My 99xj build

[mcguyver_xj]

Well I am new to this site but am not new to other forums but I enjoy sharing my XJ with others and looking at others XJ's as well and in my intro thread i got some mention of people wanting to see more of my XJ...I bought my XJ a little over a year ago it was a bone stock 1999 Cherokee Sport in need of maintenance and repair from the second owner who took very good care of it but needed a down payment on a new car so i scooped it up for $750 it had 208k miles, auto trans, np242, hp30, c8.25, rust on the roof/rocker panels/ and rear quarters and i loved it:
first brought her home
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/263834_2058772465741_1137536456_32310096_1921741_n .jpg
wasted no time ripping out the musty carpet, the front bumper was so rusty from highway travels i took it off and started on much needed repairs:tune-up, brakes and brake lines, rear wheel bearings, fluids, front bearings, and then it sat until funds came around for a lift kit...

Lift time came i went with 4.5" Rusty's Offroad kit with full coils, shocks, track bar, adj. short lca's, 3.5" leafs with 1" shackles but as i went to bring it to my buddies my alternator and ac compressor seized up so i went bought new alternator, ac bypass pulley, new water pump and tstat and radiator, and did a new belt and tensioner pulley...
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2011-10-14102122.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2011-10-16172130.jpg
lifted with bald 31's
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2011-11-11_143112.jpg

then i finally registered and insured it and took on some small projects as a jeep build can be a slow process...
hi lift under back seat
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2011-11-11_151155.jpg
cut out and replaced rear quarters
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2011-12-18_132617.jpg
rear Or-Fab bumper mounted (from my old xj)
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2011-12-20_121932.jpg

[mcguyver_xj]

then my buddy bought a TJ that he was gonna lift to 3" and put his 35's on so he didn't need the great condition 32's so I bought them for dirt cheap
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-01-01_135051.jpg
first wheeling trip
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-01-01_143544.jpg
ouch
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-01-01_154731.jpg
thank god for cheap jeeps that i have parted out and kept spare parts from
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/194.jpg

so then i installed some beefy steering along with a steering box and spacer and brace and a track bar brace
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-01-16_195850.jpg
did a spectre cowl intake and modified a stock front bumper
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-02-04_162612.jpg
flex test
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-02-19142600.jpg

Detour's a-pillar brackets
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-02-20192728.jpg

Brown Dog motor mounts
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-03-25101340.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-03-31123939.jpg

painted rims and manual window conversion from 5-speed donor vehicle (oops spoiler alert)
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-03-31123917.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-04-05183235.jpg

random pics of progress
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-04-29125110.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-04-28194619.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-05-20134456.jpg

long arm's courtesy of Rusty's
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-05-06170717.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-05-27195500.jpg

tomken gas tank skid and doorless mod
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-06-20200315.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-06-27173922.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-06-27173938.jpg

[mcguyver_xj]

GoFerIt tie rod flipsert
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-04154600.jpg

wheeling
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-051601134.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-051602110.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-05160513.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-05160936.jpg



35's.....
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-11192901.jpg
and some bedliner
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-12180151-1.jpg

custom front bumpstops
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-01160410.jpg

custom rear bumpstops with HD Offroad shackle relocaters
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-18152018.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-18174718.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-18181011.jpg
custom exhaust
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-19140910.jpg
traded tire carrier for half doors
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-26120616.jpg

wheeling
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-26111120.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-26113928.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-08-26134411.jpg

[mcguyver_xj]

NP241OR swap was easy enough if you have the correct yokes courtesy of JB Conversions and a front driveshaft for the rear only modification needed was adjustment of shift linkage and to the tranny mount
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-01170344.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-01170357.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-10184906.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-10184957.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-10185009.jpg

also relocated the washer fluid reservoir
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-01160314.jpg

[mcguyver_xj]

Great American Jeep Rally 2012 no pics of me on the rti ramps or in the medium rock course (twice) but i got damage pics
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-15170742.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-15154759.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-15154745.jpg

not damaging just appealing
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-15155352.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-15134358.jpg

[mcguyver_xj]

now that this is caught up to date i have undertaken my 5-speed swap will be posting pics and answering any questions or going further into detail about anything thats just been posted thanks all enjoy...

[4.3LXJ]

Nice build. And you get extra points for the GF posing too. :thumbsup:

[Brasscatz]

Very nice! You've got a lot of work in that thing!

[bluedragon436]

That is a nice rig you've built up in a short time!! Look forward to seeing it progress!!

[mcguyver_xj]

thank you all it has come a long way: but todays updates

if you wanna run a np241or and an ax15 this is what your tranny mount needs to look like:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-09-30192323.jpg

but other than that got the pedals in, floor plate installed, vent lines run for trans and t-case, ecm bolted down, tranny seals replaced, and other small stuff now just to get the new flywheel bolts and homeward bound...

[Carves]

Very jealous of your manual window conversion ...

Wish we got more model variety down here to make the junkyards worth visiting .. :bang:







Ohhhh ... and your other mods are cool too .... just not what I require ... :D

.

[XJ Wheeler]

Great build, man. Seems as though you've got some experience under your belt. Keep 'em coming, mate.

[mcguyver_xj]

pedals bolted in, flywheel/clutch/tranny are in, t case is in, master and slace cylinder are in...need a different rear driveshaft, working on modifying tcase linkage so it will work, add fluids and it will be done

[mcguyver_xj]

everything is all set! except for a rear driveshaft still hunting at least for something temporary

[mcguyver_xj]

Dropped off the front tj shaft I bought at endangered to a machine shop to be shortened and balanced and i test drove her in front wheel drive its gonna take some getting used to but its awesome...also got some minor things to figure out like my oil pressure gauge not working and having an evap leak...

[mcguyver_xj]

pics finally:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-10-06151549.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-10-06151604.jpg

and tj cluster swap:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-10-06162222.jpg

[Hellraisingvtec]

wish i had all the spare parts you have at my house

[mcguyver_xj]

wish i had all the spare parts you have at my house

you could for the right price lol...parts jeeps to me are like savings bonds could take a while to turn out by being used or sold

[mcguyver_xj]

havent done much in awhile just pretty much putting miles on her i did go wheeling after the swap it was really interesting and is gonna take some getting used to on that trip i scraped and dented up my pass. side doors pretty good though...

but other than that thanks to a fellow jeeper i have now in my jeep zj leather seats and newer front tow hooks and brackets and fixed my front bumper so its not being held on by a small d-ring...

[4.3LXJ]

OK Steve, where is the proof? We need pics!

[mcguyver_xj]

OK Steve, where is the proof? We need pics!

pics today I promise...lol

[mcguyver_xj]

damage pics dont do it justice:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-01131440.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-01131448.jpg

front tow hooks:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-01075822-1.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-01075807.jpg

leather seats:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-01131545.jpg

[4.3LXJ]

Yup, that settles it, you need rock sliders. On my list too

[mcguyver_xj]

Yup, that settles it, you need rock sliders. On my list too

2x6 welded in place with feet welded through floor to subframe which will get stiffeners beforehand...whenever that happens...lol

[mcguyver_xj]

painted the plate visor thingy black

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-11162525.jpg

[Brasscatz]

painted the plate visor thingy black

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-11162525.jpg

Holy crap... I literally did that exact same thing today

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo7/thestalliontruck/Red%20Bandit%20XJ/IMAG1215.jpg

[mcguyver_xj]

Holy crap... I literally did that exact same thing today

http://i356.photobucket.com/albums/oo7/thestalliontruck/Red%20Bandit%20XJ/IMAG1215.jpg


nice...

[mcguyver_xj]

after waiting a long time finally got the parts i have been waiting for to complete my "rear diff" pile:
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-13193805.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj82/mcguyvermechanic/my%20cars/1999%20Jeep%20Cherokee/2012-11-13193818.jpg

Solid 8.25 cover, rear disc conversion parts with e-brake cables, and a spartan locker....yay

[4.3LXJ]

So what is the holdup anyway? :D

[mcguyver_xj]

started the disc swap tonight got all the old stuff off and disassembled and it was in horrible condition...shoes were below tops of rivets and drums were all grooved...

[4.3LXJ]

That is not good. You going to buy new stuff now?

[mcguyver_xj]

got my disc backing plates on then installed the locker which took hours cause i put in a piece backwards and kept triple checking crappy directions about install then figuring out how to uninstall to correct backwards part...finally got it in put on the solid diff cover then proceeded to put on rotors,pads,calipers ....now just to make new hard lines, bleed brakes, fill gear oil, and test drive, then later on do the e-brake since i snapped my adjuster

[mcguyver_xj]

sorry for the lack of pics but i had a pounding migraine all day while trying to run errands and finish my jeep to go to work tmorrow...after 4 parts stores spread over a couple hours and trips back home finally got enough stuff to make new brake lines...got the calipers all mounted and i hardmounted the flex hose to the top of the u-bolt plate cause my bumpstop is offset then ran new hard lines, topped off the diff with fluid and buttoned it up for a test drive...my brakes are sooo much better and i opted not to remove the o-ring of the p-valve like i have read people doing with larger tires i had to re-adjust my braking habits cause i was stopping way to early...and blew some burnouts in the gravel to test the locker which isnt loud but my jeep is loud so i prolly just dont hear it...