Fitting 2500 front end parts:

[zluster]

Ok, did a little bit of teardown and started looking at what it would take to get this 2500 header panel to fit.

So as you can see the 2500 header fits back in a little bit:

I measure 3.25" deep:

And I measure 3.25" back from the leading edge of the hood. So basically the header is supposed to sit back flush against the front face of the "headlight bucket" so it looks like I will be trimming off that whole side piece where the fender bracket ties the fender to the "headlight bucket" with the ~.25" gap between the header panel and the hood I think that will be just about right.

So, thats what we have to deal with, Baja MJ how exactly did you deal with the recess?

 

[Mr_Random]

I'm a bit confused as to what your actual problem is, does the 2500 panel sit further back than the stock one, and you don't have 2500 fenders to fit?

Are you scrapping/swapping out your interior? I could benefit from some pieces of it (or the whole thing, ha). My XJ has the same color interior and I was seriously thinking about a bench seat (will have to move the E-brake somehow though). I HATE passengers, and any additional separation from people in the rear would be nice, ha... oh and I bet the bench would make a nice "love" seat... you know...

 

[ehall]

I'm a bit confused as to what your actual problem is, does the 2500 panel sit further back than the stock one, and you don't have 2500 fenders to fit?

The sides of the header panel are different from the US models and he does not have the fenders to see how the inner fenders need to be cut

 

[zluster]

I'm a bit confused as to what your actual problem is, does the 2500 panel sit further back than the stock one, and you don't have 2500 fenders to fit?

The header sits further back than either of the US headers, part of the headlight "bucket" will need to be cut away so that the header panel can sit like it needs to.

The fenders should be here in the US any day now, though I don't really require them for fitting the header panel.

 

[ehall]

The fenders should be here in the US any day now, though I don't really require them for fitting the header panel.

Dude, wait for the fenders so you can see all the bolt holes

 

[zluster]

Dude, wait for the fenders so you can see all the bolt holes

Oh, I wont be doing any cutting yet untill I have those, got nothing to lose by waiting untill we get them.

But like I said, it sure does seem like all that is going to have to be cut away.

 

[ehall]

You'll probably want to leave some metal to fold into tabs for the bolts

 

[zluster]

You'll probably want to leave some metal to fold into tabs for the bolts

As far as I can tell from the pictures there are not any bolts in that area, just the ones along the engine bay, and the ones that mount down low below the bumper(and of course the ones in the door jamb and the rocker panel).

Arg, I wish our order would land already!

 

[ehall]

There are probably bolts that hold the front of the fender to the inner fender, like with the stock setup. You'll want to cut and fold tabs for those to keep the front of the fender against the body

 

[zluster]

There are probably bolts that hold the front of the fender to the inner fender, like with the stock setup. You'll want to cut and fold tabs for those to keep the front of the fender against the body

You would think there should be, but from what I can see of the design I dont see how that possible.

The only place I can see for it to attach is way below the headlight area.

 

[zluster]

Ok so this is kinda academic since we should have our fenders and such soon from the groupbuy, but it looks like the 2500 fenders use the newer style upper header mount.

If you note this is a 97+ fender that I threw on for comparison:

So here you can see the upper header mount and the stud on the 2500 header panel line up perfect.

In these last two you can just barely see the stud and the stud hole on the 2500 front end, they do not appear to lineup correctly, though to be fair this fender needs trimming before the header panel will sit flush, and it is a little mangled up.

 

[zluster]

Testing out the 2500 flares, they basically take up the same amount of fender space that the 97+ flares do, but have a somewhat different "squared off" shape to them.

We will not be able to use the 97+ flare tie downs without modification:

 

[slowjeep]

looking good, nice to see a write-up on this upgrade. I guess the next group buy is about ready with so many people inquiring about it

 

[scott00tj]

looks greats. cant wait to see the progress.

 

[BonesBrosChris]

Hey Z did you see if the older pre '97 flare brackets would work? I got a set in the garage but I cant get the 2500 stuff out of the XJ because of all the snow on it.

-C

 

[zluster]

Hey Z did you see if the older pre '97 flare brackets would work? I got a set in the garage but I cant get the 2500 stuff out of the XJ because of all the snow on it.

-C

We could probably get them to work.....they attach differently though, the us 97+ uses those "top/bottom push over clip" and the older ones just use a solid piece of strap with studs that sits through the plastic flare.

But:
I think our best bet is to modify the 97+ tie downs, combined with some strong glue, to hold the flares on.

 

[scott00tj]

We could probably get them to work.....they attach differently though, the us 97+ uses those "top/bottom push over clip" and the older ones just use a solid piece of strap with studs that sits through the plastic flare.

But:
I think our best bet is to modify the 97+ tie downs, combined with some strong glue, to hold the flares on.

duct tape fixes all..... right.....

 

[scott00tj]

Is that the stock MJ hood, the 2500 Hood, or 3rd option?

 

[yossarian19]

I think I heard, somewhere, that the Beijing 2500 uses the pre-97 body with revised front clip and interior... I suspect the pre-97 tie downs would work with the 2500 parts.

 

[zluster]

Is that the stock MJ hood, the 2500 Hood, or 3rd option?

The MJ/XJ/2500 all use the same hood.

That being said it is not the original hood to my MJ.

In 2001 I bought a 2000 Cherokee Freedom, it had been partially repaired and then the insurance company stopped and sold it at a salvage auction instead. The remaining parts needed to repair it were included, the original hood had the slightest bend in it from where the fender had touched the hood. Instead of painting the new hood(which had the bottom painted already) we grabbed the existing hood with a pair of welding vice grips and a rag, pulled back ever so slightly, and completely removed all traces of the bend.

So I had a leftover OEM hood. It sat around for years untill I bought another Jeep Cherokee Freedom back in 2005(grey), which needed a hood so it got used on that jeep. Now this summer I bought the MJ for my diesel project, I also bought a 1998 Mercedes E300 Turbo Diesel for my Dad, in exchange I got his 2000 Cherokee freedom(yellow) and had to sell my 2000 Grey Freedom. Rather than doing bodywork on the hood(had a few up dents and scratches in it) I took the hood off the MJ, which had no dents, and since both needed to be painted top and bottom painted it instead. So now the hood that originally came as a spare replacement part on a Jeep I bought in 2001, had on another Jeep for 3 years, will end up on my MJ which is 12 years older than the hood.

Plus, the MJ is getting painted PR4 - Flame Red, which the bottom of the hood is already.......so I find it very fitting how it all worked out.....

See, you had to ask huh?

I think I heard, somewhere, that the Beijing 2500 uses the pre-97 body with revised front clip and interior... I suspect the pre-97 tie downs would work with the 2500 parts.

No they will not. The 2500 flares are more like 97+ US flares. The 2500 flares use the same type of clip to hold the flare to the bracket as the 97+ US does. They do however use different bracket spacing, as you can see in the picture above, only one clip out of several actually lined up between the US 97+ tie down as the 2500 tie downs.