Beep Beep Imma Jeep

[2point5RS_Dan]

Alpines are in, they sound great. Left CLR overnight. Today we flushed the whole coolant system, filled it with water, drove to the hardware store to get spare keys made, then drove it home, drained it, and filled it with new coolant. Heat works great now.

My front windshield washer fluid wasn't working, which is scary with all the salt and dirt this time of year. The rear washer was working, so the pump was probably dead. Of course both pumps on the washer bottle have different electrical connectors, making them not interchangeable. Solution? Swap the hoses on each pump. I have to use the rear washer switch to clean my windshield, but it's good enough till I order replacement ones.

The trailer hitch I got was in good condition, but I decided to take a grinder and wire wheel to it to knock off surface rust and flaking paint. It's going to get a few coats of Rustoleum rusty metal primer and then some random basement find flat black.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Custom4x4 front hooks came in + recovery strap. Those + trailer hitch going on tomorrow. Pumped to finally have recovery points at both ends. Then I'll be using it to tow the RS out of a snowbank and into the garage. (hopefully, there's a plow blocking the garage and the plow jeep dies when the plow is hooked up, I'll probably have to ground that ufkcer before I can get in the garage.

 

[Stein]

Let me know if you need someone to pilot the RS on its way out of the lawn.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Let me know if you need someone to pilot the RS on its way out of the lawn.

I'll be around all weekend.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

KrazyKarpenter took some time off from being a responsible adult and came over to help me deal with my stupid projects.

Put the real trailer hitch on today, which turned out to be a PITA. Rusty stuff, rounded nuts, dirt, just a pain everywhere.

We got it done though.

The front tow hooks will go on eventually:

Also got a new recovery strap as part of the tow hook package:

Once all that POOP was done, we went to pull the RS out. Used the plow jeep, but it died (wiring issue). So I used the beep beep jeep to push and pull the plow jeep, the race mustang, and my RS around.

Lets take a look at the list.

Things left to fix/todo immediately:

* CLR douche the heater core again. Coolant flush.

* Figure out why my rear wiper washer works but my front doesn't.

* Sounds like DONKEY on startup, almost as if one cylinder isn't firing. Will throw a tuneup kit at it. Could just be fuel.

* Fix passenger door lock so it actually locks.

* Try and epoxy the aftermarket rear pioneer speaker it came with to get it to not sound like DONKEY. Otherwise leave it out.

* Figure out the loud wooshing sound above 60mph. Sounds like my windshield seal is bad.

* Wire wheel and rattle can those stealies. Less rust brown, more black.

Once all that crap is dealt with, I'll be junkyard hunting for upgrades and fixing up lower priority stuff.

* Install rear hitch and front tow hooks to use as recovery points.

* Weld new metal in floor boards + rockers in the spring. POR15 it's brains out.

* Fab up a rustys knock off front skid for armor + front strengthening.

* Try and find some heated seats out of a Grand Cherokee to throw in.

* Grand Cherokee beefy tie rods, maybe sways. Any other GC crap I can fit.

* ZJ gas tank skid.

* Misc trim pieces to replace my busted up ones.

* Grab some fogs. (I like more buttons to push)

* Try and find an OEM overhead console.

* Ford 8.8 (LSD, disks) eventually.

* Fender trimming and two sets of TJ rear flares so I can steal my sisters tires while she's deployed.

* Part time light doesn't come on when in 4wd. Will research quick fixes online, but probably going to ignore.

* Swap exhausts with our 95 plow rig so I can pass sticker next year.

* Junk yard rear springs to replace my flat ones.

 

[IBratmanI]

God to see some progress. I think you need some supertones of you're gonna call it the beep beep Jeep! lol

 

[Chris]

God to see some progress. I think you need some supertones of you're gonna call it the beep beep Jeep! lol

haha YES!!

 

[MuddyWRX]

Why are you going to put an 8.8 in? Going for deeper gears than the 8.25 perhaps?

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Why are you going to put an 8.8 in? Going for deeper gears than the 8.25 perhaps?

I probably wont. It's more of a pipe dream at this point since funding is going into the RS again. I'd just like a limited slip rear plus disks.

 

[MuddyWRX]

Gotcha. I know you can get discs from the junkyard for the 8.25.

 

[Ty Ty]

Fair warning for when you go to tackle the tow hooks, have an angle grinder at hand. I had to clearance the bumper brackets a bit to make room for the tow hook bolts.

 

[Ty Ty]

Gotcha. I know you can get discs from the junkyard for the 8.25.

Yea, you can grab all of the rear disk brake bits from a ZJ and bolt them on. You just need to make the hole in the backing plate a little larger to fit on the XJ 8.25. For the diff, you can get a lockrite or a powertrax.

http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1230&Category_Code=LOC

http://rustysoffroad.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=92-0382-2905&Category_Code=LOC

I had a lockrite before it exploded in rather spectacular fashion. Been running an open diff since then out of lack of motivation...I really do need to get a proper diff back in there. Probably an Aussie or a Detroit.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Thanks for the info ty. Right now the garage is filled with RS, so the front hooks will go on a little later. I'll have to pick up new disks for our grinder.

As for the rear. I figured I could JY an 8.8 with disks and LSD, just weld the perches and drop it in for dirt cheap. I'm steadily realizing that the Jeep doesn't need more money thrown at it, just maintenance stuff.

My town uses a metric ton of dirt on the roads to keep the cry babies happy. This results in every intersection being a one tire fire as I'm commuting to work in 2wd. I should probably use less throttle, but what fun is that.

 

[MuddyWRX]

As for the rear. I figured I could JY an 8.8 with disks and LSD, just weld the perches and drop it in for dirt cheap. I'm steadily realizing that the Jeep doesn't need more money thrown at it, just maintenance stuff.

Weld the perches, flange adapter for the driveshaft, probably shorten driveshaft, And if you can't find the right gears, regear the front end...

Nothing is ever cheap anymore lol.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Weld the perches, flange adapter for the driveshaft, probably shorten driveshaft, And if you can't find the right gears, regear the front end...

Nothing is ever cheap anymore lol.

Yeah, what I had feared. Who knows what I'll do down the line. Right now it's just fixing the little things and keeping it running while the RS gets built.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

131313 on the ride home. I'm within 100 miles of the folks 2002 WJ as well.

Look at 'dis poser shot yall.

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

Technically not Beep Beep Jeep content, but it is Cherokee content.

Had to get the plow Jeep running today. Local shop fixed it and it died again... Go figure.

A bunch of grounding straps broke, so I'm assuming it kept blowing out the CPS (crank position sensor).

Here's some guy's picture of where it's located:

In this picture, a ton of wiring harness ISN'T in the way. On our 95, you can't get to it from the top, and you can't get to it from the bottom (easily). I had a gigantic construction of socket wrenches, u-joints, and attachments while working under the damn thing in 15 degree weather. I finally figured out how to snake my hands up around the exhaust and driveshaft to get close to the bolts. All this was done while on my back on cardboard on top of ice. It sucked. I notched the new CPS mounts so if it blows I can remove it easier without removing the bolts completely.

Got it done and the driveway plowed.

Jeep buddies!!!

 

[2point5RS_Dan]

No real updates.

Drive this POS to Bangor and back yesterday. Threw a transmission in the back no big deal. Accidentally hopped a curb pulling into a gas station in Brewer.

The rear hatch handle never works well on the later cherokees. Turns out theres a threaded rod back there that seems to wear down. Solution? Crush the attachment point onto the threaded rod in the working position, use tiewraps to keep the pressure on the assembly, and throw some JB Weld on there for good measure. ChryCo apparently has a revised part you can drop in, but my way is cheaper. Rear hatch works perfect now.

I've also had a lot of sound system issues. Volume wont go to max, rear speakers randomly work. Some of the radio stations I listen to are super staticy. In my poking around in the thing already, I've found left over wiring from a rear CD changer. I pulled the radio out and noticed more aftermarket wiring. Some kind of extension on the antenna line which was probably for some aftermarket line in. I just unplugged the extension and slammed the antenna into the radio. Fixed my bad station issue. Once the RS is running, I'll put a better head unit in that and the jeep will get the old one. The speakers sound pretty crappy with the stock head unit, and I'm sure the cassette adapter for line in doesn't help.

 

[Stein]

why would you want the volume at max anyway?

Are the rear speakers the upgraded ones you got from a junkyard?

 

[Ray]

my jeep radio did the same weird low volume crap....