Moms jeep

[Chris]

Figured I would start a thread to follow the progress on what I am doing to my 1985 jeep Cherokee. My mother bought this jeep new in 1984 and drove it up until a few years ago. She loved this jeep more than any other vehicle and bought and sold a few new cars while owning this one. Finally she bought a Jeep liberty a few years back and parked this one. It was used off and on and then in 2009 my sister needed a 4x4 for the winter so I took it in its dilapidated shape and cleaned it up for her as a surprise.

I don't have too many pictures from before that but here are a few from when I tore it apart for new carpet and paint.

Here is my thread from when I did this work.
http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f177/my-weekend-project-909137/

 

[Chris]

A few more pics.

 

[oldognewtrick]

Nice...what the plan for it?

I use to have a 87, red, 4 door that I loved till some goober in a early 80's LeSabre T-boned me and totaled it. Wish I still had that old Jeep.

 

[Chris]

OK so now to the present. My mom passed away a little over a year ago and I acquired the jeep, well nobody else wanted it. I sat on it for a year and then decided I would build it into more of an exploration vehicle so I can take my family camping, fishing and checking out ghost towns and stuff. My other jeep is built for wheeling so it kinda sucks on the highway anyway.

My plan was to keep it on 31" tires with a 3" lift and front locker. I want it low yet capable if I need it. I had bought most all the parts over the last couple months so the time was right to start building it.

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[Chris]

Once I pulled the front wheels off I was going to slap the springs on and call it a day but it was nasty so of course what do I do? I pull the front axle to clean it up and replace some old parts.

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[Chris]

After what seemed like a day and a half of scraping, scrubbing and pressure washing I have what looked like an axle. I tossed in the Aussie locker and painted the housing up a little.

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[Chris]

Since the axle was out, I wasn't happy with the factory control arms because I know me and I get carried away when wheeling sometimes so I figured I will build this one strong from the beginning. I had a set of aftermarket lower control arms that I picked up at the junk yard a while back but then I got a wild hair and decided to build some long arms since the axle was out. I spent most of yesterday fabbing up my control arm mount/ trans mount.

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[Chris]

I used my Dual saw that I picked up last year and wouldn't you know it cut my 3/16" plate steel and that 3/16" box with little issue. I did overheat it a few times plunge cutting but it cut thats for sure. Too bad it throws metal shards like shrapnel from a bomb.

http://www.garageretreat.com/forums/f18/dual-saw-2916/

 

[Chris]

I set the axle back under the jeep so I could take measurements for the arms.

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[Chris]

My uncle bought a jeep with some trashed rims from sitting by the ocean but they had the right back spacing so I kept them, also I grabbed some CL special tires. I painted them with hammercoat because I like the color and it will help hide some of the peeling chrome and pitted metal. Of course I am not going for looks here so I don't really care.

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[Chris]

Thats about where I am at now. gonna try and plug away little by little til it done. I just bought a set of frame stiffners so hopefully they will show up by the weekend so I can get them mounted.

I picked up an NP231 transfer case and SYE to replace the NP207 that is in there now so maybe I will start that rebuild this week. Plus this is a 4 cylinder carbed motor so getting any performance out of it will be fun.

 

[oldognewtrick]

Speaking of building things, have you heard from AW12345 from over on Wrangler Board? Haven't seen him around in a while and I enjoyed his trail threads.

 

[Chris]

He is on jeepforum pretty often. He just did a nice trail run in Arizona.

 

[Barrie]

I like where this build is going Chris, please keep us updated.


I had a 2000 Cherokee that I truly miss. Sold it to a former GF, should have sold her and kept the Cherokee. View attachment 2208

 

[Chris]

Last night I popped the case on the TCase I bought for the jeep and I found out why it had a good price. The guy I bought it off of tried to take it apart and broke the oil pick up tube off the pump and tossed it. Good thing I have a couple spare parts laying around, hopefully they match up.

 

[oldognewtrick]

What's the old saying, when it sounds to good to be true....

 

[Chris]

Didn't get too much done today, one of my employees wanted my old tires so I had him toss a couple of the 31's on the back for now. Also took a pic of the guts of the TCase and the broken pick up tube.

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[Chris]

Got some work done today. Received my frame stiffners from ups so I installed them along with the crossmember I built last weekend. Then was able to start on one of my arms. Ill get some more pics up later since my phone only let's me attach one.

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[Chris]

All I got done today was some rest and relaxation.

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[oldognewtrick]

Sweet! ..... but, where's all the beach bikinis???