PEAK PUTTERS

Still haven't figured out the whole posting picture thing, but I guess I can explain my plans for the jeep without cool pictures of it.

What I'm working with:
1996 Cherokee 4.0L 4X4 w/ country of the fenders. (Is that a sub model?) Power windows and locks, A/C, Auto, Bright red paint.

I bought am 86 suburban (AKA Monster) for a project for my auto class at but decided it was to big and traded it for this cherokee (Mini-Monster). My goal is to have a fun weekend warrior that I can take to the hills camping, hunting, back-road driving. I like going on trails, but nothing to extreme (at least not yet). Even though it won't be a DD, I do plan to drive this jeep on the streets from time to time, so I'm not going to do anything to crazy with it.

Eventually I want to put a 3in Rusty lift on the jeep with some 30-31in M/T tires, Off-road bumpers front (winch?) and rear, upgrade axles, roof rack, rhino lined interior, some day in the distant future an OM617 diesel under the hood.

Currently, there are a few issues that need fixed before any modifications can be done or before anymore trips to hover. (I'm by the fairgrounds so running out to hover to play is pretty easy for me) Powersteering comes and goes and the exhaust manifold is cracked. Hopefully this week or next I will order a new p/s pump, gear box, and exhaust header. Once those are installed and if no other issues pop up, I'll be looking at getting the lift and tires.

Since I'm a broke college bum, I doubt I'll be doing a lot of trips with the rig this summer, but I really want to get up into the mountains and see some sights. Mainly logging roads or easy trails, that way things will be less likely to break. This rig isn't my primary transportaion, but I don't want to thrash it either.

That's pretty much it. I'm sure I'll have questions from time to time so feel free to throw out your suggestions/advice.

Bought a set of Goodyear MT/R (245/75 R16) Should be a great improvement over the used up 225/75 A/Ts that are on the jeep now.


Can't wait to get them mounted this next week. Only bad thing is now I have to fix my front end so I don't wear the tires unevenly.

Put the tires on the jeep. It looks pretty sweet now, but a lift is needed! The rear tires rub just a bit on the fender wells when I hit a bump in the road or take a corner fast.

I'll snap some pic of the jeep tonight or tomorrow. Off-roading is off the to-do list until I get a lift so I can clear these tires.

Bought a 4.5in rough country lift from 4wheelplus.com Now I just need to get it put on to the jeep!

SquirrelCrusher wrote:Bought a 4.5in rough country lift from 4wheelplus.com Now I just need to get it put on to the jeep!

Sweet! Soon your MTR's will not make "that noise" on your fenders when you back out of driveways.

That is my custom back up alarm!

I have the front lifted! Decided to just leave it on the lift over night and finish the rear tomorrow. Thought about driving around with just the front lifted "baja style" but decided that it was a bad idea

Lift is all install except for the transfer case drop spacers. Those will get put on tomorrow along with an much needed alignment. Can't wait to go wheeling this weekend

My trans slips on the highway sometimes so I'd like to replace it with a lower mileage trans. There is one on craigslist today for $200 out of a forest service rig with 150K. trans and transfer case. No torque converter though. My trans has 250K


How much is a torque converter and where can I buy one? None of the parts stores in town have been able to track one down for me.

The Warn rear bumper I picked up off Craigslist.

Excellent. Looks good.

Looks good. I've got an extra receiver hitch if you're looking for one...

Spartan locker is now safely hidden in the front diff! Excellent bang for the buck. Test drive out in hoover was excellent. Make it easily up hills I was to nervous to try before. Amazing improvement for a little money and a couple hours to install.

Now I just need to figure out what the banging noise it when I out on the trails. The noise is like a whoomp whoomp whoomp and sounds like it is coming from under my feet. But for now that jeep drive fine on the road so I'm happy (noise was present before locker install so I know it wasn't caused by the locker)

Could be lots of things, but I'd guess a ujoint or a stretched tcase chain.

I don't think it would be a Tcase chain because it happens in 2wd or 4wd. Only on bumpy roads, cruising around on pavement no noise, but if I go down a washboard gravel or bumpy trail it will make the noise every once in awhile.

Check to make sure your front control arm bolts are tight, my jeep was making a weird noise upfront and it was the control arms.

Actually tightened the lower control arm bolts today while the jeep was on the lift getting the locker install. Didn't think to check the upper since I was just checking all the lift bolts

Update: BDS lower and adj upper control arms, 8.25 29-spline swap, rear Spartan, 33in M/T, front winch bumper, hood vents, rock crawler quick disconnects, and shackle relocators.

I bought the shackle brackets back on Nov and after a 2.5 month wait I finally got them. They are from a small company in Yakima. FST is the company. The brackets are laser cut and very precise. Install took about 4 hours, but should have taken less than half that, but ran into a small issue. One nut on the bracket hit the jeep body. So I had to make a couple small cuts. Other than that all the bolt holes lined up perfect. They are a tight fit with zero slop. Everything is 1/4 plate. The jeep seems to ride over bumps smoother and I didn't notice any height difference after the install

https://froehlichsuspension.3dcartstores.com/



Before


After


The part that needed trimmed

in my opnion that shackle angle is too steep i would move it back a hole or two

here is daves thread he installed something very similar to yours in the last post

http://www.peakputters.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2932

Cross-over steering and track bar installed thanks to 79chevy39.5

New tires. Maxxis M/Ts

Nice tires. Let us know what you think of them when you try 'em out.

I just mounted an almost new 35" Maxxis Bighorn MT tire on my spare. (a pay it forward present from a friend I gave some stuff to awhile ago.) It's a lot better than old and cracked AT tire I got out of Schabbies boneyard for $10.

Curious to know what you think about them. When my tires wear out, I could possibly have a matched set of 5 for once.

The reviews I've read on the tires are positive. One negative thing I have seen a few times is that the tires have zero siping, so snow/icey road driving sucks.

I want to bring the jeep to Dayton this week. The mountain roads should be opening the beginning of next month.

Why the new tires?

New tires again on the Jeep. I got a brand new set of General Grabber 35 12.5 R15. They look awesome on the jeep and did great out at Juniper.


Next mod is gears and rear springs.

Where is a good place in SE Washington to get gears installed? I'm thinking 4.88s

Where is the best place to buy springs? So far I've seen them vary from $104 a spring to $310 a pair.