen so far. O and the sway bar end links are toast so thats why it was swaying so bad last night. Quick disconnect sway bar links will fix that.

[1MP0RTL0V3R]

nice my mom has one and its gone thru so much in the years we´ve had it

[Mad Mike]

New pics



From 1.6L 4cly to 4L inline 6.

[NewGen33]

Nice ZJ, I got my 4runner to go your route for a while. It's good to be back in a car now though.

[lanning]

good looking jeep, i miss mine except for at the gas station

[Mad Mike]

I'm really happy with the gas mileage so far. Just wasn't ready for the full tank price tag from a 1/4 tank to full cost me $27... wait that was the same for my CRX from E to F with high grade. anyway its just a toy I have a company van as a daily so the gas millage really isn't my biggest worry.

Did a full tune up on her today and gained some lost power. I'm pretty sure the #1 plug has never been changed. It looked horable and the gap was bridged with carbon. I had to unbolt the A/C compressor to get to the plug. What a pain.

O and the A/C works and it work good. My first ride thats had working A/C ever.

Shes covered in mud right now from my first mud hole trial. Never got stuck and thats with no 4X4. Damn I like this Jeep.

[EJdm]

looks good mike...i need a nice lift yota....

[Glides]

You sire, have made what is called a "Good Decision".

Congratulations.

I just got rid of mine not too long ago.

[Atlblkz06]

LOL @ 5K RPM redline.

Don't hate because he makes more torque at idle than your wanker engine will ever make

J/k

[Mad Mike]

OMG I just got home!!! We left my house a 6:30 and were on the trail at 7:30 in Hollywood, Ga. Heres how BADASS my jeep is. I made it threw the same places as my friends with a full size 4X4 Chevy, a 4X4 ranger, a 4X4 Toyota truck and a 4X4 Jeep wrangler all of them lifted with big tires and I only had 2wd. I got stuck 2 times and it only took a tug to get me out. My friend with the Chevy was stuck for almost 3 hours and he tore up his truck. Only damage to my Jeep is my cracked tail light is now a smashed tail light and the broken sway bar link is now missing from my sway bar. Damn that was so much fun. I can't wait to the the 4X4 fixed on my Jeep and that thing is going to be one bad offroad truck. I stuck between naming her the mud slut or mudzilla?

[NewGen33]

Yep you have been bit hard by the bug.

[NewGen33]

You need to check out kevinsoffroad.com if you haven't already.

[Mad Mike]

You need to check out kevinsoffroad.com if you haven't already.

Thanks I'll check it out.

[D3UC3S]

Minor details and you got a sweet rig!

I didn't have to unbolt the A/C compressor to get to the #1 plug. I wonder if there is that much of a difference between the chassis'...we have the same engine.

Once you fix that T-case, its on like donkey kong.

Check out www.cherokeeforums.com lots of good info floating around there.

[thinkskater]

not fan. jeeps just feel rickety ( if its a word ) when i drive them. just not comforting thought when i am driving.

anyways to each there own . best a luck. reps

[Mad Mike]

not fan. jeeps just feel rickety ( if its a word ) when i drive them. just not comforting thought when i am driving.

anyways to each there own . best a luck. reps

I know what you mean by "rickety". I think it falls to the chasse having so much flex. It makes for a great off road truck but its street manners suck.
You should try driving mine 6" lift, 33" tires and no sway bars(drivers side link broke in half) Now that sucker is a hand full to drive on the road.

But its still fun and as soon as I get the quick disconnect sway bar ends, heavy duty tie rods and drag link installed it should be better on road.

[Mad Mike]

I got a crashed 90 Cherokee yesterday and started tearing it apart today after work. 3 hours non stop and the trasfercase is on the ground. What a pain in the butt. Next in the motor and auto trans then the front and rear axles are coming off. I've got to do some research and find out what gears it has to see if the front axle will work in my Jeep but if it doesn't my friend will have a spare one.

[boostedb16]

hell yea, when i sell my truck and take care of my other shit. i am buying a 95-97 nissan 4x4.

[D3UC3S]

I got a crashed 90 Cherokee yesterday and started tearing it apart today after work. 3 hours non stop and the trasfercase is on the ground. What a pain in the butt. Next in the motor and auto trans then the front and rear axles are coming off. I've got to do some research and find out what gears it has to see if the front axle will work in my Jeep but if it doesn't my friend will have a spare one.

HAH, let me grab some parts off that cherokee

[Mad Mike]

Updated on first post.

[HatchHero]

my girl had a 93 jeep cherokee and that car was unstoppable. the inline 6 engine in those make good tq!!

[Mad Mike]

Update on first post

[slow_hatch]

Awesome. Congrats on the Jeep.

[Mad Mike]

updates on first post.

[osnap]

It's just a much lower redline than I am used to.

its a JEEP, you inbred.

[JDMkodes!]

Very nice sir! My girl has one the gen before this one, 2WD, but that bit aint ever gonna die lol we put thing through pure hell and it just keeps on goin!

Have fun with it bro!

[Mad Mike]

Update on first post

[Mad Mike]

updates on first post

[Mad Mike]

Took her out after work with a few friends. To bad I forgot to charge my camera phone...






Tomorrow I got to fix the short in the engine bay. Every time I hit a big bump my tach drops and the motor dies. If I hit a few one right after the other it will stall. And ether my new axle or my front drive shaft is making some noise.

[Mad Mike]

In the process of replacing the rear main seal, oil pan gasket, oil, oil filter, cap and rotor, transmission filter, transmission fluid, Transmission pan gasket, Diff oil front and rear, front and rear diff gaskets, front drive shaft U-joint and redoing all the grounds in the engine compartment. Been at it for an hour and 15min and got the oil drained, oil pan off and rear main cap off... doesn't look like I'll be hitting the trails tonight.LOL My wallet hurts I've sent $220 at autozone and still need a few things...

[Mad Mike]

All I have to say is WOW we got there at 7PM and I got home at 3:30AM last night. What a trail. We had my 95 ZJ, 89 XJ, 2002? TJ, 95 Ford ranger, and a 89? Ford Bronco. All but the bronco are lifted on 33" tires.

The carnage was the Ranger blew its front main seal on it trans in the last mud hole on the trail. The TJ drove 3/4 threw the mud hole and had to winch himself the rest of the way out. He then winched out the ranger. The rest of us turned around and went back the way we came. This mud hole was probably 50+yards of rutted out deep mucky mud. My problem came on the way out. I too the same line I used on this 30FT mud hole and fell off into it and sat on both axles with all 4 tires free spinning. It took us over a hour of snatching it with the XJ to get me free. The XJ ended up over heating but was ok.
Here are some pics



The bronco stuck. What was he thinking?


Then my phone dies...
This morning.



Today I have to find out where the oil leak is coming from. I installed a new rear main seal in it yesterday morning and its leaking works than before.

From yesterdays oil change. The damn filter would not come off so I put a screw driver threw it and this is what I ended up with.



Nasty bloody cut on my finger.