Author Topic: Project Cherokee  (Read 4045 times)

Offline LoneWolf

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Project Cherokee
« on: 03/ 6/12 - 12:51PM »
Thought I'd start a thread for this thing..

Here it is as I received it. Thanks Taylor for the great deal and nice cutting job done by Andrew. 8)


First things first. Roll cage. Have to do the cage in the Jeep. No taking it on or out. Makes for some interesting welding positions.
Here are the A-pillars peices.



A-pillars placed in the Jeep and ready to move on to B's. Added gussets for extra strength -- will be doing the lower cross bar on the A-Pillars later on


B-Pillars -- will be coming back to these to add in extra supports


C-Pillars with foot plates welded on


Welding up the rear supports


Rear of cage after supports added


This is where I stopped.. Everything welded solid, footplates, gussets, supports. Still have more supports to do and give some more attention to beefing up front of cage, then A,B,and C pillars will be attached to the unibody.







« Last Edit: 03/ 7/12 - 04:24PM by LoneWolf »
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline YJ_Aaron

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #1 on: 03/ 6/12 - 07:25PM »
Needs a more creative name!  Ghetto Gold or something.  Glad to see you got a fresh project though.

Is it possible for a jeep to ever truely be finished?<br /><br />Only the dead have seen the end of war---Plato

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #2 on: 03/ 6/12 - 07:55PM »
Yeah I was thinking a better name .. Almost put Project Cheap Cherokee... Though not sure how that'll end up going. Lol so far so good, but it is a jeep.
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline OJTV8CJ

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #3 on: 03/ 6/12 - 08:18PM »
Do you have doors?  Didn't know if you removed them or don't have them. 
I cut sheetmetal for free.  It's fixing it that get's expensive.

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #4 on: 03/ 6/12 - 10:19PM »
No I don't have doors but would like some.
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline YJ_Aaron

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #5 on: 03/ 6/12 - 10:28PM »
So where is the spec chart?  Lift, lockers, gears, grocery bags, you know the details!
Is it possible for a jeep to ever truely be finished?<br /><br />Only the dead have seen the end of war---Plato

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #6 on: 03/ 6/12 - 11:34PM »
SPEC CHART:
4.0
8.25 open rear (soon to be welded)
Dana 30 front powertrax locker
Auto transmission
Standard tcase
4 1/2" lift
33's

That's the jest of it. Its the epitome of a budget wheeler. :-)
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline YJ_Aaron

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #7 on: 03/ 6/12 - 11:48PM »
I don't know man gonna be tough competition with Sanchez! LOL.

Is it possible for a jeep to ever truely be finished?<br /><br />Only the dead have seen the end of war---Plato

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #8 on: 03/ 7/12 - 04:31PM »
Well I'm not sure how much of a "Budget Wheeler" this will be in the end... but it is nice to start out with something for $1200 instead of $35,000  :P

EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #9 on: 03/ 8/12 - 12:39PM »
Front view of cage. You can also see the supports on the B-Pillar


Lower windshield bar in setting in place.. not sure I want to do a center vertical bar since I'm gonna cover all this with padding


After I weld in that lower bar its on to tie the cage to the unibody.
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #10 on: 03/ 8/12 - 01:41PM »
Picked up the roll cage padding at lunch aka "Donkey Dick" to the HVAC world
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #11 on: 03/12/12 - 11:41AM »
Got all my foot plates made this weekend and tied cage to the Unibody. If I was doing a Jeep with an actual frame I'd most likely use polyurethane bushings between the plate and Jeep but since this is Unibody I don't see any reason for that.

This is the B-Pillar had to go with a smaller plate here to fit on the inside of the Cherokee. I cleaned up the underneath were I'd be welding on the Unibody


All welded up


The A-Pillar to the Unibody


The C-Pillar to the Unibody



I used Grade 8 bolts on everything, 3/16 plate on the footplates, and I re-used the Transfer-Case drop kit from the first Rubicon I had to joined the plate to the Unibody.  Eventually the A&B tie-ins will all be covered by the rockers I'm going to build. 8)

I also painted the cage this weekend and started adding the padding, will post up pics of that when done.





« Last Edit: 03/12/12 - 11:45AM by LoneWolf »
EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #12 on: 03/12/12 - 11:29PM »
Got the cage all wrapped up. I'm going to wrap certain parts of it with Gorilla Tape so tree branches and what not doesn't tear up the padding.








EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline LoneWolf

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #13 on: 03/14/12 - 11:18AM »
Got to work on the Tow mount. Here's the pieces I cut out and went ahead and cut pieces for some control arm skids while I was at it. That's 3/16 plate


I joined two 3/16 pieces of smooth plate together. I wanted at least 1/4 for these and this made them 3/8.. First I tacked the ends all the way around and ground down slightly but not so much that I ground off all the weld.


then drilled holes and filled both sides with a weld bead. the mount side will be sandwiched with grade8 hardware.


Here's the 3/8's pieces in place. I'm going to replace the factory hardware with Grade8. This will be a great foundation and start to the bumper. The factory bumper mounts will eventually be gone, but I need some sort of bumper until I can finish building one. I'll fit the stock bumper back on but will have to cut some slits so it'll fit over the mount. For now however I just need a way to tow.


The control arm skids. I still need to grind that weld down smooth and round off the corners then weld in place.

EVERY NORMAL MAN MUST BE TEMPTED AT TIMES TO SPIT ON HIS HANDS, HOIST THE BLACK FLAG, AND BEGIN SLITTING THROATS.

Offline CRAZY LARRY

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Re: Project Cherokee
« Reply #14 on: 03/14/12 - 02:26PM »
looking good jimmy.
Zombie brains; smells like fish taste like chicken.