jeep cherokee
I originally purchased a Wrangler which was fantastic on the trails and fit my smaller lifestyle. However, in 2011 I replaced the Wrangler in favor of its bigger brother - the Cherokee - as it offered more cargo space which became highly desired.
This 1998 Jeep Cherokee is now my wilderness trail rig which is used for getting me to the trailheads and also for the sport of offroading. Here are the modifications I've made to it since purchasing it (I bought it with the 3" BDS lift):
March 12 - May 29, 2024
The previous winch mount has worked well for many years except for a few things -- it blocks some air flow to the radiator, it makes the vehicle several inches longer, and my pants kept snagging on it. So, it's time to hide it behind the bumper.
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The previous winch mount has worked well for many years except for a few things -- it blocks some air flow to the radiator, it makes the vehicle several inches longer, and my pants kept snagging on it. So, it's time to hide it behind the bumper.
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September 10, 2022
The suspension of a vehicle is an important part of it. A good and properly tuned suspension will keep you comfortable while going over rough terrain. Any time a vehicle's suspension is lifted from the OEM design, there will be geometry changes and sometimes they are quite significant.
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The suspension of a vehicle is an important part of it. A good and properly tuned suspension will keep you comfortable while going over rough terrain. Any time a vehicle's suspension is lifted from the OEM design, there will be geometry changes and sometimes they are quite significant.
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December 8, 2021 - January 4, 2022
The Cherokee has been getting heavier and I thought I'd weld a truss on to the rear axle to keep it from bending when on a trail. While the axle was removed, I figured I'd also relocate the shock mounts and install a locking differential.
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The Cherokee has been getting heavier and I thought I'd weld a truss on to the rear axle to keep it from bending when on a trail. While the axle was removed, I figured I'd also relocate the shock mounts and install a locking differential.
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August 19 - September 11, 2021
I found out the ball joints were bad on the front axle and if the ball joints are bad, now would be the right time to add some inner-C gussets. And if I'm doing that welding and then painting, I might as well use this time to add a truss.
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I found out the ball joints were bad on the front axle and if the ball joints are bad, now would be the right time to add some inner-C gussets. And if I'm doing that welding and then painting, I might as well use this time to add a truss.
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August 19 - September 23, 2020
When I did the ZJ seat conversion, it was because I've read that it's easy and the front seats are much more comfortable than the XJ seats. Since install five years ago, I've been trying to find the comfort in the ZJ seats that "everybody" talks about. Maybe I got a bad pair or maybe my ...
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When I did the ZJ seat conversion, it was because I've read that it's easy and the front seats are much more comfortable than the XJ seats. Since install five years ago, I've been trying to find the comfort in the ZJ seats that "everybody" talks about. Maybe I got a bad pair or maybe my ...
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December 14, 2019 - July 31, 2020
Ever since I learned about the factory high idle capability with the automatic, I've been searching for a way to get electronically controlled high idle with the manual. It seems most people just use a thumb throttle with a lock. This just wasn't good enough for me.
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Ever since I learned about the factory high idle capability with the automatic, I've been searching for a way to get electronically controlled high idle with the manual. It seems most people just use a thumb throttle with a lock. This just wasn't good enough for me.
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2017 - July 2020
A project that's been three years in the making has finally come to completion. I bought an assembled rear bumper from Dirtbound Offroad and the do-it-yourself swing arm tire carrier in 2017 that needed to be welded together. After a couple of months, the bumper and box of tire carrier metal arrived and I performed an inventory. ...
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A project that's been three years in the making has finally come to completion. I bought an assembled rear bumper from Dirtbound Offroad and the do-it-yourself swing arm tire carrier in 2017 that needed to be welded together. After a couple of months, the bumper and box of tire carrier metal arrived and I performed an inventory. ...
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March 28 - July 22, 2020
Three years ago I found my rear lower quarter panels had a rust problem. After studying the situation, I found they rusted because of improper drainage so dirt and water just sat there for 22 years and then rust developed from the inside out.
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Three years ago I found my rear lower quarter panels had a rust problem. After studying the situation, I found they rusted because of improper drainage so dirt and water just sat there for 22 years and then rust developed from the inside out.
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June - July, 2020
Given one of the newer goals of this vehicle to have the ability to carry people, dogs, and stuff at the same time, I spent some time re-engineering how to carry gear to make room for other things.
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Given one of the newer goals of this vehicle to have the ability to carry people, dogs, and stuff at the same time, I spent some time re-engineering how to carry gear to make room for other things.
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February - March, 2020
After 22 years, it was time to refresh the interior. The first step was to remove the seat and carpet and then clean the flooring. It was a nasty job.
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After 22 years, it was time to refresh the interior. The first step was to remove the seat and carpet and then clean the flooring. It was a nasty job.
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June 29, 2019
The Cherokee of this era came with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. I wanted more stopping power for when I'm loaded up for a trip so disc brakes were put on from a 2004 Jeep Liberty which was a direct bolt on.
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The Cherokee of this era came with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes in the rear. I wanted more stopping power for when I'm loaded up for a trip so disc brakes were put on from a 2004 Jeep Liberty which was a direct bolt on.
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January - February, 2017
With the addition of aftermarket accessories, I needed a good way to power them all and still have a factory look. So, I built my own wiring harness and plugged it into the switches and a new relay/fuse box.
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With the addition of aftermarket accessories, I needed a good way to power them all and still have a factory look. So, I built my own wiring harness and plugged it into the switches and a new relay/fuse box.
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