97 Cherokee Sport #GoVenture

[robuilt]

So I figured I'd feature my Cherokee on here in hopes that Tony would like to do 3 hour exclusive interview on The Jeep Talk Show one day about it (Just kidding, not really)

Any who, I picked up this 97 Cherokee in November 2013. I found it abandoned in the back garage of a used car shop. It had been basically left for dead. I don't know why I decided to stop at that place but I am glad I did it was the body style, color, interior I wanted.

I paid too much for it ($1,000) but like my wife, it was love at first sight.

It had 157,000 miles on it back then. I brought it home and started the build in my head and haven't stopped.

Now note, I'm cheap. Best thing is, so are my best friends who are jeepers as well so they don't make me feel bad. We give/trade parts with each other and always lend a hand while wheeling and wrenching. Love those fellas!

Anyway, here is what the XJ looked like when I brought it home.

[robuilt]

About the same time u picked up my rig, I picked up this harbor freight 40"x48" trailer. It's going to be the basis of my camping/adventure trailer build. Not bad for $50

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You may or may not have seen this video on YouTube but it will be the direction I will be going with. Simple and to the point.

https://youtu.be/fnUs4grX8pw



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[robuilt]

Jan 2014 or so we took an impromptu overnight trip to Padre Island National Seashore to meet up with a local group called 3rd Coast Jeepers. Great crew.
At this point, the Jeep had trimmed front fenders, a set of used/old 31" Yokohama ATs, new front bumper, roof basket,

Good first adventure. Loved driving the coastline

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[robuilt]

Summer time, 2014ish

Picked up a set of Soft 8 wheels (15x8), 1.25" wheel spacers, 2" spacer up front and 2" shackles out back. I was king of the world!

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Notice the negative arch out back? Happened almost immediately

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Cleans up pretty good, I'd say.

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[robuilt]

Here is how I mounted my spare up on the basket. Pretty happy with it. Sturdy.

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[robuilt]

Mar 2015, took the XJ with a few friends to Hidden Falls Offroad Park in Marble Falls, TX.

Had a great time. Don't really have pics but had tons of fun. Despite the carnage.

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[robuilt]

While the Jeep was down, I replace the broken u joints, rear pinion yoke, installed new 3" springs, shocks, rear 3.5" leafs, bump stops front and rear, cb, cb antenna and a few other things. Luckily no vibrations and no tc drop

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[robuilt]

There is a cross up on a hill in a nearby town. You can make it up the hill in 4hi. It holds a special place in our hearts.

The day we found out my wife was pregnant.
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The day we found out we are having a boy!
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[robuilt]

Mall Crawling at its finest!

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[robuilt]

Our camp set up

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Picked this up at a pawn shop for a couple bucks. Model number indicates it's approximately manufactured in 1965. Converted it to propane. Cooks great!
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This is our chuck box. Holds all our food/cooking related gear.
Garage sale find. $5
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This is for our fresh water. Hence blue. Always only had water in it actually holds closer to 6 gallons when filled to the rim.
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And this is the current state of our camping trailer. Eventually it will get done.
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Let's go!
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[robuilt]

Finally had front extraction tow hooks installed. This is the Iron Rock set up.
Beafy.
Ties the front end together. Love it
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[robuilt]

Got bored and decided to paint the wheels black
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Went out the next day and got em dirty.
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[robuilt]

Just a few random adventure pics

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[robuilt]

Fast forward to today. 165,000 miles and still rolling along

Picked up these JK Moab wheels with Hankook MTs 265/70/17s
Love the new look.

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Put away waiting for the next adventure.

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[4.3LXJ]

And he gets it done in one fell swoop :D Good job so far Rob

[robuilt]

Thanks! I love it.

It's not a wild build but it does exactly what I need it to do. Take us on adventures.

[bluedragon436]

Our camp set up

This is our chuck box. Holds all our food/cooking related gear.
Garage sale find. $5
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This is for our fresh water. Hence blue. Always only had water in it actually holds closer to 6 gallons when filled to the rim.
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Hey for your chuck box, that is a killer deal.. Once you get your camping trailer setup, you might want to look into something like this setup from SWAGOFFROAD to mount/secure your checkbox...
http://www.swagoffroad.com/8-Gallon-Rubber-Maid-Action-Packer-Baja-Bins_p_35.html

And is that fresh water can you're using, an ATV/MTX fuel can, w/ a tap added?? Only wonder, cause I'm trying to work stuff together for building my camping setup... Will most likely be running a cheap used pop up.. but wouldn't mind building a trailer one day.. But for now, am looking for good ideas, and the Spectre cans aren't the cheapest options... so looking for other options...

[robuilt]

I like that box set up but pricey.

And yes it's a VP racing can with a tap from the hardware store. Teflon tape and call it good. Doesn't leak

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[robuilt]

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Another nice example of the direction I'd like to take

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[Brasscatz]

Very nice build, man. I gotta ask... where'd you get those tail light guards?

[robuilt]

Picked them off of Amazon

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[robuilt]

They are just plastic. I like the look. But they don't protect anything.
The double sided tape sucks. I ended up securing them with self tapping screws into the taillight.

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[bluedragon436]

I like that box set up but pricey.

And yes it's a VP racing can with a tap from the hardware store. Teflon tape and call it good. Doesn't leak

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Does it have a backing nut on it, or just screwed into the cap?? Might have to run with this idea for more water carrying options...

[robuilt]

Just screwed in. With Teflon it's snug and sealed great.

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[robuilt]

We had a beautiful day in South Texas yesterday.
Doorless and fishing before the Super Bowl was in order

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[robuilt]

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Got my wheels.
They are gonna be nice!

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[robuilt]

So just throwing this on here in the hopes that someone will use the search function and find their answer

My jeep was pulling code P0131 and P0171.
My mileage significantly dropped to about 4-6mpg, black "soot" blowing out of the muffler and smell of raw unburned fuel.

I read about many different possible issues.

I decided to troubleshoot the O2 sensors first. Went over to my buddies house. Used his code reader to clear the codes. Removed my o2 sensor from the downpipe and swapped it out with his good one.
Drove the jeep and problem fixed. No check engine light. Smooth idle and obvious smell of unburned fuel gone.

Drove back to his house, and reinstalled my old o2 sensor so he could have his good one back.
While I was test driving my jeep he cleaned my o2 sensor with brake cleaner. Removed a bunch of built up crud and soot.
I reinstalled my original (cleaned) o2 sensor and have driven 1 day and about 100 miles and the jeep is doing great. Back to normal.

(Please excuse me while I knock on wood)

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[4.3LXJ]

Glad to her if is doing better. But you better keep an eye on it. Rhe XJ ECM is very slow to learn and needs to go through a number of start ups before it settles down. O2 sensors do wear out over time and need to be deplaced

[robuilt]

You are absolutely right. So far so good but I'll be taking some time to do a full tune up and sensor round up pretty soon.


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[robuilt]

"New to me" $40 bumper. Sold the side steps for $40 so it's pretty much a wash.
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[Pinkyman]

Thats a heck of a $40 bumper!!

I love your build. Its almost exactly the idea that im going for with mine.

[robuilt]

My buddy picked em up both for $50.
He kept the rear and we split the cost of the bumper and fuel he used to go pick em up http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160302/81ad108aeb9dbb216a55be1c24028fe2.jpg

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[robuilt]

Just wanted to share this small project I did for my small harbor freight adventure trailer 40"x48".

It's coming along slowly but today I found a ton of pvc that was being tossed out at my work. Nabbed it up and built a small shower system that will be mounted on top of the trailer cargo box. .
I still need to break down the set up, trim a few cuts, glue each union and then buy the fittings to pressure it as well as installing the shower nozzle.
.I love it. It works for me. Can't wait to fill it and see how much water it holds.

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[Mudderoy]

I had not seen any of this post. I want to see the trailer build! :popcorn:

[robuilt]

It's a loooooow dollar build.
I spent the last hour taking apart a few hard wood heavy duty pallets left over an oil well location I'm working on.
My chuck box is a $5 action packer I bought at a garage sale, my portable power pack is being built on the cheap.
I need to order a wider axle to fit the matching JK Moab wheels on the camper.
I also need an extended full length tongue.
My backseat is full of trailer parts right now

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[blazer2]

Love looooow dollar builds. I will definitely keeping an eye on this build.

[robuilt]

Installed LEDs!


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[blazer2]

What's the output on them? And the important stuff like cost and where did you get them.
If you would please.

[robuilt]

They are Chinese no name brand
My buddy sells em to local jeepers. 100% satisfaction rate.
With the headlights and harness (relays and all), I paid $60 but I traded some parts with him for the discount

I'll get the output rating tomorrow but they are great

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[blazer2]

Thanks

[XJ Wheeler]

Are they dot approved?

Sent via messenger pigeon. I talk, he types.

[robuilt]

Dot approved enough to pass the state inspection at the corner shop lol

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