1989 jeep cherokee build suggestions?

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1989 jeep cherokee build suggestions?

I just bought a 1989 jeep cherokee with a 4.0 straight six. I was hoping to get some cheep sugestions on making it off road awsome?

Thank you in advance.

Fatty's picture

Fatty
Nanaimo

Get on some of the forums out there....pirate 4x4 and others and start searching the internet......so much information on how to do things yourself on the cheap...........or just go buy a kit.

thanks i am just thought i would ask local for some tips so my build fits my terain. I am looking into lift kit's but not sure how high i should take it. I was thinking three or four inch that should fit 31's under it.

Fatty's picture

Fatty
Nanaimo

I was looking into building a cherokee before building my 4runner and there is a lot of kits that are very reasonable on price for what you are getting. If you dont have the tools, space, welder and the time to do the work yourself then this might be the way to go.
I would say 33's minimum and 35's would be better....the 35's may take you into the realm of regearing....but it depends on what you want to do.
Lockers for sure.....at least one in the rear will take you so much further with ease.
Just do your research.....it will save you so much money in the long run......an old lady taught me a very important quote "The poor man always pays twice"......do it right the first time.
Look in the image gallery at the white cherokee....maybe PM him and see what his setup is.

thanks. I wil ask him!

Trackick's picture

Simon
Duncan

That's Jesse's cherokee, he rarely is on here haha, but he's running 33x12.5x15 tires, I believe 4.5 inches of lift. But he just threw together a whole bunch of parts from everywhere to get it that high, not using a kit. 4" springs in the front with spacers, and I believe a chevy s10 bastard leaf pack in the rear, some other stuff I cant remember right now but he got everything he needed for that much lift for like $300 or something, just did all the work himself. Way cheaper way to go for sure. He does want to downsize hiss tires to 32" though, 33s are hard on power on the road

Fatty's picture

Fatty
Nanaimo

Thats really good for $300, looks pretty capable for cheap.....he should take all that money he saved and get some gears.....the smaller tires will suck.

over the years ive even had new ones like urs in the woods. one thing i did find, that the guys with 33s on them were always breaking the hubs and axles. ive known guys give away there 33s and bought 31s. which never seam to break. dodge wants u to buy the better front ends if u want to run 33s. it was everytime we went out someone was limping home. it gave those trucks a bad name in the 90s. even a toyota can handle the 33s. maybe its weather u have a v6 or v8. im not a dodge dude. but passing on what i know. mudding dont break much. rock climbing can.

BeRadical's picture

BeRad
duncan

Jeep cherokee, 1989 with the renix sequencial injection. Figure out what gears you have, is it an auto or standard? 3" of lift with upgraded lower control arms will do you in the front, and bastard pack rear leafs are the best way to dial iit in. trim the fenders and apply lanscaping edging for flares you will tuck 33" tiires all day

The dana 35 rear end should be what you have, but if you have automatic with a stock tow package 3.55 gears and the upcountry model then rear end will be a dana 44. The dana 30 front end it is either a disco front end or a solid shaft? either way find axes out of a tj they are solid and have larger u joints, capable of running 33" tires all day with out breaking under load. all you do is cover the disco pot with a plate. Once you know what gears you have and if you have a 35- find a ford 8.8 out of an explorer with either matching gears or what you want and find a matching set for the front.

A drop pitman arm for steering and your good to go, till it rusts apart

You need any more info just pm me! I will do my best to help you out,

BeRadical's picture

BeRad
duncan

firstly jeeps dont have hubs! (unless its an old FSJ) secondly every time you try to make a complete sentance it comes out as garbledegook! do the world a favor and proof read please! and dodge doesnt give two shits what you put under or on your jeep, like you said though your not a dodge guy. So maybe you shouldnt comment on something you have little to zero first hand experience with, that way people arent being fed misinformation.

hub is general term. lol! i guess nanaimo isnt the hub city. most arent mechanics and dont have straight axles. welshy blew one last week on his 97. 200 in parts. pics are posted. he had to be hauled out. mudmixer got rid of his 99 dodge crapachee jeep thing cause he had to fix the front axle cv joint regularly. gave his 33 tires away first. then the truck. he ended up getting a tracker. even though he pulled me out a couple of time. there were 3 dodges with the same problem last year alone in this club. im just sharing the stories. thats what we do here. u sound more into mechanic than island preservation or touring. ur allowed to have your own opinion. but if u knew about dodge u wouldnt drive one. i guess thats why ur into mechanics. i try my best not to be a mechanic. thats why i drive a chev. did u have to replace every part on ur rig? mines still factory. i did have to change the starter once. reliability is what its all about to most of us. jeep is just a brand now. they aint an overlander any more. havent been since amc bought them.

ur the only one here that cant read what i write. i call it bubbling. i personally dont care what u drive. we all are allowed to have our own opinions. personally u shoud keep urs too urself. u have no idea about much from what i can tell. ive had over 35 trucks and been driving in the dirt for more than 33 yrs. one lasted for 30yrs. 81 chev. 305. 480km 2 trans 3 water pumps. hows them apples. im from the end of lake cow. i rallied for a few yrs. i set up the north american coach plant back in the 80s. i also built race cars and hot rods. could buy anything that went 200mph back in them days. 427rat gto. it was the fastest thing on the island for 10 yrs. i still have one. its up for sale. but im sure ull bitch about that too. its a 2004 kia factory tuner 3800$ 170km 4spd auto.

pinki isnt my only off road toy. i have a few. hes to get more people to join the club. to get more soccer moms and granpas out in their stock suvs.

BeRadical's picture

BeRad
duncan

you wanna go fast man go ahead, I shoulda died when I lost it going too quick a few years ago so I am only going to watch. as for the peticular state of stockness of any off roadf vehical depends on the owners wish to moddify. infact most members on here I have seen have better than stock equipment. I rebuilt my yj out of choice, not for the faint of heart but being a rust free cab and frame it was worth it to do.

I am NOT trying to start a pissing match! the guy just asked about some advice for HIS JEEP in peticular... and you decided to flame on it. I mean by all accounts its a free world so go ahead that's your perogative. I just dont like misinformation, really not a big fan of it, and its really hard to not chime in once in a while.
so I appologise for my abrupt comments, however I will continue to point out things of a contradictory nature, and encourage people without first hand knowledge to check their facts.
on a jeep this is called a unit bering, it is simmilar to a unit berring from a front wheel drive car in that the hub is built directly into this piece and provides positive engagement 100% of the time

BeRadical's picture

BeRad
duncan

these are off a toyota they are also hubs, these allow you to engage the front axle at the tire so that your axles and front drive shaft doesn't wear while on the road in 2wd

BeRadical's picture

BeRad
duncan

now these are off a late model ford explorer and are also a locking hub, however these slip over the lugs with the tire making them easy to replace

plywoodttop's picture

Shawnigan

I call huge bullshit on the fastest car on Vancouver island........post pictures and something to prove it...anyways to the jeep

buy a 4.5 zone lift from westshore 4x4, buy some wheel spacers and 31-33'' tires, a disco kit...have fun, the buy a front Spartan front locker, have more fun, then a winch, see if you have a c-clip rear, if its not c-clip add a rear locker...just remember....keep your front wheels strait if your hammering down with a D30.....and you can swap all your goods to your next jeep once you have had too much fun with this one....

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