Crazy Kevs 3rd and Hopefully Final XJ build.

Owners Name & City- Kevin Hurricane Ut.


Make, Model & Year of Vehicle- 1996 Jeep Cherokee


Engine- 4.0 straight 6 with cheap warm air intake


Transmission- Automatic


T-Case- 4 speed Atlas with 5:1


Axles-
Rear: Ford 10.5 Sterling 4.88 gears ARB

Front: Ford dana 60. Artec steering and truss with arb 4.88 gears.

Suspension-
Hybrid: Rear IRO 5.5 leafs with 1.5 inch boomerang shackles.
Front is Rock Kralwer 3 link Long arm kit with with 7.5 inch Rubicon coils.



Wheels and Tires-37 Maxxis trepadors stickies with inner air bead locks.



Winch- Warn 8000


Favorite Trails-Hanging tree trail, The Squeeze, Sand Hollow area and Moab area. Any trail with Friends and family having a good time. The harder the better within my rigs ability.


Other- Custom front bumper with below radiator winch mount, custom rear bumper, Armor ect...

My 1994 is on the right and the New build 1996 is on the Left. I took a couple before shots and comparison shots before I started.






 
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kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
So the time has come to start a new build. My current rig has just taken too much of a beating and a few things have lead me to build a 3rd cherokee. I have learned a few things with my first two builds and have updated and improved each one. I picked up a 1996 cherokee as a new platform. It ran and drove but had a rod knock so the old jeep with give its heart to the new one. Basically I just got her for her body. Body was clean a straight other than a little damage in the pass side rear tail gate where the P.O. backed into something. But I have a good used one that I will replace it with.


So my here is a list of things of my plans:

Axles and lift:
Move existing lift and axles and tires over with updates and maintenance done as I move them over. Front will get a brake upgrade with the WJ calipers and rotors and new axle seals. I also broke an outer Alloy shaft so I need to get that replaced.

Body/Interior:
It will get a new 97+ front clip and fenders painted to match. The existing one is pretty banged up.
Not sure if I am going to move my half doors over or build new ones or even tube doors. Undecided at this point.
3rd row seat installed. We enjoy doing this hobby as a family and when we had our 4th kid almost a year ago if made me think about how we were going to do this. With some research I found a few people who have put a YJ seat in the cargo area. So I took there Idea and installed a new best top one last week. Still working on the seat/lap belts though.

Armor:

Front Bumper is going to get a fresh coat of paint. I have thought about taking and cutting holes in the front for 2 of my Hella 500s but do not know if I want to mess with this or not at this time.
Rear bumper will also get a fresh coat of paint.
I have built some custom rock sliders that are almost done Just need to add some support from frame to sliders.
I also added ruffstuff unibody frame rails. This is also a new addition.

Rear armor is going to come over with the addition of some simple tubed fender flares. I am not sure if I want to keep the front tubed fender flares. I learned that they are strong but still bend the fender in when pushed into rocks. They need additional support tied into the bumper and sliders My plans are to do a exo cage so don't know if they will make it onto the new one or not yet.
Existing roof rack is going to go away when I do the Exo cage and I hope to put a led light bar up top with that.
 
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kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
Out with the old and in with the new.



Rock sliders build Pictures: I welded a 2x3 angle iron to the body where I cut out the stock rocker panel. Then welded a 1 inch flat bar to the bottom of the flange that was left from the cut.









The notch you see is to clear the seatbelt bolt. I put a piece of metal in there and welded it up so no dirt or water could get in there.




I took my old rocky road outfitters sliders and cut these tubes off of them and am welding them on for a step/additional protection.






I painted the inside of the body and the inside of the sliders because I would not be able to get to this area once I had the slider in and welded in place. I left the area that was going to be showing clean so I had a clean surface to weld too. I have them welded onto the jeep but have taken any pictures of that yet.

 

sixstringsteve

Well-Known Member
Location
UT
Nice. Subscribed. I love the idea of improving each rig based on real-world feedback using your previous rigs.
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
Nice. Subscribed. I love the idea of improving each rig based on real-world feedback using your previous rigs.

He's not doing that, he just wants it to be pretty... Jaykayyyyy Kevin.

I'm just sad but it'll fade the first time we go wheeling with v3 and she gets a a dent or broken window :)
 

kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
dang kev, I am kind of sad to see the old girl go.

I'm going to miss that old rig but I'm excited for the new one!

Me too but the new one will be better and almost identical to the old one just cleaner and nicer better parts and needed upgrades.

Nice. Subscribed. I love the idea of improving each rig based on real-world feedback using your previous rigs.

Thanks Steve,
I know you have done that a time or two also. I am looking forward to getting it done. It is just a slow process doing it by myself and juggling work and family time in there too.
 

kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
He's not doing that, he just wants it to be pretty... Jaykayyyyy Kevin.

I'm just sad but it'll fade the first time we go wheeling with v3 and she gets a a dent or broken window :)

A dent or too is ok but I hope to avoid the windows but I have to admit I do like a clean rig.
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
A dent or too is ok but I hope to avoid the windows but I have to admit I do like a clean rig.

I like clean rigs too, they just don't like me. I'll be honest though over memorial while we were wheeling I said to Mike- "I don't know how he's going to keep his next rig clean with how hard he gets it" and he was like "I was thinking the same thing"
:)
 

kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
I like clean rigs too, they just don't like me. I'll be honest though over memorial while we were wheeling I said to Mike- "I don't know how he's going to keep his next rig clean with how hard he gets it" and he was like "I was thinking the same thing"
:)

Yea I here you there considering this is my third cherokee and the previous 2 have been trashed. That's why I am hoping an exo cage and frame stiffeners all help this one last. If it doesn't stay clean I still think this will still be my last one. Turn it into a cherokee buggy once it gets to that point. At least I can keep the wife happy for a year or two before that happens.
 

Gravy

Ant Anstead of Dirtbikes
Supporting Member
Not that you don't already plan to but CAGE this one
You've been far too lucky so far and with 4 kids now it's not worth wheeling the places you do without one.

I'm excited to see this one go together!
I love clean rigs that don't look like a raisin.
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
*chanting* Raisin, raisin, raisin!

I'm sure it's going to be cool and most importantly I'm glad you actually got a thread going finally. Care to set an estimated date of completion for is to look back and laugh at when you pass it by several months? ;)
 

kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
Not that you don't already plan to but CAGE this one
You've been far too lucky so far and with 4 kids now it's not worth wheeling the places you do without one.

I'm excited to see this one go together!
I love clean rigs that don't look like a raisin.

I appreciate your concern but I know when something is dangerous and have my family get out. I have never been concerned for there safety. I think it has also been a little more than luck. As hard as I wheel I also know when enough is enough and don't continue on.

*chanting* Raisin, raisin, raisin!

I'm sure it's going to be cool and most importantly I'm glad you actually got a thread going finally. Care to set an estimated date of completion for is to look back and laugh at when you pass it by several months? ;)

Are we truly ever done with a build? Are we talking driving and wheeling or finished with cage ect...
I am picking up my WJ and grill and fenders on October 13 so a couple weeks after that It will be 80% complete but wheelable. Sooner if I throw the old grill on it. Engine is already in. Rear axle is under it but not attached, awaiting new bushings. Front wont be too hard. But it will be all the little things that slow it down.
 
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N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
I of course mean driving and wheeling. People that think "done" exists are silly
 

kmboren

Recovering XJ owner anonymous
Location
Southern Utah
So I am not good at updating threads during a build but I guess I can play catch up. I am about finished with this rig minus the Exo-cage Mini boatsides and eventually rock lights and a flat belly. I have taken it out a few times and have loved it. I is nice to have a working rig again just in time for the perfect jeeping weather down here in Southern Utah. I also updated my front Rubicon 44 axle with a WJ brake upgrade. It is nice being able to stop for a change. Makes those steep down hill obstacles a little different. I also updated all of my shocks with some used 5150 shocks. To give me more up flex I also cut my front shock mounts and lowered them down about a inch. Doesn't sound like much but made a big difference and shocks do not bottom out now in the front. I also just picked up a new battery box from ruffstuff and a new AGM battery from Batteries plus bulbs with a 5 year free replacement warranty.

My updated bumper with two Hella 500s plus my 97+ grill and fenders.



My rear bumper and rear corner guards cleaned up with fresh coats of paint.



My custom Rock sliders and ruff stuff uni-frame stiffeners.





My 3rd row seat complete with seatbelts. My kids love it back there.







My Rock rail shifter that I have had for a while but never installed. Complete with the ability to shift through individual gears. Most importantly 1st and 2nd.

 
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