Making some progress on my Cherokee build

[Gearhead 1990]

I've had a few pictures on a couple other threads of my jeep, but I thought I'd make a thread just for my build. I have a lot done already but there is still a lot to do before its done. Here's a quick specs list:
TBI 454 Chevy
TH400
NP205 twin stick
Dana 60 front
14 bolt rear (shaved)
39.5x18 boggers

In the pictures the motor and tranny are just sitting in there. The oil pan hits the cross member that I built for the small block I had in it before. So today I'm going to cut it out and build a new one.

Heres a few pics of what it looks like right now

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3625/0913071812px1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/7707/0914070729jk2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9372/0914070730wg6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[tkiller13]

way bad a55 looking

[jeeping1974]

way bad a55 looking

X2

that is AWESOME looking.

[jepj2000]

Good lookin Cherokee, can't wait to see the finished product.

Rankin

[79 widetrack]

I thought mine looked pretty mean, i am so jealous now. I didn't need to see those pictures ****it, my pocketbook can't take it.:banghead:

[jeff45mb]

Very cool! Did you have to change to a different th400 to fit the 454?

[Gearhead 1990]

Very cool! Did you have to change to a different th400 to fit the 454?

Yeah, I just used the TH400 out of my doner truck I bought. It was an 87 chevy 1 ton that was from Chicago area and was REALLY rusty. But it ran and drove. I got it for 2 grand which I didn't think was too bad.

[chr1s]

:eek::thumbsup:


I wish i could build something like that as my DD

[Gearhead 1990]

:eek::thumbsup:


I wish i could build something like that as my DD

My goal is to have it streetable so I can drive it to the trails and stuff :fsj: but I doubt it will be very street legal. Lol I know I'll drive it around town every once in a while though just for fun :D

[Dmntxn77]

Looks real nice!

Are you going to try to raise the back up to be level with the front?

[elbastardo]

Dood You better hurry up and feed that, it looks pi$$ed:omfg: .Nice build:thumbsup: . Whats the wheelbase?

[Gearhead 1990]

Dood You better hurry up and feed that, it looks pi$$ed:omfg: .Nice build:thumbsup: . Whats the wheelbase?

Thank you, and all the other people for leaving good comments! :) And the wheelbase is right around 110''.

As for progress on it, I got a little bit done this weekend, but I haven't been feeling very well for a few days so progress has been slowed, I even stayed home from school today. But this weekend I did get my engine cross member cut out so now the motor sits in the mounts. And I've almost got the t-case cross member done. I also patched a hole that was in the floor and started working on my seat mounts.

[Gearhead 1990]

Looks real nice!

Are you going to try to raise the back up to be level with the front?

I don't think I'll have to, I think the springs will settle a little bit because there hasn't been a motor in it all summer and I am also going to build a winch bumper. So with the extra weight of that I bet after the first couple days of wheeling it will sit close to level. I hope to redo the rear suspension someday anyways. I also need to repair the rear part of the frame because last spring when I went muddin' I tried to pull someone out with a chain and bent the frame really bad. I'll try to get a picture of the frame.

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

How are your clearances with the BBC and the heater box and other suchness???

[Casey]

Sweet! :thumbsup:

I have a '94 TBI 454 and a 700R-4 to put into my Chief. It will have 4.88 geared D60s fr and rr. The rear has D70 shafts. I plan to run the 39.5x16.5 IROK on H1 wheels.
I'm waiting to get some more parts before I start to put it all together. I have the 203 and 205 and at the end of the month I should be able to swing the dblr kit, the rest of the parts I need for the engine swap and the tires.

How are your clearances with the BBC and the heater box and other suchness???

I haven't even set mine in yet, I'm curious as well.

[jeep779]

Looks good

[fulsizjeep]

NICE!
THAT is FULL SIZE :thumbsup:

[JeepNOFEAR]

That thing is tiny, it needs a lift. :)

[Gearhead 1990]

How are your clearances with the BBC and the heater box and other suchness???

It is tight but I think it will work. The drivers side valve cover just barely touches the brake booster so I'll have to figure something out for that. On the other side it is close to the heater box but there is still a little room. I REALLY hope my headers will fit, it looks like they will but I won't know til I try it.

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/5246/0917071610asu9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/1690/0917071611bf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/3091/0917071610zy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Heavy_Metal_Thunder_81]

It is tight but I think it will work. The drivers side valve cover just barely touches the brake booster so I'll have to figure something out for that. On the other side it is close to the heater box but there is still a little room. I REALLY hope my headers will fit, it looks like they will but I won't know til I try it.

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/5246/0917071610asu9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/1690/0917071611bf5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/3091/0917071610zy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Seriously, looks like its time to go hydroboost...saves space and youll love it with all that weight up front now and the BIG tires.

[Gearhead 1990]

Seriously, looks like its time to go hydroboost...saves space and youll love it with all that weight up front now and the BIG tires.

That is a good idea, I actually was going to use the hydroboost off the donor truck but it was so rusty that there was no way I could've gotten the bolts out. When I drove the truck into the driveway and stepped on the pedal it broke one of the lines. But I THINK we might have a hydroboost in the shed so if we do I'll probably use it. But I totally forgot about hydroboost, thanks for the reminder :thumbsup:

[mark]

very nice build!

i used advance adapters universal engine mounts and installed them upside down lowering the whole drivetrain.it is close to the steering shaft but has never been a problem



http://www.fsjworld.com/gallery/LAW11/79015.jpg

[Casey]

http://www.fsjworld.com/gallery/LAW11/79015.jpg

:eek: 502!!!

That friggin rocks!!!



:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[jeeping1974]

that thing most be able to move.... and fast

[TealJ]

what size springs are you running ?

[Gearhead 1990]

what size springs are you running ?

In the front I've got chevy 6 inch lift springs with a rear overload spring cut down and in with the pack. I've also got lift shackles that are for the rear of an XJ. They are 6 inches from bolt hole to bolt hole.

In the rear I built a custom pack out of some springs I had laying around. I did a shackle flip and I also lowered the post mount down like 3 inches. And it has a 2 inch block.

[mark]

very nice job.i cant wait to see more pix!

[Gearhead 1990]

Sorry, no new pics, but I did put the headers on. They fit!!! they aren't even close to hitting anything! lol

I plan to finish the t-case cross member tomorrow. I'm still waiting on the wiring harness and chip I ordered or else getting it running would be my first priority. So I might start working on my axles. I'm swapping out the 3.73s for some 4.10s, yes, I know its still high gears but I don't have the money for gears right now. The only reason I'm getting the 4.10s is because my buddy just bought 5.13s for his truck and he said I could have his 4.10s

[Gearhead 1990]

I got a little bit done this weekend. I got the motor, tranny, and t-case all mounted. I also got my gas tank put in. I put a saddle tank out of a chevy truck in the back by the tailgate. I plan to build a wood box around it then build another box for storage from the front of that to the back of the back seat.

I'm still waiting on my wiring harness and chip for the engine. Hopefully I'll get it sometime this week. But until then I think I'm just going to work on all the little things, like the interior, and I also have to build shifters for my t-case and make a new tie rod and drag link for the high steer.

I'm trying to get this done by the 4th because there is a mud bog that I really want to go to. So I really need to bust butt to get this thing going. I'll post some more pictures this week of what I get done.

[Brad W.]

FYI- for some amount of clearance you could do a hockey-puck body lift. It doesn't look bad like some of the bigger ones, and the pucks won't break and come out like the body blocks. total it will net you about 1" of height, and clearance around the motor.

otherwise, and with those big meats I think it's a good idea, do hydraboost. the rod is the wrong length on the chevy HB, so you will need a cadillac HB or some other wierd versions like diesel suburban, civy humvee (IIRC the mil one is different), or aerostar van. It's sort of a piecemeal setup, ask elliott he's the guru on the HB it seems.

[tkiller13]

http://www.fsjworld.com/gallery/LAW11/79015.jpg

misfits rule

[Gearhead 1990]

I've got some good news and some bad news. Good news is that IT RUNS!!!! :D Finally got all the wiring here and hooked up and it works! Bad news is that I had to take the 39.5s off :(. As it turns out, the guy I was getting the 4.10 gears from for the axles didn't know he had been running mix-matched gears. He had 4.56s in the front and 4.10s in the rear. (I can't believe he never noticed it before) So since I can't afford a new carrier for the front and gears for the rear right now I'm just running my 3.73s :( So since there is no way I'll have enough power to turn the 39.5s I took them back to the owner :D lol I was just borrowing them anyways. My dads friend said I can borrow his tires now cause he felt bad for me for the tires I was going to put on it that are actually mine. All I have are some 36 buckshots that have seen better days. So now the jeep has 35x16x15 boggers in the rear and 35x15.50x15 TSL SX's in the front. They look SO small but I should have plenty of power to turn them now.

A few other little things that Ive done are, I put some guages in the dash, I put just the regular t-case shifter back on it, hooked up the tranny shifter, put the rear axle back together, and started working on the driveshafts. Sorry there is still no pictures but I'll post some up tomorrow. I'm getting SO excited to drive this thing :drivin:

[mark]

sounds great. hope it all comes together for you.

[Big-wagon87]

I have a set of d60 4:10's that I took out of the front of mine you can have the open carrier and ring/pin you pay the shipping I can quote you ups with a zip. that was a sweet lookin rig I will give you the gears to match you up so you can turn em over. I am runing 37 with 4;88'S and a ford np435/205 so I dont need them gears laying around. PM me:D

[Gearhead 1990]

It is getting REALLY close to being done enough to take it to the mud bog tomorrow. Got the drivelines in, put the rear axle back together, got a radiator in it, and tested it out today. I LIKE IT!! Its got WAY more power than it did before! Here's a couple pics.

35s look a little small but not too bad, They don't rub the fenders at all

http://img159.imageshack.us/img159/5189/1003071805fz9.jpg

I know my shackles are long lol, but it flex's pretty good I think :D

http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/954/1003071751do2.jpg

So tomorrow before we leave for the mud bog I have to mount my passenger seat, tie up all my wires, mount the computer somewhere in the dash, and build a temperary front bumper. Eventually I want to build a winch bumper.

[tylerd13]

I still think that looks really good, thats about what im looking in my cherokee except 36x15.5" try and get some pics at the mud bogg

[tylerd13]

oh and do you know much lift that is?.. what all are you using to get lift? just soa and shackle flip with longer shackles

[Gearhead 1990]

oh and do you know much lift that is?.. what all are you using to get lift? just soa and shackle flip with longer shackles

Its got SOA with 6 inch chevy front springs. The springs have a rear overload spring cut down and in with the pack (about 3/4 inch). Then its got an inch and a half with the shackles. In the rear I did a shackle flip and lowered the post mount down about 2-3 inches. Also built a spring pack out of springs a had laying around. And a 2 inch block. So probably around 10 inches of lift......?

[Gearhead 1990]

Just got back from the mud bog this afternoon, it was a lot of fun! The Jeep worked all weekend. I didn't go through the mud too much but there was a really cool trail there that I went on a lot. It had rocks, hills, mud, off camber stretches and other cool stuff. The fuel injection is awesome! Its nice when you don't have to worry about it cutting out on hills and stuff.

I found a weak link though, the front driveline. First I broke the U-joint at the pinion when I tried to climb a steep hill, when it got to the top the front tires went in the air and when they landed I still had my 50 pound foot on the gas and it just snapped it. So I got a new U-joint for it and went on the trail, when I got to the end the driveline was clicking pretty bad so I checked it out and noticed one of the caps was coming out of the cardon, SO, I took out the driveline, tapped the cap back in and tack welded all the caps. Then it worked good for a long time until this morning I was climbing the same freaking hill and it did the same freaking thing!!! except I snapped the cardon in half and the driveline got wedged in between the header and the spring. It is wedged so tight that it is still there and it pulled the header away from the head pulling the threads right out of the head on like 3 or 4 of the bolt holes.

Ok I'm done babbling for a little while lol. heres a few pics that I took

Had to see how well it would flex, Oh, and I ran out of time to build a bumper as you can tell

http://img161.imageshack.us/img161/2107/1005071135qn6.jpg

And another

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/9375/1005071135auy0.jpg

Parked off to the side of the trail while I was watching other people go up it

http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/2375/1006071509hi7.jpg

[Dmntxn77]

What size U joints are you running?

[Gearhead 1990]

What size U joints are you running?

I'm not sure on their size but the front driveline has the same size U-joints as all chevy 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton fronts do. The rear has 1410 (I think) they are both 1 ton yokes.

[jeeping1974]

that thing has some pretty nasty flex.:thumbsup:

[Gearhead 1990]

here's another pic from last weekend

http://img65.imageshack.us/img65/9104/alexsitphotographyff9.jpg

[Brad W.]

reason #481 why not to run headers! I hate those **** things, they hang down so friggin close to the driveshaft, grr.

FYI, an experience I learned from a wheeling buddy-- if you break the driveshaft on a high-speed run while snowbashing, it CAN rip the collector off the tubes... don't use coat hangers as welding rod on exhaust, they don't make a very good trail fix, lol. I learned from the same friend that if you break a center pin and stuff a rockwell axle into the fender, a driveshaft made of tool steel will break your NP-208 in half, LOL.

GO BIG, OR GO HOME... broken, on a trailer, not for lack of trying to go big...

oh, and on a chevy the front is 1310, rear is 1350. Fords use 1410 on some rears, depends on application. so do some dodges, it's hit or miss.

[Gearhead 1990]

reason #481 why not to run headers! I hate those **** things, they hang down so friggin close to the driveshaft, grr.

FYI, an experience I learned from a wheeling buddy-- if you break the driveshaft on a high-speed run while snowbashing, it CAN rip the collector off the tubes... don't use coat hangers as welding rod on exhaust, they don't make a very good trail fix, lol. I learned from the same friend that if you break a center pin and stuff a rockwell axle into the fender, a driveshaft made of tool steel will break your NP-208 in half, LOL.

GO BIG, OR GO HOME... broken, on a trailer, not for lack of trying to go big...

oh, and on a chevy the front is 1310, rear is 1350. Fords use 1410 on some rears, depends on application. so do some dodges, it's hit or miss.

Lol it sounds like you have had some fun times on the trail.

As for driveshaft stuff, I think the way to go would be to upgrade EVERY yoke to a 1410, make the shafts out of .250 inch steel tube, and carry ONE spare U-joint just in case one breaks. (probably never would). But that is all in due time, along with my doubler, front locker, gears, and a winch lol. I most likely won't get to any of that til next summer when I start working again. It sucks being in school, oh well, only this year and one more to go! :D

Today I took the jeep to school and fixed the header in shop class. Then after school I took it down to the muffler shop along with my exhaust that was off a chevy truck and had them make it fit on there for me. It sounds GOOD! I love the sound of flowmasters! :)

Tomorrow morning I have to put the front driveshaft back in it (that my dad fixed for me, what a cool dad! lol) then I'm hauling it to mud drags that are about an hour away from here. It is their last one of the year so it is going to have a payout. So hopefully I will win something and be able to buy more goodies for the jeep! I'll try to get some pics too.

[Gearhead 1990]

Well heres a pic of it on the rack at the muffler shop, couldn't not take a picture of that lol :D

http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/4853/1012071605bf8.jpg

[Gearhead 1990]

Sorry, no pics from last weekend. :( And I didn't win anything either. They paid out top 3 and guess what, I got 4th :mad: . Oh well, I had fun anyways.

No new progress on it but I just don't have time to do anything. It is still on the trailer lol. All I did was wash it. There is one more mud race this year so I figure I'll park it and try to get some work done on it this winter after that. And the guy I'm borrowing these tires from said he wants them back, so my dad has been helping me look for a set of tires to get. He found some today at work (he works at a tire store lol) and told me to come look at them and I bought them! They are a set of 5 36x14.50x15 swamper radials. So he co-signed for me to get an account and I put them on there and now I have a set of tires that are my own!! I'll post a couple pics when I get them on there.

[Dmntxn77]

You might want to take them back and get some bias ply instead.. They will work better for what you use the rig for. Plus, you can get a set of 39.5x15/15 bias ply TSL's for less...

Just a thought...

[Gearhead 1990]

You might want to take them back and get some bias ply instead.. They will work better for what you use the rig for. Plus, you can get a set of 39.5x15/15 bias ply TSL's for less...

Just a thought...

Well my goal is to have it so I can drive it to where I want to wheel. I guess I should have said that this is a used set of tires lol. They all have about 85-90% tread left on them and they are on 15x8 6 lug white spokes. I'm getting them for $850. If I were to buy a new set of tires I would probably get some 38 inch SX or boggers. But I figured I would go for this deal for now. At least now I have a set of tires of my own.

.......but I also think about, why buy a set of 5 used tires for about what I can get 4 new tires for......... I don't know. The deal isn't final yet so I think I might go back in there tomorrow and see what I can do.

One last question, do you think a 38x14.50 SX would be a good ALL AROUND tire?

EDIT: nevermind, I just talked to my dad about getting a different set of tires with that money and he said I can't do that, its like a deal where the store wasn't going to get the tires unless someone said they would buy them and he already told them that I would get them so the store bought them, oh well, they will work....

[mark]

nice job!

[Sambo]

sx's are decent all around tire...down here they last even on the rocks...longer than most tires i have seen

[Gearhead 1990]

Got the new tires on this afternoon

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/4951/1019071716bl2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Dmntxn77]

Looks good... How much tread is left on them?

[Gearhead 1990]

Looks good... How much tread is left on them?

They actually have quite a bit left. New they come with 21/32 tread depth, these have 18-19/32. Personally I think its kinda shallow but they should still work just fine. And what will be nice is that If I ever drive this thing on the road, it will ride smooth cause the tires are round lol, unlike bias plys.

[Dmntxn77]

They actually have quite a bit left. New they come with 21/32 tread depth, these have 18-19/32. Personally I think its kinda shallow but they should still work just fine. And what will be nice is that If I ever drive this thing on the road, it will ride smooth cause the tires are round lol, unlike bias plys.

Cool..
Bias ply tires get smooth too.. It just takes 5-10 minutes to round out.. :thumbsup:

Personally, if I were looking for a smooth ride, I wouldnt be building a wheeler... :eek:

[Gearhead 1990]

Cool..
Bias ply tires get smooth too.. It just takes 5-10 minutes to round out.. :thumbsup:

Personally, if I were looking for a smooth ride, I wouldnt be building a wheeler... :eek:

.....yeah true, I'm just trying to be optimistic about these tires lol :D

I wish I would of put more thought into buying these before I said deal..... but now they're mine and I'm going to use them.

As for the spare..... what is the bast way to carry it on the jeep? I was kinda thinking on the roof, but then I thought about making some kind of swinging gate on the back bumper.

Anyone have any thoughts?

[Dmntxn77]

Just lay it flat in the cargo compartment.. Anywhere else will raise the COG.. I personally dont like them on the back bumper. It is hard enough to see what is behind you without a big tire in your way...

[Gearhead 1990]

I don't know if I will have enough space back there for with my back seat in cause I have a chevy truck saddle tank back there up against the tailgate.... and my plans are to build a box around the tank and build another box from there to the back seat for tools and spare parts.... yeah, and with it on top it would be a little top heavy and catch on trees and stuff. With it on the bumper, like you said, it would take away a lot of visibility, and I think it would hurt my departure angle.

[WaggThis]

Hay is this you at the mudbog? its about 1:20 into the video. but i dont see you again after that :(
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8017550994407033827&q=mudbog&total=333&start=40&num=10&so=1&type=search&plindex=8

[Gearhead 1990]

Hay is this you at the mudbog? its about 1:20 into the video. but i dont see you again after that :(
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8017550994407033827&q=mudbog&total=333&start=40&num=10&so=1&type=search&plindex=8

Yep thats me :D

[Gearhead 1990]

I'm getting ready right now to leave pretty soon for mud drags today. I'll try harder to get some pics today.

[jeeping1974]

good luck man! can't wait to see them pics.

[Gearhead 1990]

The races were fun. It was a two day event and I raced both days. They put me in super mod both days. On Saturday I did fair, it was a double elimination so you could have two losses before you were out. On my first race I just couldn't get going very fast and lost. Then I thought I would just try high range, and surprisingly it worked good for me! I got going alot faster, I won my next four races then finally lost on my sixth race so I was out. But I did get 4th place out of 22. Once again they payed out top 3 :mad:

On sunday I didn't do as well. I think I raced 3 times but I can't remember for sure. But I wasn't even close to placing top 3.

Here's a pic of it before i raced. I didn't get any of me racing but I have some videos. I'll post them as soon as I can.

http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/9094/1027071109ro7.jpg