tkotitan
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Vermont, USA
I figured I should drop in and say hi before I post a hi-tech thread. This looks like the place to be for an XJ owner. Also my best friend is running a rusted out Ford Ranger maybe one year more and said he wants to get an XJ so I will let him know about this forum.
I have a Blue (almost purple tinge) '94 2dr Cherokee SE. 4.0, 5spd, select-trac, Chrysler Axle, 165k on the motor. I bought it over 5 years ago with only 95k miles on it and not a dot of rust and have kept it running as my main vehicle. I do some trail hopping on the class 4 roads (logging roads) in VT and have taken it many places I shouldn't have and learned you have to pay to play in that game as they say. Not interested in a lift for any reason except maybe to increase cargo capacity.
I bought my rig when my Volvo was dying so I needed a car, and decided I wanted a Cherokee knowing nothing about them other than good reputation. The only must-have on my shopping list was manual windows because I am never paying a mechanic to fix power windows for me a again. I have arms and can roll down my own windows. I really also wanted a sun roof and a roof rack even though those ideas seem mutually exclusive. When I found this rig, it had a sun roof and a roof rack. Which I later learned were both after-market. Sweet! Some yupee before me had the same idea - it also had an old cell-phone hook-up in there.
I have done a ton of maintenance on it. Both front U-joints, sway bar bushings and links, new transfer case, new clutch plate and flywheel. Had to do drivers side rocker panel because I was stupid and didn't replace my mud flaps after they fell off trail hopping. After having a bird's nest in my rocker panel, I finally changed it last year. Still keeping the rust monster at bay. I have a solid Thule rack that mounts into the gutters, a 6 foot snowboard box on one side that serves as my trunk and I drilled a hole and bolted a full size spare to the roof on the other side.
I just did springs. I used to carry over half a ton of water in the back (I am crazy spring water bottle guy) and my original leafs and shocks were spent. The day my new leafs came in, the old ones cracked clean through just barely behind the U-bolt. So I managed to drive it to the shop 4 miles away at 25mph. With new shocks and springs it feels like a new rig and I am loving it again so I have been doing my best to fix it up. I got stock Omix Ada replacement parts because they were cheap off amazon. If I had more cash, I would have gotten springs with one more leaf to increase cargo capacity. If I get a chance down the road, I will get a ford 8.8 axle for disc brakes and add-a-leaf at the same time. (Random question for anyone - I have the 3.07 gears; if I get a ford 8.8 with the 3.08 gears I won't need to change gears right? or does that .01 really make a difference?)
I have an experimental HHO kit I am running in it. I have no cat in my exhaust and yet somehow manage to pass inspection ...
The ECU fights to keep sensors running normal so any gains I would see in mileage are cancelled out because it thinks it is running lean. I will be starting a thread to help me tweak the sensors elsewhere. I also run Pulstar Iridium plugs and maybe see a small power gain. In any case, with no Cat and the HHO running, there is no unburnt fuel smell at all in my exhaust. Smells as clean as it can be. I have a straight pipe and a straight-through magnaflow oval muffler. One day I will probably have to do headers and replace the rest of the old pipe.
No pics yet. Sorry, maybe later.
Behold! My wall of text!
I have a Blue (almost purple tinge) '94 2dr Cherokee SE. 4.0, 5spd, select-trac, Chrysler Axle, 165k on the motor. I bought it over 5 years ago with only 95k miles on it and not a dot of rust and have kept it running as my main vehicle. I do some trail hopping on the class 4 roads (logging roads) in VT and have taken it many places I shouldn't have and learned you have to pay to play in that game as they say. Not interested in a lift for any reason except maybe to increase cargo capacity.
I bought my rig when my Volvo was dying so I needed a car, and decided I wanted a Cherokee knowing nothing about them other than good reputation. The only must-have on my shopping list was manual windows because I am never paying a mechanic to fix power windows for me a again. I have arms and can roll down my own windows. I really also wanted a sun roof and a roof rack even though those ideas seem mutually exclusive. When I found this rig, it had a sun roof and a roof rack. Which I later learned were both after-market. Sweet! Some yupee before me had the same idea - it also had an old cell-phone hook-up in there.
I have done a ton of maintenance on it. Both front U-joints, sway bar bushings and links, new transfer case, new clutch plate and flywheel. Had to do drivers side rocker panel because I was stupid and didn't replace my mud flaps after they fell off trail hopping. After having a bird's nest in my rocker panel, I finally changed it last year. Still keeping the rust monster at bay. I have a solid Thule rack that mounts into the gutters, a 6 foot snowboard box on one side that serves as my trunk and I drilled a hole and bolted a full size spare to the roof on the other side.
I just did springs. I used to carry over half a ton of water in the back (I am crazy spring water bottle guy) and my original leafs and shocks were spent. The day my new leafs came in, the old ones cracked clean through just barely behind the U-bolt. So I managed to drive it to the shop 4 miles away at 25mph. With new shocks and springs it feels like a new rig and I am loving it again so I have been doing my best to fix it up. I got stock Omix Ada replacement parts because they were cheap off amazon. If I had more cash, I would have gotten springs with one more leaf to increase cargo capacity. If I get a chance down the road, I will get a ford 8.8 axle for disc brakes and add-a-leaf at the same time. (Random question for anyone - I have the 3.07 gears; if I get a ford 8.8 with the 3.08 gears I won't need to change gears right? or does that .01 really make a difference?)
I have an experimental HHO kit I am running in it. I have no cat in my exhaust and yet somehow manage to pass inspection ...
The ECU fights to keep sensors running normal so any gains I would see in mileage are cancelled out because it thinks it is running lean. I will be starting a thread to help me tweak the sensors elsewhere. I also run Pulstar Iridium plugs and maybe see a small power gain. In any case, with no Cat and the HHO running, there is no unburnt fuel smell at all in my exhaust. Smells as clean as it can be. I have a straight pipe and a straight-through magnaflow oval muffler. One day I will probably have to do headers and replace the rest of the old pipe.No pics yet. Sorry, maybe later.
Behold! My wall of text!
