***Josh's Low Buck Big Bang Build***

[joshs1ofakindxj]

This is the official build thread for my 95 Jeep Cherokee!

The main concepts...

-Low weight and stupid simple
-Low budget (so far only $100 invested - excluding parts already owned)
-Prove to the nay-sayers that an XJ can be wheeled without doors. Those people that think they are XJ structural engineers can look at my jeep that wheels without doors or even a floor for the most part!

This past summer it started...



4.0L, AX15, NP231, D30, Limited Slip D35

Then a few days later I added some 30" MTRs on Cragar wheels, some 1.5" Teraflex lift shackles, and I took off a few parts.



Then I took off some more parts.



Today I relocated the gas tank half-way into the cargo area and I added some rear tow hooks. The gas tank relocation wasn't hard. I had to patch two pinholes in the bottem of the tank. I also found time today to remove the rear fenders flares and pound the metal up with a BFH. O ya and I removed the catalytic converter since it's almost new and it will be saved as a spare for a jeep that needs it.











Tow hook bolted to the subframe...



Every weekend I come home from school I want to try and do some more to it...

Next-

-Front recovery points - I'm thinking of putting a piece of angle iron behind the front bumper and mounting some trailer tie-down bracket-ring-thingys to it for recovery points. Kind of shitty but seems to work for some people I've scene do it.

-OEM T-Case skid

-Fix the MF'ing heater

-Waterproof some engine electronics

-Rear shocks - I'm currently running without them and that is scary!!! Anyone have any 2 shocks they don't want that would fit an XJ with 2-3" of lift?

And eventually this jeep will get a front aussie locker. Just need to put in some more time at work...at least the factory limited slip dana 35 is working really well. The ass end is so light that the rear tires scrub a little when turning on pavement. Impressive for an old ass trac-lok.

I can't wait for this summer to roll around when I can start trailering this jeep everywhere.

I also found some time today to make sure the jeep can break through 4" thick ice and get stuck as hell...

[2002wranglerX]

This seems like a bad idea to me... if tha'ts straight to the unibody, that can pull right out of there.

but other than that. cool.

[joshs1ofakindxj]

Same holes the OEM trailer hitch would mount to except it uses one more hole and goes into a nut strip instead of a single nut.

[92YJCBG]

looks awsome

[rangerman538]

Looks cool but im kind of curious as to why you need to fix the heater. I am thinkin heat is out of the question when there is nothing to contain it.

[92YJCBG]

^ somethings better than nothing

I had the doors off yesterday and it wasnt that bad with the heater cranked

[wozz]

looks sweet and think if it folds up like a can we can shoot the hell outa it

[95TacoKid]

maybe its leakin antifreeze... he doesnt need the heater but im sure he doenst need the leak

[village_idiot]

kick ass man, weld up the rear diff, and build a bunch of skid plates

[2002wranglerX]

Same holes the OEM trailer hitch would mount to except it uses one more hole and goes into a nut strip instead of a single nut.

ok cool, in the front i know people have to run long strips down the unibody to make sure they don't pull out. I guess the rear is different! (i'm not an XJ guy)

[joshs1ofakindxj]

Ya, tow points suck for XJs on the front and I don't feel like making those big brackets again but I think I might have to...

Haha, and for the heater, the issue is none of the HVAC controls work so I think it's electrical and I think some heat blowing on my feet or on the windshield would be nice at times and also to help cool the motor more at times.

[2002wranglerX]

so it's basically stripped down, going to be locked up front, on 30" tires?

If you went throughallthe trouble to strip the XJ, you might as well try to get some LTB's or some 33's on it or something.

just a suggestion.

[cal7308]

your nuts josh. but in a good way

[andrew2516]

so it's basically stripped down, going to be locked up front, on 30" tires?

If you went throughallthe trouble to strip the XJ, you might as well try to get some LTB's or some 33's on it or something.

just a suggestion.

x2 30" tires will kill the clearance, you should have enough room for some 33"s atleast, if not 35"s.

I would still be nervous about that rear hook...it doesn't look all that sturdy.

[john00TJ]

so what kind of strengthing do you plan on doing ??that thing is a serious accident waiting to happen ..if it ever rolled it would be a mess and crumple like a pop can ..i hope no one gets hurt in that

[joshs1ofakindxj]

x2 30" tires will kill the clearance, you should have enough room for some 33"s atleast, if not 35"s.

I would still be nervous about that rear hook...it doesn't look all that sturdy.

I plan on larger tires but they aren't in the budget right now unless I find something used...

And I don't plan to do any strengthening right now. All the main unibody pillars are there and the jeep is a lot lighter than it used to be so I don't plan on adding anything. Perhaps a test is in order...

[MF Steve!]

After seeing what happens to a complete unibody rig after being wheeled to its full potential, you wouldn't catch me dead running without any key components without serious reinforcement and or cage work.

[andrew2516]

After seeing what happens to a complete unibody rig after being wheeled to its full potential, you wouldn't catch me dead running without any key components without serious reinforcement and or cage work.

I don't think the doors/ hatch gives any structural strength to the XJ...but it would help in a roll.

[MF Steve!]

I don't think the doors/ hatch gives any structural strength to the XJ...but it would help in a roll.

Right, and typically you don't choose when you flop or roll.

[mxg342]

I just really don't understand why no hood? I mean of all the weight saving things the hood would be the last thing I wanted left off.

[92YJCBG]

josh is that the avalanche that blew the rear end?

[red6rubicon]

I don't think the doors/ hatch gives any structural strength to the XJ...but it would help in a roll.

please tell me your joking

[andrew2516]

please tell me your joking

The doors and hatch all connect in 3 points...how does that help structurally? I can see if the door was welded all the way around it would be more of a factor. In a roll over they would all help just because you would have to smash the doors/hatch down as well as the roof instead of just the roof.

[red6rubicon]

ask this guy, he ripped his hatch off the night before,the next day i was following him for awhile when the jeeps suspension would flex the roof and shell would flex with it.
http://blwa.org/phpbb/viewtopic.php?...f8e92b8f212bec

[MF Steve!]

They fit together like puzzle pieces. Everything is in support to adjacent panels regardless of how many attachment points. Look at a unibody rig that was beat to shit. The doors rub, the gaps and lines are not even. The doors and hatch basically limit the amount the surrounding structure can move.

If you need further proof, convince Josh to wheel the shit outta that thing with no reinforcement and then try and put the doors, and hatch back on. I'll bet it does not go very well.