Well its been a while since i've been here but I wanted to drop in and say hi. In case you don't know I have been looking for a wheeling rig for quite awhile. The reason its taken me so long is I am trying to build a worthy mud/ wheeling rig for as close to free as can be. This has proved to be a challenge for me for some reason, so its been a struggle. Well I finally got ahold of a vehicle that I am going to make a wheeling rig out of. I got it for free from my Father-in-Law. He said "There is two things you don't give a drunk. A phone and a Vehicle." So he felt it nessasary to give me his vehicle. Can't argue with that logic.
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/Vehicles008.jpg)
Its a 1993 Jeep Cherokee XJ, 2door, 2 wheel drive, 4.0L automatic.
Since my last visit here I have taken a partnership in an off road aftermarket parts web store (www.fourwheelsolutions.com) and plan on using this vehicle as a way to advertise for the website. My parrtner Dale did just that and he came up with this.
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/10101011033.jpg)
Its a 97 TJ on narrowed 60's, 37's, 5:88's and so on and so on...
Anyways "THEY" (who ever they are) say that it's foolish to try to make your 2wd vehicle into a 4wd vehicle but I think thats why I want to try. I don't plan on going rediculiously extreme like narrowed 60's or anything but I do want to make it a stout rig for all types of wheeling. Right now my basic ideas are a Dana 30 high pinion front axle (without vacume hubs) with chromolly shafts, 4:10's, selectable locker. Stock Jeep 4x4 transmission and transfer case, Ford 8.8 rearend (for the the disc brakes) with same shafts and gears/locker, body armor, winch, 31"x13.5"-15 Swamper TSL's. . .
We'll se how it goes. Even though I have access to a lot of parts now I still want to build this for next to nothing so if you know anyone who has something that might help that wants to give it away for free (obviously I'll pay for shipping, I live in NH.) let me know!
==kp
good luck on the build, should be interesting!
Got a little crazy with the bumper :)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/random002.jpg)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/random001.jpg)
Quote from: Darkman on May 19, 2010, 02:33:04 AMAnyways "THEY" (who ever they are) say that it's foolish to try to make your 2wd vehicle into a 4wd vehicle but I think thats why I want to try. I don't plan on going rediculiously extreme like narrowed 60's or anything but I do want to make it a stout rig for all types of wheeling. Right now my basic ideas are a Dana 30 high pinion front axle (without vacume hubs) with chromolly shafts, 4:10's, selectable locker. Stock Jeep 4x4 transmission and transfer case, Ford 8.8 rearend (for the the disc brakes) with same shafts and gears/locker, body armor, winch, 31"x13.5"-15 Swamper TSL's. . .
We'll se how it goes. Even though I have access to a lot of parts now I still want to build this for next to nothing so if you know anyone who has something that might help that wants to give it away for free (obviously I'll pay for shipping, I live in NH.) let me know!
they must be pretty lazy, b/c its not that hard. they never came w/ vacuum hubs, just the earlier XJ, YJ, MJ axles had a vacuum disconnect on them [2 piece shaft]. i wouldnt run chromoly shafts until i broke the stock ones, since your only going to be running a 31" tire. And thats $ you could put towards other things. the newer cherokees 96?-01 i think and up run a bigger u joint in the shafts so you may want to check that out. plan on picking up a set of aftermarket wheels if your not going to run spacers on that 8.8 to bring it to stock cherokee width, stock rims will make tires rub on leaves w/ that axle stock. just make sure you pick one up that has an open carrier in it already, the LSD carrier doesnt support lockers and stuff. factory 4.10 axles from exploders really arent that hard to find, also. steel bumpers, unibody reinforcement, etc you will prob find out as you go. stock bumpers arent really worth anything besides getting all bent up
So I've been using the Jeep as a daily driver and I wore out my rear two Michelin's so I went looking for a pair of tires. I found a pair of 235/75R15 Kelly Springfield Wintermark Steel Radial High Traction. Best part about them is they were FREE!
Here's some pics...
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/newfolder101.jpg)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/newfolder098.jpg)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/newfolder100.jpg)
Oh and here's one that my wife took on our way back from the Red Sox game just to show everyone that my Jeep can travel at "Highway Speeds".
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff112/drk420/newfolder097.jpg)
mine can do 75 too, its just screaming 3,000 rpm's cuz i got a 4.10 w/ 31's :/