Getting Started From Scratch Can Anyone Help

[TheDougler]

Hey so basically I would love to have to have a kick arse jacked up Cherokee
Right now i have a 91 Cherokee Sport
Its a beauty and runs great
I have got a few questions...
1) what are the essential parts I need to get a good jeep going?
2) wheres the best place to get the parts?
3) How much will a lift and tires cost me? cause i am assuming that's one of the places to start.


Thanks
Taylor

[mhernden]

Hey,

My first post... how cute. 

I'm in the same boat as you. 

I've got a 99 XJ Sport.  Love it to death... but stock sucks.

Info on places to get parts... 

       NEW Parts try   www.national4wd.com  or www.modernmotors.com
       Used Parts try  http://jeepstuff.8m.com/

As for cost of lift and tires... you'll figure it out as you start to price things.  I've got about $6000 worth of upgrades planned for my XJ already... and ive only been researching this for about 3 weeks. 

Including;

Rusty's Offroad 6.5" Long Travel Kit with upgraded stabilizer and Rancho Shocks  ($2125ish)
Front Bumper with winch plate and Rear bumper with tire carrier from Rock Hard 4x4 ($1700ish)   --- Ordered... waiting on shipment to Calgary!!
Dick Cepek Crusher Radial 33x12.50x15 tires from National 4x4 ($1300ish)
Rims... cause the tires would look f unny without them... ($350)

Let me know if i can be of any help... i'll even continue to update as i go if you're interested in the info.

[BlackYJ]

1) what are the essential parts I need to get a good jeep going?
2) wheres the best place to get the parts?
3) How much will a lift and tires cost me? cause i am assuming that's one of the places to start.

1.  Front and rear tow point, good set of tires (mud terrain perferred but ATs will work), and a winch
2.  With the way the dollar is going US suppliers are being more popular.  National and Modern are both good local stores, but also check out North Shore Offroad in Vancouver www.nsor.com, and Northridge 4x4 out of Washington, www.northridge4x4.com.
3.  Prices on lifts very greater from a simple budget booster with coil springs, longer shackles and shocks to full on long arms in the front and heavy duty springs in the rear.  Tires are the same way depending on size and brand.  We need to know more what your plans are first.

Honestly, a XJ with good 31s or 33s, winch, and a traction device in the rear can deal very well on the trails around here

[4PLAYZJ]

Wouldn't buy a rustys kit, their stuff is garbage.  Buy a claytons long arm  kit.  6.5" long arm complete lift $2209.  Claytons stuff is about as tough as you can get without building it yourself.  I bucked up the money for rubicon express & I wish I has gone with claytons.  Check out their site:

http://www.claytonoffroad.com/index.aspx?sdr=/get.doc.aspx&qs=LD:Parts%20List&l=make!model!modelEx&p=Jeep!Cherokee!XJ

[01sahara]

[
Lots of money on lifts and tires is great but a good winch is a great equalizer on trail runs. Many of the club runs have minimum vehicle requirements to attend the run: front and rear tow points, a tow strap, good condition tires 31" minimum, working CB radio and on more difficult runs a winch. Make sure you cover the basics in your wish list.    Also consider the gearing in your rear dif and the strength of the axle you are running. I ran 33" tires on 3:07 gears for 8mo before upgrading to better gearing. It was drivable but not a good set up Sucked on the road and on the trail. I would not recommend it as a set up for someone just getting into trail runs. Very limited engine breaking on down hill obstacles and your gear selection had to be really good to climb.  Look into what gears you have and how they work with your tire selection.

[mhernden]

Wouldn't buy a rustys kit, their stuff is garbage.  Buy a claytons long arm  kit.  6.5" long arm complete lift $2209.  Claytons stuff is about as tough as you can get without building it yourself.  I bucked up the money for rubicon express & I wish I has gone with claytons.  Check out their site:

http://www.claytonoffroad.com/index.aspx?sdr=/get.doc.aspx&qs=LD:Parts%20List&l=make!model!modelEx&p=Jeep!Cherokee!XJ

Is Rusty's stuff really that bad?  The reason i was going with this long arm kit was the easy install... no welding required.  I hear lots of people complain about having to weld to the XJ frame...  so thin and what have you... so i thought this nice reinforced 100% bolt on option might be a good way to go.   

More thoughts? 

[4PLAYZJ]

Bolts losen over time, you can only torque something so much when it is attached to sheet metal.  I would think that a kit that only uses bolts would oblong the bolt holes over time.  A kit that that uses a mix of bolting & welding is best.  Also rusty arms & trac bars are junk.  I bent my rear trac bar my second trip, no big deal stuff breaks(part of the 4x4 game)  When I went to cut apart the track bar to fix it the tubing used was way thinner than advertised on the website.  When I cut apart my front one to use some of the parts to build my new front track bar, it was the same for the front one.  This is just plain fraud.  Not to mention their customer service is great untill they have your money then it goes down the crapper. 

                                                                     Just My Two Cents

[XJHERO]

If you lifting an xj go CLAYTON.........
For the front hardarms the only thing you need welded is the crossmember that replaces your trans crossmember. So bolt on the crossmember ONLY, drive it to sumone with a good welder buzz and it on. go home and install the rest.

[mhernden]

If you lifting an xj go CLAYTON.........
For the front hardarms the only thing you need welded is the crossmember that replaces your trans crossmember. So bolt on the crossmember ONLY, drive it to sumone with a good welder buzz and it on. go home and install the rest.

Well,  Clayton seems to win a majority vote.   Given that i dont know much about anything... im a huge fan of the majority vote.

Now to find someone who knows how to weld.

[JENSSEN]

Sawzall, Mig Welder, a Few cases of beer ,... Put the truck on a diet, skid the stock diffs and go for broke,..



But really,.. Whats your overall goal for the Jeep?

[mhernden]

Sawzall, Mig Welder, a Few cases of beer ,... Put the truck on a diet, skid the stock diffs and go for broke,..



But really,.. Whats your overall goal for the Jeep?

Well... as i said... im new.  First 4x4... first Jeep.  No stranger to being offroad... but its nice to have some proper hardware for this t ype of stuff.

I dont like to do projects twice.  I'd rather spend the money and do it once and do it right. 

I want to be able to go wheel'n (tho no need to be the best one of the bunch) but it also has to be a daily driver as well.  I drive it to the park and ride every day to get me to and from work.

[Waytec]

My thing that I am going with for my build is start small and build as your skills grow, their is no point in building the ultimate rig if you can not drive it. I have a 95 XJ with a 3.5 inc lift and 31s I was craping myself at the beginning out the year and now I am getting board and wanting to go to the next step. (gears and a locker). Have fun with it and research the stuff and go with what you think is best for you.

[sn4cktime]

As someone who was just in your situation with a JK you NEED three things.

-Tow strap
-Front/Rear tow points
-Spare tire

That way when you get stuck, and you will, someone can pull you out without ripping something off.  I didn't have a lot of extra money in 07' when I bought my Jeep and patiently waited until I threw on my new bumpers this year.  Was worth it.  45 minutes into my first wheelin' trip I had to get pulled out backwards, and then forwards through a mud-hole.

Just my 2 cents.  Have fun man, it's a Jeep!

[mhernden]

Yup, that was my first buy... waiting for custom front and rear bumpers to arrive.  Both with solid tow points on each.  Rear swingout spare tire carrier on the back.  Winch plate on the front for a 9000lb'er. 

Then its on to saving for the lift/tires. 

Yay jeep!

[Immortal]

Here is some good readin' for ya.

http://www.oramagazine.com/pastIssues/0307-issue/index.asp?article=finesse

http://www.oramagazine.com/pastissues/0207-issue/index.asp?article=finesse

http://www.oramagazine.com/pastIssues/0407-issue/index.asp?article=finesse

http://www.oramagazine.com/pastIssues/0507-issue/index.asp?article=finesse